Later Mughals v1.c7.s3: Sec. 3.—Defeat and Death of Azim-Ush-Shan.
Later Mughals v1.c7.s3
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Sec. 3.—Defeat and Death of Azim-Ush-Shan.
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After three days of indecisive fighting Zulfiqar Khan bethought himself of another device for weakening the enemy. On the night of Bahadur Shah's death he had sent out troops in three directions in order to prevent all escape by the ferries on the Ravi river, and had sent flattering promises and a note in Jahandar Shah's hand-writing to Mahabat Khan and the other sons of Munim Khan, the deceased Wazir. Many imperial commanders and soldiers were encamped in great discomfort on the sandy ground in the dry bed of the river, where they also suffered occasionally from cannon shot which fell in that direction. It occurred to Zulfiqar Khan that if his guards at the ferries were withdrawn, all these men would be only too glad to make their escape with their families. Accordingly this order was carried out during the night between the 8th and the 9th Safar. Many marched away to a place of safety, and many joined the standard of Jahandar Shah. The movement also extended itself to Azim-ush-shan's own adherents. Crowds of men during this night, on pretence of placing their families out of danger, made their escape from the earth-work. None of them were touched or hindered by the other side; all were allowed to pursue their own way. Among the first who fled were Mahabat Khan and Khan Zaman Khan, sons of Munim Khan and Hamid-ud-din Khan Qul Alamgiri, all of whom crossed the Ravi during the hottest of the fighting. Sulaiman Khan Panni, Shah Nawaz Khan Safawi, Daya Ram Nagar, and Kesari Singh remained faithful and passed the night on the alert.*
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When morning broke on the 9th Safar (17th March, 1712), the three Princes decided to bring the contest to a final issue. Zulfiqar Khan took command of the centre by the side of Jahandar Shah ; Abdus-samad Khan was put at the head of the vanguard ; Kokaltash Khan was on the right and Jani Khan on the left wing. Jahan Shah supported the vanguard and Rafi-ush-shan commanded the rear. In this order they advanced towards the entrenchment of Azim-ush-shan. For six hours both sides maintained an artillery-fire, and Jahandar Shah's guns after each volley were advanced slowly until they were close to the earthen wall. Suddenly Kesari Singh and his men charged the guns but were repulsed by Abdus-samad Khan. In the hand to hand encounter, Kesari Singh was shot and fell from his horse. His men were thrown into confusion. Abdus-samad Khan, seeing his chance, encouraged his men with a loud voice, and in a short space their opponents were all put to the edge of the sword, not one escaping alive. Following up their advantage, Abdus-samad Khan and his men rushed on towards the entrenchment. Pirthi Raj, leader of Jahan Shah's vanguard, and Abdus-samad Khan entered the position together. Sulaiman Khan and his fellow-Afghans met and opposed their onset. Once he succeeded in forcing back the assailants. But Abdus-samad Khan supported Pirthi Raj vigorously. Shah Nawaz Khan, by Azim-ush-shan's order, now arrived with reinforcements commanded by some Afghan leaders, such as Mali Khan and his son, Alwi Khan. Most of Sulaiman Khan's Afghans were killed. Shah Nawaz Khan was severely wounded and withdrew, having seventeen arrows sticking in him,* while Sulaiman Khan still stood firm, with a hundred of his own most trusty followers, and fronted Abdus-samad Khan and Pirthi Raj. The Turani bowmen, noted for their skill, shot their arrows at Sulaiman Khan and his men, and every arrow emptied a saddle. The Afghans treated it as if they were being pelted with flowers, and still barred the way. When only some thirty or forty horsemen were left, and all hope of reinforcements had vanished, Sulaiman Khan, seeing that further effort was fruitless, collected his men and retreated. As soon as the way was thus opened, Abdus-samad Khan accompanied by Pirthi Raj pressed onwards.*
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∗ Kamwar 108; Warid, 62; Qasim, 49. B.M., 1690, fol. 158b, adds Sarafraz Khan to the fugitives. They took refuge in the Lahor Masjid.
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∗ Shah Nawaz Khan died of his wounds (Tarikh-i-Muhammadi, 1124). See his biography in Masir-ul-umara, iii. 692. He was the last of the Safawi race who distinguished himself in India; he was in the sixth generation from Shah Ismail Safawi, (1500-24). Seven women of the family had been married to Princes of the Mughal imperial house. For lives of Safawis in India, see Masir-ul-umara, ii. 670; iii. 296, 434, 477, 555, 556, 581, 583, 677, 692.
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In another part of the field Daya Ram Nagar attacked Jahan Shah's guns, hoping to pass through them and reach the centre of that Prince's division. But Afzal Khan's courageous resistance defeating this manœuvre, Daya Ram drew rein and turned off towards Jahandar Shah's batteries. Here Daya Bahadur was shot down. His men then dispersed in every direction and sought safety in flight. Those who made off towards the Ravi were met and killed by Rafi-ush-shan's troops, who protected the rear of Jahandar Shah's division. [Nur. 43.]
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At length, Jahandar Shah obtained an entrance to the entrenched position of Azim-ush-shan. Zulfiqar Khan's and Jahan Shah's troops took possession of the walls, while Kokaltash Khan, at the head of 4,000 horsemen, was sent to the assistance of Abdus-samad Khan inside the entrenchment. As Jahandar Shah's men began to gain the upper hand, Muhammad Karim, eldest son of Azim-ush-shan, quitted his father and crossing the river hid in the house of a poor cotton-carder or weaver, where he was seized a few days afterwards, as will be related hereafter.† Jahandar Shah's army now advanced in a body against Azim-ush-shan. Sulaiman Khan tried all in vain to re-inspire his troops with confidence. Resolving to sell his own life dearly, he met Jahandar Shah's men with repeated discharges of arrows, until in a short time final disaster fell on Azim-ush-shan's partisans through the loss of the Prince, their leader. [Nur. 44.]
