On hearing this intelligence, the Emperor Humáyún set off from Ágra* for Lucknow, whither Sultán Mahmúd arrived also from Jaunpúr. The two armies met near Lucknow, and daily skirmishes ensued. Warriors on either side came out and engaged one another. Sher Khán perceiving that there was no unanimity among the Afgháns, but that every one acted as he thought best, wrote to Hindú Beg, and said, “The Mughals raised me from the dust. These people have brought me with them by force; but in the day of battle I will not fight, and will go off the field without engaging. Tell the Emperor Humáyún the true state of my case, and that I will serve him in the day of battle, and will cause the defeat of this army.” When Hindú Beg showed Sher Khán's letter to the Emperor, the latter ordered him to write to Sher Khán, “Be at your ease as to your accompanying these people; act as you have written; if you do, it will be for your advancement.” After some days had elapsed, the two armies joined in a general engagement, and Sher Khán drew off his forces at the critical moment of the battle, and retreated without engaging. This caused Sultán Mahmúd's defeat. Ibráhím Khán Yúsuf-khail made desperate exertions, and showed great gallantry in that engagement, nor did he quit his post while life remained; he repulsed every Mughal force which was opposed to him; but was at last slain. As Mián Báyazíd had drunk more wine than than he could bear, and had got drunk and careless, he also was slain in that battle. Sultán Mahmúd and the other chiefs being defeated, fled to the kingdom of Bihár. The Sultán had neither money nor territory to entertain a force of his own, and his nobles who had placed him on the throne were most of them killed in the battle at Lucknow, while the few who remained were from their quarrels dispersed. Sultán Mahmúd was greatly given to dancing women, and passed most of his time in amusing himself; and as he had no power to oppose the Mughals, he abdicated his royalty, and went and settled himself in the province of Patna, and never again attempted the throne. He died in A.H. 949.*
When Humáyún had overcome Sultán Mahmúd, and had put the greater number of his opponents to death, he sent Hindú Beg to take Chunár from Sher Khán, but Sher Khán declined to give it up to him. When he heard this, Humáyún commanded his victorious standards to be set in motion towards Chunár. Sher Khán leaving Jalál Khán (who after the death of Sher Khán succeeded him under the title of Islám Sháh), and another Jalál Khán, son of Jalú, in Chunár, withdrew with his family and followers to the hills of Nahrkunda.* The army of Humáyún besieged Chunár, and daily fighting ensued, in which both Jalál Khans displayed valour great beyond description, and from their gallantry gained great renown. Sher Khán's custom was to despatch spies to all the neighbouring countries, in order to inquire into their actual condition.
Sher Khán knew that the Emperor Humáyún would be unable to delay long in those parts; for his spies brought him word that Bahádur Sháh, the King of Gujarát had conquered the kingdom of Mandú, and was meditating the seizure of Dehlí, and would shortly declare war. Humáyún also having received this intelligence, Sher Khán sent his vakíl to him and wrote, saying: “I am your slave, and the client of Junaid Birlás. Moreover, the good service which I did at the battle of Lucknow is known to you, and as you must entrust the fort of Chunár to some one, make it over to me, and I will send my son Kutb Khán to accompany you in this expedition. Do you lay aside all anxiety as regards these parts; for if either I or any other Afghán do any act unbefitting or disloyal, you have my son with you; inflict on him such reprisals as may be a warning to others.”
When Sher Khán's emissary represented this to the Emperor Humáyún, he replied: “I will give Chunár to Sher Khán, but on this condition, that he sends Jalál Khán with me.” Sher Khán sent word in reply, “In the love and estimation of their father and mother, all sons are alike. Jalál Khán is not superior to Kutb Khán, but I have many opponents and I have vowed that I will not permit one to get a footing in the country, lest afterwards the Emperor should be compelled to war with him.” Just at this time news arrived that Mirzá Muhammad Zamán,* who had been sentenced to imprisonment in the fort of Bayána, had regained his liberty by producing a forged farmán for his release, and had created a disturbance in the country; and also that Bahádur Sháh of Gujarát was intending to march on Dehlí. So Humáyún said to Sher Khán's agent, that as Sher Khán was a loyal man, he would agree to this proposal, and that if he would send Kutb Khán, he would leave the fort of Chunár with Sher Khán. Sher Khán was delighted, and sent Kutb Khán his son, and 'Ísá Khán his chamberlain, to the Emperor, who set off for Ágra, and employed himself in suppressing the rebellion of Sultán Bahádur.* Sher Khán took advantage of this opportunity, and did not leave one enemy of his remaining throughout the kingdom of Bihár. He also began to patronize all Afgháns. Many of them, who had assumed the garb of religious mendicants on account of their misfortunes, he relieved, and enlisted as soldiers; and some who refused to enlist, and preferred a life of mendicancy, he put to death, and declared he would kill every Afghán who refused to be a soldier. He was also very careful of his Afgháns in action, that their lives might not be uselessly sacrificed. When the Afgháns heard that Sher Khán was eagerly desirous of patronizing their race, they entered into his service from all directions.
Sultán Bahádur being defeated, went towards Súrat, and the whole of the Afgháns who were in his service, whether chiefs or common soldiers, came to Sher Khán. Several powerful chiefs, who had at first scorned to enter Sher Khán's service, when they saw his power day by day increasing, put aside their pride, and volunteered to serve under him. Accordingly 'Azam Humáyún Sarwání, and Masnad 'Álí 'Ísá Khán son of Masnad 'Álí Haibat Khán Sáhú-khail, and Míán Babin Sáhú-khail, Kutb Khán Mochí-khail, Ma'rúf Farmulí, and 'Azam Humáyún, eldest son of Sultán 'Álam Khán Sáhú-khail, and in short every Afghán of high rank joined him, and he assumed the title of Hazrat 'Álí.
Bíbí Fath Malika was exceedingly wealthy; she was the daughter of Míán Kála Pahár* Farmulí, sister's son to Sultán Bahlol. This Mián Muhammad was a very prudent man; he entertained but few soldiers, and gave his chief attention to the accumulation of wealth. Sultán Bahlol gave him in jágír the whole sarkár of Oudh, and several parganas besides. He inherited also wealth from his father. During the reigns of Sultáns Bahlol, Sikandar, and Ibráhím, his jágírs were never disturbed, and during all this time he gave his attention to nothing else except the accumulation of wealth. I have heard from persons of veracity that he had amassed three hundred mans of red hard* gold, and he did not purchase any other but golden jewelry. He had no child save Fath Malika, and he married her to a lad named Shaikh Mustafa.
When Míán Muhammad died, towards the end of the reign of
Sultán Ibráhím, he left one boy of uncertain parentage, who was
called Míán Nia'mú. His parentage was for this cause uncertain,
as Míán Kálá Pahár had bestowed one of his concubines on a
servant. When the girl had been some time in the servant's
house, she bore a male child, whom she declared to be the
offspring of Míán Muhammad Kálá Pahár. When Míán Muhammad
heard this, he took the girl away from his servant, and
brought her into his own house, and acknowledged the child as
his own son. The child grew up an able man. Sultán Ibráhím
made Shaikh Mustafa, the husband of Fath Malika, and who
was also her father's brother's son, the successor to Míán Muhammad
Kálá Pahár; but gave a small portion of Kálá Pahár's
treasury to Míán Nia'mú, and also bestowed one or two par-