Twilight of the Sultanate c14.s2: The Bachgotīs

Twilight of the Sultanate c14.s2

Language: English

The Bachgotīs

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The Sultan had been in a camp for long and needed rest badly.

But only twenty-four days²⁹ after his arrival at the capital he had to rush to the east where the Bachgotīs were reported to be creating disturbances. The Bachgotīs were a tribe of turbulent Rajputs descended from the Mainpuri Chauhans.³⁰ Their leader was Jūgā.³¹ At the instigation of Husain Sharqī he collected a large force of a hundred thousand horse and foot³² and rose in revolt in the east. The Bachgotīs drove out Mubārak Khan, governor of Kara, killed his brother Sher Khan and frightened Bārbak Shāh into hurrying to Kālā Pahār at Dariyābād.³³ Raja Bhēd (Bhēdachandra) of Bhatghora (Rewa),³⁴ who also seems to have been in league with the rebels, attacked Mubārak Khan Nūhānī when the latter was crossing at the ferry of Jhusi, a small town across the Ganga opposite Allahabad, and imprisoned him.

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²⁹ *T.A.*, I, 317; *Ferishta*, I, 180.

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³⁰ Elliot, *Races of North Western Province*, I, 47-49. Badaonī, Ranking, I, 414-15 and n. 13. The Bachgotīs (or Basgotīs as they are called now) are still found in large numbers in the Allahabad-Jaunpur region.

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³¹ *T.D.*, 50; T.S.A., 38; *W.M.*, 10 (a & b).

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³² *T.A.*, I, 317; *T.D.*, 50; *T.S.A.*, 38; Badaonī, I, 315.

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³³ In Barabanki dist., U.P., situated between Lucknow and Gonda. *Dist. Gaz. U.P.*, XLVIII, 197-98.

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³⁴ All the texts have Raja Bhēd of Panna. Ferishta, I, 180 has Rai Sehdeva of Thatta. He is no other than Raja Bhēdachandra, the Baghela Raja of Bhatghora or Rewa.

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Enraged at the activities of the Bachgotīs, Sikandar Lodī started for the east and within a week arrived at Dalmau, a town of great antiquity lying opposite Kara, in A.D. 1493 (early 899 H).³⁵ His arrival had a salutary effect. Bārbak Shāh hurried to join him. Raja Bhēd, overawed, released Mubārak Nūhānī who also repaired to the Sultan. Their joint forces defeated the Bachgotīs on the bank of the Gomti. The rebels were cut down and dispersed and much booty fell into the hands of the Sultan’s men, but Jūgā escaped to join Husain Sharqī in the fort of Chaund.³⁶ Sikandar tried to win over Husain by inviting him to jointly fight the "infidel rebels" but on receiving a rebuff attacked him. Husain Sharqī gave a determined fight at Katghar (in Distt. Rae Bareli), but he was defeated and fled back towards Bihar.³⁷ The Sultan was thoroughly disgusted at the incompetence of Bārbak Shāh in holding Jaunpur, and bestowed it upon Mubārak Khan Mujikhail.³⁸ Bārbak was imprisoned and left in charge of Haibat Khan and 'Umar Khan Sarwānī.

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³⁵ *Makhzan*, 54 (b).

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³⁶ *T.D.*, 50; *W.M.*, 10 (b). N.B.Roy identifies the place as Chanda, a village in Sultanpur, 25 miles from it. Roy, *Ni‘āmatulla’s History of the Afghans*, 139. But he is not correct. Chaund was a large Pargana with a fort, and is included in modern Chainpur, near Bhabua, in Shahabad district, (north) Bihar. Also see *Jour. Bihar Research Society*, XLI, 1955, Pt. II, 360.

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³⁷ T.D., 50-53; T.S.A., 38-40; W.M., 11 (b). T.A. and Ferishta do not give any narrative of the fight with Husain Sharqī.

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³⁸ T.A., I, 321. Also Ferishta, I, 182.

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Sultan Sikandar then proceeded to Chunār but encountering a determined opposition from the officers of Husain Sharqī,³⁹ he diverted westward to Baghela or Bhata country. According to Ferishta the Raja of Bhata came to wait upon him at Kantit,⁴⁰ but distrustful of his intentions, fled away at night. In revenge the Sultan ravaged Arail opposite Allahabad,⁴¹ and then returned to Delhi via Kara, Dalmau and Sambhal.