[Text, vol. ii. p. 921.] [Dispositions made of the officers and forces on both sides.] On the 12th Muharram 'Abdu-llah Khán's forces encamped at Husainpúr, three kos from the Imperial army, and made arrangements for battle. But there were such contentions among the officers, who were unwilling to serve under the orders of each other, that a proper disposition with right and left wings could not be made. Each chief raised his standard where he chose, and would not consent to obey any other. * * On the 17th of the month, during the night, Muhkam Singh, Khudádád Khán, and Khán Mirzá, with seven or eight hundred horse, deserted the Royal army, and joined that of Saiyid 'Abdu-llah. * * Muhammad Sháh mounted his elephant to take the field; but as he did so, he ordered that the head of the vile Ratan Chand, who had been the chief cause of the unpopularity of the Saiyids, should be struck from his filthy body, so that the world might be gladdened by being cleansed from his polluting existence. So his head was cut off and thrown as a propitious omen before the feet of the Emperor's elephant. The royal forces were then set in motion. * * The deadly fire of the royal artillery so shook the new recruits in the enemy's army, that some of the pony-riders and some even of the old soldiers took to flight. * * The Saiyids of Bárha charged many times most heroically, and towards the close of day they nearly won the battle, through a movement made by Najmu-d dín 'Alí Khán Bahádur. He advanced a battery of guns under the cover of some trees on a hill near a village, and made a bold charge with fourteen or fifteen thousand horse upon the royal artillery, when a fierce contest followed. * * At length some of the enemy's guns were taken by the Imperialists, and the Bárhas lost their battery. * * As night came on, Saiyid 'Abdu-llah ordered a small tent to be pitched for him to pass the night in on the field; but he afterwards directed it to be removed. * * When it grew dark, Haidar Kulí Khán pushed forward his guns, and opened so heavy a fire, * * that the enemy fell back, and some went off for refuge to the cities and towns, but most of these were plundered on their way by the zamíndárs and Mewáttís. * * Out of the 100,000 horsemen of the enemy's army, only seventeen or eighteen thousand held their ground through the terrible cannonade of that night. The chiefs and the old Bárha adherents passed all the night hungry and thirsty on the backs of their elephants and horses, for the water was in the possession of the Játs, who plundered friend and foe alike, and no horsemen or footmen of either side could reach the water. No one slept, and all the chiefs looked with anxiety for the morning. Towards morning a cannon-ball struck the howda in which Muhkam Singh was seated, when he jumped upon a horse and fled precipitately. For some time afterwards no one knew whether he was alive or dead. * * When morning came, Muhammad Sháh, who had been sitting on his elephant for eight or nine watches, gave the order to advance. On the other side, Najmu-d dín Khán, with some other brave and devoted Bárha chiefs, boldly came forward. They were met by the valiant and trusty men of the royal army, and a hard fight ensued. [Names of killed and wounded.] Najmu-d dín 'Alí, the leading spirit of the Bárha army, received three or four dangerous wounds, and was struck near the eyes by arrows and blinded. When Saiyid 'Abdu-llah saw the desperate position of his brother, he brought up a party of the Bárha braves to his rescue. Muhammad Sháh, hearing of the fierce struggle that was going on, wished to join in the fight, and give proofs of the hereditary courage of his race, but his attendants prevented him.
The villain Chúráman Ját had several times attacked the (royal) baggage, and killed several men. He carried off nearly a thousand bullock and baggage camels, which had been collected on a sand-bank by the side of the Jumna, with no suspicion of the rascal's intention. He also plundered some other camels carrying provisions and official papers. Then he had the audacity to move up in support of Saiyid 'Abdu-llah, and attacked the royal forces. Muhammad Sháh himself shot three or four arrows at him. I'timádu-d daula and Hádí Khán, commander of the royal musketeers, discharged their arrows at the accursed wretch.
When Saiyid 'Abdu-llah charged with his brave companions to the support of the remaining Bárha Saiyids, they recovered their powers, and fought so fiercely that, notwithstanding the exertions of Samsámu-d daula and other brave chiefs, the royal army began to waver. Haidar Kulí Khán and * * seeing how matters stood, staked their lives upon the venture, and charged upon the flank of Saiyid 'Abdu-llah. The Saiyid, on becoming aware of what was passing, drove his elephant against Haidar Kulí. * * The attack of Haidar Kulí was overwhelming. Saiyid 'Abdu-llah had often, at the critical point of a battle, followed the practice of the braves of Hindústán, and had descended from his elephant and fought bravely on foot in the sight of many; but on this fated day, when he fought against the Imperial army, he so lost command of himself that, without showing his prowess, he was flurried, and dismounted from his elephant in the hope that the Bárha braves would dismount from their horses and join him (in a charge). Some two or three thousand horse, under the bakhshí of the army and other commanders, remained firm, more or less near to Saiyid 'Abdu-llah; but the rest of the army, when they saw what was passing, fled with Saifu-d dín 'Alí Khán and * * towards Dehlí, leaving the brave Bárhas and Afgháns with the bakhshí to their fate.
Saiyid 'Abdu-llah received a sword-cut on his hand and a flesh wound from an arrow in the forehead, when Haidar Kulí and his companions, sword in hand, charged upon him. Saiyid 'Abdu-llah, exclaiming that he was a Saiyid, called for quarter, and Haidar Kulí mercifully made him prisoner. Gházíu-d dín Khán kept up the fight for nearly two gharís after Saiyid 'Abdu-llah's capture, and then fell back with a portion of the baggage which had escaped the pillage of the Játs and Mughals.
