In the year of the Hijra 937, A.D. 1530, he car­ried an army against Bágarh, in order to subdue that country; and thence going to Mandú, he completed its capture by approaches, as men­tioned in the history before quoted. After having spent some days in besieging this fort, he entered it, on the 29th of Shabán, by that side where the buildings are most lofty: and on this occasion he himself led the way, accompanied by several other nobles. As Mahmúd Khiljí, who had defended Mandú, now fled, Sultán Bahádur took possession of his palace; and, on

August 26,
A.D. 1531.

the 12th of Muharram, A. Hij. 938, A.D. 1531, the former having returned with his sons, waited on the king of Gujarát, who gave them in charge to Alif Khán, Ikbál Khán, and Asif Khán. These officers were instructed to conduct them to Gujarát; but the king of Málwa and his sons were killed in a scuffle, which took place when the Rájá of Pál,* and the Kúlis about Dahad, had come for the pur­pose of liberating them. After this, the whole of the country about Mandú came into possession of the king of Gujarát, to which a governor and faujdár were appointed.

Sultán Bahádur passed the rainy season of that year in the upper fort of Mandú; and, having gone to Burhánpúr and Asír, on the 9th of Safar, of the year of the Hijra 939, A.D. 1532, he conferred the royal umbrella on Nizámu-l-Mulk, the prince of Ahmadnagar, and entitled him Nizám Sháh; since which time each of the rulers there is so entitled. Mah­múd Khán of Asír also received the title of Mahmúd Sháh; and the king of Gujarát, having undertaken a journey to Mandú, carried from thence an army against Silhaddí, the Rájá of Ujain. It is accordingly recorded that Silhaddí was made prisoner; after which the Sultán set out with all possible expedition, and arrived at Ujain, from which departing, he left the place in charge of Daryá Khán Mandwí. Having gone to Sarangpúr, he left that behind in charge of Mullú Khán, and afterwards took possession of Bhílsáh. From thence proceeding by stages to Raisein, then in possession of Lakshman Singh, brother of Silhaddí, he there encamped on the banks of the river, and ordered his officers to prepare batteries for capturing the fort. Rúmí Khán,* unrivalled in his time for skill in preparing fireworks, destroyed and levelled, in the twinkling of an eye, one of the bastions by a gun, while twelve thousand Dekhaní foot-soldiers, who were in the Sultán's pay, sprung a mine beneath one of the bastions, and threw down a considerable part of the wall. The Silhaddí, who was then with the Sultán, observing these things, sent to say that he would embrace the Mohammedan faith; and, after causing the fort to be evacuated, would deliver up the place. He therefore sent for his brother, Lakshman Singh, who came and waited on the Sultán. While the two brothers, however, were seated in consultation on this matter, Laksh­man Singh said to the Silhaddí, “Wherefore should you give up the fort? Bhópat,* my son, has gone to the Ráná, and he, with forty thou­sand cavalry, and infantry without number, is bringing us assistance. Till his arrival, it is necessary to procrastinate, and to employ cau­tion and deceit.” The Silhaddí, therefore, told the Sultán that Lakshman Singh would take his departure, and evacuate the fort on the suc­ceeding day.

After some days had passed, however, with­out the promise being fulfilled, the Sultán was informed that the Ráná's son was approaching with assistance. Mohammed Sháh Asírí and Imádu-l-Mulk were nominated, to keep in check the Rána's son, but, the latter excusing him­self to the Sultán, on account of the magnitude of the Rána's army, Ikhtiyár Khán was sent on the expedition. When the Sultán himself set out to join the army, he came up with it, as is said, in a night and a day, having travelled in that time seventy coss, accompanied by only thirty horsemen. The Ráná's spies, immediately on the Sultán's joining the army, acquainted their master of his arrival; and the latter, not thinking it advisable to front him, halted a stage in the rear. He at the same time sent one of his confidants into camp, who, under many pretended excuses, wished to ascertain whether the Sultán had himself joined the army or not. In the mean time, the Ráná, after ascertaining that Abigh Khán had arrived from Gujarát with thirty-six thousand cavalry, as an escort to the guns and elephants, sounded a retreat. The Sultán ordered that he should be closely pursued, and followed him to Chitore; but the Ráná, before the army could come up, had taken refuge in the fort. It was now resolved that the troops should capture the fort of Raisein, after which they were to lay siege to Chitore. Sultán Bahádur accordingly marched against the former place, where the besieged, seeing no prospect of assistance, yielded up the fort, as related in the history above quoted.

