At this time the Prince of Poets, Shaikh Faizí, returned from
his mission to Rájá 'Alí Khán and Burhánu-l Mulk Dakhiní.
Mir Muhammad Amín, Mír Munír, and Amínu-d dín also
returned from their missions to the different rulers of the
Dakhin. Burhánu-l Mulk had received favours and assistance
from His Majesty, but now he did not send suitable tribute, nor
did he act in a grateful and becoming way. His tribute did not
exceed fifteen elephants, some fabrics of the Dakhin, and a few
jewels. So the Emperor determined to effect the conquest of the
Dakhin, and on the 21st Muharram he appointed Prince Dániyál
to command the invading army. Khán-khánán, Ráí Singh,*
Ráí
Bíl, Hakím 'Aínu-l Mulk, and other amírs of Málwa, and jágírdárs
of the subás of Ajmír and Dehlí, were appointed to attend
him. Seventy thousand horse were ordered on this campaign.
The Emperor himself went out with them, hunting as he went, as
far as the river of Sultánpúr, thirty-five kos from Lahore. Khán-
I have thus written a history of the occurrences of the reign of the Emperor Akbár, as perfect as my poor pen can accomplish, up to the thirty-eighth year of his reign. If life is spared, and grace is given to me, I will, please God, also record the events of days to come, so that my volume may be completed.
He was called Tukríya, from the fact of his having issued an order, when he was Governor of Lahore, to the effect that Hindús should bear on their shoulders a discriminating mark, which being called in Hindí, Tukrí, obtained for him the nickname of Tukríya. He was nephew and son-in-law of Imám Mahdí Kásim Khán, and was a mansabdár of 2000. He died A.H. 983.*
In the year 990 H., corresponding with the 26th of the Iláhí, the Amír arrived at Court from the Dakhin, and was received with royal favour. He was directed, in conjunction with the ministers, to revise the system of administration, and to inquire into the management of the civil and revenue administration.* On this duty he was engaged for many years, and, in token of the King's satisfaction, was honoured with the title of 'Azdu-d daulah. He was a very learned man, and was better versed in every kind of knowledge, theoretical and practical, than any man in Khurásán, 'Irák, or Hindústán. In short, in the whole world he was without a rival. He was also an adept in the secret arts of magic and enchantment. For instance, he made a windmill which produced flour by a self-generated movement. * * * In Kashmír, he departed for the land of eternity in the year 997 H.
A few days after, Sultán Mahmúd assembled an army, and marched on Shor,* when Jám Báyazíd, leading out 'Álam Khán, with the general consent of his followers, advanced to the distance of twenty miles from Shor to meet him. When he reached the Ráví, he halted, and sent a letter to Daulat Khán Lodí, acquainting him with the particulars of the movement. Upon receipt of this intelligence, Daulat Khán Lodí, at the head of the Panjáb forces, came to the assistance of Jám Báyazíd before the conflict was at an end, and despatched a confidential person to Sultán Mahmúd, to enter into a negociation for peace. At last, through his mediation, a peace was arranged, under the terms of which the Ráví was to be the boundary. Daulat Khán then sent Sultán Mahmúd back to Multán, and Jám Báyazíd to Shor; after which, he himself proceeded to Lahore.
Notwithstanding that the terms of peace had been adjusted by so wise a man as Daulat Khán, yet it did not endure long. In the interim, Mír Jákír Zand,* with his two sons, named Mír Ilahdád and Mír Shahdád, came to Multán from Maví. It was Mír Shahdád that introduced the principles of the Shí'a creed into Multán.
As the Langáh family had great respect for Malik Suhráb Dúdárí, Mír Jákír Zand could not remain in Multán. He therefore sought the protection of Jám Báyazíd, who treated him with respect, and was pleased to grant a portion of his private domain for the support of the Mír's family.
Jám Báyazíd was a man of beneficent character and of generous spirit, and was particularly anxious to promote the interests of the learned and virtuous. He is said to have sent their pensions to Multán from Shor, even during the period of actual hostilities. His generosity towards men of talent was so notorious, that many persons of distinction quitted their homes and took up their abode at Shor. He earnestly invited many others to resort to that place, and among them Mauláná 'Azízu-lla, pupil of Mauláná Fathu-lla, whom he urgently pressed to come. On his approach to Shor, Jám Báyazíd received him with much honour, conducted him to his private apartments, and ordered his servants to pour water over the Mauláná's hands, and then, by way of a blessing, to sprinkle the same water on the four corners of his house.
There is a curious anecdote concerning the Mauláná and Shaikh Jalálu-d dín Kuraishí, vakíl of Jám Báyazíd, which, though not much to the purpose of this history, is yet here recorded for an example, and as an awakening from the sleep of neglect. It is this:—When the Jám received the Mauláná with such unusual distinction, and took him into his private apartments, the Shaikh sent to the Mauláná, and told him that Jám Báyazíd had given him his compliments, and desired that the Mauláná should select for himself one of the slave-girls who had been ordered to attend him. The Mauláná sent one of his own servants to Jám Báyazíd, and said in reply, “God forbid that a man should ever look upon the women of his friend; moreover, such sentiments are unworthy of my advanced age.” Jám Báyazíd replied that he had no knowledge of the imputed message. The Mauláná being much embarrassed at this, cursed the person that sent the message to him, saying, “May his neck be broken!” and returned to his home without even seeing Jám Báyazíd, who was not informed of his departure until he had actually left his dominions. It so happened that the curse of the Mauláná took effect; for after Shaikh Jalálu-d dín came to Shor, having deserted the service of Sultán Sikandar, he chanced one night to miss his footing, when he fell from an upper storey with his head downwards, and literally broke his neck.
After the conquest of the Panjáb in 930 H. by the late Zahíru-d dín Muhammad Bábar Bádsháh Ghází, that monarch, at the time of his return to Dehlí, sent a commission to Mirzá Sháh Husain Arghún, governor of Tatta, ordering him to take charge of Multán and its neighbouring districts. He accordingly crossed the river near the fort of Bhakkar, and marched towards Multán with a large army. The wind of the divine wrath began to blow, and a great flood arose. When information of this reached Sultán Mahmúd, he trembled. Then he collected all his forces, and advanced to the distance of two days' journey from the city of Multán. He sent Shaikh Baháu-d dín Kuraishí, successor to the celebrated Shaikh Bahádu-d dín Zakaríyá (may God sanctify his sepulchre!), as an ambassador to Mirzá Sháh Husain, and appointed Mauláná Bahlol, who was noted for the grace of his eloquence, as well as the elegance of his ideas, to accompany the Shaikh. The Mirzá received them with much honour, and said that he had come with the view of chastising Sultán Mahmúd, and of visiting Shaikh Baháu-d dín Zakaríyá's tomb. The Mauláná stated that it would suffice if the chastisement of Sultán Mahmúd were effected at a distance, in the same manner as the Prophet had mentally admonished Awais Karn, and that Shaikh Baháu-d dín was already come to his presence, inasmuch as he himself was the representative of Zakaríyá, and that there was therefore no need of his troubling himself to proceed any further. They were, however, unsuccessful in accomplishing the objects of their interview, and returned to the Sultán, who died suddenly in the same night, poisoned, it is said, by Langar Khán, one of his slaves. He died A.H. 933, after a reign of twenty-seven years.