Later Mughals v2.c14.s28: Sec. 54.—Sarbuland Khan Enters Ahmadabad ; Hamid Khan Retires to the Dakhin.
Later Mughals v2.c14.s28
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Sec. 54.—Sarbuland Khan Enters Ahmadabad ; Hamid Khan Retires to the Dakhin.
v2.c14.s28.1
By this time Sarbuland Khan had reached Ajmer, and thence *via* Marwar had marched on towards Ahmadabad. Ali Muhammad Khan waited on in the hope that the two Babi chiefs would succeed in joining him; but they were now with Hamid Khan and could not escape. On the day that Sarbuland Khan arrived at Vadgaon, he was overtaken by Sayyid Aqil Khan bringing three lakhs of subsidy from Dihli. The bearer of this welcome help was appointed *faujdar* of sarkar Godhra and Thasra in place of Nizam-ul-mulk’s nominee Mutawassil Khan.
v2.c14.s28.2
In response to repeated orders Ali Muhammad Khan left Radhanpur for Pattan and thence for Sidhpur. There he found Shaikh Allahyar Bilgrami, the new governor’s Bakhshi, at the head of an advanced force with several guns which had been detached from the main army at Jhalor. A consultation took place and a list of local adherents was drawn up. Qazi Ilm-ud-din was summoned from Pattan and taken into service.
v2.c14.s28.3
Sarbuland Khan was found at Dantiwara and there he issued a writing appointing Sardar Muhammad Khan Ghorni to be his depty in Ahmadabad. This letter was sent to his nominee with instructions to make use of the first opportunity to take possession of the city.
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When Hamid Khan heard that Sarbuland Khan was drawing nearer and nearer he turned back towards Ahmadabad; on the way he was forsaken by Salabat Muhammad Khan and Jawanmard Khan (Babis), who hastened off to join his successor. Hamid Khan still looked anxiously for the Mahrattas, but they came not. Several times he wrote most pressingly to them; but still they made no sign. As there was a new governor actually on the boundary of the province, he feared that those of the city would not revenge themselves for his previous oppression. He therefore named one Rup Singh as his deputy and recommended him to the good offices of Sardar Muhammad Khan; he then quitted the city and marched in the direction of Mahmudabad.
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Urged to haste by his master, Shaikh Allahyar hurried on from Sidhpur, and when Sardar Muhammad Khan received his letter of appointment this advanced force was only some sixty miles from the capital. The new governor's nominee at once interviewed Rup Singh and pointed out the danger to which he was exposed. A new governor with his army was close at hand; and it would be well for him to save his own head by making his escape. Thankful for this chance the man departed, and Sardar Muhammad Khan took peaceable possession. Just when this had happened, news of the Mahrattas came to Hamid Khan; he and Kanthaji quickly joined forces and turned their faces towards the city. On their way they met the fugitive Rup Singh, from whom they learnt that an advanced force was quite near. Hastening onwards the allies pitched their camp in the Shahi-Bagh and sent messages again and again to Sardar Muhammad Khan demanding his neutrality, but without obtaining any satisfaction.
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The two events, Sardar Muhammad Khan's successful occupation of the city and the return of Hamid Khan with his Mahratta ally, were reported to Shaikh Allahyar together when he was at Kalol, some thirty miles from Ahmadabad. Evidently no time was to be lost. Making over the command to Mirza Ghulam Ali Beg, Khwaja Muhammad Aman Nurani, and Raizada Har Karan, Allahyar started at night with one thousand picked horsemen, reached the Sabarmati opposite the city, and crossing over entered by the Raigarh gate. The spirits of the garrison rose and the inhabitants were overjoyed at the prospect of escaping from Hamid Khan's exactions. The rest of the advance force under Ghulam Ali Beg followed from Kalol, and when they arrived at Adalaj, about ten miles from the city, they entrenched themselves. They reported their movements to Sarbuland Khan. Owing to an accident to the wheel of the gun-carriage belonging to the great cannon called Fath Laskar the latter had been compelled to halt for two days at Dantiwara. On his reaching Sidhpur, he was joined by Salabat Muhammad Khan Babi and Jawan-mard Khan Babi. The next halt was at the town of Mehsana. After one day at that place they came to the village of Bist Rain, about 45 miles from the city.
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Here they learnt that Hamid Khan and the Mahrattas had attacked the party entrenched at Adalaj under Ghulam Ali Beg. The fight continued from dawn till the afternoon, then some of the newly enlisted local troops (qasbati) began to retreat, and the force lost cohesion, Ghulam Ali Beg and the two other commanders drew up their men and led a charge against the foe. They succeeded in pushing their attack as far as the centre where Hamid Khan's elephant stood, but they were soon overcome by numbers and Muhammad Aman and Har Karan were slain. Ghulam Ali Beg, in spite of severe wounds managed to break through with a few men and reached the city. Some fugitives from his force found shelter in the surrounding villages, others fled to Bist Rain where stood the advance tents of Sarbuland Khan.
v2.c14.s28.8
To decide upon the course to be taken after this contretemps, a council was called; the faujdaris of Viramgaon and Pattan were given to Salabat Muhammad Khan Babi and Jawan-mard Khan Babi; and summonses were issued to many Rajput and Koli chiefs. The direct route being insufficiently supplied with water they resolved to advance by way of Bijapur, keeping close to the banks of the Sabarmati. Ali Muhammad Khan and the two Babi chiefs were sent ahead to lead the way. Next day they came to the Sabarmati and thence pressed on by successive marches.
v2.c14.s28.9
From Adalaj Hamid Khan returned to the Shahi-Bagh. He now made up his mind to withdraw. The gates of the city remained closed against him, Sardar Muhammad Khan's force was rapidly increasing, and the new governor was reported to be at the head of twenty thousand men. On Hamid Khan's side there were only the four or five thousand men of his own army on whom he could rely. The Mahrattas were accustomed to fight as irregular skirmishers and were not likely to stand against regular troops in a pitched battle. Moreover, his soldiers were already in mutiny for their arrears of pay, and the civil officials were deserting him daily. Murlidhar his diwan, being a native of Gujarat, feared retaliation under a new régime [and went over to Surbuland's side]. For all these reasons combined, Hamid Khan gave up the struggle and went off with Kanthaji to Mahmudabad and then crossed the Mahi river on his way to the Dakhin.
v2.c14.s28.10
On the 11th Dec. 1725 Sarbuland Khan pitched his camp on the north of the city by the Sabarmati and close to the garden of Muhammad Amin Khan. Mumin Khan the diwan, Abul Mufakhir Khan the Sadar, Abdullah Khan the Qazi, Amanatdar official reporter, Kabir Ali Khan, news-writer, Shaikh Allahyar, Sardar Muhammad Khan, Sayyid Fayyaz Khan, Shiran Khan, Khush-hal Chand the nagar-seth, or head of the traders, and all the chief men, Musalman and Hindu, came out to meet him. During a halt of some days many new appointments were made. As an entry into the city was held to be inadvisable, Sarbuland Khan marched round it, past the shrine of Shah Bhikan, to a point south of the walls and on the bank of the river. Fida-ud-din Khan* received a large sum for the entertainment of men and was placed in charge of the country near the capital. Kalb Ali was sent into the city as police officer.
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∗ Afterwards created Najm-ud-daulah Mumin Kh. Dilawar Jang and subahdar. Died 1158 H.