THE GOVERNMENT OF MÍRZÁ KHÁN, WITH THE DEFEAT OF MUZAFFIR, AND CAPTURE OF AHMADÁBÁD. THE EXALTATION OF MÍRZÁ KHÁN TO THE RANK OF FIVE THOUSAND, AND THE TITLE OF KHÁN KHÁNÁN, WITH THE FOUNDATION OF THE FAT'H BÁGH, AT THE TOWN WHERE THE BATTLE WAS FOUGHT. THE DÍWÁNSHIP OF KHOÁJAH ABÚ-L-KÁSIM, AND THE ORDER FOR ADOPTING THE ILÁHÍ ERA IN THE COUN­TRY OF HINDÚSTÁN.

The news of the Gujarát insurrection having

A. Hij. 991,
A.D. 1583.

reached the Emperor, in the end of A. Hij. 991, A.D. 1583, at a time when the imperial standards turned eastward, the govern­ment of the province was conferred on Mírzá Khán, son of Beirám Khán, who, then only a youth, had been brought up through the favour and kindness of Akbar. Several brave and enterprizing leaders, such as Rái Durga, Mediní Rái, Shaikh Kabír, entitled Shujáat Khán, and Nasíb Khán, who were sent to assist Mírzá Khán, were ordered to take the direct road to Gujarát. Kalíj Khán and Naorang Khán were, moreover, ordered to proceed by the way of Málwa; and, entering Gujarát by that route, to take along with them all who were com­manding in these parts. Sultán Muzaffir, hear­ing of Mírzá Khán's intended march, returned to Ahmadábád.

Shahábu-d-dín Ahmad Khán, and the impe­rial nobles then at Patan, on learning that Mírzá Khán was approaching, sent forward a messenger to him, and soon after joined hím at Mírthá. Mírzá Khán, judging wisely, did not generally make known the unfortunate fate of Kutbu-d-dín Mohammed Khán; but, having called the different leaders, asked their advice, when every one gave it to the best of his ability. It was at length settled that they, trust­ing to the good fortune which had ever accom­panied the imperial cause, must expeditiously bring on a battle; and, having made the neces­sary dispositions, they exerted themselves to do so.

Muharram,
A. Hij. 992,
January 22,
A.D. 1584.

Sultán Muzaffir, on the 9th of Muharram, A. Hij. 992, A.D. 1584, advancing with a large force and many guns, took up a position at Mohammednagar, contiguous to Osmánpúr, on the bank of the Sabarmatí river, where he waited their attack. Mírzá Khán accordingly proclaimed publicly that they must immediately engage the enemy; but, expecting that the army from Málwa would soon join him, he delayed the attack for some days, and marched, on the 11th of the same month, to the town of Sirkej. Here he encamped on the banks of the Sabarmatí, having the town on one flank and a grove of trees on the other.

At first, a party of the enemy came and made a night attack, but returned without accom­plishing their wishes. The expected arrival of the Málwa troops was currently rumoured abroad; and Sultán Muzaffir, thinking the present a fit opportunity for marching from Mo*-le/>hammednagar, crossed the river, and began skirmishing. The imperial army now necessa­rily made its dispositions, and hastened to oppose the enemy; but, as its front rank and right flank were passing a small stream, whose banks were covered with brushwood, they fell into confusion. Notwithstanding this, having soon after engaged their opponents, they behaved gallantly. Mírzá Khán, who, with five hundred horsemen and one hundred elephants, had taken up a position, and was watching the recent manifestations of the imperial good for­tune, beheld Sultán Muzaffir, with five or six thousand cavalry, confidently occupying the plain, and saw that there were evident signs of the enemy proving victorious.

Several of Mírzá Khán's friends wished him at this time to leave the scene of action; but he, deeming such conduct pusillanimous, deter­mined to maintain his ground, and urged his men forward. On this the elephants threw the enemy's army into disorder; and Sultán Muzaf­fir, giving all up as lost, took to flight. Several of his associates fled along with him to Mahmúd­ábád, on the banks of the Mahindrí river; and, though his whole army was dispersed, and many had been killed by the sword, the Impe­rialists could not follow him, as the day was now far spent. These events happened on the

Jan. 26,
A.D. 1584.

