Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza having reached Na-gore, Ray Sing, governor of Jodpoor, went in pursuit, and coming up with him one evening, at a place where there was no water but what Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza had secured, was induced to attack him without a moment's delay; on which occasion many persons on both sides lost their

A. H. 981.
A. D. 1573.

lives. Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza's horse being killed, his army gave way; but mounting another horse, he fled towards Dehly, and giving up his intentions on Lahore, proceeded to his paternal estate of Sumbhul. Ma-homed Hoossein Mirza, Shah Mirza, and Sheer Khan Folady, still conducted the siege of Puttun, defended by Syud Ahmud Khan Barha, till Mirza Azeez Koka, coming to its relief with the army from Ahmudabad, the Mirzas gave him battle. Mirza Azeez Koka had at first the disadvantage by both his wings being thrown into disorder, when Roostoom Khan, and Mootullub Khan rallying the troops, made another and successful charge, when they broke the army of Mahomed Hoossein Mirza, who fled towards the Deccan.

As soon as the batteries were constructed at Surat for besieging the place, the inhabitants of the town, unable to resist, surrendered, and the King having gained his object, marched to Ahmudabad. Shurf-ood-Deen Hoossein Mirza, who having fled ten years before had found protection with the Raja of Buglana, a prince of the Deccan, attempted at this time to penetrate through the hills, and unite with the other Mirzas now in revolt; but being seized by the Raja with whom he had sought an asylum, he was delivered up into the King's hands, when after being degraded he was sent to the fort of Gualiar, where he eventually died. The mother of Chungiz Khan, the late regent of Guzerat, at this time preferred a com­plaint to Akbur, that Joojhar Khan Hubshy had put her son to death. The King, who only wanted an excuse to get rid of Joojhar Khan, caused him to be trod to death by an elephant; and having dis-

Suffur 2.
A. H. 981.
June 4.
A. D. 1573.

tributed the several districts of Guzerat among the relatives of Mirza Azeez Koka, he returned to Agra, which he reached on the 2d of Suffur, A. H. 981.

Meanwhile Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza arrived at Sumbhul, and hearing that the chiefs of Punjab, under Hoossein Koolly Khan, were engaged in be­sieging the fort of Nagrakote, he resolved to march to that quarter, which he expected to find unpro­tected; and after plundering it, he intended to join his friends in Guzerat, by the route of Sind. Hoossein Koolly Khan, learning his intentions, raised the siege of Nagrakote, and pursued Ibrahim Mirza throughout Punjab, till he reached Tutta on the Indus, where, having heard that he had gone to some distance on a hunting excursion, he attacked his camp. Musaood Hoossein Mirza, Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza's brother, who commanded in his absence, sent off an express to his brother; but before Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza arrived, Musaood Hoossein was defeated and taken prisoner, having lost many men in the action. Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza having returned from hunting, and perceiving the situation in which he was placed, made up his mind to death, and rallying a part of his men re­newed the action, but being defeated, he fled to Mooltan. Here he was intercepted by the Bul-lochies, by whom he was severely wounded, and taken prisoner, and shortly after beheaded by Mukhsoos Khan, the governor of Mooltan. This chief, in company with Hoossein Koolly Khan, carried the Mirza's head, and all his effects, to Agra. Akbur ordered the head to be placed above one of the gates of Agra; and caused his brother Musaood Hoossein Mirza to be confined in the fort of Gualiar till his death. In the month

Rubbee-ool-
Awul,
A. H. 981.
July,
A. D. 1573.

of Rubbee-ool-Awul of the same year, advices arrived from Mirza Azeez Koka, that Yekhtyar-ool-Moolk, one of the former chiefs of Guzerat, and Mahomed Hoossein Mirza, having united their arms, occupied several districts in that province, and were then besieging Ahmudabad. Under these circumstances, the presence of the King seemed absolutely necessary to retrieve the affairs in that quarter. The rainy season had commenced, and it being impracticable to march a large army, he selected two thousand of his most efficient cavalry, and sent them on before him; while Akbur, attended by three hundred persons, chiefly nobles, mounted on camels, and accompanied by led horses, followed at the rate of four stages every day, and overtook his troops at the city of Puttun, when he mustered altogether three thou­sand men and horses. Having organised this little force, he directed Mirza Abdool Ruheem, the son of Beiram Khan Toorkoman, to take command of the advance, and the remainder was formed into three divisions; a centre and two wings, reserving a hundred men as his personal guard. With this force the King marched to Ahmuda-bad. On his approach, he sent forward an officer

