THIS is the name given to the work of Khwája Kámgár Ghairat Khán by Gladwin, who has abstracted from it copiously in his “History of Jehangir,” printed at Calcutta in the year 1788. He calls the author Kámgár Husseiny. The author of the “Critical Essay on Various Manuscript Works,” and James Fraser, in his abridged Moghul History, prefixed to his life of Nádir Sháh, also call it the Ma-ásir-i Jahángírí, and Muhammad Tahír 'Ináyat Khán, in his Preface to the History of Sháh Jahán, says the author calls it by that name; but the author himself gives no name to the work, and native writers, as in the Ma-ásiru-l Umará and the Muntakhabu-l Lubáb, usually speak of it simply under the name of Jahángír-náma.
Khwája Kámgár informs us that in consequence of the incompleteness of the Emperor's autobiography, he had long contemplated supplying its deficiencies by writing a complete life himself; when he was at last induced to undertake it at the instigation of the Emperor Sháh Jahán in the third year* of his reign, A.H. 1040 (A.D. 1630-1).
Khwája Kámgár was son of Sardár Khán, who came to Court in the fourteenth year of Jahángír's reign, and received a tuyúl of Hájípúr in Mungír and some parganas in Bihár. He was nephew, by the brother's side, of 'Abdu-lla Khán Bahádur Fíroz Jang, was in the third year of Sháh Jahán's reign invested with the mansab of 1000 and 400 sawárs, and in the fourth year of the reign rose to higher honours in consequence of his concern in the pursuit of the gallant Khán Jahán Lodí.
Khán Jahán, after he had risen in rebellion in the Dakhin, was soon overwhelmed by the defeat of his allies, as well as by the pestilence and famine which were ravaging the land. He therefore determined to take refuge with the Afgháns of Pesháwar, where all the north-eastern tribes were at that time in arms. With this view he crossed the Nerbadda, near the frontier of Gujarát, and traversed Málwa into Bundelkand, where he hoped to revive the spirit of insurrection; but the Rájá turned against him, and cut off his rear-guard under his faithful friend Daryá Khán.*
Khwája Kámgár, in company with his uncle 'Abdu-lla Khán, pursued him with an army composed principally of saiyids, at the head of whom was Saiyid Muzaffar Khán Bárha, and so hotly was the pursuit maintained, that the fugitives were several times compelled to turn upon the Imperialists, and try the fortune of an engagement. Khán Jahán tried to force his way into Kálinjar; but after the loss of his son and several of his adherents, he was forced to relinquish that object.
About forty miles from Kálinjar, he ventured his last desperate engagement, on the 1st of Rajab, A.H. 1040, when he and all his followers were cut to pieces by an advance-guard under Mádhú Singh, son of the Hádá chief of Búndí,* before either 'Abdu-lla Khán or Muzaffar Khán could come up.
'Abdu-lla Khán, upon reaching the scene of action, sent the heads of Khán Jahán, of 'Azíz his son, and of Ímál Khán, to the Emperor, by the hands of Khwája Kámgár, who arrived at Court while His Majesty was engaged in a sporting excursion on the river Taptí. The Emperor was overjoyed at the news, invested the Khwája with a robe of honour, gave him the title of Ghairat Khán, and increased his mansab by 500 personal and 200 sawárs; and as the Khwája was a man of sound intellect, considerable experience, and long tried service, he shortly was advanced to still higher honours.
In the tenth year of the reign, the Khwája was promoted to the office of governor of Dehlí, which had become vacant by the dismissal of Asálat Khán, and a mansab of 2500 and 2000 sawárs was at the same time conferred upon him.
In the twelfth year of the reign, the superintendence of the Dehlí canal and foundation of the city of Sháhjahánábád were committed to his care.
On the 9th of Muharram, 1049 H., the first plan was altered. A new one was substituted in its stead, of which the Khwája had just laid the foundation with the materials that he had been able to procure during the short time he had been at Dehlí, when, being made súbadár of Thatta, and a mansabdár of 3000, he was obliged to relinquish the work, and set out for his new charge. He had not long entered upon it, when he died at the seat of his government in A.H. 1050 (A.D. 1640-1).*
The Ma-ásir-i Jahángírí is divided into chapters devoted to the different years of the reign, there being but few other rubrics throughout the rest of the volume. The author of the Critical Essay* observes of it, that it resembles the Ikbál-náma in its paucity of minute details. About one-sixth of the volume is devoted to the proceedings of Jahángír previous to his accession, upon which portion Sháh Nawáz Khán remarks that it is very independent and free-spoken in its tone, affording a favourable contrast to the Ikbál-náma, which was written for the purpose o courting Imperial favour; but the manner in which the murder of Abú-l Fazl is spoken of in one of the following extracts scarcely bears out the encomium. The fact is admitted, but every kind of palliative which courtly flattery could suggest is resorted to in order to hide the infamy of the deed.
[Sir H. M. Elliot's MS. is an octavo of 382 pages, 11 lines to the page.]