[The maulúd-náma or horoscope of His Majesty.]
The beginning of this year corresponded with Thursday, 13th Muharram, 987* H. (12th March, 1579) * * * [Hunting, etc.]
The Emperor marched to the town of Bahíra, and here intelligence was brought of the approach of Her Highness Maryam Makání from the capital, and Prince Salím was sent to meet her. * * * After conferring the government of the Panjáb on Sa'íd Khán, the Emperor started on his return homewards, and on reaching the village of Sultánpúr, appertaining to Khizrábád,* he ordered boats to be collected, so that the rest of the journey might be performed by water. Muhammad Kásim Khán, the Mír-bahr, collected the vessels, and on the 3rd Jumáda-s sání, 986 H., the Emperor embarked. The camp returned by land. He reached Dehlí, and the boats were moored opposite the tomb of Khwája Khizr on the 29th of the month. This being the time of the 'ars, or anniversary of Khwája Mu'ínu-d dín, he left the boats on the 1st Rajab, and set off. Travelling thirty kos a day, he reached Ajmír on the evening of the 6th, which was the day of the festival, and paid his visit to the tomb. Next day he started for Fathpúr, and travelling fifty kos a day, he arrived there on the evening of the 9th.* There he spent much of his time in the building called the 'Ibádat-khána, in the company of learned and holy men, every one of whom he enriched with gifts of gold and silver. Every Friday he used to pass the night there, making offerings and dispensing charity.
In those days there was a reservoir in the court-yard of the palace at Fathpúr, twenty gaz long by twenty broad and three gaz deep. This he caused to be filled with red, white, and black money (i.e. gold, silver, and copper), the whole of which he gave away to the amírs, the poor, the holy, and the learned. The total of this money amounted to twenty krors of tankas,* and the distribution of it lasted for three years.
In this year Ma'súm Khán, Koka of Mirzá Hakím, a young man of courage, who had done some great things, being offended with the Mirzá, left him and came to the Court of the Emperor, who received him with great kindness. He gave him a mansab of 500, and a jágír in Bihár, whither he sent him. When Ma'súm went there, Kálá Pahár, one of the highest and bravest of the Afghán amírs, attacked him; but he was victorious, although he received several wounds. The Emperor bestowed upon him as a recognition a mansab of 1000, with a horse and a robe.
In the month of Shawwál he appointed Mullá Taiyib to the díwání of the province of Bihár and Hájípúr, Purkhottam to be bakhshí, Mullá Majdí amín, and the eunuch Shamshír Khán to the charge of the khálisa of that province.* In the same month Maksúd Jauharí, who went to fetch Mirzá Muzaffar Husain from Rájá 'Alí Khán of A'sír, arrived at Court with the Mirzá and the Rájá's tribute, and presented it to His Majesty.
His Majesty's mind was always intent upon clearing the land of Hindústán from the troubles and disturbances created by infidels and evil men. He sent Shahbáz Khán Mír-bakhshí * * and several other amírs, against Ráná Kíká, to ravage and occupy his country. Shahbáz Khán accordingly laid the country waste, and pursued the Ráná into the mountains and jungles. Upon reaching the fort of Kombalmír, Shahbáz Khán laid siege to it, and captured it in a few days. The Ráná made his escape from the fort by night.
Sultán Khwája, whom His Majesty had appointed Mír-i háj, now returned from Mecca, and waited upon him with presents— fabrics and stuffs of Turkey and of Europe, Arab horses, Abyssinian slaves, holy relics, and curiosities. These His Majesty accepted with much satisfaction, and he raised Sultán Khwája to the mansab of Sadr (chief judge). As it had been determined to send a leader of the pilgrims every year, Khwája Muhammad Yahya * * was now appointed, and he received four lacs of rupees for expenses.
At the end of this year, 987, intelligence arrived of the death of Khán-jahán, the ruler of Bengal. His Majesty was much grieved, and sent a letter of condolence to Isma'íl Khán, the brother of the deceased. Muzaffar Khán, who had been appointed díwán, was promoted to be governor of Bengal, Rizwí Khán to be bakhshí, and Hakím Abú-l Fath and Patar Dás to discharge jointly the office of díwán.
The beginning of this year corresponded with Thursday, the 24th Muharram, 988 H.* (12th March, 1580).
The rulers of Kashmír had always been well-wishers and servants of the Imperial house. His Majesty now intended, after performing his usual pilgrimage to Ajmír, to pay a visit to the tomb of Shaikh Faríd Shakar-ganj, and to visit the Panjáb. So he sent Mullá Ishkí, one of the old servants of the Court, along with Kazí Sadru-d dín, to Kashmír. 'Alí Khán, the ruler of Kashmír, entertained them nobly and respectfully, and exhibited his fidelity and devotion. Along with the two envoys he sent his own vakíl, Muhammad Kásim, to carry his tribute and productions of Kashmír as presents to the Emperor—saffron, musk, paper, shawls, etc. They accordingly brought them to His Majesty, and reported what they had seen and knew of 'Alí Khan's cordiality and good wishes.
Muzaffar Husain Mirzá, whom Maksúd Jauharí had brought from Rájá 'Alí Khán, was pardoned through His Majesty's clemency, and released from prison.
One day, when His Majesty was taking his dinner, it occurred to his mind that probably the eyes of some hungry one had fallen upon the food; how, therefore, could he eat it while the hungry were debarred from it? He therefore gave orders that every day some hungry persons should be fed with some of the food prepared for himself, and that afterwards he should be served.
Hakím 'Alí was now sent to Bíjagarh along with the envoys of 'A'dil Khán Dakhiní. The rulers of the Dakhin, every one of them severally, had been accustomed to send their envoys every year with tribute and presents to the Imperial Court. When Khwája 'Abdu-lla brought presents and elephants from 'A'díl Khán, the ambassador, and his son Sháhí Beg were presented with robes, one hundred Akbar-sháhí ashrafís, one thousand five hundred and one rupees, and twenty-four tankas.
Mír Nizám, husband of the sister of Mirzá Sháh Rukh, the ruler of Badakhshán, came on a mission to the Imperial Court, bringing Turkí horses bred in Badakhshán, fine rubies, several camels, and other gifts.
The Emperor used to keep every year the anniversary of the Prophet's birth. This year he kept it on the 12th Rabí'u-l awwal, and he gave a great entertainment, at which the saiyids, learned men, shaikhs, and amírs attended. Open table was kept, and no one in the city was debarred from partaking of the refreshments. On this occasion it was represented to him that the Prophet and the four lawful Khalífas* used themselves to preach. The 'Abbáside Khalífas also observed this tradition, and themselves used to speak.* Sultáns such as Sáhib Kirán Amír Tímúr and Mirzá Ulugh Beg used to follow the examples thus set them. His Majesty therefore felt it to be his duty to carry into practice on some Friday the custom observed by the Khalífas and Imáms. On Friday, 1st Jumáda-l awwal, he went into the Masjid-i jáma' of Fathpúr, and mounting the pulpit, he opened his speech with these lines:
The Lord who gave me empire,
Gave me a wise heart and a strong arm,
Guided me in the way of justice and equity,
And drove all but justice from my thoughts.
His praise surpasses understanding!
Great is His power—Great is God!*
To these eloquent lines he briefly added some verses of the Kurán, expressing thanks for mercies and favours; then he repeated the fátiha, and came down from the pulpit and said his prayers.