English
As luck would have it, a cannon-ball hit the Rajah on the forehead, and threw him down. 'From this mishap, the thread of the arrangement of Shah Jahan’s army was broken. Although a commander like ‘Abdullah Khan, destroying the basis of the Imperial van¬ guard, had joined the Prince’s army, Darab Khan and other commanders of Shah Jahan’s army were not daring enough to hold their ground. On the Imperialists’ side, the desertion of ‘Abdallah E)£n, and on the Prince’s side, the fall of R;ijah Bikramajit CAOsed mutual confusion, And both the armies were dispirited. Towards the end of the day, both the forces withdrew to their quarters. At length, the Emperor withdrew from Akbar- abad towards Ajmir, whilst Prince Sh*h Jahan retired towards Mnndo. On the 25th of the Jamadi-al-Aww&l, the Emperor detached Prince Parviz with a large army to follow up Shah Jahan ; and Mahabet Khan was entrusted with the command of Prince Purviz’s army. When Prince Parviz with his army, crossing the defile of Chanda 1 arrived in the Vilayet* of Mando, ghah Jahan with his army sallied out of the fort of Mando, and detached Rnstam Kha n * with a body of troops to encounter Prince Parviz. Bahan-d-din Barqandaz, odo of the confidants of Rnstam Kb&B| a servant of Shah Jahan, held treason¬ able correspondence with Mahabet Khan, and was waiting for an opportunity. At the time when the two armies fell into battle-array, Rnstam Khan riding forward joined the Imperialists. This wretched Rnstam E)an was by Shah Jahan elevated from the mangab of a Sehbnsti * to that ofa Panjhaz&ri , and honoured with the title of Rnstam Khan and appointed Governor of Gujrat, and he enjoyed the Prince’s fall confidence. Now that the Prince 1 It ia n place mentioned under oubab Berar in the Ain-i*AkbarI (Bloch Tr., Ain, Vol. II, p. 230), near it ia Manikdrug fort. * There ia no each Vilayet, in the strict sense of the terra; but only & Satkar of Mando in §ul>ab Malwah. * Rustam KMn-i-Dakhini ia mentioned in the Ain, as Jagirdar of Samo- garb. See Bloch. Tr., Ain, Vol I, p. 478. * “ 8ehbatl” in the printed text seems to be a mistake or misprint for “ Sihaapi.” (See Blooh Ain, Tr., Vol. I, p 245, for a dissertation on the con- atitntion of the Mughal Army). 24 186 appointing him generalissimo delaclied him to encounter Prince Parviz, the wretch shelving the obligations of so many years’ kindness, joined Mahabet Khan. Owing to the occurrence of this mishap, Shah Jahan’s army got demoralised, and all confidence between each other was lost. Many, going the high-way of infidelity, fled. On hearing of this, Shah Jahan summoned the remnant of the army to his side, crossed the river Narbada, and removed the boats to his side of the river-bank. Leaving Bairam Beg, the Pay-Master General of the Force, with a body of troops on the banks of the river, Shah Jahan himself with the Khan- i-Khanan and ‘Abdullah Khan and others proceeded towards the fort of Ash* aud Burhanpur. Muhammad TaqI Bakshi intercept¬ ing the letter of the Khan Khanan, which the latter had secretly despatched to Mahabet Khan, produced it before Shah Jahan. On the top of the letter, this line was written ji—Eiij 4- 3 ** Translation : A hundred persons with their eyes watch me, Or else I should have fled from this discomfort. Shah Jahan summoning the Khan Khanan with his son Darab~Khan from his house, secretly showed him the letter. The latter failed to give any satisfactory explanation. Consequently, the Khan-i-Khanan 7 with his son was kept in surveillance close to the Prince’s quarters, and then tlie inauspicious presage of the line (quoted above) came to pass. Mahabet ghau sending secret letters, had diverted the Kl?an Khanan from the path of loyalty, through the persuasions of traitors. And the Siau Sbanin, by way of advice told Shah Jahan that as the times were out of joint, following ’the- saying: JU M. Jh (Translation: u I£ the times do not fall in with yon, yon must adjust yourself to the times”) he should arrange for an armistice, as that would be expedient 1 Jndlideeirable in the interests of humanity. Shah Jahan deeming the extinguishing of the fire of discord to be a great achievement, called the Khan Khanan to h.s closet and first reas¬ sured his mind in respect of him by mating the latter swear by the QorSn. And the Khan Khanan placing his hand on Ihe Q"^ ewore with vehemence that he would never play false with 187 Prince, nor tarn disloyal, and that he would put forth his efforts to bring about the welfare of both the parties. Thus being reas¬ sured, Shah Jahan sent off the Khan ffb&nan, and kept Darab Khan and his sons with himself. It was also settled that the Rhan JThannn should remain on this side of the river Narbada, nnd by means of correspondence arrange terms of peace. When news of the conclusion of an armistice and