English
At this time, the message of the Prince came to him, to the following effect: “Owing to the decree of fate, whatever was predestined has passed from poten¬ tiality into action; and the victorious army has come this side. Though before the outlook of my aspiration, the extent of this Proviuce is not wider than the area covered by the movement of a glance, yet as this tract has fallen in my course, I cannot summarily leave it. If you intend to proceed to the Imperial presence, and to stay my hand from meddling with your life, property and family, l tell you to set out in full security for Delhi; or else if you consider it expedient to tarry in this Pro¬ vince, select any place in this Province that may suit yon, and you will be let alone there at ease and comfort.” Ibrahim Khan in reply wrote : “ The Emperor has entrusted this country to this, their old servant. So long as my head survives, I will cling to this province ; so long as my lifo lasts, I will hold oat. The beauties of my past life are known to me; how little now remains of my future life in this world ? Now I have no other aspiration than that, in the discharge of my obligations for past Royal favours and in the pursuit of loyalty, I may sacrifice my life, and obtain the felicity of martyrdom.” 5 In short, Ibrahim Khan at first intended to shelter himself in the fort of Akbarnagar, but as the fort was large, and as he bad not at bis command a sufficiently large force to properly defend it from all sides, be entrenched himself in his son’s mausoleum, which had a small rampart. At this time, a body of Shah Jahun’s tioops who were detailed to garrison the Fort besieged the rampart of the mausoleum, and from both inside and outside, the fire of arrows and muskets * Ho nppears to have gone at this time temporarily from Dacca (then the Mughal Viceregal Capital of Bengal) to Rajmahal. * That is, South-Western Bebnr. ‘Tract of Mogha ’ or South-Western Behar should not be confounded with the ‘ tract of Mags’, or Arrakan. * I must remark Ibrahim Khan was uncommonly loyal for his times which were full of traitors, as the text shews. IPO blnzed up. At the same time, Ahmad Beg KJjan also arrived, and entered the rampart. By his arrival, the hearts of the besieged were somewhat encouraged. As the family and children of many of Ibrahim Khan’s party were on the other side of the river,‘Abdullah Khan and Daria Khan Afghan planned to cross the river, and array their forces on the other side. Ibrahim Khan 1 on hearing of this, became anxious. Taking in his com¬ pany Ahmad Khan, Ibrahim marched confounded to the other side, left other persons to protect the fortifications of the mausoleum, and sent in advance of himself war-vessels, so that these seizing the routes of march of the Prince’s army, might prevent his cross¬ ing over. -o- End of Fasc. 2. I Mirza Ghina Beg’s third son was Ibrahim Khin Fateh Jung. Fe wm a brother of the EmpreBS Nur Jahin, and through her influence, beoame Gover¬ nor of Bengal and Behar, under Jahangir. He was killed near his son’s tomb at Rajmahol, during Shah Jahan’s rebellion. His son had died youDg, and was buried Dear Rajmahal, on the banks of the Ganges (Tuzuk, p. 383). His nephew, Ahmad Beg Khan, on Ibrahim’s death, retreated to Dacca, where he handed over to Shih Jahin 500 elephants, and 45 lacs of rupees (Tueuk, p. 384). See also Padshahnamah 11,727 and Bloch. Tr., Ain. Vol. I, p. 511. Iqbalnamah-i-Jahangiri and Maasir-ul-Umara. lyi (Fasc. III.) Bat before the war-vessels arrived, Daria Khan had crossed the river. Ibrahim Khan on being apprised of this, directing Ahmad Beg to cross the river, sent him to oppose Daiia Khan. 1 * When the two armies encountered each other, a great battle ensued on the banks of the river, and a large number of Ahmad Beg’s comrades were killed. Ahmad Beg, not finding himself strong enough to stand his giound, retired. Ibrahim Khan with a corps of well-mounted cavalry, joined him. Daria Khan, on hearing of this, retired a few krnh, and Abdullah Khan Bahadur Firuz Jang* also advancing a few kroh , under guidance of zamindars, crossed the river, and joined Daria Khan. By chance, on a site which is flanked on one side by the river and on the other by a dense jungle, they encamped, and arrayed their troops for battle. Ibrahim Khan, crossing the river Gauges, set to fight. He detach¬ ed Syed Nurullah, 3 an officer, with eight hundred cavalry to form 1 Daria Klinn woe a Rohilla general under Shah Jahan. In the begin* ning, he was employed under Shaikh Farid, and under Sh-irifti-l-Mulk, distin¬ guished himself in the battle of Dholpur. After the battle of Benares, he deserted Shah Jahan. (See Afaastni-M/maro, p. 18, Vol II). * When RajnbPartab, Rajah of Bhojpur or Ujjain (west of Arrah) revolt- ed Against the Emperor Shah Jahan, in the 10th year of Slinh Jahiin’s reign, Abdullah Khan Firuz Jang besieged and captured Bhojpur (1046 A.H.) Partab surrendered, and was executed; his wife became a Muhammadan and was married to Abdullah’s grandson. (See Fadthahnamah 1, b. pp. 271 to 274 and Maa$iru-l-Umara, p. 777, Vol. II). Abdullah Khan, though he was thoroughly loyal to Prince Shiih Jahan at the battle of Benares, subsequently seceded from the Prince, and submitted to Jahangir through the intercession of Khan Jahan. (bee p. 248, Fasc. 3, Iqbalnanmh-uJahangiri). 