When he reached the pargana of Ráí Bareilly, he learnt that 'Alí Kulí Khán and Bahádur Khán had crossed the Ganges with the object of proceeding towards Kálpí.* He then directed his camp to proceed under the command of Khwája Jahán to the fort of Karra, and then marched with all possible speed to the ferry of Mánikpúr.* There he crossed the river upon the back of an elephant, and from 1000 to 1500 men swam the river along with him. Majnún Khán and Ásaf Khán, who were in advance, constantly sent back intelligence of the enemy. It so happened that 'Alí Kulí Khán and Bahádur Khán had occupied themselves all that night in wine-drinking and licentiousness, and were heedless of everything else. The warlike demonstrations against them they attributed to the daring of Majnún Khán, and would not believe that the Emperor was near at hand.
On Sunday, the 1st Zí-l hijja, the Emperor made his dispositions for action. He himself took command of the centre. Ásaf Khán and all the Atkas* were on the right; Majnún Khán and other amírs were on the left. This day His Majesty rode an elephant called Bálsundar, and Mirzá Koka, who bore the title of 'Azam Khán, was seated in the howda with him. The enemy, being now fully aware of the Emperor's advance, prepared themselves for death. They drew out their forces, and sent a body of men to oppose the advanced guard of the Emperor.* Bábá Khán Kákshál, who commanded the advance, repulsed them and drove them back upon the lines of 'Alí Kulí Khán. In the confusion, the horse of one of the fugitives ran against the horse of 'Alí Kulí Khán, and the Khán's turban fell off. Bahádur Khán saw this, and his spirit being roused, he made a bold charge upon the advanced guard under Bábá Khán, and drove it back upon the ranks of Majnún Khán. Bahádur Khán in the pursuit came between these two forces. He fought manfully, but his horse, being wounded by an arrow, became unmanageable, and he was thrown to the ground and made prisoner.
As the battle grew hot, the Emperor alighted from his
elephant and mounted a horse. Then he gave orders for the
elephants to be driven against the lines of 'Alí Kulí Khán.
There was among them an elephant named Híránand, and when
he approached the ranks of the enemy, they let loose against
him an elephant called Diyána; but Híránand gave him such
a butt, that he fell upon the spot. 'Alí Kulí Khán received a
wound from an arrow, and while he was engaged in drawing it
out, another arrow struck his horse. The animal became restive,
and 'Alí Kulí Khán also was thrown. An elephant named
Narsing now came up, and was about to crush him, when 'Alí
Kulí Khán cried out to the driver, “I am a great man; if you
take me alive to the Emperor, he will reward you.” The driver
paid no heed to his words, but drove the animal over him and
crushed him under foot. When the field was cleared of the
enemy, Nazar Bahádur placed Bahádur Khán behind him on a
horse, and conducted him to the presence of the Emperor. By
the efforts of the amírs he was put to death. After a little
while, the head of 'Alí Kulí Khán-zamán was also brought.*
The Emperor then alighted from his horse, and returned thanks
for this victory. This battle was fought at the village of Man-
While the Emperor was on his campaign against Khán-zamán, the author's father remained at Ágra, in the performance of his duty to the Emperor, and the author himself was at Ágra with him. Every day turbulent and designing men spread disastrous news. One day I said to one of my companions, “Suppose we set some favourable reports afloat?” and he asked what we should say, and I replied, “Let us say that news has come that they are bringing in the heads of Khán-zamán and Bahádur Khán.” I told this story to several persons. Three days afterwards 'Abdu-lla, son of Murád Beg, brought in the heads of Khán-zamán and Bahádur Khán. The rumour was started in Ágra on the very day they were slain.*
When the Emperor's mind was relieved from all apprehension about his adversaries, he proceeded to Josí and Payág, and there rested two days. Some persons, who had deserted the royal army to join 'Alí Kulí Khán, were here brought in, and were handed over to keepers. He then proceeded to Benares.* Every follower of 'Alí Kulí Khán who came forward and was submissive to the Emperor's power was pardoned. From Benares he went to Jaunpúr, and remained three days in sight of that city. Some of 'Alí Kulí Khán's men, who had escaped from the battle-field and fled to Jaunpúr, were all forgiven and kindly treated. From thence he went, attended by four or five persons, and, by rapid travelling, in the course of three days he reached the Ganges, at the ferry of Karra and Mánikpúr, where there was a camp. Crossing the river in a boat, he went and rested in the fortress. Then he wrote to Mu'ním Khán Khán-khánán, summoning him from Ágra.
Several jágírdárs of the Eastern province paid their respects, and were dismissed with honour. Some men of 'Alí Kulí's army, who were prisoners and always intent upon creating a disturbance, such as Khán Kulí Uzbek, Yár 'Alí and Mirzá Beg Kákshál, people of Majnún 'Alí Khán, Khushhál Beg one of the guards of the late Emperor Humáyún, Mír Sháh Badakhshí, and other malcontents, met with a terrible fate.* Mirzá Mírak Rizwí Meshhedí, the vakíl of 'Alí Kulí Khán, who had fled from Court to join the latter, was taken prisoner on the day of battle, and was ordered to be cast under the feet of an elephant. But the elephant merely rubbed him with his trunk, and finally, in virtue of his being a saiyid, his crime was forgiven.
Khán-khánán, who had been summoned from Ágra, now waited upon His Majesty, and was invested with the care and government of the jágírs of 'Alí Kulí Khán and Bahádur Khán in Jaunpúr, Benares, Gházípúr, the fort of Chunár and Zamániya, as far as the ferry of Chaunsa. He also received a present of a splendid robe, and of a horse. In the midst of the rainy season, in Zí-l hijja, 974, the Emperor began his homeward march, and in Muharram, 975, arrived at Ágra.
It has been previously mentioned that Muhammad Kulí Khán
Birlás and Muzaffar Khán were sent with a force against Sikan-