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Shah Jaliftn , 1 after retreat, gammoned D&rab Khan who, after taking oaths, had been left as Governor of Bengal, in order to join the Prince in his march. Darab Khan, owing to bis disloyalty and kuavety putting a wrong interpretation on his call, replied that the zftmindars. surrounding him on all sides, had cut off wajrs of 'his march, and that, therefore, his egress being difficult, he begged to be excused. Shah Jahan losing all hopes of Darab’s arrival, and having no body of troops capable of action, was obliged with a sorrowful heart, and in an anxious mood, after leaving Dar&b IQian’e son in oharge of Abdallah Khan, to march towards Akbar- nagar (Rajmahal). From thence carrying all household parapher¬ nalia, which had been left there, Shah Jahan marched back towards 1010 A.H., close to Nandirah, a battle was fought between Malik Amber and Mirza Iraj, son of Abdux Rahim Kh an-i- Kh aoin. Malik Amber waa wounded, but the Khan-i-Khanan. knowing the adversary’s capacity, waa glad to arrange terms of peace. When Akbar died, .and dissensions broke out between Emperor Jahangir nnd his son, Prince Shah Jahan, Malik Amber mobilising a large force encroached on Imperial territories. In consequence, during Emperor Jahangir’s reign, the Imperialists were constantly engaged in war¬ fare against Malik Amber, who held ont to the last, and died a natural death in 1035 A.H. He lies buried in a mausoleum at Danlatabad, between the Shrines of ghah Muntajab-ud-din Zarbakheb and §hah Rajavl Qattil. The author of the Maasir-ul- Umara pays a high tribute to Malik Amber, as a general and as a soldier, and also as a leader of men and e an administrator. He rnled his dominions vigorously, stamping out nil turbalence, weeding ont all bad characters, maintained perfect peaoc in his domains, and always strove for the well-being and happiness of the subjects he ruled. In the village of Kharki (which wus subsequently namod Aurangabad), he digged tanks, l.id out public gardens, and built lofty palaces. He was liberal in charities, and very just, and very pious. A poet has written about him. *Ji J ry j** wOo JUjl^ 31 1 Prom the battle-field of Benares, after defeat. §]iah Jahan retreated to Rohtas (up to which desultory fighting was kept up between the Imperialists and §]>ih Jahin’s troops), thence marched to Patna and Behar town, and thence to Garhi or Teliagarhi fort. Whilst at Garhi, §hih Jahan summoned his Governor of Bengal, Darab Khan, to join him. but the latter made excuses, whereon §hili Jahan becoming dispirited went to Rajmahal, and retreated thenoe to the Dakhin (beiDg hotly pursued by Prince Parvis and M&hubot Khan) across 8arkar iladaran, Midnipur, Orissa and Telingann. (See Iqbalnamah-i-Jahangiri, Faso, 8, pp. 239-240). 26 202 the Dakliin by tlie same route that he had come. Abdullah Khan, on knowing the disloyalty and villainy of Darab Khan, slew the latter’s grown-up son, and satisfied his grudge. Although Shah Jahan sent orders to prevent the son being killed, these had no effect. When the news of Shah Jaban’s retreat from Bengal to the Dakhin reached the Emperor, the latter ordered that Mnkhalas Khan should quickly go to Prince Parviz, who had gone to Bengal in pursuit of Shah Jahan, and taking up the office of Sazawal (Superintendent of Revenue), should send the Prince with other leading noblemen to the Dakhin. Consequently, Prince Parviz left for the Dakhin, entrusting the Subab of Bengal to the Jaylr of Mahabet Khan and his son Khanahzad Khan. o THE ASSIGNMENT OF BENGAL IN JAGlR TO MAHABET KHAN i AND HIS SON. When the Subah of Bengal was assigned, in the shape of Jngir, to Nawab Mahabet Khan and his son Khanahzad Khan, 1 Mahabet Khrin distinguished himself under Einpcror Jahangir in the long war curried on in the Dakljn. lie was early attached by the Emperor to Prince Parviz, ns atal'iq and generalissimo, when the Prince wns sent to the Dakhin to quell the insurrection there. Where Prince Shiih Julian subse¬ quently rebelled against his fnthor (Emperor Jahangir), and marching out from the Dakhin across Tnlingana invaded Orissa and ovcr-rnn Bengal and Behar, the Emperor ordered Mahabet Khiin along with Prince Parviz to oppose Shah Jahiin’s progress. In this, Mahabet Khiin (along with Prince Parviz) completely succeeded, inflicted a crushing defeat on Shah Julian on the battle¬ field of Benares, aud compelled the latter to beat a hasty retreat across Behar, Bengal and Orisea into the Dakhin. For this signal military service, Mahabet Khan received from Prince Parviz (no doubt, with the previous sanc¬ tion of the Emperor) Bengal in jagir. His head was soon turned, and he failed to send to the Emperor the war-elephnnts taken by him in Bengal, and also failed to remit the Imperial revenue from Bengal. For this, the Emperor summoned him to his presence for chastisement, when Mahabet San adoptc the extraordinary and impudent step of getting at the person of the Emperor, and placing the latter for some time nndcr surveillance-from wk. a length the Emperor was rescued by the bold stratagem of h.s Queen, Nur Jnhnn Begam. Mahabet was then sent away in disgrace to Thata, whence he went to Guirat, and joined the rebel Prince. Shah Jahan. (See PP-228, 233, 235 238, 239, 244, 245. 