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∗ Kamwar Khan, 108; Qasim, 50; Yahya Khan, fol. 177b.
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† One account (Mhd. Qasim, 52) says that he had lost his way at the end of the first day's fighting and wandered all night round his own camp without being able to find it. At dawn one of his servants found him, changed his clothes, put him on a horse and took him to a weaver's house in the quarter of Talbagha, near the shrine of Pir Ali Hajwiri. This saint died in 456 H. (1063-4) and was buried at Lahor—(Beale 246). The mausoleum is now known as Data Ganj-Bakhsh (S. Latif, History of the Panjab, 84).
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During this day Azim-ush-shan had preserved the same attitude as hitherto of a helpless waiter on events. When Daya Bahadur and Muhkam Singh entreated him to give orders to assume the offensive, no other answer could they force from him except his eternal *andak bashid*, ‘Wait a little longer’. They spoke their minds freely to him and went against the enemy without waiting for his orders. We have seen above how little advantage they reaped, in spite of all their exertions. Sufficient reinforcements were not sent, and by the end of the day most of the troops had vanished, having sought a refuge in Lahor city. At last out of the 60,000 to 70,000 men that he had at first under his command, Azim-ush-shan was left with 10,000 to 12,000 men only. During the night which preceded the last day’s fighting, the rest of the men deserted. The artillery fire continuing all night long, every man thought of his own safety. Only a few determined to remain steadfast so long as Azim-ush-shan was still alive, and these passed the night in watching and prayer. At early dawn the drum beat for them to take horse. But, when the Prince’s war elephant was brought up, it refused to allow him to mount, and his attendants were forced to send for another. Round him were grouped Niamat-ullah Khan and Aqidat Khan in *palkis*, for they said they were wounded, Rajah Raj Singh of Kishangarh with about 1,000 men, and Amin-ud-din Sambhali with twelve relations or dependents and ten new men. Shortly afterwards Khwaja Muhammad Asim,* paymaster of the Ahadis, with Ghulam Husain, an Afghan of Qasur near Lahor, joined the party. In all there may have been two thousand men round the Prince. [*Dastur-ul-insha*, 18.]
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It so happened that a high wind sprang up and the sand from the Ravi banks rose in clouds. Everything was blotted from view; all that they could hear was the report of the cannon, all that they could do was to shut their eyes to keep out the dust. Jahandar Shah’s army could not see them, nor could they see any trace of him. Suddenly some Mughals bore down on them and let fly their arrows, by which some flesh wounds were caused. The Mughals did not recognize the Prince, and rode on to plunder the treasure and horses. Then a ball from a small gun (*rahkala*)* passed close over the Prince's elephant and set fire to the cushions, so that the smoke hindered the view. The Prince threw the cushion down, and when asked, said that no harm had been done. Amin-ud-din recommended him to mount his horse and take flight either to Bengal, where he was well known, or to the Dakhin, where Daud Khan Panni was favourable to him. In either place he could recruit his forces and renew the struggle. The Prince replied that Dara Shukoh and Muhammad Shuja had gained nothing by flight, ending by quoting in Arabic the words 'With God's help the few shall overcome the many.' Thus they might still win the day. Amin-ud-din said he had only twenty-two followers left. The Prince asked for ten of them with which to make a charge on Muizz-ud-din, the other twelve could be led by Amin-ud-din against Jahan Shah. This talk was just ended when Khwaja Mhd. Asim, the paymaster of the Ahadi troops, came from his station, and out of friendship to Amin-ud-din, called out, 'I am off to Bengal, come with me.' Amin-ud-din refused to leave while the Prince was still alive. Muhammad Asim then went off towards Sultanpur, in the Jalandhar Duaba, and finally made his way to Prince Farrukh-siyar at Patna. Rajah Raj Bahadur escaped to his home country of Kishangarh.†
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∗ Afterwards Ashraf Khan, and subsequently Samsam-ud-daulah Khan Dauran Bahadur (d. 1151 H., February, 1739).
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In a little while a shot from one of the heavy guns struck the trunk of the elephant on which Prince Azim-ush-shan was riding. The elephant turned and fled towards the Ravi, the driver fell off, and Jalal Khan Lodi,‡ the attendant in the hind seat, clambered down by the ropes and escaped. Such was the terror of the elephant that it outstripped the dust itself had raised. Amin-ud-din and others galloped in pursuit at the top of their horses' speed, in the hope of barring the elephant's further flight. All was in vain; they were left far behind in the race. Suddenly the elephant disappeared over the high bank overlooking the stream; when the pursuers reached the edge and looked down, all they saw was the heaving mud and sand, from which issued the most frightful roaring. The elephant and the Prince had been swallowed up by a quicksand. Amin-ud-din passed the night alone under the shade of a tree, and in the morning sought refuge in the city of Lahor.*
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∗ *Rahkala*, J. Shakespeare Dict., 1203, a small cannon, a swivel, a field-piece; also a cart. † *Dastur-ul-insha*, 18; and B. M. 1690, fol. 158b; Kishangarh is in Rajputana, north-east of Ajmer. ‡ He was a *qarawul* (huntsman) and *qush-begi* (chief falconer), Warid, 62. He died at the end of Safar 1136 H. at Dihli, *Tarikh-i-Mhdi*.