According to the Ṭabaqát, he was not only the brother, but also the son-in-law of Shaikh Salím i Síkríwál.

83. 'Abdul Matlab Kha´n, son of Sháh Budágh Khán (No. 52).

The Maásir makes him a Commander of Two Thousand Five Hundred.

'Abdul Maṭlab accompanied Sharafuddín Husain (No. 17) on his expedition to Mírt'ha. In the 10th year, he served together with his father under Mu'izzulmulk (No. 61) against Iskandar and Bahádur Khán, and fled from the battle-field of Khairábád (pp. 372, 382). In the 12th year, he served under Muhammad Qulí Khán Barlás (No. 31) against Iskandar Khán in Audh. He then retired to his tuyúl in Málwah.

In the 17th year, he belonged to the auxiliaries of M. 'Azíz Kokah and was present in the battle of Patan (p. 396). In the 23rd year, when Quṭbuddín's men (No. 28) brought Muzaffar Husain Mírzá from the Dak'hin to Court, 'Abdul Maṭlab attached himself as convoy, and saw the Mírzá safely to Court. In the 25th year, he accompanied Ismá'íl Qulí Khán (No. 46) on his expedition against Niyábat Khán 'Arab. In the following year, he received a reprimand for having murdered Fath Daulat, son of 'Alí Dost. He was, however, subsequently pardoned, and was put in command of the left wing of the army which was sent to Kábul. In the 27th year, Akbar honored him by being his guest in Kálpí, his jágír.

In the 30th year, he accompanied M. 'Azíz Kokah to the Dak'hin, and was sent, two years later, against Jalálah Táríkí, the Afghán rebel. One day, Jalálah fell upon the van of the Imperialists, which was commanded by Beg Núrín Khán (No. 212), Salím Khán (No. 132), and Sheroyah Khán (No. 168). They were in time assisted by Muhammad Qulí Beg, and routed Jalálah, who escaped to the mountains. 'Abdul­maṭlab “had not the good fortune of even mounting his horse to take part in the fight.” He seems to have taken this to heart; for when the victorious army returned to Bangash, he had an attack of madness and was sent to Court. He died soon after.

His son, Sherzád, was under Jahángír, a Commander of Three Hundred, 200 horse.

84. I'tiba´r Kha´n, the Eunuch.

His name, like that of many other Eunuchs, was 'Ambar. He was one of Bábar's Eunuchs. When Humáyún left Qandahár for 'Iráq, he despatched I'tibár and others to conduct Maryam Makání (Akbar's mother) to his camp. In 952, he left Kábul and joined the emperor, who attached him to Prince Akbar's suite.

In the 2nd year of Akbar's reign, he accompanied Akbar's mother and the other Begums from Kábul to India. Akbar appointed him Governor of Dihlí, where he died.

He must not be confounded with No. 86.

85. Ra´jah Bi´r Bal [Bír Baṛ], the Brahman.

He was a Brahman of the name of Mahesh Dás (Maásir; the Ed. Bibl. Indica of Badáoní, II. p. 161, calls him Brahman Dás), and was a Bhát, or minstrel, a class of men whom the Persians call bádfarosh, ‘dealers in encomiums.’ He was very poor, but clear-headed, and remarkable for his power of apprehension. According to Badá­oní, he came soon after Akbar's accession from Kálpí to Court, where his bonmots in a short time made him a general favourite. His Hindí verses also were much liked, and Akbar conferred on him the title of Kab Rái, or (Hindu) Poet Laureate,* and had him constantly near himself.

In the 18th year, Rájah Jai Chand of Nagarkoṭ, who was at Court, happened to displease the emperor, and was imprisoned. Nagarkoṭ was given to Kab Rái as jágír. He also received the title of Rájah Bír Baṛ. But Jai Chand's son, Budh Chand (or Budhí Ch., or Badí Ch.,—the MSS. differ) shut himself up in Nagarkoṭ, and Husain Qulí Khán (No. 24) was ordered to conquer it. The invasion of Ibráhím Husain Mírzá, as related above, forced Husain Qulí to raise the siege, and Bír Baṛ, in all probability, did not get his jágír. He accompanied Akbar on his forced march to Patan and Ahmadábád, 24th Rabí' II, 981. (Vide note to No. 101.)

