sent Moonyim Khan, Khan Khanan, with another army against the Oozbuks, and in the month of Shuval, 973, fol­lowed in person.

On reaching Kunowj, Akbur selected a body of horse, and made a forced march towards Luknow to surprise Sikundur Khan; but the latter gained information of this movement, and evacuating the place joined Khan Zuman, with whom he crossed the Ganges. The King, proceeding to Joon-poor, was met by Asuf Khan Hirvy, who now sued for pardon; and through the mediation of Mujnoon Khan was admitted to the presence, and restored to favour. A few days afterwards Asuf Khan Hirvy was detached with five thousand horse against the confederated Oozbuk chiefs. On arriving at the ferry of Hundia, Asuf Khan was opposed by the enemy, and instead of endea­vouring to force the passage of the river, he ex­hausted the time in idle negotiations, for which he had no authority. The King, informed of his negligence, deprived him of his office as governor of Joonpoor, on which both Asuf Khan and his brother quitted the army, and again retired to Gurra.

Moonyim Khan was ordered to take charge of the division which Asuf Khan had thus forsaken; but the confederates, under Sikundur Khan and Bahadur Khan, having in the mean time crossed the Jumna, raised disturbances in the Dooab, while Khan Zuman defeated a body of the King's troops on the banks of the Ganges. Akbur, informed of these events, sent a division, under the command of Meer Moiz-ool-Moolk, to arrest the progress of the Oozbuks. At this time, Khan Zuman, re­penting of the part he had taken, deputed his mother and Ibrahim Khan Oozbuk to convey a number of elephants and other presents to the King; and through the intercession of Moonyim Khan he was not only pardoned, but all his estates and honours were restored to him.

Meer Moiz-ool-Moolk having overtaken Sikun-dur Khan Oozbuk and Bahadur Khan Seestany, was on the point of attacking them, when he re­ceived a message from the latter, acquainting him that his brother, Khan Zuman, had sent his mother with presents to the King, to intercede for pardon, and proposed, therefore, that he should suspend hos­tilities, till he heard the result of that negotiation. Meer Moiz-ool-Moolk paid no regard to the com­munication, but proceeded to the attack, obliging Sikundur Khan to fall back, with great loss, on the main body of the army, commanded by Bahadur Khan. The royalists, on the retreat of Sikundur Khan, concluding the victory was complete, pur­sued the enemy without observing any order; but they were received so steadily by Bahadur Khan Seestany, that in the end they sustained a total defeat; and flying, panic-struck, could not be induced to stand, and face the pursuers, so that the insurgents gained an entire victory; nor did the royalist general halt, with the scattered remains of his army, till he conveyed news of his own dis­aster to the King at Kunowj.

Akbur, in the mean time, having concluded terms with Khan Zuman, went to Chunar and Benares; but the news of the late action no sooner reached Khan Zuman than he again revolted, and occupied Ghazipoor and the adjacent country. The King very naturally accused Moonyim Khan, through whose mediation Khan Zuman had been pardoned, of betraying him; and having caused the mother of the latter to be confined in Joonpoor, pro­ceeded with all expedition against him. Bahadur Khan Seestany, taking advantage of the King's absence, attacked Joonpoor, and carried it by es­calade, where he released his mother, * and placed Ashruf Khan, the governor, with all the principal persons in the garrison, in confinement.

Akbur, on learning the capture of Joonpoor, and conceiving the war in that quarter to be of the first importance, relinquished the pursuit of Khan Zuman, and returned thither. Here he issued orders, commanding all the governors of the neighbouring provinces to join him with their forces. Bahadur Khan, seeing such formidable preparations in the provinces which remained loyal, evacuated Joonpoor, and fled towards Benares, as Akbur approached, and despairing of success, ad­dressed the King a second time for pardon, which was granted; and the restoration of his estates and honours also took place. It was observed by one of the kings of old, “If a king's subjects only “knew the pleasure there is in conferring a favour, “they would never approach him but with “a request;” and in reality there is a grati­fication in having it in one's power to pardon, far superior to that of indulging in revenge. The King, after passing his royal word, ordered Khan Zuman to court; but he excused himself, pretend-

A. H. 974.
A. D. 1566.

ing “that shame for his past offences “alone prevented him from appearing “in the presence, till time should have “convinced his Majesty of his loyalty; but that “when the King should return to Agra, both he “and his brother Bahadur Khan would at a future “time pay their respects.” On his arrival at Agra, Akbur deputed Mehdy Kasim Khan, with four thousand horse, to march against Asuf Khan Hirvy, and expel him from Gurra, of which he still retained possession.

