Mirzá Muhammad Hakím, in consequence of this message, determined to have a meeting with Khurram Begam at Kará-bágh, which is about ten kos from Kábul; and he sent messen­gers to her to inform her of his intention, and to receive from her satisfactory assurances. Khurram Begam showed great joy at the prospect of a meeting, and affirmed with strong oaths that she had no deceitful or treacherous designs, and that her sole object was unanimity. The messengers listened to these words and returned. They had not gone far, when that stupid* woman sent off messengers in hot haste to Mirzá Sulaimán, informing him of the intended meeting at Karábágh, and advising him to come there secretly with all speed, and await his opportunity. Mirzá Sulaimán left Muhammad Kulí Shaghálí, a man of courage and one of his confidential nobles, with 1000 men, in charge of his daughters, who were with him in his camp at Kábul. With the rest of the army he made a forced march to the neighbourhood of Karábágh, and there took post in ambush.

The messengers sent by Mirzá Muhammad Hakím to Khur-ram Begam returned to him, and reported all her assurances and pledges. They strongly urged him to meet her, and Khwája Hasan Nakshabandí exerted his influence to the same end. But Bákí Kákshál was opposed to the Mirzá's going, and said the woman was intent upon some stratagem and deception. Mirzá Muhammad Hakím, however, having promised to meet Khurram Begam, would not listen to Bákí Kákshál's objections, and proceeded with a few trusty followers towards Karábágh. When they reached the appointed place, some of Mirzá Sulai-mán's soldiers, who had got separated in the night, came in and made known the fact of Mirzá Sulaimán having come, and of his lying in concealment. As soon as he was informed of this, Mirzá Muhammad Hakím returned, and Sulaimán, being in­formed of his departure, set off in pursuit. In the pass of Sanjad-darra they overtook some of Mirzá Muhammad Hakím's men, and made them prisoners. They also plundered the Mirzá's baggage, etc., which was in the rear, and they stopped in the pass. The Mirzá himself, along with Muhammad Hakím, reached Ghorband. From thence they went to Jalálábád, and afterwards to the banks of the Indus.

As soon as he crossed the river, the Mirzá wrote a letter to the Emperor, and sent it by his envoys. They reached the Court at the time it was at Nagar-chín, and were honoured with an inter­view. They presented the Mirzá's letter, in which he set forth the unfortunate state of his affairs. Intelligence of the distrac­tions at Kábul had reached the Court before their arrival, and the Emperor had appointed Farídún Khán, maternal uncle of the Mirzá, and a noble of the Imperial Court, to go to his assist­ance. He now sent Khush-khabr Khán, one of the royal heralds, with money, goods of Hindústán, and a horse and saddle, to the Mirzá; and he wrote a farmán, in which he said that if the Mirzá required assistance, he would send the amírs of the Panjáb to support him.

When Khush-khabr Khán approached the camp, the Mirzá hastened out with due ceremony and respect to receive the farmán. After the arrival of Khush-khabr Khán, Farídún laboured to instigate the Mirzá to hostile attempts, representing that it would be easy for him to effect the conquest of Lahore. Hostilities having been resolved upon, he tried to persuade the Mirzá to seize Khush-khabr Khán. But although the Mirzá had been led away by his foolish persuasions, he was too honour­able to consent to the detention of Khush-khabr Khán; so he invited the Khán to his presence secretly, and sent him away. Sultán 'Alí, a clerk who had fled from the Court, and Hasan Khán, brother of Shahábu-d dín Ahmad Khán, who was in Kábul, helped to excite the hostile spirit, and added their voices to Farídún's.

Won over by their persuasions, the Mirzá broke into open revolt, and marched against Lahore. Upon coming into the neighbourhood of the city, he began to plunder. Some of the nobles of the Panjáb, such as Mír Muhammad Khán-i Kalán,* Kutbu-d dín Muhammad Khán, and Sharíf Muhammad, hearing of these proceedings, assembled in Lahore. They looked to the safety of the fort, and wrote an account of the Mirzá's rebellion and hostile acts to the Emperor. On arriving near Lahore, the Mirzá encamped in the garden of Mahdí Kásim Khán, which is in sight of the city. Several times he marshalled his forces, and advanced to the foot of the fortifications; but the amírs of the Panjáb repulsed him with the fire of their guns and muskets. At length, when intelligence came of the advance of the royal forces, the Mirzá, feeling unable to offer resistance, took to flight.