A. H. 981.
A. D. 1573.

to give notice to the besieged; and on arriving within four miles of the city, he ordered the nobut to beat. The enemy were astonished, but instantly prepared for action. Mahomed Hoossein Mirza, having drawn up his troops, went with a few horse to the banks of the river to reconnoitre; and perceiving Soo-bhan Koolly Khan, who had been sent on by the King to examine the ford, asked him whose army it was? Soobhan Koolly Khan replied, that it was an army commanded by the King in person. The other said, “It is impossible; for it is only “fourteen days since one of my spies saw him in “Agra; and I perceive none of the royal ele-“phants.” Soobhan Koolly Khan replied, “It is “only nine days since he marched, and it is clear “no elephants could have accompanied him.”

Mahomed Hoossein Mirza returning immediately to his camp, directed Yekhtyar-ool-Moolk, with five thousand horse, to watch the gates of Ahmudabad, and prevent a sally, while he marched with seven thousand horse to oppose Akbur. The King had by this time reached the banks of the river, ex­pecting every moment to be joined by part of the garrison; but the gates being commanded by the enemy, that aid became impracticable. Akbur accordingly crossed the river, and drew up on the plain. Mahomed Hoossein Mirza, at the head of fifteen hundred Moguls, attacked the centre of the royalists, Shah Mirza charged the right, and the Afghans and Rajpoots, under Sheer Khan Folady, the left. The battle raged with fury on both sides, when the King, with his personal guard of a hundred men, charged Mahomed Hoossein Mirza in flank. That Prince, now losing all presence of mind, fled, which being observed by his troops, on the right and left, they broke in confusion. Mahomed Hoossein Mirza received a wound in his face; his horse was also wounded, notwithstanding which he endeavoured to leap him over a hedge of the Euphorbia plant; but, owing to the weakness of the animal, they both fell, and he was made prisoner. Several persons contending for the ho­nour of taking him, the King asked him who took him? Mahomed Hoossein Mirza, holding down his head, replied, “Nobody: the curse of ingratitude overtook me;” and indeed he spoke truth. After the action, the King sat down below a rising ground, with about two hundred horse, waiting for Mirza Azeez Koka to join him, when a body of troops appearing, and most of his own men being at a distance, his small party began to be alarmed. The person he sent to enquire who they were, brought word that they consisted of the division of Yekhtyar-ool-Moolk, Guzeratty; who, having learned the fate of the other detachment, was now coming to retrieve the day. Akbur caused his two hundred men to gall them with arrows as they advanced; and as the drummers neglected to beat the signal for rallying, he went himself, and made them strike the nukara. * Yekhtyar-ool-Moolk, on hearing this instrument, and perceiving the King was in person with the party, retreated with precipitation. Mean­while Raja Ray Sing, in whose charge Mahomed Hoossein Mirza had been left, perceiving the state of affairs, put him to death without waiting for orders; and Yekhtyar-ool-Moolk, falling from his horse in his retreat, was killed by one of the King's guards. The besieged governor of Guzerat, being now enabled to quit the city, came to pay his respects, and Akbur entered Ahmudabad on the same day; where having re-established Mirza Azeez Koka in his government, he proceeded by the route of Ajmere to Agra.

In the course of the same year, Dawood Khan, the son of Sooliman Kirany, ruler of Bengal, took up arms. Moonyim Khan, Khan Khanan, was sent against him, and after several actions compelled him to sign a treaty; but the King, dis­satisfied with the instrument, committed the manage­ment of Bengal to Raja Todur Mul, and sent him with orders either to expel Dawood Khan or compel him to pay tribute. Dawood Khan, being threatened at the time with a civil war by Lody Khan Afghan, who discovered an inclination to usurp his authority, consented to pay tribute. Having shortly after seized Lody Khan, he put him to death; and being relieved from that do­mestic danger, he broke the treaty with Moonyim Khan, and attacked him at the confluence of the Soane and the Ganges, where Dawood Khan was defeated, and having lost his fleet of boats, he fled. Moonyim Khan instantly crossed the Soane, and laid siege to Patna.