CONTENTS.

Preface, pp. 1-7.

Introduction, respecting the ancestors of 'Abdu-r Rahím, Khán-khánán, pp. 7-36.

Book I.—An account of Muhammad Bairam Beg, father of 'Abdu-r Rahím, preceded by the history of the Kings of Hin­dústán from the time of the Ghaznivides to the accession of Jahángír, including the Kings of Bengal, p. 46,—the Kings of Jaunpúr, p. 52,—Kings of Málwa, p. 56,—Kings of Kashmír, p. 113,—Kings of Multán, p. 148,—Kings of Dehlí, p. 160,— Bábar, p. 272,—Humáyún, p. 290, Akbar, p. 381,—Jahángír, p. 552;—pp. 37-606.

Book II.—The virtues and victories of 'Abdu-r Rahím, with copies of farmáns addressed to him, and of some of his composi­tions, including also an account of the rulers of Gujarát, p. 621, —of Sind, p. 696,—of Dakhin, p. 776,—of Khándesh, p. 808;— pp. 606-922.

Book III.—On the palaces, baths, mosques, and other build­ings erected by the Khán-khánán, the gardens planted by him, and the ships built by him;—pp. 923-932.

Book IV.—An account of the sons of the Khán-khánán, pp. 933-968.

Conclusion—in a Preface and three* Chapters, (1) on contem­porary philosophers, physicians, and other celebrated men, 31 persons, p. 962; (2) poets, including the author, 92 persons, p. 990; (3) on the military officers under command of the Khán-khánán, 44 persons, p. 1454; pp. 969-1513.

SIZE.—Folio, 1513 pages, each containing 25 lines. There are a few blank pages, which are about equal to the marginal additions.

The author, 'Abdu-l Bákí, Nahávandí, composed his work under the encouragement he received from Abú-l Faiz Faizí, brother of Abú-l Fazl, and 'Abdu-r Rahím, Khán-khánán, son of Bairam Khán. He gives a little information respecting him­self and his ancestry, referring for more copious particulars to Takíu-d dín's Tazkira, entitled Ma-ásiru-l Khizría, which was dedicated and named after his brother, Ághá Khizr, and to 'Abdu-l Ma'álí's Tazkira, which is dedicated to Sháh 'Abbás; and as “self-praise is a great fault,” he refers to them, rather than repeat in this work what they have said respecting him. In them also will be found a full account of his family and connexions, as well of his patron, the Khán-khánán. His family was originally from Júlak,* “which contains more than 30,000 houses,” but in consequence of the contentions which arose during the reign of Sháh Ismá'íl Safaví, his family left Júlak, and went to reside at Nahávand.

The author states that his ancestors were Generals under Afrásiyáb, and that they held the lands of Júlak in rent-free tenure from Sháh Ismá'íl. His most noted ancestor was Áká Bábá, who resided at Hamadán. His brother was made Deputy Governor of Hamadán in the time of Sháh 'Abbás. Amír Takí Muhammad has noticed the excellence of his administration in the Tazkira which he has written, and many memorials of his munificence exist in the neighbourhood, especially the em­bankment at Káshán and the avenue of trees, of which our author for a long time enjoyed the proceeds.

He appears, for some reason or other, to have given dissatis­faction to the reigning monarch, Sháh 'Abbás; on account of which he determined upon quitting his native country, and, at the invitation of Abú-l Faiz Faizí and 'Abdu-r Rahím Khán, was induced to visit Hindústán, and arrived at Burhánpúr in Khándesh in A.H. 1023, where he was received with kindness, and presented with a jágír. He completed his work in A.H. 1025 (A.D. 1616), calling it Ma-ásir-i Rahímí, after his patron, in whose praise he has inserted many pieces of poetry in the body of the work, and declares his intention of continuing these laudatory effusions till the day of his death.

This work is not common in India. There is one copy at Lahore, in two volumes, which is an abridgment, rather than the entire work. The copy which the Asiatic Society possesses constitutes one of the most valuable manuscripts of its collection. It was transcribed in a legible nasta'lík hand under the author's own superintendence, and contains revisions and marginal addi­tions in his own handwriting. It purports to have been sent as a present to his friend, Khwája Sultán Muhammad Isfahání, in the year 1026 H., and afterwards to have been received from him again, and presented in 1041 H. to Kází 'Abdu-l 'Azíz. The author states that this MS. has not undergone the careful revi­sion he could wish, and that a complete history of the Kings of the Dakhin is wanting, which he hopes to supply some future day.

