On the following day, when both armies were ranged in order of battle, the skirmishers consisted of men of the Lodí and Sáhú-khail tribes, whilst the men of the Farmulí tribe were stationed on the right and left. The Sarwánís were in the rear of the force. 'Umar Khán Sarwání, one of the bravest men of the time, commanded the vanguard of the army. Sultán Sikandar was mounted on an elephant, in order that he might behold the enemy's forces; and while he was encouraging his men, suddenly his eye fell on the fort of Júnd; and he ex­claimed, “Is this the citadel which has made him so proud? I will yet forbear, if he will understand his position.” But shortly after, Sultán Husain brought forth his army from the fort, and attacked the advanced troops of the force. In a brief space of time, after the commencement of the encounter, and after a short contest, Sultán Husain fled, and Mírán Saiyid Khán, who had acted as ambassador, was, with other nobles, taken prisoner, and brought with disgrace before Sultán Sikandar. When the Sultán beheld him, and saw that he was bare-headed and on foot, he turned his face away from him, and said, “Give him a turban, and bring him mounted on a horse into my presence.” When this was done as had been ordered, the Sultán said to Mírán Saiyid Khán and the other chiefs, “May mercy be with you, since you have shown the utmost fidelity in this matter. As your master was void of sense, what could you do? Now, set your minds at ease.” He gave two curtains, one tent, and a canopy sup­ported on four poles, two horses, ten camels, and a bed and its appurtenances, to each of the chiefs of Sultán Husain who had been captured. When the tents had been erected, he ordered that the chiefs should be conducted to him.

When Sultán Sharkí had fled after his defeat at Júnd, Mubárak Khán Lohání requested permission to pursue him. The King ordered inquiries to be made regarding the direc­tion he had taken. Mubárak Khán stated that some of his men who had been despatched by him for the purpose of inquiry, were aware of the direction of his flight. Upon this the King commanded him to wait until the men who had also been sent by himself should return with information. Again Mubárak Khán spoke, and said, “Peace be with the monarch of the universe! Delay is not good.” The King answered, “He hath not fled from you, but from the wrath of God; he is the same Sultán Husain who routed you at the ferry of Kunjh. That Deity who has smitten him to the ground, and raised you from it by giving you success, still watches over his affairs. Boast not, but have patience. Sultán Husain's pride has reduced him to his present condition.” These words were spoken by Sultán Sikandar at the early age of eighteen or nine­teen years. He who gives without asking, had endowed him with wonderful meekness and forbearance.

Sultán Husain fled towards Bihár, and Sultán Sikandar went to Jaunpúr; and leaving there Bárbak Sháh, the Sultán took his departure to Oudh, where he spent nearly a month in hunting and amusing himself. About this time, fresh news arrived to the effect that Bárbak Sháh, on account of the superior force of the zamíndárs, was unable to hold Jaunpúr. Sultán Sikandar commanded that Muhammad Farmulí, 'Azam Humáyún, and the Khán-khánán Lohání should go to Jaunpúr by the road of Oudh, whilst Mubárak Khán Lohání should proceed through Karra, for the purpose of making Bárbak Sháh prisoner and sending him to Court. He was accordingly seized and brought before the King, after which he was given in charge to Haibat Khán Sarwání and 'Umar Khán. The Sultán then proceeded to the fort of Chunár, with the intention of chastising the rebels of that district. When the Sultán's army arrived there, the Rájá, after a slight resistance, thought fit to fly; during his flight, this fugitive Rájá, by name Bhed, went to hell. His Majesty desired to advance farther, but opium and poppy-heads had become excessively dear, and he had lost many of the horses used during this expedition; in fact, each man possessing a stable of 100 horses had lost ninety. Sultán Sikandar halted some months at Jaunpúr to recruit his army.* ^{* * *}

