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Ghazi Kb§n Sur, who was in the fort on behalf of Sher Khan, raised the standard of opposition, and for six months the siege was protracted. 3 By the efforts of Rumi Khan, 4 * ladders being mounted, the fort was scaled and captured by Humayun. Sher Khan also put' forth grand efforts for capturing the fort of Gaur, and the garrison were hardpressed. But as in the meantime one of the zamindars of Bchar, becoming refractory, raised disturbance, Sher Khan, finding it inexpedient to halt at Gaur, left his son, Jallal Khan, and Khawa$ Khan, one of his trusty nobles, to besiege the fort of Gaur, whilst he himself marched back to Behar. And Jallal Khan, son of Sher Khan, skirmished with Mahmud Shah, so that the garrison were reduced to straits, and food-grains became scarce in the city. On Sunday, the 13th of the month of Far- wardi, corresponding to the 6th of £il-Qadh, 944 A.H., 6 Jallal 1 These passes are close to Colgong, and are now traversed by the E.I. Railway line. They were in those days considered the * key ’ to Bengal. They were fortified under Sher Shah’s order by Qutb Khan, son of Sher KhanAoft Khawas Khan, slave of Sher Khan. (Soe Badaoni, p. 349, Vol. I). 8 In the Ain-i-Akbari, under the Subah of Allahabad, Chunar is described “ as a stone-fort iu the summit of a hill, scarcely equalled fbr its loftiness and strength.” The river Ganges flows at its foot—Ain-i-Akbari (Jarrett’s Tr., Vol. 2, p. 159). 8 It is stated that its siege by Emperor Hamiyun commenced on 8 th January, 1538 A.C. As its siege lasted six months, and as it was stormed before Gaur fell {on 6 th April, 1538 A.C.) into the hnnd B of Sher Shah’s general Khawas Khan, the siege of Chnnar must have commenced in October 1537 A.C. (See Tarikh-i-Shcr Rfcahi), or it may be that the fall of Gaur took place in July 1538 A.C. (See Badaoni, pp. 348 and 349, Vol. 1). 4 See p. 441 Bloohmann’s Trans, of Ain, Vol. I, p. 441, and JJadooni, p. 34 $ Vol. I. Chunar was captured by Humnyun in 943 A.H. * * This corresponds to 6 th April, 1538 A.C. 140 Khan with other grandees, such as Khawas Khan, etc., struck up the kettle-drum of battle. Sultan Mahmud, who was hard- pressed by the siege, sallying out of the fort, advanced to fight. Since the period of his fortune had turned to declension, and the luck of Sher Khan assisted the latter, Sultan Mahmud, unable to cope iu battle, escaping by the way of Bhata,' fled, and Mahmud Shah’s sons were taken prisoners; and the fort of Gaur, together with other booty, fell into the hands of Jallal Khan, sou of Sher Khan. Jallal Khan a nd Khawas Khan, entering the fort, engaged in slaughter aud capture and plunder of the garrison. And Sher Khan also, being set free from the distur¬ bance in Beliar, pursued Sultan Mahmud. When they closed each other, Sultan Mahmud was obliged to fight, and receiving a serious wound, fled from the battle-field. Sher Khan, victorious and triumphant, spurred on to Gaur, and became master of Bengal. The Cathedral Mosque at S‘adu-l-labpur,* amongst the buildings of Sultan Mahmud, son of Sultan ‘Alau-d-din Husain Shah, exists to this day. From the inscriptions engraved on it, it appears that he was a son of Sultan ‘Alau-d-din Husain Shah. The period of his reign appears to have lasted five years. 8 -o- ACCESSION OF NA§IRU-D-DlN MUHAMMAD HUMAYUN PADSHAH TO THE THRONE OF GAUR. Sultan Mahmud, fleeing wounded from the battle with Sher Khan, turned to meet Sultan Muhammad Humayun, the Emperor. At the time when Sultan Humayun the Emperor captured the fort of Chunar, Sultan Mahmud arriving at Darv.shpura, meeting the Emperor, and using much cajolery and persuasion, r;2d the eVo, to invade Bong... The pity on Mahmud, left Mirza Dost Beg* m charge of the fort 1 aTarter of Gaur. The ioBoriptio,, on this n,o 8 qn. i. pub- U8h t The fate of mS M, bribed - . * which*the Hon’ble Sir Edward Ciive Bay,, ba, pubed ■a — - Dowson's edition of Elliot's H.story of India, IV, pp. 360 364 ♦ I have not identified this place ; bat it mast have eeu cos 4 In Badaoni (p. 348, Vol. I), it is stated that when the King * V 141 Chunar, and in the beginning of 945 A.H. 1 raised the standard of march towards the conquest of Bengal. Sher Khan,* learning about this, despatched Jallal Kfcau and Khawa? KMd to defond the pass of Teliagadhi, which leads to Bengal. And this Telia- gadhi and Sakrigall is a place between the provinces of Behar and Bengal, it is very impregnable ; it is flanked on one side by a lofty kill and a dense forest which are quite impassable, and on another side by the river Ganges, to ford which is very difficult. Emperor Humaynn detached Jahangir Beg 8 Mughal to capture Teliagadhi and Sakrigali. On the day that Jahangir Beg reached that place, just after he had dismounted, Jallal Khan and Khawas Khan, marching up quickly with an efficient