He was often employed in missions. Thus in the 21st year, he was sent with Rái Lon Karan to Dúngarpúr, the Rái of which town was anxious to send his daughter to Akbar's Harem. In the 28th year, again, B. B. and Zain Kokah (No. 34) conducted Rájah Rám Chand (No. 89) to Court.

Bír Baṛ spent his time chiefly at Court. In the 34th year, Zain Khán Kokah marched against the Yúsufzaís in Bijor* and Sawád; and as he had to ask for reinforcements, Bír Baṛ was sent there together with Hakím Abul Fath (No. 112). It is said that Akbar determined by lot whether Abulfazl or Bír Baṛ should go, and the lot fell on the latter, much against Akbar's wish.

The result of this campaign has been related above (pp. 204, 344). Bír Baṛ and nearly 8000 Imperialists were killed during the retreat—the severest defeat which Akbar's army ever suffered.*

How Akbar felt Bír Baṛ's loss, has been mentioned on p. 205. There is also a letter on this subject in Abulfazl's Maktúbát.

The following passages from Badáoní (Ed. Bibl. Ind., pp. 357, 358) are of interest—

“Among the silly lies—they border on absurdities—which during this year (995) were spread over the country, was the rumour that Bír Baṛ, the accursed, was still alive, though in reality he had then for some time been burning in the seventh hell. The Hindús by whom His Majesty is surrounded, saw how sad and sorry he was for Bír Baṛ's loss, and invented the story that Bír Baṛ had been seen in the hills of Nagarkoṭ, walking about with Jogís and Sannáṣís. His Majesty believed the rumour, thinking that Bír Baṛ was ashamed to come to Court on account of the defeat which he had suffered at the hands of the Yúsufzaís; and it was, besides, quite probable that he should have been seen with Jogís, inasmuch as he had never cared for the world. An Ahadí was therefore sent to Nagarkoṭ, to enquire into the truth of the rumour, when it was proved that the whole story was an absurdity.”

“Soon after, His Majesty received a report that Bír Baṛ had been seen at Kálin­jar (which was the jágír of this dog), and the collector of the district stated that a barber had recognized him by certain marks on his body, which the man had distinctly seen, when one day Bír Baṛ had engaged him to rub his body with oil; from that time, however, Bír Baṛ had concealed himself. His Majesty then ordered the barber to come to court; and the Hindú Krorí (collector) got hold of some poor innocent traveller, charged him with murder, and kept him in concealment, giving out that he was Bír Baṛ. The Krorí could, of course, send no barber to Court; he therefore killed the poor traveller, to avoid detection, and reported that it was Bír Baṛ in reality, but he had since died. His Majesty went actually through a second mourning; but he ordered the Krorí and several others to come to Court. They were for some time tortured as a punishment for not having informed His Majesty before, and the Krorí had, moreover, to pay a heavy fine.”

Bír Baṛ was as much renowned for his liberality, as for his musical skill and poetical talent. His short verses, bon-mots, and jokes, are still in the mouths of the people of Hindústán.

The hatred which Badáoní, Shahbáz Khán (No. 80), and other pious Muslims shewed towards Bír Baṛ (vide pp. 183, 188, 192, 199, 204) arose from the belief that Bír Baṛ had influenced Akbar to abjure Islám.

Bír Baṛ's eldest son, Lálah, is mentioned below among the commanders of Two Hundred (No. 387). He was a spendthrift; and as he got no promotion, and his property was squandered away, he resigned court life, and turned faqír, in order to live free and independent (end of 46th year).