CHAPTER XCII.
THE ARRIVAL, FOR THE SECOND TIME, OF M. SULAIMĀN AT THE
SUBLIME COURT.

Some of his misfortunes, from the time when he obtained leave to go to the Ḥijāz, have already been related. When M. Shāhrukh proceeded to court, he remained in the Lamghānāt, and spent his days in wishes for Badakhshān. M. Ḥakīm had consideration for him, and gave him some Badakhshīs and Kābulīs as companions. He quickly marched to the hill-country and set himself to take Tāliqān. Muḥammad Sulān Uzbeg came to fight with him. He, on account of the great number of the enemy, fortified the foot of a hill (shākh-band karda), and stood firm. From time to time, he made attacks, and was successful. His success made him presump­tuous, and he cast away the thread of farsight. The longer he stood firm, the more did old servants (bandagān bābarī) join him, while the number of the enemy diminished. Without reason, he abandoned his strong shelter and fought against superior num­bers. Inasmuch as self-will puts wisdom on one side, and the quick- 515 silver of not-listening pours into the ear of reason, he did not accept the words of his well-wishers. He came out, and performed masterpieces of valour. The enemy was nearly defeated, and he was almost successful, when, suddenly, 'Abdu-l-Mūmīn* Sulān came in person from Balkh. The battle was renewed. The Mīrzā's army did not know of this, and brave men made a hot fight. Twice was the enemy put to flight. The third time the fighting was more reckless, and just then the ungrateful Qūrcī Beg led a party of Uzbegs against the fortification. The Mīrzā at once lost the power of contending, and could not maintain his ground. He was com­pelled to fly to Afghanistan. Bakhtiyār Beg was at the river Bārān. He received him and brought him to Kabul. Kuar Mān Singh hastened from Jalālabad to that place, and treated him with great respect. He acted as his guide and brought him to Peshawar, as has been related. From there, Jagat Singh, Muḥammad Qulī Beg, Mān Singh Darbārī, Hilāl Aftābci became his companions and brought him to the capital. When he arrived within two kos thereof, H.M. sent Prince Sulan Murād to receive him. He was accom­panied by Rajah Todar Mal, Shāham K., Ḥakīm Abu-l-fatḥ Āṣaf K., Khudāwand K., the writer of the book of fortune (A. F.), and many other officers. Ḥakīm and the writer were ordered to keep near him (Murād), and be ready with answers. M. Sulaimān got on foot at a distance, and the nursling of fortune (Murād) also dis­mounted from his horse. They embraced one another according to the rules of their ancestors, and conversing together they proceeded to the court. On 14 Isfāndārmaẕ (24 February, 1587), he brightened his forehead by doing homage, and his heart was rejoiced by varied favours.

One occurrence was the cessation of Y'aqūb's commotion. After returning unsuccessful from his night attack, he retired to the defiles of Kishtwāra. The Kashmīrī soldiers brought him out by making solemn promises. He stirred up commotion in Harnāg,* 25 kos from the city. Qāsim K. had the idea of sending an army against him, and of himself remaining to guard the city. The officers preferred unsuitable wishes. Apparently these delicate men of hot countries were averse to campaigning in a cold country and did not like to traverse defiles, and to put their hands to battle. The general was obliged to go in person and to leave Fatḥ K. and others in the city. When he came near Y'aqūb, he heard that he had gone off to the city to make a night attack. Qāsim was astounded and turned back, and sent a force ahead under the charge of M. 'Alī. When they were 5 kos from the city, it appeared that Y'aqūb was lying in wait near the hill of Alar* (?), four kos from the city. The army pushed on and next day reached the hilly place. The skirmishers had a slight fight and were victorious. The enemies saw that they were not strong enough to fight by day, and 516 arranged a night attack. By the help of God, fire caught the reed-built houses of the neighbourhood and the vain imaginers became the target of the brave soldiers. Owing to the failure of the night attack, the firmness of the imperialists, and their own dissen­sions, they dispersed. They also sent proposal of peace to the officers. Yūsuf Kashmīrī, who had the title of Khan-khānān, Muḥammad Bhat and many others separated and took refuge at a little hill, and sent messages that they wished to wait upon the general. At dawn on the 29th Āẕar, 8 December, 1586, the army reached that hill. Y'aqūb and some others went off rapidly to Kishtwāra, and the cultivated country was plundered. From there the army advanced to the little hill where the persons above-mentioned were. Next day, those men, by the intervention of M. 'Alī Beg, and Khanjarī, waited upon the general, and he encouraged them and sent them along with Khanjarī to court. The commotion subsided. On 22 Isfandārmaẕ, 2 March, 1587, the persons sent were exalted by obtain­ing an audience and received with princely favours. Their names were as follows: 1. Saiyid Mubārik, who had been raised to the chiefship, as has been related. 2. Punj,* the brother of Y'aqūb. 3. Ḥaidar 'Ali. 4. Muḥammad Ḥusain. 5. Aḥmad Ḥusain. 6. Ḥusain K. Cak, whom they had raised to the government at the beginning of the disturbance. 7 and 8. Ḥusain K. and Ibrāhīm K., the sons of Mubārik K. 9. Muḥammad Bhat and his sons. 10. 'Ali Ḥasan.* 11. Bābā Khalīl. 12. Bāba Mahdī. These (three?) were the leaders of the Kashmīris under the disguise of holy men. 13. Bahādur 'Alī. 14. Bhakrū Lohar. 15. Mullā Ḥasan. 16. The sons of Ḥaidar Cak. Though at the coming of the victorious troops, they had exerted themselves in fighting, and in devising tricks, yet the wise sovereign adhered to the promises, and treated them with favour. A good report of him filled the world.

Also, at this time he sent Saiyid 'Abdullah and Mīrzāda 'Alī K. to Kashmīr. As they had not done good service in the Eastern dis­tricts, they were sent off to Kashmīr on the 27th in order that they might seek by good work atonement for the past.

One of the occurrences was the protection of holy men. Though the lightening of the burden of sorrow is always an adornment of those admitted to the august assemblage, and the speech and action of H.M. form the stock of State and Religion, yet a fresh announce­ment was made that it had occurred to H.M. that every one who had the bliss of attending court should, according to the number of his years, give one dām, or one rupī, or one muhr to some good object, so that by that means a well, or a reservoir, or a caravanserai, or a garden might be constructed, and that thereby every kind of dis­tress might be relieved, and there might be a spiritual and temporal growth. The order was properly carried out, and the countenance of good thoughts was illuminated.