force, attacked him. The Mughal forces, unable to cope, were van¬ quished, and Jahangir Beg, getting wounded, in a hapless condition, retreated to the Emperor’s camp. 4 But when Emperor Humaynn himself marched up to Teliagadhi and Sakrigali, Jallal Khan and Khawas Khan, seeing their inability to stand the Emperor’s onslaught, Sher Khan at Gaur. fled towards the hills, and from thence, to The Imperial army, forcing its way easily through that narrow defile, marched up, stage by stage. And when the Imperial camp halted at Kolial Gaon (Colgong), Mahmud Shall, who was in the company of the Emperor, heard that his two sons who had been taken prisoners by Jallal Khan, had been slain. From this grief and affliction, he pined away (named erroneously Nasib Shah, which should be Mahmud Shah) getting wounded in the war against Sher Shah, camo and mot the Emperor (Humaynn), and invoked his help, the latter left Mir Hindu Beg Quchin in charge of Jaunpur province, aud marched (from Chunar) towards Bengal, forcing the pass of Teliagadhi, which was fortified and held by Qutb i^kin and Khawas Khan (son and servant respectively of Sher Shnh). 1 i.e., 1538 A.C. * Sher Khan or Sher Shah was at this time at (aur and had made himself master of it. (See Badaoni, pp. 313 and 319, Vol. I). Mughal historians, to please the Mughal Emperors, innjriably belittle Sher §h£h by calling him “§herKhan.” Slier Shah finally defeated Humayun (Jarrett’s Tr., Ain, p. 421, and Badaoni, pp 354 and 356, Vol. I) near Kanauj in A.H. 947 (A.C. 1540), when Hnmayun fled to Sindh. 8 He is mentioned as Goverpor of Bengal under Humaynn (ride Bloch- ' mann’s Tr., Ain-i-AkbarT, and also the text, Fasc. 1, p. 331, and also Badaoni p. 352, Vol. I.) * This mast have been near Colgong (Kahlgaon), at the time. 142 day by day, and in a abort time died. 1 And since Slier Khan, on bearing about the approach of the Imperial forces, became anxious, he removed the treasures of the kings of Gaur and Bengal, fled towards Radha, 8 and from thence towards the hills of Jharkand. 3 Emperor Huraayun captured without opposition the city of Gaur 4 , which was the capital of Bengal, and owing to the ominous nature of its name, he changed it to .Tinnatabad, apd introduced the Imperial Khutba and coin. The ports of Sunar- gaon and Chatgaon (Chittagong), etc., came into the possession of the Emperor. For some time, the Emperor lived in ease and comfort, and did not pursue Sher Elan, and made light of the enemy. Three months had not yet passed, since his stay in that city, when owing to the badness of the climate of that place, many horses and camels died, and many soldiers fell ill. Suddenly, the news was received that the Afghans, marching by way of Jharkand, had captured the fort of Rohtas, 6 and that leaving a force for the defence of the fort, Sher Khan himself had march- ed to Monghyr, and had put to the sword the Emperor’s grandees who were there. And the news of the successful rebellion of Mirza Hindal which had come to pass at Delhi, 6 was also received. The Emperor becoming anxious on the a receipt of the 1 Mabmud Shah, the last Independent Musalman king of Bengal, died at Colgong in 1538 A.C. 2 This was the name which Western Bengal bore under Hindu Rajas. . . .. 3 Chnta Nagpur tract was so called during Moslem rule in India. * Humaynn captured Gaur, about July 1538. Humaynn stayed at Gaur for three months, that is, till September 1538 A.C.. and named the place Jinnatabad. (See Badaoni, p. 349, Vol. I). .. . ^ 6 This important fort in South Behar was captured by §her Shah in 94o A.H. or about September 1538 A.C. by an ingenious stratagem. (See Bodoom, n 3A9 Vol. I). Sher Khan induced the Rajah of Rohtas to give shelter to his family iu the Fort, and then sent in there two thousand armed Afghans in mahfal or palanquins; these latter killed the Rajah and h,s soldiers, and easily captured the Fort for Sher Shah. • In FirishU occurs the following: At this time news was received that Mira. Hindal "had raised the standard of rebellion in Agrah snd ^ j the Khutba to be recited after his own name, and had killed Shaikh Badaoni, p. 850, Vol. !)• 143 news from Delhi, appointed Jahangir Qali Beg Governor of Bengal, and leaving Ibrahim Beg, who was one of the priucipa! Omra, with five thousand select cavalry in the former’s company, himself swiftly marched back towards Agm. This happened in 946 A.H. -o- THE ACCESSION OK SLIER SHAH 1 * 3 * * * * 8 TO THE THRONE, IN THE CITY OF GAtJR. When Emperor Humaynn in the year 940 A ll. withdrew towards Agra, Sher Khan, apprised of the unprepaiedness of the Imperial army and of the lebelliou of Mirza Hiiulal, set out from the fort of Rohtas with a large army. And at the time, when the Imperial camp arrived at Chausa, capturing the high way, for three months Sher Khan bivouacked facing it, 3 and caused as much harassment ns he could.