At this time, Sultán Álam Lódí, brother of Sultán Sikandar, had been driven from Kalpí, by the power of Jannat Makání Humáyún Pád­sháh, and, accompanied by twelve thousand horse, sought an asylum with Sultán Bahádur. The latter presented him with the government of Raisein, Bhílsáh, and Chanderí, which had belonged to Silhaddí. He also ordered that Mohammed Sháh Asírí should seize on the town of Gagroní, which the Ráná had taken by con­quest from Sultán Mohammed Khiljí.

About this time, Sultán Bahádur went to Gondwánah for the purpose of hunting ele­phants, and obtained a great many. After cap­turing the fort of Kánúr, he gave it in charge to Alp Khán; and, having subsequently reduced Islámábád, Hushangábád, and other neighbour­ing districts dependant on Málwa, returned to Sarangpúr. From thence he went to Gagroní, which Mohammed Sháh Asírí had not yet reduced, and immediately received its submission on his arrival. He then appointed Imádu-l-Mulk to conquer the country about Mandásúr, whilst he himself marched back for his capital.

Soon after Sultán Bahádur's arrival at Mah­múdábád, intelligence was brought him from the port of Diú, that the Europeans had come there with many ships and other warlike means, in order to capture the place. He lost no time in hastening to Khambáyat: and the Europe­ans, hearing that the Sultán was advancing, took to flight.* After arriving at Diú, he ordered two large guns, with a hundred of smaller size, to be sent to Mahmúdábád for the capture of Chitore. From thence he went to Ahmadá­bád; and having subsequently arrived, in one day, at Mahmúdábád, sent orders to Mohammed Sháh Asírí to advance from Asír to the siege of Chitore. Khudáwand Khán* and Wazír Khán, who were with the army at Mandú, were ordered to join Mohammed Khán Asírí, whilst the Sultán himself posted from Mahmúdábád to Mandú in three days. At this time, Moham­med Khán Asírí and Khudáwand Khán received orders to march on Chitore; and when they with the army arrived at Mandásúr, the Ráná's agents came to say, that whatever the Sultán might be pleased to order he would per­form it to the best of his ability, provided the intention of besieging Chitore was abandoned. This request not being complied with, the Sul­tán's army invested Chitore, and straitened the besieged. At length the mother of Vikra­majit, the Ráná's son, sent to say, that she had been of old a servant of the Sultán, and that, if he consented to spare the place, and would march from thence, she would give him in return a golden waistband* and jewelled crown, which had been captured from Mahmúd Khiljí I. of Málwa, when the Ráná defeated him. Besides these jewels, which were incalcu­lably valuable, she promised to pay five laks of rupees, one hundred horses, and ten elephants, as an acknowledgment of submission.

Malik Burhánu-l-Mulk and Mujáhid Khán were sent from thence with a large army to cap­ture the fort of Rattanbhore; and Malik Shamshíru-l-Mulk was despatched with twelve thou­sand cavalry to reduce Ajmír. The Sultán at this time went to Mandú, by way of Mandásúr; and, soon after his arrival there, deputed Mohammed Sháh Asírí, with the most famous of the Gujarát nobles, to go against Nizámu-l-Mulk Dekhaní. Mohammed Sháh Asírí, after encountering the latter in the neighbourhood of the town of Bír, sent messengers to the Sultán, acquainting him of the circumstance; and twelve thousand brave horsemen were accord­ingly selected and sent to his assistance. The opposing armies, however, had come to action before the arrival of the others at Bír: and the Dekhan's troops, immediately on hearing of the Sultán's advance, took to flight.* A little time after, Burhán Nizám Sháh came to meet the Sultán, when he acknowledged his dependence; and the latter, having given him back his coun­try, proceeded towards Mandú. At this time, Burhán Nizám Sháh, after accompanying the king of Gujarát several stages, obtained leave to return.