The Tabakát-i Akbarí is one of the commonest histories pro­curable in India, but (says Sir H. Elliot) I have met with no remarkably good copy. In the Bodleian Library it is the only work on Indian History noticed by Uri, except an imperfect one on the reigns of Humáyún, Akbar, and Jahángír.* There are several complete or partial copies in the Library of the East India Office.

The Tabakát-i Akbarí ends with a promise, which does not appear to have been fulfilled. As several copies, procured from distant places, concur in this reading, and as the author continued almost till the day of his death the history of Akbar's reign, it seems probable that he never wrote the Conclusion which he promised in his Preface, as it is now comprised in ten lines. It gives merely the computed area, populousness, and revenue of Hindústán, respecting which the author observes: “Be it not concealed, that that country of Hindústán is comprised within four climates, and is now included in the dominions of the Emperor Akbar. Its length from the Hindú Koh, on the borders of Badakhshán, to the country of Orissa, which is on the borders of Bengal, from west to east, is 1680 legal kos. Its breadth from Kashmír to the hills of Barújh (Broach), which is on the borders of Súrat and Gujarát, is 800 kos Iláhí. Another mode is to take the breadth from the hills of Kamáún to the borders of the Dekhin, which amounts to 1000 Iláhí kos. The soil is well adapted for cultivation, and within each kos are several inbabited villages. At the present time, namely A.H. 1002, Hindústán contains 3200 towns, and upon each town there are dependent 200, 500, 1000, or 1500 villages.* The whole yields a revenue of 640 krors (640,00,00,000) murádí tankas.* Of the towns, 120 are large cities.” He then finishes with these words: “As the particulars of the towns are not included in this summary, a detailed list of the towns shall be drawn up in alphabetical order.”

When the Emperor Bábar departed from this fleeting world at Ágra for his everlasting abode in Paradise, Muhammad Mukím Harawí, father of the author of this history, was one of the officials of his late Majesty, and had been promoted to the position of díwán of the household. Amír Nizámu-d dín 'Alí Khalífa was chief administrator of the State, and in consequence of some things which had occurred in the course of worldly business, he had a dread and suspicion of the young Prince Humáyún, and was unfriendly to his succession. And if he was not content with the accession of the eldest son, neither was he favourable to the promotion of the younger. Mahdí Khwája was son-in-law of the late Emperor, and was a generous and liberal young man. He was very friendly with Mír Khalífa, who had promised to raise him to the throne. This fact became generally known, and several of the nobles took part with Mahdí Khwája. He also fell in with the idea, and began to assume kingly airs.

It happened that one day Mír Khalífa went to see Mahdí Khwája, who was in his pavilion. Mír Khalífa and Muhammad Mukím, the father of the author, were the only persons present with the Khwája. When the Mír had sat for a moment, his late Majesty, in the pangs of his disease, sent for him. After he had gone, Mahdí Khwája continued standing in the pavilion, and the author's father remained standing with due respect behind him. The Mahdí was considered to be a man of suspicious temperament, and being unaware of my father's presence, when Mír Khalífa had gone, he stroked his beard, and said to himself. “Please God, I will flay thee!” As soon as he had said this, he perceived my father, and being greatly moved he took him by the ear, and said, “O Tájik, the red tongue uses its sharp point to no purpose.” My father took leave and departed. He went with all haste to Mír Khalífa, and said, “Notwithstanding the existence of such intelligent princes as Muhammad Humá-yún Mirzá and his brothers, you have shut your eyes against loyalty, and desire to transfer the sovereignty to another house; the end of all this will be this.” He then told him what Mahdí Khwája had said. Mír Khalífa instantly sent off to fetch Prince Humáyún, and he sent an officer to Mahdí Khwája with an order in His Majesty's name, directing him to retire to his house. The officers hastened to the Khwája, who was just about to sit down to dinner, and without any ceremony sent him off to his house. Mír Khalífa then issued a proclamation that no one was to visit or hold communication with Mahdí Khwája, and that he was not to attend the darbár.

On the death of the Emperor Bábar, Prince Humáyún, who arrived from Sambal, ascended the throne at Ágra, with the sup­port of Amír Nizámu-d dín 'Alí Khalífa, on the 9th Jumáda-l awwal, 937 H.* (29th January, 1530). The date of his acces­sion is found in the words Khairu-l mulúk. The officers ex­pressed their devotion, and the chiefs and nobles were treated with great kindness. The mansabs and offices which were held under the late sovereign were confirmed, and the royal favour made every one happy and content. On the same day Mirzá Hindál arrived from Badakhshán, and was received with great kindness. He was gratified with the grant of two of the treasures (do khazána) of former kings, and as the gold was divided by coffers (kishtí), the date was found in the words kishtí-zar.* The territories were then divided. Mirzá Hindál received the district of Mewát* in jágír. The Panjáb, Kábul, and Kandahár were settled as the jágír of Mirzá Kámrán. Sambal was given to Mirzá 'Askarí.* Every one of the amírs also received an increase of his jágír.

After arranging the affairs of the State, His Majesty pro­ceeded to Kálinjar, the Rájá of which place expressed his fealty, and ranged himself among the supporters of the throne.* In those days Sultán Mahmúd, son of Sultán Sikandar Lodí, with the assistance of Baban Báyazíd, and the Afghán nobles, had raised the standard of opposition, and had taken possession of Jaunpúr and its dependencies. Humáyún now marched to subdue him, and having achieved successes, he returned vic­torious to Ágra.* There he held a great festival, and all the nobles and chiefs were honoured with robes and Arab horses. It is said that 12,000 persons received robes at that feast, and 2000 of them were presented with outer garments of gold brocade with gilt buttons.

At this time Muhammad Zamán Mirzá, son of Badí'u-z Zamán Mirzá, son of Sultán Husain Mirzá Babakrá, who had originally come from Balkh to seek a refuge with his late Majesty, now set himself up in opposition, but he was taken prisoner, and was sent as a warning for rebels to the fort of Bayána, and in the custody of Yádgár Taghai. An order was given to deprive him of sight, but the servants of Yádgár Beg saved the pupils of his eyes from the effects of the operation. After a short time he made his escape, and fled to Sultán Bahádur of Gujarát. About the same time Muhammad Sultán Mirzá, with his two sons Ulugh Mirzá and Sháh Mirzá, went off to Kanauj, and there raised a rebellion. His Majesty sent a person with letters to Sultán Bahádur of Gujarát, demanding the surrender of Muhammad Zamán Mirzá, to which he returned a haughty refusal, and then showed signs of rebellion and resistance. This excited the anger of the Emperor, and he resolved to march against Gujarát and chastise Sultán Bahádur. He pro­ceeded to Gwalior, and there passed two months in making excursions and hunting.