A. H. 983.
A. D. 1575. In the year 983, Khwaja Asud, who had gone as ambassador from Kabul, to congratulate Shah Tamasp, King of Persia, on his accession, returned to court, ac­companied by Sooliman Khan Toorkoman. This officer brought with him, among other presents, two Circassian maids, of whom the King became greatly enamoured. At this time, the mother of Ibrahim Lody, who had hitherto been treated with much kindness, formed a design to poison Babur, and seduced the King's taster and cook to effect her object by putting poison into some hare soup: the King, after eating a few spoonsful, nauseated the food, and immediately vomited, which saved his life. After proper enquiry, both the taster and the cook avowed their share in the transaction; and in order to ascertain the truth, a dog was brought, who having eaten of the soup, was seized with convulsions, and died. Two of the under cooks were also made to par­take of the broth, and their lives were saved only by the greatest precautions: on this, the taster and head cook, with several of their assistants, were put to the torture. The whole plot was revealed, and the mother of Ibrahim, being cast into prison, all her wealth was confiscated. One of Ibrahim Lody's sons, too, was sent at the same time to Kabul, which left Babur without any further apprehensions from that family. The Prince Hoomayoon having defeated the Afghans at Joonpoor, left Sooltan Jooneid Birlass in that quarter, and on returning to Agra, induced Alum Khan, governor of Kalpy, to submit, and to accompany him to court, where he was received with due honours.

The King was at this time suddenly roused by information that Rana Sanka, Hussun Khan Me-watty, Rawul Dew Raja of Bagur, and Medny Ray Raja of Chundery, espousing the cause of Mah-mood, a son of the late King Sikundur Lody, had collected a force of a hundred thousand horse, in order to re-establish the Afghan dynasty. Babur, having little dependence on the Indian chiefs who had joined him, detached them to defend different provinces, and with his own Moguls hastened to meet the enemy: his vanguard falling in with theirs in the neighbourhood of Byana, after a sharp conflict, was repulsed by the Afghans, with great loss, which struck unusual terror into the King's small army. Kasim Khan, deserting Babur, re­paired to Sumbhul; and every day brought dis­agreeable intelligence from all quarters: nor did the predictions of one Mahomed Shureef, an astro­loger, tend to remove the general consternation. This man asserted that the planet Mars was to be seen every evening in the west, and consequently that whoever marched in that direction would be overthrown. Babur, perceiving this rumour affected the minds of his troops, called a council of war, in which most of his officers gave it as their opinion, that, owing to the superior numbers of the enemy, it was advisable, after leaving a strong garrison in Agra, to retreat for the present to Punjab. Babur, after some reflection, asked the chiefs, “What will “all the Mahomedan kings in the world say of “a monarch, whom the fear of death obliged to “abandon such a kingdom? It is more consistent “with true heroism to reconcile ourselves to “martyrdom, and to exert ourselves with all our “hearts; for,” said he, “as it is certain the soul “must of necessity quit the body, it is fit that it “should do so with honour; for the whole object of “a man's life should be, that when he dies he may “leave behind him a spotless name.” The whole assembly, as if inspired with one soul, cried out, “War! war!” The King, who had been formerly much addicted to wine, made a vow publicly to drink no more, should he prove victorious in this campaign; and orders were accordingly issued to prohibit its sale in the camp, not more, perhaps, from adherence to his oath, than to keep the soldiers cool for action.

Jumad-ool-
Akhir 9.
A. H. 933.
March 21.
A. D. 1526. On Tuesday the 9th of Jumad-ool-Akhir of the year 933, which happened to be the vernal equinox, Babur formed his line of battle, according to the cus­tom of Room (Asia Minor), with his carriages and artillery in his front: in that order he moved towards the enemy, who lay at the dis­tance of six miles. After proceeding two miles he halted, and encamped. Several young warriors, fond of distinguishing themselves, issued out under the command of Mullik Hoossein, Mahomed Kassim, and Baba Kushka Mogul, to skirmish with the ene­my's light troops and piquets, among whom they did considerable execution. On the next day, being the third of the month, the King having proceeded two miles further, marked out his camp at the village of Kanwa, * in the neighbourhood of Byana; but his tents were scarcely pitched, when he perceived the enemy approaching. He marshalled his line, in the manner which he had for some days before practised, and in a few minutes he was forced to receive the shock of the enemy. The army was chiefly drawn up by Nizam-ood-Deen Ally, whom Babur consi­dered his ablest general; and this order of battle being on account of circumstances different from the former, we shall describe it in detail.

