[Text, vol. i. p. 384.] On the 17th Zí-l ka'da, 1040, died Nawab 'Aliyá Begam,* in the fortieth year of her age, to the great grief of her husband the Emperor. * * * She had borne him eight sons and six daughters. The third child and eldest son was Muhammad Dárá Shukoh, the fourth Muhammád Sháh Shujá', the sixth Muhammad Aurangzeb, the tenth Murád Bakhsh.
[p. 395.] A letter from Sipahdár Khán informed the Emperor how Fath Khán, feeling that his release from confinement by Nizám Sháh had been a matter of necessity, and that he would be imprisoned again as soon as his master's mind was at ease, he had resolved to be beforehand with him, and had placed Nizám Sháh in confinement, as his father Malik 'Ambar had done before. * * * Fath Khán then addressed a letter to Yamínu-d daula Ásaf Khán, informing him that he had placed Nizám Sháh in confinement on account of his evil character and his enmity to the Imperial throne, for which act he hoped to receive some mark of favour. In answer he was told that if he wished to prove his sincerity, he should rid the world of such a worthless and wicked being. On receiving this direction, Fath Khán secretly made away with Nizám Sháh, but gave out that he had died a natural death. He placed Nizám Sháh's son Husain, a lad of ten years old, on the throne as his successor. He reported these facts to the Imperial Court, and was directed to send the jewels and valuables of the late king, and his own eldest son as a hostage.
[Text, vol. i. p. 404.] Muhammad 'Ádil Khán (of Bíjápúr), through youth, inexperience, and evil counsellors, especially a slave named Daulat (who had assumed the title of Khawáss Khán), had shown himself unfaithful to the Imperial throne, and regardless of the allegiance paid by his father. The Emperor commissioned Yamínu-d daula Ásaf Khán to arouse him from his negligence and disregard of his duty. Ásaf Khán was empowered to demand from him a return to obedience and the payment of tribute.* If he agreed to these terms, he was to be left alone; if not, as much as possible of his territory was to be conquered, and the rest laid waste.
[p. 411.] Ásaf Khán proceeded on his expedition, and arrived at Nánder, where he remained two days. There he left the main part of his army, and proceeded express to the fort of Kandahár, which he inspected. One stage further on he came to the fort of Bhálkí.* * * * Orders were given for the reduction of the place, and entrenchments were commenced, but it was resolved to attempt the capture of the place by escalade at night. The garrison got notice of this, and evacuated the place under cover of darkness. * * * Ásaf Khán then marched towards Kalánor, a flourishing place belonging to 'Ádil Khán. When he arrived at Sultánpúr, near the city of Kulbarga, the general in command had taken the principal inhabitants into the fort of Kulbarga, which was well armed with guns, muskets, and other instruments of war. Next day 'Azam Khán, under the directions of Ásaf Khán, made an attack upon the town, and carried it, notwithstanding a heavy fire from the fort. The victors plundered whatever they could lay their hands on, and captured many horses in the ditch of the fortress. Ásaf Khán did not deem it expedient to attempt the reduction of the fortress, as it would have been a difficult undertaking and a cause of delay; so he retired, and encamped near the river Nahnúrá. Then he advanced to the vicinity of Bíjápúr, and encamped on the borders of a tank between Nauras-púr* and Sháhpúr. The enemy every day came out of the ditch into the plain, and there was a warm interchange of rockets, arrows, and musketry. But although the enemy kept up also a heavy fire from the fortifications, they were regularly driven back to the shelter of the walls.
Ásaf Khán used to take every precaution for the safety of the detachments which went out every day to collect fodder, but the army was large and the animals numerous, so this was no easy matter.
The enemy were constantly on the alert, and struck whenever they got an opportunity. * * * At the beginning a man named Shaikh Dabír, one of the confidants of Khawáss Khán, came out with overtures of peace and offers of tribute; but as they were not worthy of trust, they were rejected. Afterwards Mustafá Khán, son-in-law of Mullá Muhammad Lahorí, kept up a secret correspondence with Ásaf Khán, expressing his devotion and proposing to admit the Imperial troops into the fortress. * * * After much negociation, it was agreed that Mustafá Khán and Khairiyat Khán Habshí, uncle of Randaula, should come to Ásaf Khán and arrange for the transmission of tribute and the settlement of the terms of peace. Accordingly both came out of Bíjápúr, * * * and it was finally agreed that 'Ádil Khán should send tribute to the value of forty lacs of rupees in jewels, valuables, elephants, and money, and that he should ever after remain faithful to his allegiance. A treaty in these terms was accordingly drawn up. * * * The two negociators returned to Bíjápúr, and Shaikh 'Abdu-r Rahím Khairábádí went in with them to obtain 'Ádil Khán's signature to the treaty.
On the third day the Shaikh was sent back with a message that they would send out their own wakíls with the treaty. Next day they came out with certain propositions that Ásaf Khán considered reasonable, and he accepted them. It was agreed that the treaty should be sent out next day. As they were about to depart, one of the wakíls, who was a confidant of Mustafá Khán, dropped a letter of his before Ásaf Khán, without the knowledge of his companion. The letter said that Khawáss Khán was well aware that provender was very scarce in the Imperial army; that the fetching of grass and fuel from long distances was a work of great toil to man and beast; and that in consequence it would be impossible for the Imperial army to maintain its position more than a few days longer. Khawáss Khán had therefore resolved to have recourse to artifice and procrastination, in the expectation that Ásaf Khán would be obliged to raise the siege and retire baffled.
The siege had lasted twenty days, and during that time no corn had reached the army, and before its arrival the enemy had laid waste all the country round, and carried off the grain to distant places. The provisions which the army had brought with it were all exhausted, and grain had risen to the price of one rupee per sir. Men and beasts were sinking. So it was resolved, after consultation, that the royal army should remove from Bíjápúr into some better supplied part of the enemy's country, that the Imperial army might be recruited, and the territory of the enemy be wasted at the same time. With this intention the royal army marched along the bank of the Kishan Gang* to Rai-bágh and Míraj,* two of the richest places in that country. Wherever they found supplies they rested, and parties were sent out to plunder in all directions. On whatever road they went they killed and made prisoners, and ravaged and laid waste on both sides. From the time of their entering the territories to the time of their departure they kept up this devastation and plunder. The best part of the country was trodden under, and so, as the forces had recovered strength and the rains were near, the royal army passed by the fort of Sholapúr, and descended by the passes into the Imperial territories. 15,000 men of the enemy, who had followed them to Sholapúr, then turned back to Bíjápúr.
[Text, vol. i. p. 421.] The Emperor being tired of his residence at Burhánpúr, resolved to return to the capital; so he set out on the 24th Ramazán, * * and arrived there on the 1st Zí-l hijja, 1241 A.H.
Affairs in the Dakhin had not been managed so well as they ought to have been by 'Azam Khán; so a mandate was sent to Mahábat Khán Khán-khánán, informing him that the government of Khándesh and the Dakhin had been conferred upon him, and he was directed to make the necessary preparations as quickly as possible, and start from Dehlí to meet the Emperor and receive instructions. Yamínu-d daula Ásaf Khán, with 'Azam Khán and other nobles under his command, were directed to return to Court.
[p. 434.] Under the rule of the Bengálís (dar 'ahd i Bangálí-