A son of his, Shukrullah (No. 373), vide below, was a Commander of Two Hundred. The Maásir mentions another son, Mughul Khán, who served under Jahángír and Sháhjahán (vide Pádisháhn. II, p. 641), and died 19th Ramazán 1067. He commanded for some time Fort Odgír in the Dak'hin, where the author of the Maásir later found an inscription referring to his appointment. For a second daughter, vide p. 328.
For Zain Khán's brother, vide No. 38.
35. Mi´rza´ Yu´suf Kha´n, son of Mír Ahmad i Razawí.
He was a real Sayyid of Mashhad, and was much liked by Akbar. In the 30th year he was a Commander of Two Thousand and Five Hundred. When Shahbáz Khán left Bihár for Bengal, M. Yúsuf Khán was sent from Audh to keep Bihár. In the 32nd year (995), when Qásim Khán (No. 59) resigned, M. Y. was sent to Kashmír as ruler. He was much liked by the people of that country, conciliated Shams Chak, the claimant of the throne, and sent him to Court. In the 34th year (997), Akbar visited Kashmír, and issued several orders regarding the taxation of the country. In the districts of Mararáj and Kamráj, i. e., the upper and lower districts on both sides of the Bahat river, he fixed the taxes at one-fourth.
In Kashmír every piece of ground is called pattah, though a pattah originally is equal to 1 Bíg'hah, 1 Biswah (Iláhí) of Akbar. Two and a half pattahs and a little more are equal to 1 Kashmírí Bíg'hah. Three kinds of grain pay taxes in Kashmír, and each village is assessed at some kharwárs of shálí. A kharwár is equal to 3 mans, 8 sers of Akbar. The principal weight used in Kashmír is the tark, which is equal to 8 sers of Akbar (vide p. 84, note 3). At the time of the Rabí' crop, they take 2 tarks from each pattah of wheat and vetches (másh). The country having been recently annexed, was assessed very lightly, at 22 lacs kharwárs, which was 2 lacs more than before, the kharwár being reckoned at 16 dáms. For this sum, Akbar handed over Kashmír to M. Y. Kh.
In the 36th year, one of M. Y. Kh.'s Mutaçaddís (revenue clerks) fled to court, and stated that the revenue should be 50 per cent. (dah-pánzdah) higher, and the kharwár should be valued at 28 dáms. M. Y. Kh. informed Akbar that so high an assessment was an impossibility; but Akbar sent Qází Núrullah and Qází 'Alí to Kashmír, to report on the revenue. As M. Y. Khán's people assumed a threatening attitude, Núrullah returned, and Akbar sent Hasan Beg Shaikh 'Umarí (No. 167) to Kashmír. On his arrival, some of M. Y. Kh's people made a conspiracy, and stirred up the malcontents of the country, who collected under Yádgár, the son of M. Y. Kh's uncle. The disturbances became so serious, that Qází 'Alí and Hasan Beg returned to Hindústán; but the rebels blockaded the roads, and killed Qází 'Alí. Hasan Beg escaped, not without wounds. Yádgár then read the khuṭbah in his name, and had dies prepared for striking coins. Several bad omens foreshadowed his speedy ruin. Without having any knowledge of this rebellion, Akbar revisited Kashmír; but when he was informed of the state of the country, he put M. Y. Kh. under the charge of Abulfazl. Yádgár in vain tried to oppose Akbar at the frontier passes, and fled from Srínagar to Hírápúr, where some of M. Y. Kh.'s men spread at night the rumour that Akbar had suddenly arrived. In the confusion which ensued, Yádgár fled outside of the camp, accompanied by a servant of the name of Yúsuf. His camp was plundered, and M. Y. Kh.'s men got hold of Yúsuf, who had returned to get a horse for his master. They tortured him, till he confessed where Yádgár was. Soon after, they caught him and cut off his head.
As M. Y. Kh. refused to remain in charge of Kashmír under the increased revenue, the country was made kháliçah, and Shamsuddín Kháfí (No. 159) was appointed Governor with 3,000 troops. Some time after, at Prince Salím's request, M. Y. Kh. was re-instated.
