After this, in the beginning of Zí-l hijja of the same year, the enemy's army having crossed the river Jumna, near the village of Ráprí, besieged the fort of Shukohábád. Láljí Khatrí, the governor of that place, presented him one hundred and fifty thousand rupees and an elephant, and thus saved the town. Marching thence, the invaders burnt down Fírozábád and I'timádpúr, which is five kos from the capital, Ágra, and plundered them, and then proceeded towards Jálesar. All of a sudden, about dawn, Burhánu-l Mulk drew near, having marched from Etáwa in pursuit of the enemy. At first, his nephew Abú-l Mansúr Khán Safdar Jang, with twelve thousand horse, came in sight, when the Mahrattas, with their usual confidence, considering his force to be small, surrounded him on all sides. Abú-l Mansúr Khán slowly retreated, fighting all the way, till he reached the spot occupied by Burhánu-l Mulk, at the head of fifty thousand horse. When the Mahrattas approached near, he suddenly charged the army of those rebels with his cavalry, like a wolf falling upon sheep, or a tiger upon a deer. Thus those vagabonds, seized by the hand of death, were obliged to run away in alarm towards the forest.
The Muhammadan army pursued them, made heaps of the
slain, and kept the battle raging for the distance of thirty-five
kos. A body of the invaders were overtaken near the tank of
I'timádpúr, and three chiefs with about a thousand men were
taken prisoners. Those who escaped the sword crossed the
river Jumna. Many of them missed the ford, and were
drowned in the river of eternity, but most of them escaped and
joined their countrymen. When the prisoners were brought
before Burhánu-l Mulk, he gave each man a rupee for his
expenses, and set them all at liberty; but he kept the three chiefs
loaded with chains. After this, he returned towards Sháh-
One day, the Amíru-l umará invited Burhánu-l Mulk to his tents, and prepared a feast for his reception. In the midst of the banquet it was suddenly reported that the enemy's army, having marched through the town of Fathpúr, and leaving Díg, the native land of Badná Ját, on the right, had arrived at Dehlí. Burhánu-l Mulk, on hearing this, bit the finger of sorrow with the teeth of distraction, and, mounting an elephant, hastened towards that city. It is commonly said that I'timádu-d daula Kamru-d dín Khán, who, with the intention of expelling the enemy, was then encamped near Kámán Pahárí, also returned to Dehlí. In the mean time, Rája Jai Singh, having marched from Jaipúr with an army of fifty thousand Rájpút horse and above seventy elephants, advanced as far as the town of Nimránú; but when he heard the news of Burhánu-l Mulk's march towards the capital, he returned to Jaipúr. The enemy's army, having sacked the village of Nakal, near Dehlí, went to the shrine of the great Khwája Kutbu-d dín; but as they could not obtain admittance, they plundered the inhabitants of the place, and the next day appeared before the Bárahpola. Early in the morning, according to the Emperor's orders, Mír Hasan Khán, the commandant of the Emperor's body-guard, came out to oppose him with a body of one thousand mansabdárí horse. Immediately behind him, Amír Khán, and other nobles, with a large army and artillery, came out of the city, and stood before the enemy; but as they had not been ordered to fight, they did not commence the battle. Mír Hasan Khán and Rája Sheo Singh, however, advanced and fought valiantly.* * During the fight the enemy retreated, and pitched their tents near Tál Katorá. The next morning, on hearing the news of Burhánu-l Mulk's arrival, Bájí Ráo, the chief of the Mahrattas, rode like a jackal running away at the roar of a tiger, and fled from the place. Kamru-d dín Khán, who had advanced with three hundred men, engaged in a severe skirmish, and retired after killing some of his opponents.
As Burhánu-l Mulk had advanced without orders and engaged with the enemy, he fell under His Majesty's displeasure, and being distressed at this, he crossed the Jumna without an interview with the Emperor, and returned to his own residence. When the Amíru-l umará and Muhammad Khán were returning to Dehlí, the Játs of the village of Mitrol, between Kodal and Palwal, fell on their baggage and plundered it. Consequently the army surrounded the village, and having sacked it, set it on fire. The Amíru-l umará entered the seat of the Empire, and, according to the royal orders, Muhammad Khán returned to Ágra for its protection. Towards the end of the same year Nizámu-l Mulk arrived from the Dakhin, and on Monday, the 16th of Rabí'u-l awwal, had an interview with His Majesty in the capital.
In the commencement of this year 8000 horse of the Ráthor Rájpúts, among whom were eighteen chiefs, the relatives of Rája Dhankal Singh, assembled on some pretence in the city of Sámbhar. Bhárat Singh, their leader, by whose hands Shaikh Illahyár Khán of Bilgrám had been slain in the battle which was fought between Sarbuland Khán and Dhankal Singh, openly drank wine on a Friday in the Masjid of Sámbhar, and prohibited the muazzin from calling to prayer. It happened that Hayátu-llah Khán, son of Jamálu-llah Khán, the governor of the place, with a few men, went to them in the evening. After some verbal altercation, the matter ended in a regular fight. That lion of the field of battle thrust Bhárat Singh into the well of destruction with a stroke of his lance. The market of the angel of death was thronged through the use of rockets, arrows, and lances. Eighteen chiefs of the opponents were slain, and the rest fled away. Three followers of the Khán, who were Saiyids of Nárnaul, obtained the degree of martyrdom, and were interred near the tomb of Saiyid Husain Khán.
During this year I'timádu-d daula Kamru-d dín Khán, with 50,000 horse and many elephants and guns, moved towards Bárha, the native place of the Saiyids, and sent 'Azímu-llah Khán Zahíru-d daula with a large army to precede him. 'Azímu-llah Khán, for fear of his life, placed several guns around him in the shape of a triangle. Saifu-d dín 'Alí Khán, brother of Kutbu-l Mulk and Husain 'Alí Khán, who was the chief of Bárha, with three hundred horse, boldly attacked that miserable body. When the Mughals fired their guns, a great number of the Saiyids were killed; but Saifu-d dín 'Alí Khán, with a few other Saiyids, to avenge their death, drew out their swords, and repulsed the Mughals to the distance of three miles. Suddenly the wanderer of the forest of wretchedness and misfortune, by name 'Alí Muhammad, a Rohilla, at the direction of I'timádu-d daula, and with the hope of preferment, came from the rear with 20,000 Rohillas, and fell upon the Saiyids. Thus he sacrificed the good of the next world to the desires of this earth, and became the cause of victory to the Turánís. 'Azímu-llah Khán, having buried the Saiyids, returned to Dehlí laden with immense plunder, and accompanied by I'timádu-d daula. It was just punishment of this crime of persecuting the Saiyids, that soon after they suffered the calamities occasioned by Nádir Sháh.
In this year Nizámu-l Mulk, on the condition of subduing the enemy, was appointed governor of Ágra and Málwá. Proceeding through Bundelkhand, he reached the latter province, and a battle was fought with the enemy near the town of Bhopál, founded by Dost Muhammad Khán, whose eldest son, Yár Muhammad Khán, is still ruling over it with wisdom and equity.