March of the Army to Lahore.

When the hostile proceedings of Mirzá Muhammad Hakím became known to the Emperor, his countenance showed the anger which he felt, and he gave orders for the preparation of the army. Leaving Mu'nim Khán Khán-khánán in charge of Ágra, the capital, and Muzaffar Khán in direction of the díwání, on the 3rd Jumáda-l awwal, 974 H., he began his march. In ten days he reached Dehlí, and went to visit the shrines of the saints who there repose, and bestowed his royal bounty on the poor and needy. From thence he proceeded by regular marches to Sirhind. He was greatly pleased with the bázárs of this town, and commended Háfiz Rakhna, who was the shikkdár, and placed the sarkárdárí of that place in his charge. After crossing the Jumna, he received intelligence of the flight of Mirzá Muhammad Hakím, but he went on joyfully to Lahore. Upon approaching the city, the great amírs, who had exhibited their loyalty and devotion, came forth to meet him, and received dis­tinguished marks of royal favour. In the month of Rajab he arrived at Lahore, the dáru-s saltanat, and took up his abode in the house of Mahdí Kásim Khán, in the citadel. By command of His Majesty, Kutbu-d dín Muhammad Khán and Kamál Khán Gakhar went in pursuit of Mirzá Muhammad Hakím, and advanced beyond the pargana of Bahra. There they learnt that the Mirzá had crossed the Indus, so they returned.

When Mirzá Muhammad Hakím heard that Mirzá Sulaimán had gone back to Badakhshán, he made haste to Kábul. It has been related in a former page how Mirzá Sulaimán left his daughters in his camp at Kábul, and went off in haste to seize upon Mirzá Muhammad Hakím at Karábágh. Next day Muhammad Ma'súm Koka, whom Mirzá Muhammad Hakím had left in command at Kábul, sent out a force to attack the besiegers' camp, and defeated them. Muhammad Kulí Shaghálí, who was in command, gave up his baggage to plunder, and went off with the daughters of Mirzá Sulaimán to Chahár-díwár Bágh, a place in the vicinity, and there entrenched himself. The Kábul forces surrounded the place, and sought to make him and Mirzá Sulaimán's daughters their prisoners; but Ma'súm Koka, considering it unseemly to make prisoners of the ladies, recalled his men. Mirzá Sulaimán returned unsuccessful from Karábágh, and again laid siege to Kábul, but Ma'súm Koka had grown bold and daring. Every day he sent out parties of men, and sorely troubled the besiegers. The weather grew very cold, so Mirzá Sulaimán became desirous of peace. Ma'súm Koka was aware of his distress, and was anxious to fight, so he would not make peace. Finally, Mirzá Sulaimán sent in Kází Khán Badakhshí, who had been tutor of Ma'súm Koka, and prevailed upon him to send the Mirzá a small present. Peace was thus made. The Mirzá first sent on his wife, and then followed her to Badakhshán.

When the Imperial Court arrived at Lucknow, many of the zamíndárs of the country came in to pay their allegiance, and were graciously received. Those who were unable to come them­selves sent their representatives with presents and offerings, and their assurances of loyalty. Among them, Muhammad Bákí Tarkhán, son of Mirzá 'Ísá, ruler of Sindh, sent his ambassadors to Court, to say that his father, who had been one of the dependents of the Imperial throne, was dead, and that he, the successor, considered himself among the vassals of the Emperor. Sultán Mahmúd, the governor (walí) of the fort, supported by the Kazilbáshís of Kandahár, was making attacks upon his territories, and he therefore besought the Emperor to prevent these molestations. In compliance with this application, the Emperor sent a farmán to Sultán Mahmúd, directing him to keep within his own boundaries, and not to attack the territories of Muhammad Bákí.