This Mustafa, during the time of Sultán Ibráhím and after­wards, distinguished himself in action.* I have heard from various relators of history, that during the lifetime of Sultán Ibráhím, Míán Mustafa and Míán Ma'rúf Farmulí quarrelled regarding some territory, and fought about it. It was Míán Mustafa's custom, when about to engage, to prepare sundry mans of sweetmeats in commemoration of his father Míán Muhammad, and distribute them to fakírs. This done, he used to set off to fight. Míán Ma'rúf employed himself in reading prayers and supplications.

When Míán Mustafa died, he left a young daughter, by name Mihr Sultán. Fath Malika, being a very able woman, had educated Míán Báyazíd, a younger brother of Mustafa. She said to him, “Do you look to the soldiery, I will provide money.” Míán Báyazíd with this money collected a very large force, and greatly distinguished himself, gaining several victories over the troops of the Emperor Bábar; so that the names of Míán Bábin and Míán Báyazíd became famous; but since the death of Báyazíd has been already described, there is no need for repeating the story here. When he was slain, Fath Malika was in Bihár, and collecting a number of men to protect the treasure, she proceeded to the hills adjoining Bihár, intending to go to Patna; for the Rájá of Patna had shown great favour to the more wealthy Afgháns. When Báyazíd was killed, and Sultán Mahmúd had given up striving for the Empire, the Rájá of Patna considered that the fortune of the Afghán connexion was on the decline, and stretched out the hand of oppression against the possessions of the Afgháns to whom he had given shelter. Fath Malika, on hearing this news, abandoned her intention of going to Patna. When Sher Khán heard that the Bíbí, from this apprehension, had abandoned her design of going to Patna, he was much delighted, and conceived the intention of getting Fath Malika, by means of some pretence or stratagem, into his own clutches, lest she should go into the territories of some other potentate, and the treasure should thus slip out of his grasp, which would have grieved him to all eternity. So he sent his vakíl to the Bíbí, and wrote to this effect: “The nobles and grandees of Sultáns Bahlol and Sikandar have come into these parts, and have honoured me by taking shelter with me, and are collected together for the honour of the Afgháns. Your servant also has girt up his loins in this cause and design, and you have strong claims on the consideration of the Afghán race, first because you are of the family of Shaikh Muhammad; secondly, there is your connexion with a descendant of Sultán Bahlol. What fault has your servant committed, that you delay in visiting his country? There is no trusting the promises of the unbelievers of these parts; and (which God forbid!) if any injury should occur to your people among these hills in which you now are, it would be an eternal disgrace to me. Men would say, ‘Because she could not trust Sher Khán, she would not enter his country.’” When the vakíl came to Fath Malika, and she heard what Sher Khán wrote, she wrote in reply, that if he would make a covenant with her, and confirm it by oaths, she would come to him. To this Sher Khán agreed, and she sent a trustworthy man to Sher Khán, in whose presence he swore, and pledged himself by the most solemn oaths. Bíbí Fath Malika being fully assured, came to Sher Khán, and remained some time with him.

When Nasíb Sháh, the ruler of Bengal, died, the nobles of Bengal made Sultán Mahmúd his successor; but he was not able to manage the kingdom, and it fell into disorder. Sher Khán conceived the desire of seizing the kingdom of Bengal, and took from the Bíbí 300 mans of gold to equip his army; and gave her two parganas for her support (madad-ma'ásh), besides leaving her some ready money for her immediate expenses.* But Jalál Khán having, against the Bíbí's consent, wished to espouse her daughter Mihr Sultán, Sher Khán, on hearing of it, forbade Jalál Khán; and she married her daughter to one Sultán Sikandar, a relation of her own. This Sikandar proved very unworthy. During Mihr Sultán's life he lived in comfort; and in the reign of the Emperor Akbar, in the year 975 A.H., Mihr Sultán, on her way to the pargana of Kayat, in the direction of Sind, died in the house of Muzaffar Khán. Sher Khán having equipped his army with this money, attacked the king­dom of Bengal, and got possession of all of it on this side Gharí (Síkrí-galí).

When the Emperor Humáyún came back from Gujarát, the Khán-khánán Yúsuf-khail (who brought the Emperor Bábar from Kábul to Hindustán) said to him: “It is not wise to neglect Sher Khán, for he is rebelliously inclined, and well understands all matters pertaining to government; moreover, all the Afgháns are collected round him.” The Emperor Humáyún, relying on the vastness of his forces, and on the pride of Empire, took no heed of Sher Khán, and remaining the rainy season at Ágra, sent Hindú Beg to Jaunpúr, with directions to write a full and true report regarding Sher Khán.

When Sher Khán heard that the Emperor Humáyún intended himself marching towards Bihár, he sent magnificent presents to Hindú Beg, governor of Jaunpúr, and gained his goodwill. At the same time Sher Khán wrote thus: “From what I promised I have not departed. I have not invaded the Emperor's country. Kindly write to the Emperor; and assuring him of my loyalty, dissuade him from marching in this direction; for I am his servant and well-wisher.” When Hindú beheld Sher Khán's presents, he approved of them, and was well pleased, and he said to the vakíl, “So long as I live, let your mind be easy. No one shall injure you.” And in the presence of Sher Khán's vakíl, Hindú Beg wrote a letter to the Emperor Humáyún, saying: “Sher Khán is a loyal servant of Your Majesty, and strikes co??n and reads the khutba in your name, and has not trans­gressed the boundaries of Your Majesty's territory, or done anything since your departure which could be any cause of a??nce to you.” The Emperor, on receipt of Hindú Beg's letter deferred his journey that year. Sher Khán, meanwhile, d??ed Jalál Khán, Khawás Khán senior, and other chiefs, to conquer Bengal and the city of Gaur. On their entering Bengal, Sultán Mahmúd, unable to oppose them, retired to the fort of Gaur. The Afgháns, having made themselves masters of the surrounding country, invested and besieged that fortress, before which daily skirmishes took place.

The following year the Emperor marched towards Bihár and Bengal. When he arrived near Chunár, he consulted his nobles whether he should first take Chunár, or march towards Gaur, which the son of Sher Khán was besieging, but had not yet taken. All his Mughal nobles advised that he should first take Chunár, and then march on Gaur, and it was so determined; but when Humáyún asked the Khán-khánán Yúsuf-khail for his opinion, he (having previously heard that the Mughal nobles had agreed it was advisable first to take Chunár) said, “It is a counsel of the young to take Chunár first; the counsel of the aged is, that as there is much treasure in Gaur, it is advisable to take Gaur first; after that the capture of Chunár is an easy matter.” The Emperor replied: “I am young, and prefer the counsel of the young. I will not leave the fort of Chunár in my rear.” The author has heard from the Khán-khánán's com­panions, that when he returned to his quarters, he observed: “The luck of Sher Khán is great, that the Mughals do not go to Gaur. Before they take this fort, the Afgháns will have conquered Gaur, and all its treasures will fall into their hands.”