Rumzan 10.
A. H. 952.
October 26.
A. D. 1545.

Mirza in pursuit, and on the 10th of Rumzan, 952, entered Kabul, where he found his son Akbur, then four years old, with his mother, the Begum. Taking up his boy in his arms, he exclaimed, “Joseph by his envious brethren was cast into a “well; but he was eventually exalted by Provi-“dence, as thou shalt be, to the summit of “glory.”

Kamran Mirza found the gates of Ghizny shut against him, and was compelled to seek refuge at Zemeen Dawur, among the Hazaras; but being ill received, he went to Bhukkur, to Shah Hoossein Arghoon, who conferred on him his daughter in marriage, and prepared to support his cause. Hoo-mayoon meanwhile left his son Akbur in Kabul, under the charge of Mahomed Ally Toghay, and

A. H. 953.
A. D. 1546.

marched in person, in the year 953, to reduce Budukhshan; while Yadgar Nasir Mirza, being convicted of an attempt to stir up a sedition in the army, suffered death.

Hoomayoon, having passed the Hindoo Koosh, and encamped at Teergiran, was opposed by Sooli-man Mirza with the forces of Budukhshan, who was defeated in the very first charge. The King marched from thence to Talikhan, where, having fallen sick, factions broke out in his army; but on his recovering at the end of two months, they soon subsided.

Kamran Mirza, having heard of Hoomayoon's attack on Budukhshan, made an excursion to Ghorebund, and falling in with a caravan of mer­chants on the road, robbed them of their camels, horses, and goods; after which, coming to Ghizny, he raised a party in his favour in that city, and cut off the governor, Zahid Beg. From Ghizny he proceeded by rapid marches to Kabul, where having arrived as the guards were opening the gates in the morning, he took the place by surprise. Mahomed Ally Toghay, the governor, was killed as he stood in his bath; and Fuzeel Beg and Mutroo, the Prince Akbur's foster brothers, were deprived of sight. Hissam-ood-Deen Ally, the son of Meer Khuleefa, was put to death, and the Prince Akbur delivered over to the charge of some eunuchs.

Intelligence of these transactions reaching Hoo-mayoon, he intrusted the government of Bu-dukhshan to Sooliman Mirza, and that of Koon-dooz to his brother Hindal Mirza: himself re­turning to Kabul, where having first defeated the advanced guard of Kamran Mirza, which opposed him at Ghorebund, he fell in subsequently with Sheer Afkun Beg and the main body, encamped at some distance in the rear. This army was also overthrown, and Sheer Afkun Beg fell in the ac­tion. Hoomayoon now proceeded to Kabul, and having sat down before that city, daily skirmishes ensued with the enemy. Kamran Mirza hearing of a caravan passing, in which was a number of fine horses, he detached Sheer Ally Beg with a strong party to seize and bring it into the city. Hooma-yoon gained intelligence of this design, and marched round the walls, to cut off Sheer Ally Beg's retreat, who was attacked and defeated with great loss. In this state of affairs, the Prince Sooliman Mirza from Budukhshan, Alugh Mirza, and Kasim Hoossein Sooltan, with several officers detached by Beiram Khan, the governor of Kandahar, as reinforcements, joined Hoomayoon, while Kurrachar Khan and Ooloos Beg, having deserted from the city, joined his army. Kamran Mirza, exasperated at the defec­tion of these two officers, murdered the three sons of Ooloos Beg, and threw their mangled bodies over the walls; he also bound Kurrachar Khan's only son to a stake, and exposed him on the battle­ments. Hoomayoon gave his brothers to under­stand that if they put Kurrachar Khan's son to death, they should both suffer the same fate if taken. Kamran was in consequence deterred from his in­tended cruelty, and on that very night he evacu­ated the place, and fled towards the hills, leaving Hoomayoon a second time at liberty to take quiet possession of Kabul. On his retreat, Kamran Mirza was plundered and stripped of his very clothes by the Hazaras; but when they knew him, they con­ducted him in safety to Ghorebund. Not conceiv­ing himself safe among them, he hastened to Bulkh, where Peer Mahomed Khan, governor of that city, rendered him assistance in subduing Budukhshan, on which occasion they expelled the troops of Sooliman Mirza and his son Ibrahim.

Kurrachar Khan, Ooolos Beg, and some other officers, being about this time offended with Khwaja Ghazy, Hoomayoon's vizier, insisted on his being disgraced, and on Kasim Hoossein Sooltan being appointed to his office. Hoomayoon, satisfied with the conduct of his minister, refused to accede to this demand, which induced them to desert Hoo-mayoon and to join Askurry Mirza, who had united with Kamran at Budukhshan. The King went in pursuit of the renegades; but being un­able to overtake them, he returned to Kabul, and recalled Ibrahim Mirza and Hindal Mirza to court. On his way to join Hoomayoon, Ibrahim Mirza falling in by accident with Kumur Ally Sufvy, one of the renegade chiefs, cut him off, and brought his head to the King; and Hindal Mirza meeting with Sheer Ally, another of the same party, made him prisoner.