The shouts of victory rose high from the army of Muhammad Sháh, and Haidar Kulí brought his prisoner on an elephant to the presence of Muhammad Sháh, who showed the clemency of the race of Tímúr, spared his life, and placed him under the charge of Haidar Kulí Khán. Saiyid Najmu-d dín, who was so severely wounded that there was no hope of his life; Saiyid 'Alí Khán bakhshí, and some others, were made prisoners. Hámid Khán and some others came over to the royal army in hope of receiving quarter. All the elephants and treasure and matériel which remained from the plunderers was searched for and collected.
The innocent Sultán Muhammad Ibráhím had sought refuge in the jungle, but he was made prisoner, and brought before the Emperor; but as he had had no choice in what he had done, he received the royal pardon.
On Friday, 14th Muharram, intelligence of the fall of the Bárha rule and of the captivity of Saiyid 'Abdu-llah reached Dehlí. His women, of whom he had gathered a large number around him, were in dismay; but a good many of them made the best of the time, and before the arrival of the royal guard, they seized whatever they could, and disguishing themselves with old veils and sheets, they took their departure. Some, who were of noble Saiyid birth, threw the sheet of modesty over their heads, and remained in their places.
On the 17th Muharram Muhammad Sháh began his march from the battle-field to Dehlí, before even he rewarded his supporters by augmentations of their mansabs or promotions in rank. Ghulám 'Alí Khán had been left in Dehlí with Najábat 'Alí Khán as representative of Saiyid 'Abdu-llah. Whatever they could get together of ashrafís and jewels, they took with them, and went out of the citadel and fortifications, now that the position was changed. Ghulám 'Alí saw that the times were too dangerous for one man to trouble himself about another; so he saved himself and such property as he was able to carry off. Najábat 'Alí was a youth of thirteen or fourteen; he was the adopted son of Saiyid 'Abdu-llah Khán, and brother's son of him and of Ghulám 'Alí. He was made prisoner by some of Muhammad Sháh's men, and conducted to the presence, when he was ordered to be confined with Saiyid 'Abdu-llah.
On the 19th, Muhammad Sháh reached the outskirts of the city, and halted there two days for arranging sundry affairs of State. He paid a visit to the dargáh of Khwája Kutbu-d dín, and gave a sum of money to the attendants. * * The chiefs and officers who had shown their gallantry and devotion in the battle now received augmentations, and gifts of robes and elephants and jewels, the detail of which would exceed due limits. Haidar Kulí Khán Bahádur Násir Jang received an addition of a thousand to his six thousand, and was advanced to the title of Mu'izzu-d daula. On the 22nd, Muhammad Sháh entered the capital. * * Saifu-d daula 'Abdu-s Samad Khán Bahádur Diler Jang and Ághar Khán came from Láhore to pay their homage. * * In the month of Safar Rája Jai Singh Dhíráj came from his native land, and Rája Giridhar Bahádur from the súba of Oude, * * and on the representations of these two, the order which had been given for the collection of the jizya from the zimmis was recalled, on account of the distress which had been suffered from the operations of the armies, and because grain was dear, and the collection was deferred until the recovery of the prosperity of the raiyats, and the settlement of the country.
Rája Ajít Singh, Súbadár of Ahmadábád and Ajmír, had
exceeded his authority by prohibiting the slaughter of cows
in his jurisdiction; so Sa'ádat Khán, Súbadár of Ágra, was
summoned to Court, and sent to punish him; but he begged
to be excused. Afterwards Samsámu-d daula, Kamru-d dín
Khán Bahádur, and Haidar Kulí Khán, were ordered to
discharge this duty. Each one accepted the duty reposed in
him, and even sent on his travelling equipage; but they all
retracted, and did not think it advisable to proceed; especially
Samsámu-d daula, who was afraid that it would be a tedious
undertaking, and that the royal funds would not suffice. It
might even cause disturbances in other parts, where men were
ill disposed. So not one of these amírs was willing to go. At
this time intelligence arrived that Nizámu-l Mulk had given
Rája Ajít Singh a sharp warning. So the Rája sent a message
professing obedience, announcing his withdrawal from Ahmad-
[Text, vol. ii. p. 939.] In the latter days of Rabí'u-l ákhir, 1133 A.H. (February, 1721 A.D.), Muhammad Amín Khán Chín died, after a four or five days' illness. I'náyatu-llah Khán was directed to perform the duties of wazír as deputy. Letters had repeatedly been written to Nizámu-l Mulk, calling him to Court; for several affairs of State required settlement and the matter of the office of wazír waited for the counsel of that master of the sword and pen. Nizámu-l Mulk, having settled the affairs of the Afgháns at Bíjápúr, returned to Aurangábád, and setting out from thence at the end Zí-l hijja, he reached Dehlí in the latter part of Rabí'u-l ákhir. Envious detractors had cast aspersions upon him; but the Emperor acted as if he had never heard them, and sent Samsámu-d daula in state to meet him. On the 22nd Rabí'u-l ákhir, he entered the city, and paid his homage to the Emperor. In consequence of the charges brought against him, to record which would be a perversion of language, some days were passed in deliberation; but on the 5th Jumáda-l awwal, 1134 A.H. (8th February, 1722 A.D.), in the fourth year of the reign, he was appointed wazír, and received the usual robe, a dagger, an ornamental pen-case, and a diamond ring of great value.