The beginning of this year corresponded with Sunday, 17th Shawwál, 978 H. (13th March, 1571 A.D.)
At the beginning of this year His Majesty departed from Dípálpúr for Lahore, and Hasan Kulí Khán, the governor of that city, hastened forth to receive him. Leaving his camp at Malkapúr, the Emperor went on speedily to Lahore. He passed that day and night in the house of Hasan Kulí, and next day the Khán presented his gifts. On the following day the Emperor returned to the camp, and after spending a few days in the vicinity of Lahore, he set off for Hisár-Fírozah, on a visit to the shrine of Khwája Mu'ínu-d dín.
Náhíd Begam was wife of Muhibb 'Alí Khán son of Mír Khalífa, and her mother was wife of Mirzá 'Ísá Tarkhán, the ruler of Thatta. Mirzá 'Ísá being dead, Náhíd Begam had received leave from His Majesty about a year before this date to go to Sind, to see her mother, and bring the daughter of Mirzá 'Ísá to pay homage to the Emperor. Muhammad Bákí Tarkhán now occupied the seat of his father, and would have nothing to do with Náhíd Begam. She therefore returned in anger to the Emperor, and made a statement of the harshness and tyranny of Muhammad Bákí, and of the disrespect he had shown to the Emperor's servants. She said that if the Emperor would permit and support her husband Muhibb 'Alí Khán, he could easily effect the conquest of Thatta. As Náhíd Begam was returning from Thatta, she had some conversation at Bakar with Sultán Mahmúd Bakarí, who was one of the officers of Mirzá Sháh Husain Arghún, and his koka; and, after the death of Mirzá Sháh, Bakar remained in his possession. This Sultán Mahmúd Saláí Samarkandí told Náhíd Begam that if Muhibb 'Alí Khán would undertake the conquest of Thatta, he would join and assist him, and that he would have no need of any further support. In consequence of this promise, Náhíd Begam was very desirous of going to Sind. Muhibb 'Alí Khán had for a long time given up the military life, so the Emperor granted him a banner and a kettle-drum, and he gave him a jágír of fifty lacs of tankas in the sarkár of Multán, towards the expense of the campaign. He also sent with him his daughter's son Mujáhid, a young man of resolution and courage, and he wrote a farmán to Sa'íd Khán, the ruler of Multán, directing him to support Muhibb 'Alí Khán.
When the Emperor left the Panjáb for Fathpúr his royal residence (dáru-l khiláfat), he sent Muhibb 'Alí on his expedition. Upon arriving at his jágír in Multán, Muhibb 'Alí set about collecting men, and got together nearly 400 horse. Relying upon Sultán Mahmúd Bakarí, he wrote letters to him, and began his march. But Sultán Mahmúd was adverse to the entrance of any Imperial forces into his territory, so, disregarding the promises he had made to Náhíd Begam, he sent to say that he would not allow Muhibb 'Alí to pass through his country; but that if Muhibb 'Alí would march by way of Jesalmír, he would send his army to him, and render him all the assistance he could.
Muhibb 'Alí, and his grandson Mujáhid, took a bold course, and proceeded towards Bakar. Sultán Mahmúd sent his whole army to oppose them, but his men were defeated, and obliged to seek refuge in the fort of Máníla. Mujáhid and Muhibb 'Alí Khán besieged the fort for six months, and at length obtained possession of it by capitulation. At this time Mubárak Khán, a slave of Sultán Mahmúd's, who acted as his vakíl, being aggrieved with his master, went and joined Muhibb 'Alí. The latter having increased his force, laid siege to Bakar. Sultán Mahmúd sent out his army, amounting to nearly 2000 horse and 4000 foot, archers, and gunners. They were defeated in battle and driven back into the fort. For three years Sultán Mahmúd sometimes daily, sometimes every two or three days, sent out armed ships and ghrábs to fight. Three times he sent out his whole army, horse and foot, to fight a regular battle, but each time he was defeated. In consequence of the large number of men which he had crowded into the fort, pestilence and sickness * broke out and became very fatal, so that 500 to 1000 persons died daily. At length, in the year 983, Mahmúd himself died, and the fort came into the possession of the Emperor's adherents.
When the Emperor left the Panjáb and proceeded to Fathpúr,
Mun'ím Khán Khán-khánán came from Jaunpúr, bringing
Sikandar Khán with him. The offences of Sikandar Khán were
pardoned, and the jágír of Lucknow was conferred upon him.
Khán-khánán quickly returned to secure his Bengal frontier.
Sikandar Khan also took his leave, and was sent along with
Khán-khánán to his jágír. Each received a jewelled sword-
The beginning of this year corresponded with Tuesday, 25th Shawwál, 979 H. (11th March, 1572 A.D.)
In the Court of the Emperor conversation continually turned upon the state of affairs in Gujarát, and information was often brought about the oppression and wilfulness of its petty rulers, and about the ruin of its towns and cities. Now that His Majesty's mind was set quite at rest by the suppression of rebels, and the reduction of their lofty forts, he turned his attention to the conquest of Gujarát. The order was given for the assembling of the army, and on the 20th Safar, 980, in the eighteenth year of the reign, the Emperor started and proceeded, enjoying the chase on his way, to Ajmír. On the 15th Rabí'u-l awwal, he paid a visit to the tomb of Khwája Mu'ínu-d dín Chishtí, and gladdened the hearts of the shaikhs and attendants with his munificent gifts. Next day he made a visit to the tomb of Saiyid Husain Kháng-sawár, a descendant of Zainu-l 'ábidín, which is on the top of a hill at Ajmír. Next day, Mír Muhammad Khán Atka, better known by the title of Khán-i kalán, was sent on in advance with 10,000 horse, and His Majesty followed on the 22nd Rabí'u-s sání.
Two stages from Nágor, messengers brought him the news that in the night of Wednesday, 2nd Jumáda-l awwal, a son was born to him [at Ajmír].* He spent several days in rejoicing, and made many happy by his munificence. As the child had been born in the house of Shaikh Dániyál, one of the most pious and celebrated shaikhs of the time, he gave the prince the name of Dániyál. After the rejoicings were over, he again marched and arrived at Nágor, on the 9th Jumáda-l awwal. There he remained fourteen days employed in arranging for the supply of his army.
From thence he marched to Mírath, and there he was informed that when Mír Muhammad Khán came near to Sirohí, the Rájá of that place professed subjection and obedience, and sent some Rájpúts as envoys to wait upon the Mír. The envoys arrived and delivered their message. Mír Muhammad Khán gave them an appropriate answer and fine robes, and then, according to the etiquette observed among the people of India, he dismissed them with his own hand.* One of those desperate envoys at that moment stabbed the Khán in the breast, and the weapon pierced through to his back under the shoulder. Bahádur Khán, a young man and a servant of the Khán, who was standing behind Sher Khán, but now has his place among the nobles, rushed forward, and seizing the Rájpút, dashed him to the ground. Muhammad Sádik Khán, who was seated by the side of the Khán, arose and despatched the accursed wretch with his dagger. When this intelligence reached the Emperor, on the same day he sent Lashkar Khán Mír-bakhshí to inquire after Mír Muhammad Khán, and next day he marched forward himself. Sádik Muhammad Khán and the other amírs called in surgeons, who dressed the Khán's wounds, and by the Emperor's good fortune the severe wound was cured in fifteen days, and the Khán mounted his horse with his quiver girt upon his loins.