[The history of Humáyún, which follows in the MS., is copied verbatim from the Tabakát-i Akbarí, as hereafter given among the Extracts from that work. The following account of the battle of Sirhind is the only passage in which Ahmad Yádgár differs from the Tabakát.]
The tents of the Prince Akbar Mírzá had been pitched near the fort at the Hauz-i Rasúlána. All the Kháns displayed on this day great courage and valour, such as it would be impossible to exceed, and they obtained their desires. Sikandar Súr fled, forsaking everything that appertained to the possession of the empire, and the victorious troops pursued the enemy, and put many of them to the sword. Sikandar escaped with a few followers. Two hundred and fifty elephants, and three hundred and odd horses, treasure, gold and silver vessels, and all the palace furniture, were captured. Muhammad Akbar came victorious into His Majesty's presence, and made the customary congratulations. His Majesty honoured that lamp of brilliancy with an ornamented khil'at and a jewelled crown, and made him happy by granting him the high title of heir-apparent. He also gave him twenty elephants and 100 horses out of the spoil. The munshís despatched farmáns describing the victory in every direction, and they attributed the success to the skill of the Prince of the World and the valour of his servants.
When intelligence of what had occurred to Humáyún reached Chunár, 'Ádil Sháh deliberated with his courtiers, and determined that, as the Mughal army had lost their king, they must be disheartened and distressed; that if they were attacked by a large force, they would fly without fighting, and Dehlí would easily be taken; that Sikandar was in the Siwálik hills in a state of great want; and that there was no one sufficiently powerful to have designs against Dehlí. Hímún observed, “If the King will send Ahmad Khán Súr, Alláh-dád Khán Sarwání, and Daulat Sháh Kirání, with a large army, and some powerful elephants, with me, by the fortune of the King, I will overthrow the Mughal troops, and gain possession of Dehlí. There was a soothsayer in 'Ádil Sháh's service, who could interpret the appearances of the heavens as easily as he could the signs on an astrological table. He was extremely skilful in explaining everything that related to the heavenly bodies. The King said to him, “I am about to send an army against Dehlí. You must therefore pay great attention to the state of the heavens, and then tell fearlessly what you have learnt before the throne.” The man spent three days in carefully contemplating the stars and aspects, and then went before the King, and said, “This I have learned from the revolutions of the heavens and the changes of day and night,—that after Humáyún, his son, who is seated on the Imperial throne, will be entrusted with the entire government of Hind, and the rulers of all countries will place their foreheads in the dust before his throne, and no one will vanquish him. The land of Hindústán, from Kandahár to the sea of the south, and from Kambháyit (Cambay) to the sea of Bengal, will own his sway.” 'Ádil Sháh was much dispirited at this unfavourable speech. Hímún said, “O King, the case is thus: he is now a child ten years old, who has lost his father, and the Mughal army is not yet firmly established. It is easy to root up a small plant.” 'Ádil Sháh derived confidence from his speech, and prepared a powerful force. He sent 7000 horsemen and twenty war-elephants with Hímún; who went, march by march, to Gwálior.
'Alí Kulí, who was at that place, came against him. The valour of the Afghán troops enabled them to overcome him in the first attack, and many Mughals fell. 'Alí Kulí fled, accompanied by a few followers, and all his property and valuables fell into the hands of the Afgháns. Hímún, rejoiced at this victory, sent an account of his success, together with the spoils captured from the Mughals, to 'Ádil Sháh, who was exceedingly pleased when he received it, and looked on this first piece of good fortune as a proof that he was always destined to be victorious. He gave a great festival, and sent Hímún a dress of honour, adorned with jewels and worked with gold thread, and an elephant, and made him promises of unlimited favour.
When Hímún learnt the bestowal of these favours, he advanced, and after he had passed Ágra, rumours reached Dehlí of the coming of 'Ádil Sháh's troops. The Chaghatáís assembled from different directions and consulted together. Tardí Muhammad Khán said, “It appears to me that it would be better to quit this place and join the Prince, that the never-failing good fortune of Jalálu-d dín may overshadow us.” Abú-l Ma'álí and the other Chaghatáí nobles said, “This shows want of heart. The Afghán army has not yet arrived, and we have not been vanquished by their superior force. If we then quit Dehlí, what answer shall we be able to give to-morrow before the throne?” Tardí Beg would not, however, agree with them, say what they would, and separated himself and his army from them. The other nobles prepared for action.
Hímún encamped in the neighbourhood of Old Dehlí, and set forth from thence with his army ready for fighting in three divisions. The nobles of the tribe of Chaghatáí came forth from Dehlí with their valiant troops, and the blood-drinking elephants which had fallen into the prosperous hands of King Humáyún during the war with Sikandar Súr. Tardí Beg also came out with his men, and took up his post on the left. Severe fighting took place. At first the Mughals, careless of life, kept up a constant fire of arrows, and the hearts of many Afgháns were pierced through and through by their deadly points. They were on the point of flying from the field of battle, when Hímún, seeing that his affairs were getting desperate in that quarter, directed Alláh-dád Khán to go to their assistance from the left. Alláh-dád Khán, who was so brave a man that he had never turned his back to the enemy in any battle, attacked the Mughals, and for a short time kept them in check; but they again fell on him both from the left and right, wounded Alláh-dád Khán with their piercing arrows, and scattered his troops as the wind does the clouds. Tardí Beg did not leave his position to assist either party.*
When Hímún saw that the Mughals were in good spirits, and the Afgháns disheartened, he advanced with his own division of 3000 cavalry, made an onslaught on the Mughals, and routed them. They were unable to rally, and as they were utterly defeated, they took to flight. Hímún pursued them, and slaughtered many. The Afgháns did not treat Abú-l Ma'áli with great severity, because he had a secret understanding with them. So much plunder of the Mughal army fell into Hímún's hands, that it was impossible to take an account of it—160 elephants, and 1000 horses of Arab breed, and an immense quantity of property and valuables;—Hímún collected all, and kept them himself: and from obtaining possession of so many things appertaining to royalty, he began to entertain ambitious ideas, and say, “'Ádil Sháh is helpless. Although he possessed a valiant army, he could do nothing when Ibráhím and Sikandar rebelled. Now all his elephants and soldiers are with me.” Looking on things in this light, he distributed all the spoil, with the exception of the elephants, among the Afgháns who accompanied him, and gained them over to his own side. With their concurrence, he entered Dehlí, raised the Imperial canopy over him, and ordered coin to be struck in his name. He appointed governors of his own, and brought the Dehlí territory and the neighbouring parganas under his control; and in order to console the King, he sent an account of the victory in these words: “Your slave, by the royal fortune, has routed the Mughal army, which was firm as an iron wall; but I hear that Humáyún's son commands a numerous force, and is advancing against Dehlí. For this reason I have kept the horses and elephants of the Mughals, in order that I may be able to face the valiant enemy, and not allow them to reach Dehlí.” 'Ádil Sháh was comforted by these deceitful assertions.