The line, which upon this occasion was single, was divided; the King, at the head of the life­guards, took post in front of his park of artillery, and commanded in person.

In the right wing were Cheen Teimoor Sooltan, Sooliman Shah, Khwaja Dost Khazin, Yoonoos Ally Beg, Shah Munsoor Birlass, Dervish Ma-homed Sar, Abdoolla Kitabdar, and Dost Beg Aka, with their several squadrons.

In the left wing were the Prince Alum Khan (a son of Bheilole Lody), Sheikh Zein Sudr, Mohib Ally, Tardy Beg, Sheer-Afkun Khan, Arayish Khan, Khwaja Hoossein Dewan, besides other chiefs, who occupied each a particular post as­signed to him.

The advanced guard was under the personal command of the prince Hoomayoon, his right being composed of the troops of Kasim Hoossein Sooltan, Ahmud Yoosoof, Hindoo Beg Kocheen, Khoosrow Gokultush, Mullik Kasim, Baba Kush-ka Mogul, Kuwam Beg, the son of Shah Wully Khazin, Mirza Kumur Ally, Peer Koolly Sees-tany, Khwaja Pheilwan Budukshy, Abdool Shu-koor, and Sooliman Aka, the ambassador to Erak, and Hoossein Aka, the envoy to Seestan. The left was composed of the troops under Meer Shah Mahomed Gokultash, Khwajgy Assud, Khan Kha-nan * (the son of Dowlut Khan Lody), Mullik Dawood Kirany, and Sheik G'hoorun, each occupy­ing their respective posts.

The reserve was intrusted to Syeed Khwaja, on whose right and left the following chiefs took post; viz. Mahomed Sooltan Mirza, Adil Sooltan, Abdool Azeez (Meer Akhoor), Mahomed Ally Jeng Jeng, Kootloogh Khan, Ameer Khan Mogul, Jany Beg Atka, Julal Khan, and Kumal Khan (the sons of the prince Alla-ood-Deen Lody), Ally Khan Firmully, and Nizam Khan, of Byana.

Besides these, was a separate rear-guard under the command of Tardy Beg Atka, under whom was Roostoom Khan Toorkoman, and his corps of No-weenans or Nooyans.†*

The Bukhshy * of the camp, Sooltan Mahomed, together with numerous Yesawuls† * and attend­ants to convey orders, attended the person of the King.

About ten o'clock in the forenoon the action commenced. The left of the enemy charging the right of the Moguls, engaged hand to hand with the troops of Gokultash Khan, and made them give ground; but Cheen Teimoor Sooltan, re­ceiving orders to support them, turned the scale in favour of Babur. According to the practice of the Choghtays‡, * the wings wheeled up on each flank, and the reserve supported those engaged, wherever assistance was required; while from the centre the artillery under the command of Oostad Ally Kooly Roomy, hurled destruction on all sides.

The enemy fought with desperate valour till Babur, perceiving a favourable opportunity, charged with his personal guards, like a lion rushing from his lair, and after an obstinate conflict compelled the Indians to give way. Hussun Khan Mewatty, whose family had been distinguished for nearly 200 years, was killed by a musket ball; Rawul Dew Raja of Bagur, Chundur Bhan, Manuk Chund Chowhan, and Kurn Sing Rajpoot, each powerful princes of the enemy, were numbered among the slain; while Rana Sanka escaped with the utmost difficulty from the field of battle. The King, immediately after the victory, assumed the title of Ghazy, and, in order to perpetuate the commemoration of the victory, ordered a pyramid, composed of the heads of the slain, to be raised on an eminence near the field. To the astrologer Ma-homed Shureef (after being severely reprimanded for his false prediction) he presented a lack of rupees, but compelled him to quit the kingdom.

From hence Babur marched towards Mewat, where Nahir Khan, the son of Hussun Khan Mewatty, seeing no other means of safety, sub­mitted. The government of Mewat was conferred upon Cheen Teimoor Sooltan and his tribe. After which, Babur returned to Agra, and detached his son the Prince Hoomayoon to Kabul, with orders to add Bulkh to that province. Mahomed Ally Sooltan and Tardy Beg were also ordered to proceed against Hoossein Khan and Duria Khan, Afghans, who still kept possession of Chundwara and Rabery. On the approach of the Moguls, the Afghans flying, Hoossein Khan was drowned in crossing the Jumna, but Duria Khan escaped. Mahomed Sooltan Mirza, the King's cousin, was also detached at the same time to Kunowj, against Bubun Khan Afghan, who fled from thence to Khyrabad.