In the 38th year, M. Y. Kh. was appointed Dárogah of the Topkhánah, and received Jaunpúr as tuyúl, vice Qulij Khán (1002); but in the 41st year his jágír was transferred to Gujrát, to enable him to serve in the Dak'hin. In the following year, when Çádiq of Harát (No. 43) died, M. Y. Kh. was appointed atálíq to Prince Murád, whom he joined in Bálápúr (Barár). After the death of Prince Murád (p. 309), M. Y. Kh. distinguished himself together with Abulfazl in the Dak'hin wars, and later, under Prince Dányál, in the conquest of Ahmadábád, on which occasion M. Y. Kh. is said to have been more energetic than other grandees.
After joining Akbar's Court at Burhánpúr, in the 46th year, M. Y. Kh. went again to Prince Dányál, who, in 1010, sent him to assist Abulfazl and the KhánKhánán at Bálág'hát. But soon after, he died of abscess at Jalnápúr*, in Jumáda II, of the same year. His body was taken to Mashhad.
M. Y. Kh. generally stayed at Sulṭánpúr, which he looked upon as his Indian home. His contingent consisted exclusively of Rohílahs, whose wages he paid monthly.
His sons. 1. Mírzá Lashkarí Çafshikan Khán (No. 375). He was under Akbar T'hánahdár of Bír (East of Ahmadnagar), and got from Jahángír the title of Çafdar Khán, and a tuyúl in Bihár. In the 5th year (of Jahángír), he was promoted to the post of a Commander of 1500, with 700 horse, and was made in the following year Çúbahdár of Kashmír. In the 8th year, he was removed from his office. In the 21st year, when Mahábat Khán had fled, he was sent towards Dihlí, to intercept Mahábat's treasures which were known to have arrived from Bengal. This he did. In the beginning of Sháh Jahán's reign, he was made a Commander of 2500, and 2000 horse, received the title of Çafshikan Khán, and was again sent to Bír, where he remained for a long time. He withdrew at last from public life, got a pension of Rs. 12,000 per annum, and lived at Láhor. He died in 1055.
He was frank to a fault. Once he invited the Mançabdárs of Kábul, and feasted them on pork; and when called to Court, to answer for his conduct, he gave Jahángír a lesson by saying that not only pork, but also wine was forbidden in the law. For this answer he fell into disgrace.
2. Mírzá 'Ivaz (<Arabic>). He was a good Prose writer, and wrote a History of the World, entitled Chaman.
3. Mírzá Afláṭún. ‘He lived with his brother.’ He was subsequently made Mutawallí of Sikandrah (Akbar's tomb), where he died.
A relation of M. Y. Kh., Mír 'Abdullah, was under Sháhjahán a Commander of 1500 and 600 horse. He was for some time Governor of Fort Dharúr, E. of Bír, mentioned above. He died in the 8th year of Sháhjahán.
36. Mahdi´ Qa´sim Kha´n.
The Ṭabaqát mentions him among the Commanders of Five Thousand. He served first under M. 'Askarí, Bábar's third son, whose foster brother he was. His brother was Ghazanfar Kokah* (<Arabic>). Humáyún, after the conquest of Gujrát, had appointed 'Askarí to Ahmadábád. One night, when half drunk, M. 'Askarí said, “I am king and the shadow of God;” when Ghazanfar gently replied, “Thou art drunk, and hast lost thy senses,” at which all who were present laughed. 'Askarí got enraged, and imprisoned Ghazanfar; but he escaped, went to Sulṭán Bahádur, king of Gujrát, who had retreated to Fort Diu, and betrayed the plans of 'Askarí. Bahádur thereupon collected an army, marched to Ahmadábád, and drove the Prince away (vide No. 12).
Mahdí Qásim Khán joined Humáyún on his return from Persia, and was made in the beginning of Akbar's reign, a Commander of Four Thousand. In the 10th year, Abdul Majíd A´çaf Khán (No. 49) had been ordered to pursue Khán Zamán (No. 13; but entertaining doubts regarding his own safety, he fled to Gaṛha (Jabalpúr). M. Q. Kh. was, therefore, sent to Gaṛha, after Akbar had, in 973, returned from Jaunpúr to A´grah, and was ordered to capture 'Abdul Majíd. When M. Q. Kh. arrived at Gaṛha, 'Abdul Majíd fled to Khán Zamán; but the wretched state of the country displeased M. Q. Kh. so much, that without asking Akbar's permission, he left Gaṛha and went to Makkah. From there he returned over Persia and Qandahár, and arrived, towards the end of the 13th year, at Rantanbhúr, which Akbar besieged, and asked to be forgiven, sending at the same time a fine batch of Persian horses as a present. Akbar pardoned him, restored him to his old rank, and gave him Lak'hnau as tuyúl.