[Text, vol. ii. p. 897.] After much deliberation the two Saiyids determined that 'Abdu-llah Khán should proceed to Dehlí and stay there, and that Husain 'Alí Khán, in attendance upon the Emperor, and accompanied by a number of the chief amírs and an army, should go to the Dakhin and take revenge of Nizámu-l Mulk. The Saiyids determined upon raising one hundred thousand men, and they sent money with parwánas and contracts (kaul) to summon the muster-masters (jamá'dárs) of the Bárhas and the Afgháns. There was a strong disinclination to entering the service of the two brothers, and the amírs who were to accompany Husain 'Alí Khán had received orders to raise squadrons, so men and horses were very scarce. The jamá'dárs far and near had noticed the declining fortunes of the two Saiyids, and they were unwilling to go to the Dakhin, so the desired army was not raised. But nearly 50,000 horse, old soldiers and recruits, and Emperor's men, were raised, and they hoped also to assemble the men of Bárha, and the contingents of the rájas and the zamíndárs of the provinces. With this army, with a powerful train of artillery, and many warlike amírs and gentlemen, Husain 'Alí sent them on the march for the Dakhin at the end of Shawwál. Having himself marched two kos out of Ágra, on the 1st Zí-l ka'da he dismissed Saiyid Khán-Jahán from the command of the artillery, and appointed Haidar Kulí Khán in his place. * * Saiyid 'Abdu-llah Khán proceeded towards Dehlí. * *
There was a number of persons, old servants, attendants and officials of the two brothers, especially of Saiyid 'Abdu-llah, who through them had risen to great honour and prosperity. But the infamous murder of the martyr Emperor (Farrukh Siyar), the sight of the indignities which the Emperor, the representative of the House of Tímúr, had to endure, and the fact of the administration being under the direction of a base-born shopkeeper (Ratan Chand), had, under the guidance of the Converter of Hearts, so changed their feelings, that some of them often said, “Although we know that we shall suffer many hardships through the downfall of the Bárhas, still we hope that, through the blindness of its ill-wishers, the House of Tímúr may again acquire splendour.” Some of the relations and officials of the two brothers often offered up their prayers to God, and said, “The end of the lives of the two brothers, who have no children, is evident; but woe to all Bárha Saiyids, for we know what evil awaits our children through the misdeeds of these two men!”
[Text, vol. ii. p. 901.] When Saiyid 'Abdu-llah Khán, on the 7th Zí-l hijja, had reached a stage forty kos from Dehlí, a camel express arrived, despatched by Ghairat Khán (sic), with a letter from Ratan Chand, announcing the slaughter of Husain 'Alí Khán, Ghairat Khán, and Núru-llah Khán. The facts of this strange and marvellous matter are these. When the representatives of the House of Tímúr lost the control of the State, the great and the small of all classes were disgusted with the arrogance of the two brothers, and by the fact of the general control of civil and revenue affairs being under the direction of Ratan Chand. For excepting men of Bárha and the shop-keeping class, no one found any favour. The nobility of every province carried on their existence in disgrace and distrust. I'timádu-d daula Muhammad Amín Khán Chín Bahádur was convinced that, notwithstanding his covenants and protestations, Husain 'Alí Khán would, whenever it suited his designs, perform his engagements in the same way as he had kept them with the late martyr Emperor, Farrukh Siyar. So I'timádu-d daula was always scheming the overthrow of the Bárhas, but he did not think it prudent to seek assistance of his friends and acquaintances in this dangerous project.
Sa'ádat Khán, otherwise called Mír Muhammad Amín, a
Saiyid of Naishapúr, * * a close and trusted friend of I'timádu-d
daula, joined heartily in the plot, and so also did the artilleryman
Haidar Khán Káshgharí, a Chaghatáí Turk, descended
from Mír Haidar, the author of the Táríkh-i Rashídí.*
He
bore the hereditary title of “Sword-bearer.” * * * All these
three were agreed upon cutting the thread of Husain 'Alí Khán's
life, and bound themselves together to effect their purpose, and
to keep their design secret to themselves. So strict were they
in their secrecy, that neither the Emperor, nor Kamru-d dín
Khán, son of I'timádu-d daula, knew anything of it. Excepting
the mother of the Emperor, and Sadru-n nisá, a protegée (dast-
On the 6th Zí-l hijja, in the second year of the reign, the royal army was encamped at Tora, thirty-five kos from Fathpúr. I'timádu-d daula having accompanied the Emperor to his tent, made a show of being unwell, and retired to the tent of Haidar Kulí Khán. When the Emperor entered his private apartments, Husain 'Alí Khán also retired. As he reached the gate of the royal inclosure, Mír Haidar Khán, who had a speaking acquaintance with him, approached. Washing his hands of life, he placed a written statement in the hands of Husain 'Alí Khán, and complained of I'timádu-d daula while his victim read it. When Mír Haidar found him off his guard, he stabbed Husain 'Alí in the side with a dagger, and this one wound despatched him. Núru-llah Khán, son of Asadu-llah Khán, and nephew of the murdered man, accompanied his pálkí on foot. He cut down Mír Haidar Khán with his sword. It is said that Mír Mushrif then came up and finished him. He also killed another Mughal, and was wounded himself, but escaped alive. Mughals assembled from every side, who killed Núru-llah, and having cut off the head of Husain 'Alí, carried it as an offering to the Emperor. The eunuch, Makbúl Khán, názir of the Saiyids, fought strenuously, and so severely wounded two or three of the assailants, that they died a few days afterwards. A water-carrier and a sweeper of Husain 'Alí Khán showed great devotion and courage. Raising loud cries, they fell sword in hand upon the crowd, cut their way through, and got into the oratory, where they fell under many balls and arrows discharged by the Mughals.
Mustafá Khán, bakhshí of Muhkam Singh, had with him a party of his master's men. When he heard of the affray with Husain 'Alí, without ascertaining the fact, or giving information to Muhkam Singh, he went to the gate of the royal inclosure. The crowd was so great that he could not get in; but in another part he broke into the díwán-i kháss, and entered sword in hand uttering cries. They fought fiercely, but two or three fell severely wounded under the balls and arrows of the Mughals, and the rest made their escape. Some of the artillerymen of Husain 'Alí Khán gathered round the royal tents, and began to fire muskets and rámchangís. 'Izzat Khán, nephew of Husain 'Alí, had gone to his tent and had loosened his belt to eat bread. When he heard the startling news, he was roused to the highest pitch.* Without waiting to collect the scattered soldiers, but displaying all his resolution, he instantly mounted an elephant, and went with four or five hundred horsemen towards the royal quarters.