of the departure of the Khan Khanan became known, the troops who had been stationed to guard the banks of the river, ceasing to be vigilant and alert, neglected to guard the ferries of the river. Of a night, nt a time when these were asleep, a body of Imperialists plunging into the river with their horses, gallantly crossed over. A great habbub arose, and from panic men’s hands and feet were paralysed. Bairam Beg, ashamed of himself, went to Shall Jahan. On hearing of the treachery of the Khan Khanan and of the crossing of the river Narbada by the Imperialists, Shah Jahan deeming it inexpedient to halt any further at Burhanpur, crossed the river Tapti, in the thick of the rains, amidst a storm-wave, and marched towards Orissa, 1 * * * * * * 8 scouring the Province of Quthu-l-Mulk.• 1 The following is extracted from Bloch Tr., Ain, as it briefly and at the same time lucidly describes ghih Jahan’s movements:_ “ Sh*l> Jahan rebelled, returned with Mina Abdur Rahim Khfin-i-Khanfin to Mando, and then moved to Burhanpur. On the maroh thither, §Jjih Jahan intercepted a letter which Mirza Abdnr Rahim had secretly written to Mafcabet Khan, whereupon he imprisoned him and his son Dirnb Khan, and sent them to Fort ABir, but released them Boon after on parole. Parviz and Maljabet Khan had in the meantime arrived at the Narbadd* to capture ghah Jahiin. Bairam Beg. an officer of §hiih Jahnn, had for this reason re¬ moved all boats to the left side of the river, and successfully prevented the Imperialists from crossing. At Mirea Abdnr Rahim’s advice, gjiah Jahnn proposed at this time an armistice. He made him swear on the Qoran, and sent him as ambassador to Prince Parviz. Maljabet Khfin, knowing thnt the fords would not now be so carefully watched as before, effected a crossing, and Mirza Abdnr Rahim, forgetful of his oath, joined Parviz and did not return to §tah Jahn, who now fled from Burhanpnr, marching throngh Talinganah to Orissa and Bengal. Maljabet and Mirza Abdnr Rahim followed him up a short distanco beyond the Tapti. . . §hh Jahan then moved into Bengal and Behar, of which ho made Dnrab Khan Governor.” Bloch. Tr. Ain Vol I, p. 837. ' 8 In the Ain, it is stated as below:—” Talinganah was subject to Qutbu-l- Mulk, but for some time past has been under the Ruler of Berar.” (See 188 AN ACCOUNT OF THE ARRIVAL OF PRINCE §EAH JAHAN’S ARMY IN BENGAL, AND THE FALL OF IBRAHIM EH AN FATEH JANG. When Prince Shah -Jahan *8 army reached Orissa, Ahmad Beg Ehan, nephew of Ibrahim Khnn. Nazim of Bengal, who from before liia uncle held the Deputy Governorship of Orissa; was out in the interior to chastise some Zamindars. Suddenly hearing of the arrival of the Prince, he lost all courage, and abandoning his mission, he proceeded to Pipli 1 which was the Headquarters of the Governor of that Province, and withdrew thence with his treasures and effects to Katak, which fiom Pipli is 12 kroh towards Bengal. Not finding himself strong enough to encamp even at Katak, he fled to Bardwan, and informedSalel?Beg*nephew of Ja‘fer Beg, of the whole affair. Saleh Beg did not credit the news of the arrival of Shah Jahan in Orissa. At this time, a letter of a soothing tenoar came from ‘Abdullah Khan to Salel? Beo-. The latter, not being won over, fortified the fort of 13 aid wan, and entrenched himself there. And when Shah Jahan s array arrived at Bardwan, ‘Abdullah besieged the fort, and Saleh Beg was hard-pressed. When things came to their worst and all hopes of relief were lost, Saleh Beg was obliged to surrender to ‘Abdullah E?an. The S>an putting a piece of cloth round the Beg’s neck, dragged him to the presence of the Prince. When this thorn was put out of the way, t banners of victory were raised aloft towards Rajmahal. When this Jarrett'* Tr„ Ain, Tol. It, p. WO), <&** *£ ‘“/t ££££ Qu t b Shiihi dynasty in 1612, with Golkandah as his capital. * SZZS* to a. - Cuttack. Behli (or PipU) is meutiouad iu Sarkur Ja,ar m the A.u. (*• -!ehBeglaaa.onofM™ah.hi,< ^P_ ^ ^ Jafar Bog j, III. (See Bloch. Tr., Am, Vol. I, PP- financier, and a capitl ac- doscribed as a man of the greatest gemu , ^ contorts of a P® oountant. His intelligence w .s sn-h that he could branches by a glance; he was a great horticulturist ***^£ wtta Vakilu- with own hands in his gardens^ *“ d Emperor Jahangir. Hi 1-Mulk and a Commander of Five lhoai£, nn e P ^ 1>60 0 son Mirza Zainnl-abidin is mentioned m the Am a with &00 horae. 189 news reachod Ibrahim ghan Fateh Jang,' who was Viceroy of the $ubah of Bengal, he sank in the river of bewilderment. Although his auxiliary forces were scattered about in the tract 3 of Mag ha and in other places, mustering up courage, at Akbamagar otherwise called Rajmahal, be set himself to strengthen the fortifications, to mobilize his troops, and to arrange bis forces and armaments.