AS soon as the Khán had again established himself on the throne of the Khánate, the Moghuls and the Amirs made him promise never, for the future, to attempt to make them dwell in cities or cultivated countries [shahr u viláyat], which had been the cause of all their sedition and revolts. The Khán was obliged to comply, and they then re-entered Moghulistán, which had been vacated by the Kálmáks. During several years the Khán never even made mention [hawá] of towns or houses, so that at length the Moghuls became much attached to him.
Muhammad Haidar Mirzá, who was in Káshghar, yielded fitting obedience to the Khán, from whom he, in return, received demonstrations of paternal affection; and complete tranquillity prevailed in Moghulistán and Káshghar.
Soon after the Khán's return, the followers of Kabak Sultán Oghlán (son of Dust Muhammad Khán), who had fled in the direction of Turfán, having killed their master, brought his head to the Khán. But the Khán, in spite of Kabak having been his enemy, was (for Kabak's brother's sake) very angry, and ordered the murderers [to be put to death] by way of retaliation.
The Khán had now no enemies remaining on any side. After he had killed Buruj Oghlán, he sent his eldest daughter, Mihr Nigár Khánim, to Sultán Ahmad Mirzá, son of Sultán Abu Said Mirzá, saying: “Sultán Abu Said Mirzá turned the enmity that existed between Moghul and Chaghatái into friendship. I wish now to cement this friendship with a family alliance, and therefore offer my daughter, as a wife, to the son of Sultán Abu Said Mirzá.” Mihr Nigár Khánim remained in the haram of Mirzá Sultán Ahmad as long as he lived. (I shall have more to say of the Khánim in the second part of this work.)
After the Khán's return to Moghulistán, when Shaikh Jamál Khar had been put to death, he gave his daughter, Kutluk Nigár Khánim, who was younger than Mihr Nigár Khánim, in marriage to Omar Shaikh Mirzá, son of Sultán Abu Said Mirzá. This was in the year 880. There existed between the Khán and Omar Shaikh such an affection as is seldom even found between father and son. Omar Shaikh used to go and spend a month, or two months, at a time in Moghulistán, and sometimes he would bring back his father with him to Andiján, and the Khán would be his guest for a month or more. About this time Omar Shaikh tried to induce the Khán to march on Samarkand, and after depriving his brother Mirzá Sultán Ahmad (the eldest son-in-law of Yunus Khán) of the throne, to set him (Omar Shaikh) upon it, in his brother's stead. But the Khán would not hear of such a measure. When Sultán Ahmad heard of his brother's scheme, he set out to oppose him with an army. But Omar Shaikh Mirzá appealed to the Khán for succour, giving him, at the same time, some of his own territories. Thus Sultán Ahmad was hindered from making an invasion. This state of affairs was constantly recurring. It was, however, at length agreed that the Khán should come every winter to Andiján, attended only by his own personal servants; leaving the Ulus of the Moghul in Moghulistán. Omar Shaikh Mirzá was to give to the Khán whichever of his territories the latter might select. In the spring, the Khán was to return to Moghulistán, and the Mirzá again take possession of his own territories.
On one occasion, Omar Shaikh Mirzá, being in great fear of his brother, sent to Yunus Khán for support, while he gave over to him Akhsi. The Khán took up his winter quarters in Akhsi, hearing of which, Sultán Ahmad Mirzá abandoned his hostile intentions. Omar Shaikh Mirzá, though his mind was set at rest with regard to his brother, nevertheless did not like the Khán's residing in Akhsi. For Akhsi was the largest town in Farghána, and its capital. On this account he rose in arms against the Khán, and fought a battle against him at the Bridge of Tiká Sagrutku.*
The Khán at first remonstrated with the Mirzá, but in vain; and a battle ensued in which the Mirzá was defeated and taken prisoner. He was brought bound before the Khán, who rose up to meet him and ordered his hands to be set free. He then made him presents and sent him away, saying: “Return home at once, that your men be thrown into confusion. I too will follow you to your house.” When Omar Shaikh Mirzá returned to Andiján, the Khán allowed his Ulus to go back to Moghulistán, while he himself proceeded to Andiján with his family [kuj] and a few followers. He remained in the house of the Mirzá for two months, and nothing disturbed their friendship.*
On another occasion when the Mirzá called on the Khán for assistance, he gave him Marghilán. While the Khán was in Marghilán, his Holiness, the Axis of pious works, the Cynosure of the pious, the Beloved of God, Khwája Násiruddin Ubaidullah (may God sanctify his spirit) came there in order to bring about a reconciliation between the Khán and Omar Shaikh Mirzá, on the one hand, and Sultán Ahmad Mirzá on the other. I have often heard from trustworthy narrators, that when his Holiness arrived near Marghilán, all the Moghuls and the inhabitants of the town came out to meet him [in istikbál], but none of the Moghuls had the presumption to approach him [to salute him], such was their great regard [for this holy man]. Men and women halted at a distance and, dismounting, fastened their horses to the ground, while they themselves kept their eyes fixed on the dust of the road. His Holiness then approached them. There was one among his retinue who recognised the Khán, and he said to his Holiness, “This is Yunus Khán.” His Holiness immediately dismounted, and having raised the Khán's head from the ground, embraced him.
I once heard from his Holiness, the Refuge of Piety, Mauláná
Muhammad Kázi (upon whom be mercy), who on a certain
occasion went to Marghilán, the following: “I had heard that
Yunus Khán was a Moghul, and I concluded that he was a beardless
man, with the ways and manners of any other Turk of the desert.
But when I saw him, I found he was a person of elegant deportment,
with a full beard and a Tájik face,*
and such refined
speech and manner, as is seldom to be found even in a Tájik.” In
short, when his Holiness had seen the Khán, he addressed letters
to all the Sultáns round about, saying: “I have seen Yunus Khán
and the Moghuls. The subjects of such a pádisháh are not to be
carried off captives. They are people of Islám.” From this time
forth, no more Moghuls were bought or sold as slaves in Mávará-un-