248, 252, 253, 254, 255. 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, , 262, 263, 276, 277, Faso. 3, Pers. text Iqbalnamah-i-Jahang^, a contemporary record, and also Maasir-ul-Umara, p. 385, Vol. Ill)- 203 they, parting company with Prince Pai viz, inarched to Bengal, And orders were given to the zamindars of that country to cease impeding Darab Khan, and to allow him to e<>me. Da rib Khan, without any impediment, came to Mahabet Khan. But when the news of Darab’s coming to Mahabet Khan reached the Emperor, the latter seut an order to Mahabet Khan to the following effect: “What expediency dost thou see in sparing that villain? It behoves you, instantly on reading this, to send the head of that mischievous rebel to the Imperial presence.” Mahabet Khan, carrying out the Emperor’s order, beheaded Darab Khan, and sent the latter’s head to the Emperor. And as Mahabet Khan had not sent to the Emperor the elephants that he had captured in Bengal, and had defaulted in payment of a large amount of the Imperial Revenue, the Emperor’ passed orders to the effect that ‘Arab Dast Ghaib 1 should go to Mahabet Khan, confiscate the elephants and send them to the Emperor, aud tell Mahabet Khan, that if he got proper accounts, he Rhould submit them personally to the Emperor, and pay up all Revenue arrears to the Imperial exchequer. Mahabet Khan first sent the elephants to the Emperor, and subsequently after appointing his son Khanalizad Khan to be Subadar of Bengal, set out to meet the Emperor with four or five thousand From the Maasir-ul-Umara (p. 385, Vol. Ill), the following additional facts about Mahabet Khan are gleaned. His real name was Zamairth Beg, his futher’s name being Ghiwar Bog Kabuli. He was a Razavi Sayyid. Ghiwar Beg came from Shiraz to Kabul, and thence to India, and entered Akbar’s service, and distinguished himself in the battle of QJjitor. Zumanah Beg, in youth, entered Prinoe -Salim's service as an ahadi, and soon was advanced to the office of Bakhahi under the Prince. In the beginning of Jahangir’s reign, Zamanah Beg was appointed to be commander of three thousand, and received the title of Mahabet Khn. Re was deputed to sorve with Prince Shah Johan in the Dakhin, and in the 12th year of Jahangir's r^ign, was appointed $ubadar of Kabul. In the 17th year, dissensions broke out between Emperor Jahangir and Prince ^hah Jahan, and Mahabet Kh an was recalled from Kabul. When Shah Jahan ascended the throne, ho ad¬ vanced Mahabet Kh an to the rank of Haft hauari, and oonferred on him the title of “ Khan-i-Khanan Sipasilar,” and appointed him $ubadr of Ajmir, and next, Snbadar of the Dakbin. He died in 1044 A.H. 1 He appears to have been employed by Emperor Jahangir on similar missions with reference to other refractory princes and officers, such as Hoshang, son of Prince Danyal, and Abdnr Rahim Khin-i-Khinin and Miihabot Khan. (See p. 244, Iqbalnamah-i-Jahangiri Pens, text, Faso. 3, and also Muasir-ul- Umara, p. 392, Vol. 3). 204 blood-thirsty Rajput cavalry, and resolved inwardly that in case any harm or injury were attempted against bis honour, property pr life, he with his family and children would be prepared to face martyrdom. When news of his arrival reached the Emperor, order was passed that he would not be granted an audience, so long as he did not pay up the Revenue arrears to the Imperial Exchequer, and so long as he did not redress by exercisej>f justice the public grievances against him. Afterwards summoning to his presence Barkhurdar, son of Khwaja* Nak§hbandi, to whom Mababet, Khan, without 8 the Emperor’s approval, hau betrothed bis daughter, the Emperor had him disgracefully whipped and thrown into prison, with his neck bound and head bare. In the morning, Mahabefc Khan rode out with his cavalry, and without making obeisance to the Emperor, iu an insolent and daring manner broke open the door of the Emperor’s Private Chamber , 3 entered it with four hundred or five hundred Rajputs, saluted the Emperor in hunting and travelling unit, and marched back towards his own residence.* 1 In. p. 253, Faac. 3, Iqbalnamah-i-Jahangiri, “Khwajah ‘Umar Nakshbandi.” 8 In the printed text, the words occur “ ” w h' c h i® obviously a mistake. The words should be “ <*•” I 8 ®* p. 253, Faac. 3, Iqbalnamah-i-Jahangiri). i ; „ 8 In the printed Persian text, there is a mistake : the word “ (see p. 256, Faac. 3, Iqbalnamah) is misprinted in the Riyaz as “ cfjb The Ghnsalkha.