The King, informed of these proceedings, sent Meer Abdool Luteef Kuzweeny, his preceptor, with a message to him; saying, “Till now, our “mind has been taken up with our education, “and the amusements of youth, and it was our “royal will, that you should regulate the affairs of “our empire. But it being our intention hence-“forward to govern our people by our own judg-“ment, let our wellwisher withdraw from all “worldly concerns, and, retiring to Mecca, far re-“moved from the toils of public life, spend the “rest of his days in prayer.”

Beiram Khan, on receiving this communication, professed obedience, and sent the ensigns of state, his elephants, banners, and drums, by Hoossein Koolly Khan, to the King, and returning to Na-goor, began to prepare for his departure for Mecca. He dismissed all his retainers; but Wully Beg and Ismael Khan (his own relations), as well as Shah Koolly Khan Mahrum, Hoossein Khan Oostajloo, Sheikh Guddayee, and Khwaja Moozuffur Ally Toormoozy, refused to quit him. Of all those who abandoned him at this time, most had been his associates and attendants for many years, and owed every thing to his favour; but all obligations were in a moment forgotten; and on the occasion of leaving him, they even carried with them most of his camels and camp equipage. Among those who left him was Shah Abool Maaly; who having joined Akbur while on a hunting-party, and ne­glecting to dismount when he made his obeisance, was instantly confined.

Beiram Khan proceeded as far as Bhickanere; but repenting of his resolution to give up public life, returned to Nagoor, where he again began to assemble troops. The King, informed of this cir­cumstance, marched to Jahjur. Moolla Peer Mahomed, lately returned from the exile to which he had been condemned by Beiram Khan, was con­sidered a fit person to carry on the war against

A. H. 967.
A. D. 1559.

him; and on this occasion he received the title of Peer Mahomed Khan. * The King, meanwhile, having returned to Dehly, sent orders to Moonyim Khan, the governor of Kabul, to repair to court.

On the approach of the royalists, Beiram Khan marched to Punjab, closely pursued by Peer Ma-homed Khan. On reaching Bituhnda, he was in­duced to throw all his baggage into that fort, then commanded by Sheer Mahomed Khan, one of his former adherents. No sooner had this chief got them into his possession than he ex­pelled the escort, and appropriated Beiram Khan's property to himself. The ex-minister proceeded to Depalpoor, which was also in the hands of one of his old adherents, Dervish Mahomed Oozbuk; but when he sent his secretary, Khwaja Moozuffur Ally, to wait on him, Dervish Mahomed seized and sent him to the King. All hopes being thus at an end, Beiram Khan marched towards Jalun-dur. At this time, Peer Mahomed Khan was re­called, and Shums-ood-Deen Mahomed Khan Atka proceeded to occupy Punjab, and to seize Beiram Khan. A battle ensued at Machiwarra, which was contested with bravery on both sides. Mahomed Khan's troops were at first broken, but, at length, several of Beiram Khan's officers being killed, his followers fled, and he sought protection in the mountains of Sewalik. After this event, the King appointed Khwaja Abdool Mujeed Hirvy to the government of Dehly, under the title of Asuf Khan, and marched in person to Lahore. On his arrival at Lodhana he was met by Moonyim Khan from Kabul, who was graciously received, honoured with the title of Khan Khanan, and created prime minister.

The King's army having advanced near the mountains of Sewalik, a detachment of light horse entered the hills, where the zemindars of that country combined in support of Beiram Khan. They were, however, so vigorously attacked, that the exile, in the utmost distress, sent his slave Jumal to the King, representing his unfortunate condition, and imploring pardon. Akbur de­spatched Moolla Abdoolla, a native of Sooltan-poor, to him, with assurances of forgiveness, and with directions to conduct him to court. Ac-

Rubbee-ool-
Sany,
A. H. 968.
December,
A. D. 1560.

cordingly, in the month of Rubbee-ool-Sany, A. H. 968, he was met, at some distance from the camp, by a consider­able number of chiefs deputed to receive him, and was brought into the presence, with every mark of distinction. On entering the court, he hung his turban round his neck, and advancing rapidly, threw himself, in tears, at the foot of the throne.