13th of Muharram in the above year.

On the day of Sultán Muzaffir's defeat, Kalíj Khán, Sharíf Khán, and Naorang Khán, from Málwa, arrived at Baroda, and, having there received intelligence of the victory, halted. Naorang Khán detached Mírzá Záhid to obtain possession of Bhroch; but Hájí Beg Chirkash and Nasír Khán, who had charge of the trea­sure in the place, closed the gates and attacked the Imperialists.

Sultán Muzaffir, after his flight, went to Khambáyat, where, having raised a money contribution from the merchants and inhabitants, he collected ten or twelve thousand vaga­bonds, by distributing his gold to all discon­tented and seditious characters. The cultiva­tors, also, thinking he was the lawfully-born prince, exhibited proofs of their fidelity, and were joining him from all quarters. Mírzá Khán, receiving intelligence of these things, left Ahmadábád in charge of Sayyid Kásim, who had been wounded, and, with the intention of dispersing the rebels, marched, on the 2d of

Feb. 4,
A.D. 1584.

Safar, against Sultán Muzaffir, having at the same time ordered the troops of Málwa, then besieging Bhroch, to join him.

The enemy detached Sayyidu-d-Daolat, with a force, to Dholka, and the sons of Ikhtiyáru-l-Mulk, with Mustafá Khán Shírwání, to Mah­múdábád. The Málwa commanders, with their troops, joined Mírzá Khán at the town of Barayáh; and Sultán Muzaffir, hearing of this, left Khambáyat, and marched to Baroda. Mírzá Khán pursued him to the latter place, whence he despatched Naorang Khán against Sayyidu-d-Daolat, whilst he himself continued the pursuit of Sultán Muzaffir. The enemy at length resolved to risk a battle, when victory declared for the Imperialists, after some sharp work on both sides. Naorang Khán, having also proved victorious, joined the main body; and Sultán Muzaffir, crossing the Nerbuddah, took refuge among the mountains of Ihániyah. The imperial commanders, at the town of Nadote (Nandode), now put their troops in motion, with the intention of extirpating the vaga­bonds, several of whom, after having separated, came and visited Mírzá Khán, and others went into the Dekhan. Nearly two thousand persons were slain during the campaign, and five hun­dred, having been made prisoners, were put to death.

When the glad tidings were communicated to the Emperor, he gave Mírzá Khán the title of Khán Khánán, with the rank of five thousand cavalry, and exalted others according to their merits, giving to each suitable assignments for the support of their ranks.

The Khán Khánán, now leaving Nadote, came to Ahmadábád, where he laboured for the prosperity of the country and the relief of the oppressed. He also established a garden near the town of Keshápúr Sirkej, on the spot where he had defeated Sultán Muzaffir, giving it the name of Fat'h Bágh. Several of the buildings and remains of the summer-house belonging to this garden are yet there, and the collection from the ground still cultivated is counted dis­tinct from that of the above-named town.

In fine, Sultán Muzaffir, whose cause was now totally ruined, left the defiles of the Rájpípalah mountains, and marched to Patan. And, as Abid Mírak, Yúsaf, Abdullah, and others of the enemy, had at this time excited an insurrection in his favour near the town of Múndah, an army, under Shadmán Beg, was sent against them. Sultán Muzaffir, not being able to make a stand here, fled towards Ídur, and from thence to Kathiyáwár and the town of Kharrí, among the Lonah Kathís. Mírzá Khán Khánán, having accordingly equipped another force, sent it under the command of Khoájah Nizámu-d-dín Ahmad Bakhshí, and Mír Abú-l-Muzaffir, to drive out the rebels; but, by the time the troops reached Dholka, the insurrection had altogether ceased, and many of the enemy were wandering about in a distressed condition. On this account, Shír Khán Faoládí took refuge with the Zamín­dár of Baglánah.