In the beginning of Mírzá Muhammad Bákí’s reign,

Massacre of Arghúns.

Arghúns, under the leadership of Mírzá Kásim and Mírzá Kúchak, began to oppose him and were not in favour of his ascension to the seat of government, as they had been greatly disappointed by the behaviour of his late father. But Mírzá Muhammad Bákí won them over by giving them large rewards and donations. Consequently they became very insolent and overbearing towards him. Mírzá Muhammad Bákí therefore determined to extirpate them by having recourse to treachery. One day, being much pressed by their demands for money, he sent for all the Arghúns in the town to the upper story of a house, intimating that he wanted to distribute to them the treasures that had been left by his father. At the same time he concealed several strong men with arms in big boxes, said to be full of treasures, and he posted armed men outside too with instructions to fall upon them on a signal being given. Accordingly numbers of Arghúns assembled in the room. After explaining to them the object of the meeting, he said that as it was probable that there should be some dispute among them as to the amount of each share, he wanted to go down leaving them to take out the treasure and to distribute it among themselves as they thought proper. So saying he came down and gave a signal. Immediately the armed men jumped out of the boxes and slew all the men there. Mírzá Muhammad Bákí now sent men to besiege their houses and kill their women and children. The massacre was so thorough and complete that a few only escaped, who disappeared from the place.* After that Mírzá Muhammad Bákí thought himself to be quite secure and easy.

The few Arghúns who escaped came to Sultán Mahmúd

Revolt of Mírzá Ján Bábá with the aid of Sultán Mahmúd Khán.

Khán at Bakhar and were kindly treated by him. Mírzá Ján Bábá, Muhammad Bákí’s younger brother, who was living among the Samejahs having married there, came and joined Sultán Mahmúd Khán, who now espoused his cause and demanded his share of kingdom from his brother. Muhammad Bákí reminded him that as he had refused to interfere at the time of his disagreement with his brother Mírzá Sálih, he should do the same now and for the same reason. So Sultán Mahmúd remained quiet for the time and Ján Bbá went back to the country of Samejahs, not liking to go and remain under his brother, although his brother wished him to do so.

Soon after this, Mírzá Ján Bábá, being joined by Arghún chiefs like Sháh Kásim and Alí Sher, marched against Tattá with an armed force. Between the Maklí hill and the city, a pitched battle was fought in which Ján Bábá was defeated, but Muhammad Bákí lost many a brave leader of his army. Ján Bábá repaired to Jám Desar, the ruler of Kakrálah near the seashore, for help, but not getting the same, he went back to Samejahs.

Once more Mírzá Ján Bábá with the assistance of Sháh Kásim Arghún marched against his brother. This time they made a sudden nocturnal attack when Mírzá Muhammad Bákí and his men were lying at rest quite ignorant of the enemy’s movement. Muhammad Bákí’s force was dispersed in confusion. Sháh Kásim succeeded in coming to the very boat, in which Mírzá Bákí and his wife Ráihah Begum were lying fast asleep.* It was the lady who started up first and had just time enough to awake her busband, who threw himself over board and was picked up by a boatman. She next threw the burn­ing lamp in Sháh Kásim’s face and had nearly blinded him for ever, but in the dark Sháh Kásim killed her taking her for Mírzá Bákí. Mírzá Bákí’s men were already dispersed in confusion, when he managed to reappear among them and seeing him with them, they renewed fighting with redoubled vigour and put the enemy to flight.

About the same time 976 A.H. (1568 A.D.) Sultán Mahmúd Khán at the entreaties of Arghún chiefs again marched out and laid siege to Nasarpur fort. But soon hearing that the Emperor of Dehlí, Akbar,* was coming to Multán to visit the shrines of the saints of the place he abandoned the siege abruptly and returned to Bakhar.