EXTRACT.*

The King went out for the purpose of hunting, and arrived at Sultánpúr, on the bank of the river, thirty kos from Lahore, and the Khán-khánán, who had gone to Sirhind to pay his respects to Prince Dániyál, was sent for by the King to be con­sulted. He had an interview with His Majesty near Shaikhpúr, and had frequent conferences on the subject of the Dakhin, when the King inquired whether that province could not be conquered without troubling the Prince to go there. The Khán-khánán undertook to subdue it, and instructions were therefore issued, that the army, which had been directed to accompany the Prince, should be placed under the orders of the Khán-khánán. The Prince was then summoned to Court, which he reached in two days. The Khán-khánán, loaded with honours by the King, set out on his expedition, and His Majesty, having broken up his hunting camp, returned to Lahore. The Khán-khánán set out with all haste, and arrived at Ágra. The rainy season was approaching, and he had received orders to draw what he could from the Ágra treasury, to pay the soldiers, and provide for the conquest of the Dakhin. He remained at Ágra during the rains, and having supplied himself with every necessary, he set out for Málwa, which was the jágír of Mirzá Sháh Rukh, with whom he had an interview in Ujjain. From Málwa he went to Khán-desh, and by peaceful means induced Rájá 'Alí Khán to declare his allegiance to the King. Khándesh thus became included in the subject states, and the coin was struck and the khutba read in the name of His Majesty in the country where Ásír had baffled every attempt to subdue it. Khándesh was given in jágír to Rájá 'Alí Khán, and he was enrolled among the nobles of 5000. The Khán-khánán sent a petition from Rájá 'Alí Khán, ac­companied by a suitable offering, to His Majesty, that this grant might be confirmed, and that Rájá 'Alí Khán might be reckoned among the royal adherents, and be allowed to accompany the army to the Dakhin. The King acceded to these proposals, and the Khán-khánán was rewarded with fresh marks of favour.

After the annexation of Khándesh, the Khán-khánán set out on his expedition to the Dakhin. His first step was to lay siege to Ahmadnagar. Chánd Bíbí, who was at that time ruler of that province, made peace, under which the territory of Birár was surrendered to Akbar.

On the second occasion, when he attacked Ahmadnagar, Suhail, the Abyssinian, was appointed by 'Ádil Sháh to the command of the army, and the armies of Nizámu-l Mulk, 'Ádil Khán, Kutbu-l Mulk, and the Baríd-Sháhí chief being placed under his command, he came out in considerable strength and confidence. The Khán-khánán, with the little force at his command, fought like Rustam and Isfandiyár, and obtained a complete victory over Suhail. He then proceeded to the siege of Ahmadnagar, which he reduced, and brought the whole province of the Dakhin under the rule of the Emperor. As the conquests of the Dakhin, Khándesh, and Birár have already been fully detailed among the great achievements of the Khán-khánán in this book, I beg to refer thereto. If I were here to commence an account of this commander's proceedings in the Dakhin, it would extend to too great a length.

To be brief, the King reigned for fifty-two years over the whole of Hindústán, from Bengal to the extreme borders of Sind and Kandahár, and Zamíndáwar, and even to the shores of the sea. All the stubborn chiefs, rájás, ráís, and zamíndárs in Hindústán, including the Kings of Gujarát, Sind, Dakhin, Kashmír, Bengal, Málwa, and other countries, were made sub­ject to his rule. Some, after defeat in action, some, under treaties of peace, were all in the end deprived of the exercise of independent sovereignty.

The author has extracted this account of the first thirty-eight years of the reign, viz. from A.H. 963 to 1002, from the Tabakát-i Akbarí, by Nizámu-d dín Ahmad Bakhshí, who was not spared to complete it. Of the remaining fourteen years the author has never seen any account; nor has he been able to pro­cure information of the various events of that period. He has therefore omitted it from his history, and must refer to other authorities who may have written concerning this period.

Akbar was a powerful, world-subduing monarch, the very emblem of justice, to whose Court people from all sides resorted for protection, and to partake of a benevolence so universally diffused. He extended toleration to all religions and creeds, and would recognize no difference between them, his object being to unite all men in a common bond of peace. The names of the Sultáns, nobles, ministers, poets, and philosophers who adorned his reign, can be ascertained from the Tabakát-i Akbarí and the Akbar-náma; and in the same comprehensive works will be found an account of his greatness, and the inventions of his bright in­tellect and ready genius.

During his entire reign of fifty-two years, no neighbouring Prince of Hindústán made an incursion into his territories, and notwithstanding that the Afghán kings are notorious for their malignity and turbulence, they were not able to move from their homes during his supremacy, so that all quarters were subject to his victorious sword. Whoever dared to lift his head from loyalty and subjection never escaped with life.

Akbar died at Ágra on the 23rd Jamádu-l awwal, A.H. 1014, after a reign of fifty-two years. The date of his death is found to be represented by the letters in the words “faut-i Akbar Shah,” “the death of Akbar Sháh.”