During Sultán Sikandar's stay at Jaunpúr, his army became totally disorganized, and the zamíndárs of that place wrote to Sultán Husain, saying, “Since no horses are left in Sikandar's army, and there is no cavalry to oppose you, you ought to take advantage of so favourable an opportunity.” Sultán Husain accordingly advanced against Sultán Sikandar with a vast force and 100 elephants. The latter, perceiving the unprepared state of his troops, sent the Khán-khánán to Sálbáhan to persuade him to join him. When the enemy were thirteen kos off, Sultán Sikandar, notwithstanding the condition of his army, proceeded against Sultán Husain. Meanwhile, Sálbáhan also arrived with his troops to the assistance of Sultán Sikandar. After a contest between the two parties, Sultán Husain was defeated and pursued by Sultán Sikandar as far as Bihár, where he received intimation that Sultan Husain had gone to Kahal-gánw, in the country of Lakhnautí.* The province of Bihár fell into the hands of Sikandar, and after establishing his officers in that territory, he went on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Shaikh Sharafu-d dín Yahyá, of Munír, and having caused the fakírs and dwellers of that place to rejoice, he arrived at Patná. About this time, Khán Jahán, one of his chief nobles, yielded up his life into the hands of the angel of death, and his eldest son Ahmad Khán was distinguished by the title of 'Azam Humáyún.

His Majesty having issued orders for his troops to assemble again, he marched against the King of Bengal, by name Sultán 'Aláu-d dín, who sent his own son with a strong army to oppose him. When the hostile parties approached each other, proposals of peace were made, and it was agreed that neither party should injure the other's possessions, and that 'Aláu-d dín should deny refuge to any of Sikandar's enemies. Sultán Sikandar returned thence to Darweshpúr, where he stayed some months, and as­signed that district to 'Azam Humáyún. At this period grain became very dear, and to relieve the people he released them throughout all his dominion from furnishing the usual zakát of corn, and issued orders for its abolition. From that time it was forbidden, until the reign of the Khalífa of the age, King Jahángír.

From that place Sultán Sikandar appointed a large force to proceed against the Rájá of Bhata,* which he followed in person. Previous to this, the Sultán had demanded the Rájá's daughter, but he refused to give her to the King, who, to avenge himself for this old grievance, now invaded his country, and entirely destroyed all signs of cultivation. His most valiant soldiers showed their courage at the fort of Bándhú, the strongest castle of that district, and Sultán Sikandar having utterly devastated and ruined the whole of that territory, went back to Jaunpúr, where no foe remained. He thence directed his course towards Sambhal, where he abode during four years, during which time he was chiefly employed in pageants and festivities.* ^{* * *}

Whilst Sultán Sikandar was staying in the district of Sambhal, he passed most of his time in playing at chaugán. One day, when the Sultán went forth to amuse himself at chaugán, the bat of Daryá Khán Sarwání struck Sulaimán's head and broke it. This caused a quarrel amongst them. Khizr, Sulaimán's brother, to avenge his brother, seized the bat and struck Haibat Khán's head, so that there arose a great tumult and uproar. The Khán-khánán consoled Haibat Khán, and took him home. The Sultán quitted the field, and returned to the palace. Four days after he again went to play at chaugán. In the middle of the road he found Shams Khán, a relative of Haibat Khán, standing furiously enraged; who, when he saw Khizr, Sulaimán's brother, struck him over the head with the bat. For this, Shams Khán was severely beaten by order of the King, who then turned back home. After this he became suspicious of the Afghán chiefs.* Certain loyal nobles were in the habit of keeping guard over His Majesty every night; but twenty-two individuals of rank and name conspired together, and formed treacherous and malicious designs. They proposed to raise Prince Fath Khán, the son of Sultán Bahlol, to the throne, and mutually swore to effect this. The aforesaid Prince related the circumstance to Shaikh Táhá and to his own mother, and made known the names of the conspirators. Shaikh Táhá and the Prince's mother, by means of good advice, dissuaded the Prince from engaging himself in the plot; and it was agreed that he should take the list of names to the King, and thus cleanse his skirt from the accusation of rebel­lion. He did so, and gave Sultán Sikandar information of the evil intentions of those people. The King, with the aid of his ministers, ferreted them out, exiled them to different parts of his dominions, and thus put an end to their seditious designs.