Khan Zuman, so far from having reformed, took this opportunity to strengthen his party, and sought an alliance with Asuf Khan Hirvy; but the latter, finding himself neglected by Khan Zuman, retreated sullenly to Gurra, to which place he was pursued by Bahadur Khan, defeated, and taken prisoner. Asuf Khan's brother, Vizier Khan, escaped during the action; and having rallied the troops, returned at night, surprised the conquerors, and rescued Asuf Khan. The brothers now pro­ceeded to Gurra, which they retained in their hands in spite of the King.

About this time an envoy arrived, on the part of Mahomed Hukeem Mirza, from Kabul, acquainting him that Sooliman Mirza, chief of Budukhshan, had from the time he defeated and slew Shah Abool Maaly continued to read the Khootba in his own name; that he had appointed one Mirza Sooltan to rule in Kabul on his behalf, but that Mahomed Hukeem Mirza having expelled him, Sooliman Mirza was again preparing to invade Kabul. Under these circumstances, he earnestly entreated the King's aid to oppose him. The King, dreading the en­croachments of his northern enemies more than those in the eastern provinces, ordered the officers in Punjab to place themselves under the orders of Mahomed Koolly Khan, governor of Mooltan, and march to the aid of Mahomed Hukeem Mirza, as soon as they should learn for certain of Sooliman Mirza's advance on Kabul. Fureedoon Khan Kabully was also sent from the presence, with his corps, to support Mahomed Hukeem Mirza; but before the King's orders reached Punjab or Mooltan, Sooliman Mirza had invested Kabul, and Mahomed Hukeem Mirza being unsup­ported, was compelled to evacuate it. He fled to the eastward, and retreating in the direction of the Indus, was met by Fureedoon Khan, marching to his assistance. This chief recommended Ma-homed Hukeem Mirza to seize upon Lahore, as an equivalent for the loss he had sustained, and assured him that Akbur was in no condition to oppose him, being already engaged in a war with the Oozbuks, who had seized all the eastern provinces; he ob­served, also, that being once in possession of La­hore and the Punjab, he would find little difficulty, at some future time, in expelling Sooliman Mirza from Kabul. Mahomed Hukeem Mirza did not hesitate to adopt this advice; and taking mea­sures to put it into execution, marched towards Lahore, in conjunction with Fureedoon Khan. The Prince's design, however, was soon made public; and the officers of Punjab, particularly Kootub Khan Atka and Peer Mahomed Khan, * threw troops into the city of Lahore, and prepared for its defence. Mahomed Hukeem Mirza, mean­while, arrived before Lahore, and in vain used every art and persuasion to gain over those officers to his interest.

Akbur, conceiving no time should be lost in counteracting his brother's plans, laid aside for the present his projected expedition against the Oozbuks in the Dooab, and directed his march to Lahore. Agra was left under the government of his faith-

Jumad-ool-
Awul 14.
A. H. 974.
Nov. 28.
A. D. 1566.

ful general, Moonyim Khan, and on the 14th of Jumad-ool-Awul the King moved to the north. The news of his arrival at Surhind having reached Lahore, the citizens began to beat their drums, and to sound their trumpets for joy. This unusual noise attracted the attention of Mahomed Hukeem Mirza, who was asleep at the time: he asked what it meaned, and was told that the King in person had come expeditiously from Agra. Ma-homed Hukeem Mirza, believing that Akbur was close on Lahore, mounted his horse on the spur of the moment, and retreated precipitately with his cavalry towards Kabul; and fortun­ately reached that city so opportunely as to take it by surprise, Sooliman Mirza having retired to Budukhshan during the winter. The King, in the mean time, advanced slowly to Lahore, where he spent a few days in hunting, and was suddenly joined by Vizier Khan, the brother of Asuf Khan Hirvy, who had come to court to obtain pardon for the offences of his brother and himself; which was not only granted, but they were directed to act in conjunction with Mujnoon Khan Khakshal, for the protection of Kurra Manukpoor.