On getting the news of the Emperor’s approach Mírzá Muhammad Bákí determined to bring about some rela­tionship or connection with him. With that object in view he sent his daughter with a princely dowery, in charge of Mírzá Yádgár Miskín Tarkhán to be given away in marriage to the Emperor. Máh Begum, his father’s widow, and her daughter Náhíd Begum, who had after Mírzá Sháh Hasan’s death come back from Hindustán to her mother, were also asked to accompany the bride; when the party came to Lakí, Mírzá Ján Bábá joined it and all of them, making common cause, misappropriated the value­able property they were carrying and returned with some forces to fight with Mírzá Bákí. A battle ensued, in which Máh Begum was seen riding an elephant and encouraging her men to fight. At last victory declared itself in favour of Mírzá Bákí and the insurgents fled. Ján Bábá and Yádgár Miskín fled to Kakrálah; Náhíd Begum fled to Bakhar and Máh Begum surrendered. Shortly after this, Sultán Mahmúd Khán came to Tattá and through the intercession of some Sayyeds a reconciliation was brought about. But not long after, Mírzá Ján Bábá and Yádgár Miskín were murdered and Máh Begum also was put to death.* Sultán Mahmúd Khán now carried on warfare with Mírzá Bákí at the capital itself and already several men on Mírzá Bákí’s side were lost. But at about this time Uch had been attacked and blockaded, by Tarsú Muham­mad Tarkhán. Sultán Mahmúd Khán went in that direction leaving Mírzá Bákí to himself.

In 978 A.H. (1570 A.D.) Mírzá Bákí a second time sent away his daughter, with fresh presents in company of Shekh Abdul Ghafúr and Mullá Tardí Beg, to the Mughul Emperor.* The latter, they say, after spending a night with the girl, sent her back, saying he did not want the daughter of a murderer.

After he had freed himself of the troubles of his brother and mother, Mírzá Bákí began that murderous course, for which he is remembered up to this day. He assassinated a large number of the nobles of the city, one by one, about whom he entertained some suspicion. Several pious and good men even, who had done him great service, were not spared; as for instance, Shekh Mírak, Abdul Wahháb Purání, Sayyed Jalál son of Sayyed Alí Shírází, who was his brother Mírzá Sálih’s son-in-law. Some of them were beheaded, others hanged by the neck, others taken on boats and dropped into the river.

In the last days of his reign Mírzá Muhammad Bákí

The last days of Mírzá Muhammad Bákí.

began to show favour to the Arghúns, who had, before this, betaken them­selves to different parts of the country. He allotted estates and allowances to them like his father. As about this time Mujáhid Khán, a general of Emperor Akbar had come to Bakhar and laid siege to that fort, Mírzá Muhammad Bákí thought it was the best oppor­tunity to seize Sehwán. Accordingly he sent one of his sons, Mírzá Páindah with Jání Beg and Shams Kashmírí to Sehwán. Another of his sons, Sháhrukh, he posted at Nasarpur, with Sher Alí Kúkah to take care of that part of the country. His third son Mírzá Muzaffar Tarkhán with Alí Khán Kúkah, he put in charge of Cháchikán and Badín districts; and lastly, Nerún Kót was entrusted to the care of Mírzá Muhammad Tarkhán and Kásim Alí Sultán Sárbán. He himself remained at Tattá, with his counsellors, getting weekly reports from the different divisions of his country.

The end of Mírzá Bákí was drawing near. He had

Mírzá Muhammad Bákí commits suicide.

already shown himself very cruel hearted, but now he became more so. It is believed by some that he was not in his right mind. Fearing lest he should be killed by poison, he left his food and water in the charge of one of his most confidential attendants. On receiving the news of his son Sháhrukh’s natural death he became so angry that he ordered the breasts of the females of his palace to be cut off and he caused the males to be tied to the legs of elephants and exposed them to the public by dragging them through the bazaars. He then sent Kásim Arghún to succeed Sháhrukh in the charge of Nasarpur.

The story of Mírzá Bákí’s death runs as follows. They say one night he got up from his bedstead, extinguished the lamp that was burning, and taking out one of his best swords from its scabbard, fixed its sharp point on his stomach and placed its other end against a wall and then pressed it with his body with such force that his stomach was cut open and his intestines came out. He then took up the same in his hands and walked about in the room for a few minutes and then fell down dead. This was in the year 993 A. H. (1584. A. D.)* Several men were afterwards arrested on the suspicion of being his assassins and beheaded. So that it was said that Mírzá Bákí continued his cruelties even after his death.*

His character may best be judged from his deeds.

His character.

He was extremely eruel and hard hearted. He had his father’s curse upon him as we have already noted. He filled his treasury and his granaries with the property taken by force from other people. He is said to have been very stingy and covetous. Instead of money he used to give corn to his servants. Even the corn that had got spoilt and rotten, was distributed to men in payment of their dues. One of his favourite officers is said to have attained a high position under him for collecting a heap of grain from the dung of horses. He tortured several officers whom he suspected of having acted dishonestly. He cut some to pieces and sent the same to their families. He mutilated others by cutting off their ears and noses. He plucked out the beards of others completely and made them go about in the markets.