At this time, on the 13th of Ramzan, I was attacked with so severe a lumbago, that for forty days I was unable to move, and was obliged to be turned from one side to the other by my people. Among the glens of the valley of Nijrau, that of Bachghān is the chief, and is the principal district in the valley. The headman, Hussain Ghaibi Agha, and his younger brother, were noted for* their rebellious and contumacious spirit. I dispatched a division against him, under the command of Jehāngīr Mirza, whom I made Kāsim Beg accompany. The detachment went, attacked, and took by storm, a rough stone fort, or sanger, which had been thrown up, and inflicted on part of them the punishment they deserved. In consequence of the pain I suffered from my lumbago, they made a sort of litter, in which I was conveyed from the banks of the Bārān to the city, where I was lodged in the Bostān-serāi, and spent there some part of that winter. My first complaint was not removed, when I was seized with boils on my right cheek, which I got lanced. I also used laxatives for this disorder.
Defection On getting better I moved into the Chārbāgh. Jehāngīr
Mirza came thither to pay his respects to me. Yūsef and
Bahlol, the sons of Ayūb, from the time they had joined the
Mirza, had been instigating him to seditious and treasonable
practices. I did not on this occasion find Jehāngīr Mirza
what he had formerly been. In the course of a few days he
set out from his quarters, put on his mail, and went off
hastily for Ghazni. Having taken Kila Bāki,*
and killed
several of the men in it, he completely plundered the place.
He then pushed on, accompanied by all his retainers of
every description, and directed his route through the midst
of the Hazāras towards Bāmiān.*
Almighty God knows
that neither from me, nor any person dependent on me, did
he receive any provocation by word or deed to occasion such
violent measures. I afterwards learned that he assigned
the following cause for his flight. At the time when
Causes
of it.
Jehāngīr Mirza came from Ghazni, and Kāsim Beg and the
rest of the Begs went out to meet him, the Mirza had thrown
off a falcon at a budīneh, or quail. When the falcon had
overtaken it, and was in the act of seizing it in his pounces,
the quail dashed itself on the ground. There was a cry,
‘Has he taken it or not?’ Kāsim Beg observed, ‘When he
has reduced his enemy to such a plight, he will not let him
off. No doubt, he will take him.’ This expression struck
him, was misinterpreted, and was subsequently one of the
causes of the Mirza’s elopement. They also noted and
treasured up one or two expressions still more idle and unmeaning
than even this. In a word, having acted at Ghazni
in the manner that has been mentioned, they passed through
the midst of the Hazāras, and repaired to the Aimāks.*
At that time the Aimāks had left Nāsir Mirza, but were in
a state of hostilities with the Uzbeks, and lived in Yāi,
Asterāb, and the summer habitations in that quarter.
At this very juncture Sultan Hussain Mirza having come
SultanHus
sain Mirza
resolves to
oppose
Sheibāni
Khan.
to a determined resolution to check the progress of Muhammed
Sheibāni Khan, summoned all his sons to attend
him. He also sent Syed Afzal, the son of Syed Sultan Ali
Summons
Bābur.
Khāb-bīn (the dreamer), to summon me. It appeared to me
expedient to march towards Khorasān on many accounts.
One of these was, that when a mighty prince like Sultan
Hussain Mirza, who filled the throne of Taimūr Beg, had
collected his sons and Amirs from every quarter, with the
intention of attacking so formidable an enemy as Sheibāni
Khān, if others went on their feet, it became me to accompany
them were it on my head; if others went against him
with sticks, it was my business to go were it only with stones.
Another consideration was, that Jehāngīr Mirza having
shown his hostility, it became necessary either to remove his
animosity, or to repel his aggressions.
This year Sheibāni Khan besieged Hussain Sūfi* in Khwārizm, which he took after a siege of ten months. In the course of this siege a number of desperate actions were fought, and the men of Khwārizm displayed many deeds of consummate bravery, and distinguished themselves by their gallant exertions; they discharged their arrows with so much force that often they pierced through both shield and mail, and frequently right through the double cuirass. For ten months was the siege protracted; when, there being no hope of succour from any quarter, some mean and dastardly wretches among the inhabitants,* having lost heart, entered into an understanding with the Uzbeks, and introduced them into the fortress. Hussain Sūfi, on hearing the alarm, repaired to the spot, charged those who had scaled the walls, and while in the act of driving them out, was struck with an arrow, and died.* This put an end to the contest, and the place was taken. The blessing of God rest on Hussain Sūfi, who never hesitated for a moment, in the midst of danger and distress, gallantly to expose his life at the call of duty.
Sheibāni Khan having committed Khwārizm to the care of Kūchek Bī,* himself repaired to Samarkand.
Death ofIn the latter part of this year, in the month of Zilhijeh,* Sultan Hussain Mirza, when he had collected an army for the purpose of acting against Sheibāni Khan, and had advanced as far as Baba Ilāhi, was called to the mercy of God.
His birthHe was born in the year 842 at Heri, in the time of Shahrokh Mirza. Sultan Hussain was the son of Mansūr, the son of Baikara, the son of Omer-Sheikh, the son of Amīr Taimūr. Mansūr Mirza and Baikara Mirza never mounted the throne. His mother was Firōzeh Begum, a grand-daughter of Taimūr Beg. Sultan Hussain Mirza was also the grandson of Mirānshah.* He was of exalted birth, and of royal race by both parents. There were born of that marriage, two brothers and two sisters of the full blood, Baikara Mirza, Sultan Hussain Mirza, Aka Begum, and another sister, whom Ahmed Khan married. Baikara Mirza, though elder than Sultan Hussain Mirza, served under him, but did not attend in the Diwān.* Except when in the Diwān, they were accustomed to sit on the same cushion. The younger brother bestowed on him the government of Balkh, which he held many years. He had three sons, Sultan Muhammed Mirza, Sultan Weis Mirza, and Sultan Iskander Mirza. Aka Begum was the Mirza’s elder sister; she married Sultan Ahmed Mirza, the grandson of Mirānshah. She had one son named Kūchek Mirza, who at first entered into the service of his maternal uncle; but afterwards, renouncing the military life, devoted himself to letters. He is said to have become very learned, and had a genius for poetry. The following is one of his rubāis (quatrains):
| (Persian)— | For a while I plumed myself on my virtuous life; I vaunted myself on my adherence to the rules of piety: When Love came, what became of Virtue and Devotion? Thanks be to God that I have proved myself. |
There is a coincidence between these lines and a quatrain of the Mulla (Jāmi’s). Latterly* he went on the pilgrimage of Mekka. Badkeh Begum was the Mirza’s younger* sister. She was given in marriage to Ahmed Khan, the Khan of Hāji-tarkhān.** She had two sons by him, who came to Heri, and were long in the Mirza’s service.
His figure.He had straight narrow eyes, his body was robust and firm;* from the waist downwards he was of a slenderer make. Although he was advanced in years and had a white beard, he dressed in gay-coloured red and green woollen* clothes. He usually wore a cap of black lamb’s skin, or a kilpāk.* Now and then, on festival days, he put on a small turban tied in three folds, broad and showy,* and having placed a plume nodding over it, went in this style to prayers.
His man-