Akbur, stretching forth his hand, caused him to rise, and placed him in his former station at the head of the nobles. A splendid dress was now brought; and the King addressed him in the follow­ing words: “If Beiram Khan loves a military “life, the government of Kalpy and Chundery “offer a field for his ambition. If he choose “rather to remain at court, our favour shall “not be wanting to the benefactor of our family; “but should he be disposed to seek devotion “in retirement, let him perform a pilgrimage to “Mecca, whither he shall be escorted in a manner “suitable to his rank.” Beiram Khan replied, “The royal confidence being once shaken, how “can I wish to remain in the presence? The “clemency of the King is enough, and his forgive-“ness is more than a reward for my former ser-“vices. Let me, therefore, avert my thoughts “from this world to another, and be allowed to “proceed to the holy shrine.” The King assented, and ordered a proper retinue to attend him, at the same time assigning to him a pension of fifty thousand rupees * annually for his support. Bei-ram Khan soon after took leave of the King, who, with a few attendants, returned to Agra.

Beiram Khan proceeded to Guzerat, in order to embark for Mecca, and reached the suburbs of Puttun, * then governed by Moosy Khan Lody. During his stay there he went to visit a spot called Sahasnuk, so called from the thousand temples erected in its vicinity. One evening, in the month

Jumad-ool-
Awul,
A. H. 968.
January,
A. D. 1561.

of Jumad-ool-Awul of the same year, he was with a number of friends, accom­panied by musicians, in a boat on the lake, where they remained the whole night. On his return in the morning, Beiram Khan was accosted by one Moo-barik Khan Lohany, a person whose father he had slain in battle with his own hand. The wretch, pretending to embrace him, drew his dagger, and stabbed Beiram Khan to the heart; and a mob of Afghans falling on his retinue, plundered it. After his death, Mahomed Ameer Dewana, Baba Zeinoo, and some other of his attendants, conveyed his widow and his son, Mirza Abdool Ruheem, then only four years old, to Ahmudabad; whence Itimad Khan, the ruler of Guzerat, sent the whole family, with a suitable escort, to the King at Agra. The history of Mirza Abdool Ruheem will be found in its proper place in this work.

Beiram Khan was one of the most distinguished officers of the Mogul court. He was descended from a line of ancestors who served for many generations in the family of the illustrious Teimoor Sahib Kiran. His pedigree is as follows: Mahomed Biran Khan Toorkoman, the son of Syf Ally Beg, the son of Yar Ally Beg, the son of Sheer Ally Beg. In the female line, he is descended from Ally Shukur, Toorkoman Baharloo. When Zow-zun Hussun Sooltan conquered Erak, and Sool-tan Aboo Syeed Mirza lost his life, Sheer Ally Beg, who was then in his service, attached himself to Sooltan Mahomed, the son of Sooltan Aboo Syeed Mirza; but meeting with little encourage­ment to continue with him, he came to Kabul, and in the course of six months raised an army and marched in the direction of Shiraz, with the inten­tion of establishing himself in an independent kingdom. In this endeavour, he was joined by some Toorkomans, and absolutely reached Fars; but be­ing defeated by the troops of Zowzun Hussun, he fled to Khorassan, and eventually lost his life in battle, near Hirat. Sheer Ally Beg's eldest son, Yar Ally Beg, went to Koondooz, and entered the service of Khoosrow Shah; whom he quitted, and enrolled himself under the banners of Babur, on which occasion he seduced several of the officers of Khoosrow Shah from their duty. Yar Ally Beg died in the service of Babur, and his son, Seif Ally Beg, became governor of Ghizny. At his death, his son, Beiram Khan, retired to Bulkh; but being subsequently brought into notice at the court of Hoomayoon, he became his bosom friend, and was selected on that account as governor to his son.

In the end of the year 968, Adam Khan Atka was appointed to command an army destined for the conquest of Malwa. Baz Bahadur, the ruler of the principality, spent his time in idle pleasures at Sarungpoor; and such was his indolence, that, although aware of the expedition of the Moguls, he allowed them to approach within twenty miles of his capital, before he could be prevailed on to quit the pillows of ease, and prepare for action.

A. H. 969.
A. D. 1561.

The contest was short: the Moguls, on the first onset, broke his troops, cap­tured his property and family, and sent him with streaming eyes and a broken heart towards Boorhanpoor.