FROM the first days of the year 936 of the Hijira, Bābur’s
Journal ceases, and no fragments have been found of any
later date. Whether he composed Memoirs, or wrote any
journal of the remaining fifteen months of his life, is uncertain.
The state of his health, which was rapidly declining
and much broken, probably diminished his usual activity.
The silence that prevails among historians, regarding the
remaining events of his reign, may justify a belief that
Humāiūn
leaves Ba-
dakhshān
no Journal was written, or at least none published. In the
course of the year 936, Humāiūn,*
who appears to have
been anxious to be near the seat of empire, probably from
being aware of his father’s declining health, suddenly left
his government of Badakhshān, which he entrusted to the
care of Sultan Weis, and set out for Hindustān by way of
Kābul. At Kābul, he had a conference with his brother,
Kāmrān Mirza, who had just arrived from Kandahār,*
after which he proceeded towards Agra.
He had scarcely left Badakhshān, when Saīd Khan of Kāshghar, who is said to have been invited by Sultan Weis and the other Amīrs that were in the country, leaving Rashīd Khan in Yārkend, marched into Badakhshān. Hindāl Mirza,* on hearing of his approach, threw himself into the fort of Zafer, in which he defended himself for three months with so much vigour, that Saīd Khan was compelled to raise the siege.*
Bābur’s In the meanwhile a report reached Bābur, that Saīd
Khan had gained possession of all Badakhshān. The
unwelcome intelligence that daily arrived from that quarter
preyed upon his mind, and helped to impair his declining
strength. He sent instructions to Khalīfeh to set out in
order to recover Badakhshān; but that nobleman, who
was Bābur’s prime minister, knowing probably that the
orders were dictated by Humāiūn’s mother, who had a
great ascendancy over Bābur, and who wished to remove
from court a powerful enemy of her son, found means
to excuse himself. Similar orders were then sent to Humāiūn,
whose government Badakhshān was, but that
prince also declined engaging in the expedition, under the
pretence that his affection for his father would not permit
Mirza Sulei-
mān sent to
Badakh-
shān.
him to remove so far from the presence. Mirza Suleimān,*
the son-in-law of Sultan Weis, was then dispatched, with
instructions to assume the government of the country;
and was at the same time furnished with letters for Saīd
Khan, complaining of his aggression. Before reaching
Kābul, Suleimān heard of Saīd’s retreat; he, however,
prosecuted his journey, and received charge of the country
from Hindāl, who set out for Hindustān; and the civil
wars that followed the death of Bābur enabled Suleimān*
to keep possession of Badakhshān, which was long held
by his posterity.
Humāiūn reached Agra neither sent for nor expected,
but the affection of his father, and the influence of his
mother, procured him a good reception. His offence was
forgotten, and, after remaining some time at court, he went
to his government of Sambal. When he had resided there
about six months he fell dangerously ill. His father, whose
favourite son he seems to have been, was deeply affected
at this news, and gave directions for conveying him by water
to Agra. He arrived there, but his life was despaired of.
When all hopes from medicine were over, and while several
men of skill were talking to the emperor of the melancholy
situation of his son, Abul Bakā, a personage highly venerated
for his knowledge and piety, remarked to Bābur, that in
such a case the Almighty had sometimes vouchsafed to
receive the most valuable thing possessed by one friend,
as an offering in exchange for the life of another. Bābur,
Bābur
devotes his
own life for
his son’s.
exclaiming that of all things, his life was dearest to
Humāiūn, as Humāiūn’s was to him, and that, next to
the life of Humāiūn, his own was what he most valued,
devoted his life to Heaven as a sacrifice for his son’s.
