Two months afterwards, Mujáhid Khán went up against Thatta, leaving Muhib 'Alí Khán in charge of their families. He halted for a few days at the town of Ránípúr in order to outfit his force. Kísú Khán, at the instigation of the men of Bhakkar, sent an army against Loharí. On Friday, the 2nd of Ramzán 982 A.H. (December 1574), having divided his army into two parts he crossed over the river. One division he directed by way of the gardens of the city towards Loharí, and the other he embarked in ghrábs and boats and sent them firing and fighting towards the shrine of Khwája Khizr. Muhib 'Alí Khán's men mounted and went towards the 'íd-gah. Kísú Khán's followers arrived in their ghrábs and set fire to Mujáhid Khán's boats, and when the flames rose high, the horsemen fell back and went towards their homes. At this time Kísú Khán's horsemen came up and threw rockets* into the city and set it on fire in several places. Muhib 'Alí Khán then mounted his horse and fled. The men of Bhakkar now entered the city and pillaged until evening, capturing the standard and kettle drum of Muhib 'Alí Khán which they bore off with them to the fort. When the intelligence reached Mujáhid 'Alí Khan he returned by forced marches to Loharí, but he was greatly dispirited, and in consideration of the royal power he refrained from molesting Kísú Khán.* The latter established himself in the fort of Bhakkar and practiced great injustice. When the Emperor Akbar became acquainted with these facts he placed the country under the charge of Tarsún Khán, and in the beginning of Muharram 983 A.H. (April 1575) Muhammad Táhir Khán, son of Sháh Muhammad Saifu-l Mulk, and Muhammad Kásim Khán and Mírza Muhammad Sultán arrived at the town of Loharí, and sent to Kísú Khán a copy of the farmán conferring the jágír of Bhakkar (on Tarsún Khán). Kísu Khán was at first inclined to resist and to set these men at defiance, but when the matter came to be talked over, he went to the chief of the saiyids, who sent some priests and a party of men to the three sardárs to give them counsel. The sardárs detained them all, and desired them to write a true statement of affairs and send it to the Emperor. The priests begged to be excused, but said they would write if both parties were present. The sardárs replied that Kísú Khán's agents were present, and that if the priests would write the truth in their presence, no further trouble would be given them. The priests then entered upon the business. As soon as Kísú Khán heard this he was alarmed, for he saw that matters were going wrong, and that the forthcoming memorial would be ruinous to him. He therefore sent to say that he would give up the fort, and that they need not write. The Kháns sent word back that the memorial was written, and that they would keep it ready. If he did not surrender the fort the letter should be sent to the Emperor —so Kísú Khán having no other remedy, conducted the Kháns into the fort.
An order had been issued by the Emperor that Kísú Khán, in
concert with the brethren of Tarsún Muhammad Khán, the saiyids,
and the chief men, should make enquiry about the treasure, houses,
and effects of Sultán Mahmúd Khán, and send a detailed account
thereof to the Court, In obedience to the Royal orders, the people
of Sultán Mahmúd's harem were sent to the presence, and his chief
wife, sister of Jahán Khán, was sent to Lahore. At the same time,
Khwájá Saráí, Rai Singh Darbárí, and Banwálí Das Navísinda
arrived for the purpose of settling the affairs of the treasure and
of the people of the harem of Sultán Mahmúd. Having afterwards
looked into the matter of the treasure at Loharí, they proposed to
return by way of Nágor in the beginning of Rajab of the year above-
When Tarsún Muhammad Khán received permission to depart from the Court, some of the nobles objected that it was impolitic to place the children of Saifu-l Mulk on the borders of the country, so he was appointed governor of Ágra and a change was made in respect of Bhakkar, for Banwálí Dás was sent there to take charge of the revenues and general affairs. Afterwards, for better security, Mír Saiyid Muhammad was dignified with the office of Mír-i 'adl (Chief Justice), with a mansab of 1000, and appointed governor of Bhakkar. On the 11th of Ramzán of the year above-mentioned, he arrived at Bhakkar, and the ministers of religion and the chief men waited upon him to show due honour and respect. He then gave 50,000 bighas of land to the saiyids, learned men and others in portions suited to the position of each one. The ministers of religion enjoyed a happy time during his administration. In the early part of his rule he sent a force against the Mankínjas of the district of Gágri who were rebellious, and had opposed his officers. He acted oppressively towards the ryots in revenue matters, for he fixed by measurement a payment of five mans per bigha upon all lands alike, and the revenue officers, whom he appointed, dealt harshly with the cultivators. The troops of the Mír-i 'adl arrived at a small fort between Gambaz and Bajrán. The Mankínjas showing no respect, shot arrows at them, and several of the soldiers were killed. There was a well in the fort into which the graceless wretches threw the bodies both of Musulmans and infidels, and filled it up with earth. The Mír-i 'adl was enraged at this, and sent for reinforcements from Síwí, to take vengeance. After a short opposition, the Mankínjas left their home and took to flight. Saiyid Abú-l Fazl, the Mír-i 'adl's son, who commanded the troops, pursued them for some distance, and then returned to Bhakkar. Some time after this the Mír-i 'adl fell ill, he lost much blood and his weakness increased till he died on the 8th of Sh'abán, 984 A.H. (October 1576).
After his death, the Emperor appointed his son, Abú-l Fazl, to succeed him in the government of Bhakkar. In the following year Abú-l Fazl seized and confined the head men of Gágrí, and afterwards caused two or three of them to be trampled to death by elephants. On the 9th of Zí'-l hijja 985 A.H. (Feb. 1578) I'timád Khán, an eunuch, and one of the emperor's trusty servants, came as governor to Bhakkar. He was a man of passionate temper and did not deal kindly with the soldiers, peasants, or nobles. Some of the ministers of religion were troubled by his conduct, and resolved to carry their complaints to the Emperor. The governor thereupon sent a person to them with excuses, but they would not be satisfied, and resolutely determined to proceed. When they reached the royal presence they stated their grievances against that cruel man. The Emperor replied that if he had oppressed the people in the way represented, he would be killed. And it turned out exactly as the royal tongue predicted, after this manner. He was an habitual jester and scoffer, and would utter vile and filthy expressions before good men; he also dealt niggardly with the troops; so on the 10th Rabí'u-l awwal 986 A.H. (May, 1578) a party of soldiers conspired and slew him in his hall of audience.