English
Prince Shuh Jahi&n sent messengers to him, to win him over to his side, but he proved unflinching in his loyalty to the Emperor, and foil fighting heroically in the battle of Rajmahal, near the mausoleum of his son. Jbrnhim Khan s reply to Prince Shah Jahan, is a model of dignified and firm protest couched in the bq9t dip¬ lomatic form of the Persian language, and is worth quoting:- CJLo y . >&£ l\j O— jjAbioU Cri’T ^ * ty* (3^* Jyi j isjj jty f*l>*i* v^o)JL> Ai islrt *1 **• iWAcHl *="*** Jj j\Sj* oy ^ j.^0 AT J 1 **— Ali.U. JUi| y- jl'H \j Ayk y* * cs 1 **** * cril O* jl **} (See Maasir-xd-Umara, Vol. I, p. 135). * At this time, the Musalman Viceregal Capital of Bengal continued (See Maatir, p. 185, Vol. I), to be at Dacca or Jnhangimngar, which appoara to have been so named during the Viccroyalty of Islam Khan I, owing to tho decisive battle which was fought under its walls on 9th Muharram 1021 A.H. or 2nd March, 1012 A.C., in iho soventh year of Emperor 25 194 IQian 1 , nephew of Ibrahim Khan, who had gone ahead to that f'ity, saw no resource except in surrender, and through the Jahangir’s accession, between the Afghans under Khwajah Osman Lohani, and the Mnghal Imperialists under ghujait Khan Rnstam-i-Zamin (§hai^ Kabir-i-Chishti),—a battle which finally crushed Afghan resistance in Bengal and Orissa, and firmly consolidated Mughal supremacy throughout these Provinces. (See pp. CO-64, Fasc. 1, Pers. printed text of Iqbalnamah-u Johavgiri, a contemporary record, and also Tutuh for fascinating descriptions of this sanguinary and decisive battle near Dacca). Stewart wrongly places the battle “ on the banks of the Subarnarika in Orissa.” Osman being stout, rode at the battle on a rogue elephant called Bakhta. Many Imperialist leaders, such as Sycd Adam Barba, Shaikh Acha. Iftikhar Khan. Klshwar Khan fell at tho battle, which was half decided in favour of Osman, when a chance arrow-shot, wounded Osman on the forehead, and, conpled with the arrival, of Mughal reinforcement under Mu’taqqTd IQian and Abdus Salam Kian, saved the Mughal disaster, and tnrned it into a victory. It would appear that when in the 19th year of Jahangir’s reign corre¬ sponding to 1033 A.H. Prince Shah Jahan rebelling against his father, invad* ed Bengal, tho Mughal Bengal Viceroy, Ibrahim IQian Fateh Jang (a.relation of Empress Nur Jahan) had moved from his capital at Dacca or Jahangir* nagar to Rajmahal or Akbarnagar. Tho Iqbalnamah-i-Jahangir (p. 218,Faso. 8, printed text), a contemporary record, states that Ibrahim’s troops were scattered at the time on the borders of Magha, which signifies South Western Behar. Owing to paucity of troops (the Maatir explains otherwise), Ibrahim did not think of fortifying the fort of Rajmahal which was large, but en¬ trenched himself in the mausoleum of his son, situate within the Fort and -lose to the river Ganges. Shah Jahan moved from Burhanpur in the Dakhin across Taliugana into Orissa, overran it across Pipli and Katak, and moved to Bardwan acrosR Sarkar Madaran, and after capturing Bardwan (where Salih was commandant) marched up to Rajmahal, where the great battle was fought, and after defeating Ibrahim Khan, proceeded to Dacca, whither Ahmad Beg IQiin (nephew of Ibrahim and of Empress Nur Jahan) had previ¬ ously retreated after Ibrahim’s death. Ahmad Beg surrendered to Shah Jahan at Dacca (according to the Tuzuk and Maasir) with forty-five lacs of treasure and 600 elephants. Shah Jahan leaving Darab Khan (a son of Mirza Abdur Rahim Khan Khanan) as Governor of Bengal, marched back westward across Bengal. Behar and Jaunpur to Benares, where he was opposed and checked by Mahabet Khan. (See Iqbalnamah-i-Jcihangiri, Fasc. 3, Pers. text, pp.216, 210, 217 222, 223, 228, 238, 230). Shah Nawaz Khan was tbo eldest son of Abdur Rahim Khiin-i-Khnnan; his life also is given in the Maa\r-ul-Umara. I Ahmad Beg Khan was a son of Muhammad Sharif, and a nephew of Ibrahim Khan Fateh Jang, the Bengal Viceroy, and of Empress Nur Jahin. At the time of Prince Shih Jahun’s incursion into Orissa and Bengal, he was Deputy Governor of Orissa. Ho was at tho time engaged in an expedition against K&nrda. On hew ing of Shah Jahiin’s invasion, he withdrew to Piph 195 intercession of Shah Jahan’s confidants, was granted an audience with the Prince. The Prince’s officers were ordered to confis¬ cate Ibrahim Khan’s treasures. Besides goods and silk-stuffs, elephants and aloes wood, ambergris and other rarities, forty lacs of rupees were confiscated. The Prince released from confine¬ ment Darab Kh an, son of the Khan-i-Khanan, who had hitherto been in prison, and exacting from him an oath, entrusted to him the Government of Bengal, and took along with him as hostages the latter’s wife and a son, Shah Nawaz Khan. 1 The Prince sent Rajah Bhim,* son of Rajah Karan, with a large force, as his Deputy to Patna, and he followed himself with ‘Abdullah (his head-quarters), thence to Katak, and not feeling himself secure even there, inarched first to Bardwan, whence he went to Rajmahal or A k barn agar, and joined his nncle Ibr ahi m Khan. Being defeated in the battle there, Ahmad Beg moved to Dacca (which was then the Viceregal capital of Bengal, and where the family and treasures of Ibrahim Khin were), but was soon overtaken there by Prince Rh5h Jahan, to whom he surrendered. On Rhah Jahan’s accession, he was appointed Faujdar of Siwaetan. (Sec Maasir-ul • Omara, p. 194, Vol. I). 