Meanwhile Kamran Mirza left Kurrachar Khan in Kooshoom, and went in person to Talikhan. Hoomayoon hearing of this arrangement, detached Hindal Mirza and Hajy Mahomed Koka, with a considerable force, to expel Kurrachar Khan; but he obtained intelligence of their approach, and acquainted Kamran Mirza in time to defeat their purpose; for by making rapid marches to Koo-shoom, Kamran intercepted Hindal in the act of crossing the river at Talikhan. Hindal's troops being separated, he was defeated, and a great part of his division destroyed, with the loss of all his baggage.

Hoomayoon, however, having in a few days advanced with his army from Kabul to support Hindal, Kamran fell back on Talikhan in such disorder as to be obliged to abandon all his booty and baggage; and on the following day found himself closely invested in Talikhan. Thus re­duced to extremities, and despairing of aid from the Oozbuks, to whom he had applied, Kamran Mirza requested his brother's permission to retire from public life, and go on pilgrimage to Mecca. Hoomayoon consented; but both Kamran Mirza and Askurry Mirza proceeded only about ten para­sangs on their way, when finding that Hoomayoon did not send troops to seize them, they repented of their resolution, and, trusting to his generosity, returned to their brother's camp, and threw them­selves on his clemency. The King, on hearing of their approach, sent persons to meet them, and, on their arrival, treated them with every respect; after which they returned together to Kabul. In

A. H. 956.
A. D. 1549.

the year 956, Peer Mahomed Khan, the ruler of the Oozbuks, having made some incursions into Hoomayoon's dominions, the latter marched towards Bulkh to oppose them. On this occasion both Kamran Mirza and Askurry Mirza, who accompanied him, began to excite dis­affection amongst his troops; but Hoomayoon took no effectual steps to prevent their designs. Arriv­ing in the environs of Bulkh, Shah Mahomed Sooltan Oozbuk opposed Hoomayoon with three thousand horse, and checked his progress. On the second day the Oozbuks, being joined by Peer Mahomed Khan, Abdool Azeez Khan, the son of Abdoolla Khan Oozbuk, and the Princes of Khoo-zar, mustered thirty thousand horse, with which they gave battle to Hoomayoon. Sooliman Mirza, Hindal Mirza, and Hajy Mahomed Koka opposed and defeated the advanced parties of the Oozbuks, and even pressed Peer Mahomed Khan so severely, that he was compelled to retreat within the walls of Bulkh.

The King, desirous of following up the blow, wished to lay close siege to the place; but on this occasion he suffered his own judgment to be over-ruled by some of his generals, who, being suspicious of Kamran Mirza, advised him to en­camp at some distance from Bulkh, which, they concluded, must surrender in the course of a few days. This fatal advice was accordingly adopted, and there being no encamping ground near, the King was obliged to fall back to a con­siderable distance. The troops, unable to conceive the cause of retreating, fancied there must be im­mediate danger; while the enemy, construing the retrograde movement into a real flight, sallied, and by this mistake led to the disaster which followed. The Oozbuks fell on the divisions of Sooliman Mirza and Hoossein Koolly Sooltan, who com­manded the rear-guard, and forced them to retire on the main body, where the King commanded in person. Hoomayoon bravely opposed them hand to hand, and coming in contact with the Ooz-buk officer who led the attack, dismounted him. He was gallantly supported by his brother, Hin-dal Mirza, Tardy Beg Khan, and Tooluk Khan Kocheen; but finding themselves deserted by the troops, they were reluctantly compelled to save themselves by flight.

After this unfortunate affair Hoomayoon re­treated to Kabul, on the road to which place he was deserted by Kamran Mirza, who had taken no part in the action. Hoomayoon, justly resenting the conduct of his brother, wrote to Ally Sheer Khan, one of Kamran's officers, making him great promises to seize his master, and send him prisoner to court; at the same time, he detached Sooliman Mirza and Hindal Mirza in pursuit. Kamran laid aside his state, and intended to escape by the route of Zo-hak and Bamyan, through the desert of the Ha-zaras towards Sind; but Kurrachar Khan and Hoossein Koolly Sooltan, who remained in Hoo-mayoon's camp, wrote to him privately, and ac­quainted him with all that passed at the King's court. As the greatest part of Hoomayoon's troops were detached from his person, these officers advised Kamran to attack Hoomayoon, promising to join him in the action. Kamran, availing himself of these overtures, returned by the Kupchak pass to Kabul, where he was opposed by Hoomayoon. Kurrachar Khan and his adherents went over to Kamran Mirza in the commencement of the action, accord­ing to their promise, and attacked the division in which Hoomayoon commanded, who with a few faithful retainers fought with desperation. Peer Mohamed Akta and Ahmud, the son of Hoossein Koolly Sooltan, were killed by the side of the King, who himself received a sabre wound in the head. At this time, too, his horse failing him, he was forced to quit the field, and fled to Bamyan, from whence he proceeded to Budukhshan. Kamran Mirza thus obtained possession of Kabul the third time.