[p. 496.] Fath Khán, son of 'Ambar Habshí, conceiving his interest to lie in making submission to the Emperor, had sent his son, 'Abdu-r Rusúl, with a suitable offering to the foot of the Imperial throne, professing obedience and praying for favour. The Emperor graciously bestowed upon him some districts which had formerly belonged to him, but had been since given to Sáhú-jí Bhonsla. Now, in compliance with the request of Fath Khán, they were restored to him. This gave great offence to the turbulent Sáhú-jí, who went and joined the Bíjapúrís, and induced 'Ádil Khán to place him in command of a force for wresting the fortress of Daulatábád from the hands of Fath Khán. The latter was much incensed against the Nizám-Sháhís, and had no faith in them; so he wrote to Khán-khánán Mahábat Khán, informing him that Sáhú-jí Bhonsla was preparing to bring a force from Bíjápúr against him, and that, as the fortress was ill provisioned, there was great probability of its being taken, unless Mahábat Khán came to his assistance. If the Khán came quickly, he would surrender the fortress, and would himself proceed to the Imperial Court. The Khán-khánán accordingly sent forward his son, Khán-zamán, with an advanced force, and he himself followed on the 9th Jumáda-s sání. [Khán-zamán defeats a covering army of Bíjápúr.]
The Bíjápúrís were discouraged by the chastisement they had received from the Imperial army, so they made offers of an arrangement to Fath Khán. They offered to leave the fortress in his possession, to give him three lacs of pagodas in cash, and to throw provisions into the fort. That ill-starred foolish fellow, allured by these promises, broke his former engagement, and entered into an alliance with them. Most of the animals in the fortress had died from want of provender, and the Bíjápúrís now, at the instance of Fath Khán, exerted themselves in getting provisions. When Khán-khánán, who was at Zafarnagar, was informed of these proceedings, he wrote to Khán-zamán directing him to make every exertion for the reduction of the fortress, and for the punishment of the traitor and the Bíjápúrís. [Skirmishes in the vicinity.]
Khán-khánán, on being informed of the state of affairs, marched from Zafarnagar to Daulatábád, and reached there on the last day of Sha'bán. Next morning he rode out with his son, Khán-zamán, to reconnoitre the fortress, and took up his residence in a house belonging to Nizám Sháh at Nizámpúr, near the fortress. [Disposition of his forces.] He placed the artillery and siege material under the direction of (his son) Luhrasp, and ordered that a constant fire should be kept up from a high hill which governs the fortress, and upon which Kághziwára stands. He also ordered Khán-zamán to be constantly on the alert with 5000 cavalry, and ready to render assistance wherever it might be required in the trenches. The Imperial army having thus invested the place, and formed trenches, pushed on the siege, running zigzags, forming mines and preparing scaling ladders.
Fath Khán placed the son of Nizám Sháh in the Kálá-kot (black fort), which was considered impregnable. He himself took post in the Mahá-kot (great fort), and the body of the forces were stationed in the outer works called 'Ambar-kot, because they had been raised by Malik 'Ambar to protect the place against the advance of the Imperial power. [Defeat of many attempts to victual and relieve the fortress from without, and of sorties from within.]
On the 9th Shawwál a mine which had been formed from the trenches of Khán-zamán was charged, and the forces having been named for the assault, were ordered to assemble in the trenches before break of day. The mine was to be fired at the first appearance of dawn, and upon the walls being blown down, the stormers were to rush into the fort. By mistake the mine was fired an hour before dawn, and before the storming parties were ready. Twenty-eight gaz of the walls and twelve gaz of the bastion was blown away, and a wide breach was made. But the troops not having arrived, no entry was effected. The defenders rushed to the breach, and kept up such a rain of arrows, bullets, and rockets, that the storming party was obliged to take refuge in the trenches. Then they exerted themselves to stop the breach with palisades and planks. The commander of the Imperial army desired to dismount and lead the assault, but Nasírí Khán urged that it was against all the rules of warfare for the commander-in-chief to act in such a way. He himself would lead the storming party, trusting in God and hoping for the favour of the Emperor. Khán-khánán directed Mahes Dás Ráthor and others to support him. The Imperial troops rushed to the breach, and the defenders made a desperate resistance; but Nasírí Khán, although wounded, forced his way in upon the right, and Rájá Bihár Singh and other Hindus upon the left. They were fiercely encountered by Khairiyat Khán Bíjápúrí and others with sword and dagger, but they at length prevailed, and drove the defenders into the ditch of the Mahá-kot for shelter. Great numbers of the garrison fell under the swords of the victors. Thus fell the celebrated works of Malik 'Ambar, which were fourteen gaz in height and ten gaz in thickness, and well furnished with guns and all kinds of defences. The Imperial commander having thus achieved a great success, proceeded with Nasírí Khán to inspect the works, and immediately took steps for attacking the Mahá-kot. [Diversion made by the enemy in the direction of Birár. Another attempt by Randaula and Sáhú-jí to relieve the fortress.]
With great perseverance the besiegers pushed a mine under the Mahá-kot, and Fath Khán was so much alarmed that he sent his wives and family into the Kálá-kot. He himself, with Khairiyat Khán, uncle of Randaula, and some other Bíjápúrís, remained in the Mahá-kot. The Bíjápúrís being greatly depressed by the scarcity of food and the progress of the Imperial arms, sought permission through Málú-jí to be allowed to escape secretly, and to go to their master. Khán-khánán sent a written consent, and by kind words encouraged their drooping spirits. Nearly two hundred of them after night-fall descended by a ladder fastened to the battlements. Khán-khánán sent for them, and consoled them with kind words and presents. [Several more attempts to relieve the fortress.]
On the 25th Zí-l ka'da, the commander-in-chief visited the trenches. He went to Saiyid 'Aláwal, whose post was near the mine of the Sher-Hájí of the Mahá-kot, and determined that the mine should be blown up. Fath Khán got notice of this, and in the extremity of his fear he sent his wakíl to Khán-khánán, and with great humility represented that he had bound himself to the 'Ádil-Khánís by the most solemn compact not to make peace without their approval. He therefore wished to send one of his followers to Murárí Pandit, to let him know how destitute the fort was of provisions, and how hard it was pressed by the besiegers. He also wanted the Pandit to send wakíls to settle with him the terms of peace and the surrender of the fort. He therefore begged that the explosion of the mine might be deferred for that day, so that there might be time for an answer to come from Murárí Pandit. Khán-khánán knew very well that there was no sincerity in his proposal, and that he only wanted to gain a day by artifice; so he replied that if Fath Khán wished to delay the explosion for a day, he must immediately send out his son as a hostage.
When it had become evident that Fath Khán did not intend to send his son out, the mine was exploded. A bastion and fifteen yards of the wall were blown up. The brave men who awaited the explosion rushed forward, and heedless of the fire from all sorts of arms which fell upon them from the top of the Mahá-kot, they made their way in. The commander-in-chief now directed that Saiyid 'Aláwal and others who held the trenches on the outside of the ditch, opposite the Sher-Hájí, should go inside and bravely cast up trenches in the interior. [Defeat of a demonstration made by Murárí Pandit. Surrender of the fort of Nabátí near Gálna.]