3 One Mir Nurullah is mentioned in the Ain amongst the learned men of Akbar’s time. It is evident the Nurullah in the text was a Syed of Barha- for the Syeds of Barha from Akbar’s time were enrolled in the Army, and claimed their place in battle in the van or haraol. Many of these Barha Syeds for their military or political services to the State, wore honoured by the Mughnl Emperors with the honorific distinction of 14 Khan.” which in course of time very often obliterated all traces of their being Syeds. For instance, Syed All Asghar, son of Syed Mahmud of Barha, received the title of 4 Saif Khnn’ under Jahangir, his nephew Syed Jafar received the title of 4 Sliujiut ]£hin’, Syed Jafar’s nephew, Syed Sultan, received the title of 192 flic vnn, and set Ahmad Beg Khan with seven hundred cavalry to form the centre ; whilst he himself with thousands of cavalry imd infantry, held the line of reserve. A great battle ensued, ■when the two forces encountered each other. Nurullah being unable to stand Ins ground, retreated, and the fighting extended to Ahmad Beg Kljan. The latter gallantly continuing the fight, was seriously wounded. Ibrahim Khan being unable to be a passive spectator of the scene, advanced rapidly. By this forward movement, the array of his force was disturbed. Many of his followers stooped to the disgrace of flight, whilst Ibrahim Khan with a few troops only advanced to the battle-field. Although the officers of his staff seizing him, wanted to drag him out from that labyrinth of destruction, he did not assent to retreat, and said : “ At my time of life, this cannot be. What can be better than that, sacrificing my life, I should be reckoned amongst the loyal servants of the Emperor”? At this juncture the enemy from all sides rushing up, inflicted on him mortal wounds finished his work, and victory declared itself for the adherent* of th fortunate Prince. And a body of men who were entrench d inside the rampart of the mausoleum, on being appnse of , were depressed. At this time, the Prince's army set fire to a mine Which they had laid under the rampart, whilst gal ant an intrepid soldiers rushing op from all sides stormed th fart- 6 cations. In this assault, ‘Abid Khan Diw. and fa ^ r.?a"iTrr zzri rr_ ric k - • Sal aba t Khan alias Ikhtiw Khin,- the latter’s conein, Syed MuzafTar re- ce’ed iTitle of ■ Himmat Khin.' Again Sycd Ahdi, Wahh.b received ‘he title of 1 Diler Khan,’ whilst Syed Khin Jahin-i-Shahjahan. s son. Sj9\ 2-^ 7 man received the title of ‘ Jlnzaffar Khan,’ another son, Sye ’ • Bh.hin.at Khin ' in Aunmg.ch.re.gn.whd.th.. nephc y ^ the title of ■ Yir KW under Muhammad 1 Sh.h. (See the Blochmann's interring note oa Barha Syed. on h Tr „ a pp 390-392). The Jfaa.ir.,-1- U.nara ment.ona aleo one M.r H of Mir Khidlilullah p. 337, Vol. III. Ucr). 193 neck, came and submitted to the Prince.' As Ibrahim Kban’s* family and children, effects and treasures were at Jahangirnagar (Dacca), Shah Jahan’s army proceeded there by river. 8 Ahmad Beg 1 For a graphic contemporary account of this warfare, seo Iqbalnamah-i- Jahangiri (Pers. text, Faao. 3, pp. 218-221), and the Tuzuk (p. 383). Ibrahim Kh5n was killed near the tomb of his son at Rajmahal, on the banks of e Ganges. Our author appears to have borrowed his account (in an abridged form) from the Iqbalnamah, though there are slight variations. In the text we are told that Ibrahim Khan at the battle had with him “ thousands of cavalry and infantry,” whilst in the “ Iqbalnamah,” it xa mentioned that Ibrahim Khon had with hi-' "nlv " one thonsand cavalry." S Ibrahim Khin Fatih Jang was a son of ’Itamd-u-daulah Mirza Ghias. His real name was Mirza Ibrahim. In the commencement of his career, lie held the office of BakJtihi ami Wagia-navh at Abmadabad in Gnjrat. In the 9th year of Jahangir s roigr>. he received the title of 11 Khau ,,f and the man?ab of hazar and panfadi, anJ was promoted to the office of Imperial aticf gradually furthei advanced to the rank of Panjhazari and to the office of Subadar (or Viceroy) of Bengal and Orissa, receiving at the name time tho titles of “ Ibrahim Ehau Fatih Jang.” In the 19th year of Jahangir’s reign, Prince Shah Jahan invaded Orissa and Bengal vvd Tclingana. On hearing of this news, Ibrahim Khan moved from Dacca (which was then the Viceregal Capital, and whore his family and treasures were) to Akbarnagar or Rajmahal.