The noblemen around him entreated him to retract the
rash vow, and, in place of his first offering, to give the
diamond taken at Agra, and reckoned the most valuable
on earth: that the ancient sages had said, that it was
the dearest of our worldly possessions alone that was to
be offered to Heaven. But he persisted in his resolution,
declaring that no stone, of whatever value, could be put
in competition with his life. He three times walked round
the dying prince, a solemnity similar to that used in
sacrifices and heave-offerings,*
and retiring, prayed
earnestly to God. After some time he was heard to exclaim,
‘I have borne it away! I have borne it away!’ The
Musulman historians assure us, that Humāiūn almost
immediately began to recover, and that, in proportion as
he recovered, the health and strength of Bābur visibly
Illness of
Bābur.
decayed. Bābur communicated his dying instructions to
Khwājeh Khalīfeh, Kamber Ali Beg, Terdi Beg, and
Hindu Beg, who were then at Court, commending Humāiūn
to their protection. With that unvarying affection for his
family, which he showed in all the circumstances of his life,
he strongly besought Humāiūn to be kind and forgiving
to his brothers. Humāiūn promised, and, what in such
Intrigues at
his Court.
circumstances is rare, kept his promise. The request
which he had made to his nobles was heard, as the requests
of dying princes generally are, only as a signal for faction.
Khwājeh Khalīfeh had conceived a strong dislike to
Humāiūn, in consequence of some circumstances which
are not explained, so that the court of the expiring conqueror
became the scene of intrigue and cabal. Khalīfeh,
as prime minister,*
possessed the chief authority among
the Tūrki nobles. He did not wish that the succession
should be in the children of Bābur, and had pitched on
Mahdi Khwājeh, Bābur’s son-in-law, as his successor.
Mahdi Khwājeh*
was a brave, but extravagant, and wild
young man, and had long been closely connected with
Khalīfeh. When it was known that Khalīfeh was in his
interest, and intended to raise him to the throne, the
principal men in the army lost no time in paying their
court to Mahdi Khwājeh, whose succession was regarded
as secure, and who began to affect the deportment of
a sovereign prince. Everything seemed to promise that
he was to be the Emperor of Hindustān, when suddenly
he was ordered by Khalīfeh to remain in his own house
under a guard.
The cause of this sudden change has escaped the researches of Abulfazl and Khāfi Khan. It is explained, however, by a well-informed historian, who relates the anecdote on the authority of his father: ‘It so happened’, says he, ‘that Mīr Khalīfeh had gone to see Mahdi Khwājeh, whom he had found in his tent. Nobody was present but Khalīfeh, Mahdi Khwājeh, and my father Muhammed Mukīm. Khalīfeh had scarcely sat down an instant, when Bābur, who was at the last extremity, suddenly sent for him. When he left the tent, Mahdi Khwājeh accompanied him to the door, to do him honour, and to take leave of him, and stood in the middle of it, so that my father, who followed, but, out of respect, did not push by him, was immediately behind. The young man, who was rather flighty and harum-scarum, forgetting that my father was present, as soon as Khalīfeh was fairly gone, muttered to himself, “God willing, I will soon flay off your hide, old boy!” and, turning round, at the same instant saw my father. He was quite confounded, but immediately seizing my father’s ear, with a convulsive eagerness, twisted it round, and said hurriedly, “You, Tājik! The red tongue often gives the green head to the winds.” My father having taken his leave and left the tent, sought out Khalīfeh, and remonstrated with him on his line of conduct; telling him, that in violation of his allegiance, he was taking away the sovereignty from Muhammed Humāiūn and his brothers, who were accomplished princes, to bestow it on the son of a stranger; and yet how did this favoured man behave? He then repeated what had passed just as it happened. Khalīfeh, on the spot, sent off an express for Humāiūn,* and dispatched a body of yasāwels, or special messengers, to Mahdi Khwājeh to inform him that the king’s orders were, that he should instantly retire to his own house. The young man had now sat down to dinner, which was still before him. The yasāwels communicated their message, and forced him away. Mīr Khalīfeh then issued a proclamation, prohibiting all persons from resorting to Mahdi Khwājeh’s house, or waiting upon him; while Mahdi Khwājeh himself received orders not to appear at Court.’*