Later Mughals v1.c6.s21: Sec. 21.—Desultory Fighting with the Sikhs.
Later Mughals v1.c6.s21
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Sec. 21.—Desultory Fighting with the Sikhs.
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It will conduce to clearness if, discarding a strict chronological order, we here carry the story of the Sikh revolt up to Bahadur Shah's death and the reign of Jahandar Shah, leaving the final overthrow and capture of the Guru in Farrukh-siyar's reign, to be related hereafter. To resume, then :—On the 22nd Zul Qada, 1122 (11th January, 1711) Muhammad Amin Khan returned to head-quarters and reported the re-occupation of Sarhind. He was received with honour, and escorted into camp by Khan Zaman Bahadur, the Wazir's second son. Shortly after this date, Saf Shikan Khan Bahadur, with his sister's son, Himmat Daler Khan, was despatched against the Sikhs in the direction of Lahor. He was followed on the 18th Muharram, 1123 (7th March 1711), by Hamid Khan Bahadur, at the head of 5,000 horsemen. Three months had hardly passed from the taking of Lohgarh, when, in the early part of 1123 H., the Guru issued from the hills and appeared further to the west, in the parganas of Raipur and Bahrampur,† thus raising a fresh disturbance in the Bari Duab. On the 7th and 14th Rabi II. 1123 (24th and 31st May, 1711), Rustam Dil Khan and Muhammad Amin Khan were sent to restore order, and were directed to construct a bridge of boats across the Bias river. Meanwhile, by a report which arrived on the 18th Rabi II. 1123 (4th June, 1711) the Emperor learnt the death of Shams Khan Khweshgi.‡
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Shams Khan Khweshgi, who had shortly before this time lost his appointment as *faujdar* of Baith Jalandhar, was on his way to his home at Qasur, south of Lahor, accompanied by one hundred horsemen. The party was attacked by the Sikhs, who had gathered together to the number of some 20,000 men, horse and foot. In spite of the disparity of numbers, the Muhammadans, disdaining to flee, offered a stout resistance. Many of the Sikhs were killed, but at the same time, Shams Khan himself was among the slain. As the Guru did not know of this leader's death, he and his men left the field. By the time he heard the news and returned, the Afghans had removed Shams Khan's body and with it escaped to his home. The Emperor appointed Isa Khan Main to be deputy faujdar of Baith Jalandhar, with the rank of 1,500 zat, 1,000 horse.*
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∗ Kamwar Khan, 83, 87; Warid, 120b. † Raipur (not traced). Bahrampur, n. of Gurdaspur. ‡ Kamwar Khan, 84, 85, 87, 91, 92; Mirza Muhammad, 215, 217.
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Owing to the death of Shams Khan, the inhabitants of the Bari Duab, especially of Batala and Kalanaur, two important towns, fled from their homes, with their families and such property as they could remove, taking refuge in Lahor or other places of safety. As soon as the Sikhs found that the towns and villages were not defended, they placed in them armed posts and slaughtered all those upon whom they could lay hands. A force was also sent by them across the river Ravi to devastate the Rachnau Duab; Aurangabad, Parsaror, and other places were taken and many houses burnt.†
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On the 23rd Rabi II. 1123 (9th June, 1711) Hamid Khan Bahadur returned to head-quarters, then at Hushyarpur, and at the same time it was reported that Isa Khan Main had inflicted a severe defeat on the Sikhs. As the victor was a protege of the eldest Prince, Jahandar Shah, that Prince received robes of honour as a compliment for the victory. Five days later (28th Rabi II. 1123, 14th June, 1711), Muhammad Amin Khan Chin, and Rustam Dil Khan, wrote that, near Parsur (or Parsaror), they had also defeated the Guru, who had fled without any followers into the hill-country of Jammu. In these operations against the Sikhs, Rustam Dil Khan is said to have committed great excesses against the inhabitants of Kathotha, Barwal,‡ and other parganas, seizing many persons on the wrongful accusation of being Sikhs, and giving them to his soldiers in lieu of pay. These latter sold the poor wretches in the horse-market (nakhkhas) at Lahor.§
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∗ Mirza Muhammad, 215, 237. † Ibidem. Aurangabad (not traced); Parsaror, a few miles s. of Sialkot. ‡ Kathotha (in Rachnau Duab, Ain ii. 321); Barwal (not traced). § Kamwar Khan, 92; Qasim, 103.
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Soon, the two commanders, Muhammad Amin Khan and Rustam Dil Khan, began to quarrel and send in complaints against each other. From this cause the pursuit relaxed. The charge against Rustam Dil Khan was that, after he had learnt the Guru's hiding-place in the hills, and had resolved to surround it, the fugitive made overtures of humble submission, and on several occasions sent large presents of money to his pursuer. These presents caused Rustam Dil Khan to delay his advance. By this remissness the Guru succeeded in effecting his escape. Muhammad Amin Khan's story was believed, and Rustam Dil Khan was recalled to Lahor. From that time the operations slackened.*
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One account states that Rustam Dil Khan's offence was leaving his troops and returning to Lahor without orders. Whichever is the true version, it is certain that on the 19th Rajab, 1123 (1st September, 1711), Islam Khan, general of artillery, Mahabat Khan, Mukhlis Khan and Sarbarah Khan, the *kotwal*, were sent to arrest him. He was brought in during the night, seated on the carriage of a field-piece. Orders issued to put fetters on his feet and convey him to the citadel of Lahor. On his way to prison, a number of men who had suffered at his hands, cursed him and threw dust at him; but true to his reckless character, he was not in the least dejected, and occupied himself in interchanging witticisms with the men in charge of him, who were seated on the same elephant. Some of the bystanders shouted out, "Pimp! Pimp!" Now, as Islam Khan was following his prisoner on another elephant, Rustam Dil Khan retorted unabashed, "Which do you mean? The pimp in front or the one behind?" His office of Mir Tuzak was given to another man, and Inayatullah Khan, the *Khan-saman*, or Lord Steward, was directed to confiscate his property. The amount reported was 500 gold coins (*ashrafi*) 1,36,000 Rupees, 11 elephants, 70 horses, 18 camels, some jewels, and forty cart-loads of tents. After a few months the culprit was released, and received the name of Ghazanfar Khan in place of his old titles (20th Shawwal, 1123 = 30th November, 1711).*
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∗ Warid, 125b. Rustam Dil Khan was the grandson of Allah Wirdi Khan Shahjahani.
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On the 14th Zul Hijja, 1123 (22nd January 1712), barely a month before Bahadur Shah's death, Muhammad Amin Khan reported a severe fight with the Sikhs, and with his letter he sent in five hundred heads. But, on the Emperor's death, Muhammad Amin Khan left that part of the country and returned to the imperial camp with the object of taking part in the fight for the succession. The Guru saw his opportunity and once more took possession of the town of Sadhaura, and restored the fort of Lohgarh. Here he remained undisturbed for about two months. When Jahandar Shah's accession had taken place, Muhammad Amin Khan was sent back to continue the campaign, and Zain-ud-din Ahmad Khan, *faujdar* of Chakla Sarhind, was ordered to put himself under that general's orders. For several months the investment of Sadhaura was maintained without result. Then, towards the end of the year 1124 (December, 1712), when Jahandar Shah left Dihli for Agra to oppose the advance of Farrukh-siyar, he recalled Muhammad Amin Khan to head-quarters. Subsequent events will fall within the reign of Farrukh-siyar.†
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† Kamwar Khan, 100; Mirza Muhammad, 215-237.