1 In the text there is same mistake. When Daiab Khan (second son of Mirza Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khaaan) was made Governor of Bengal, Shall Jahan took his wife, a son and a daughter, and also a 6on of Rh“h Nawaz Khan (oldest son of the Khan-i- Kh ifrianl as hostages (see Maasir-vl. Umara ). Shih Nawiz was not taken as a hostage, as tho text vould imply. Darab was subsequently killed by Mahabet Khan, at tho instance of Jahangir. The following chronogram is given in the Maasir-ul-Urnara (p. 17, Vol. II), as yielding the date of Darib’s death (1034 A.H.) * Ram DSb, the Kaohwah Rajput, was at first attached as uaib in tho Financial Department nnder Todar Mai, and soon gained Akb&r’s favour by his regularity and industry. Emperor Jahangir conferred on him the title of ' Rajah Karan,’ but owing to his disgraceful flight during the wars in the Dakhin, he lost Jahangir’s favour. Jahangir is stated to have cursed him thus:—“ When thou wert in Rai Sal’s service, thou hadst a tankah per diem; but my father took an interest in theo, and made thee an Amir , Do not Rajputa think flight a disgraceful thing? Alas, thy title, Rajah Karan, ought to have taught thee better, Mayest thou die without the comforts of thy faith.” His sons were Naman Das and Dalap Das—Bhim Das is not mentioned amongst his sons (see Bloch. Tr., Ain, Vol. I, p. 483). But one Bhim Singh is mentioned (see Bloch. Tr., Ain, Vol. I, p. 418), amongst the gr ands on s of Madhu Singh, son of Rajah Bhagwan Das. This Bhim SInglj was killed in the Da khin, in the 3rd year of Shih Jahan’s reign. Another. Ran * Karan h mentioned in tho Uacuir.ul-Umara (p. 201, Vol. II). 196 Khan and other officers. As the Sabah of Patna was assigned as a jagir to Prince Parviz, the latter had appointed his Diwan, Mukhalas Khan J , as its Governor, and Alali Yar Khan, son of Iftikhar Khan, and Sher Khan Afghan, as its Faujdars. On the arrival of Rajah Bhlm, they lost courage, and had not even the boldness to shelter themselves in the fort of Patna, till the arrival of auxiliaries. Thoy fled from Patna to Allahabad. Rajah Bhim without movement of the sword or the spear, entered the city, and subdued the Subah of Behar. Shah Jahan followed, and the JagirdSra of that tract went to meet him. Syed Mubarik, who was Commandant of the fort of Rohtas, leaving the fort in charge of a zamindar, hastened to pay his respects to the prince. The Prince sent Abdullah Khan with a body of troops towards the Subah of Allahabad,and sent Daria Khan with another body of troops towards the Subah of Oudh, whilst after a while, leaving Bairam Beg to rule over the §ubah of Behar, the Prince himself advanced towards those parts. Before Abdullah Khan crossed the river at Chausa, Jahangir Quli ©an,* son of Khan ‘Azim Kokah who was Governor of Jaunpur, being 1 Mukhalis KLan was in tfie beginning in the service oi rrinoe raryi* and gradually by his merit and ability - advanced himself to the oflu^ of Diwan under the Prince. He was subsequent .j promoted to the offioe of $ubadar of Patna (which was then in the tiyul or jagir of Prince Parviz). In the 19th year of Jahangir’s reign, wiien Prince §hah Jahan invaded Bengal and Behar vid Telingana and Orissa, and advanced towards Patna, after the fall of Ibrahim Khan Fatih Jang (the Bengal Viceroy), accompanied by Raial. Bhim, son or Rana Araar Singh (in the text Rana Karan), Mukhahj Khin (though he bad with him Allahyar Khan, eon of Iftikhar Kh.n, and Sher Khan Afghan), instead of holding out in the fort of Patna, fled to Allahabad. After §hal> Jahan’s accession, Mukhali? Khan was appoipte Fauidar of Gorakpur, and in the seventh year of Shah Jahan’B reign, was appointed a commander of Three Thousand and also Subadar of Telmgana. He died in the 10th year of Shah Jahan s reign. (See p. 428, Vol. ; III, Hfgsigtr-lll* UfflCLTO)* ___ . . 8 His real name was Mirza Shamsi.andhe was the eldest son of Az * m Mirza ’Aziz Kokah. At the end of Akbar's reign, Shams! was a Commander , f Two Thousand, and in the third year of Jahangir s mgo, he reoewed the ... 4r Jahangir Qnli Khan,” vacant by the death of Jahangir Q 'll Be, cZ^or ofTohar, andwa. aeot to Gujrat a. depot, of bn, father coder AMHUh KMo Biro. daog and Bii* eroeeed 197 panic-stricken, bad left his post, and had fled to Mirza Rustam 1 to Allahabad.