On Sunday the 1st of Rajab, in the above year, while the army was encamped at Patan, Hakím Ainu-l-Mulk and Mír Abú Túráb were sent to conduct Itimád Khán to camp. After their arrival at the town of Chotánáh, several representations were sent to the Emperor, informing him that Muzaffir Sháh Gujarátí III, who had separated from Shír Khán Faoládí, was then wandering about that neighbourhood. Wherefore, Mír Khán, Master of the Horse, with Faríd of the guard, Mír Abú Kásim Túmkín, and Karam Ali, were despatched to make him a prisoner. When they had advanced a short way, they seized his royal umbrella and canopy; and, after some search, found him hid in a field of grain. Having immediately seized him, they brought him to the Emperor, who very benevolently granted his life, and gave him in charge to Karam Ali. But, on this subject, the author of the Mirát Sikandarí says, that Muzaffir came and submitted, previous to any of the Gujarát nobles doing so.
At this time, Sayyid Mohammed Boḳhárí and Alagh Khán Habshí came with their people, in proof of their allegiance. Succeeding this, Sháh Fakhru-d-dín, Ainu-l-Mulk, and Mír Abú Túráb, came to represent that Itimád Khán, having sent in his submission, was on his way to pay his respects; and that he had previously sent them, with Wajíhu-l-Mulk and Mujáhid Khán, to appease the Emperor.
After this, Sháh Fakhru-d-dín hastened to Itimád Khán, accompanied by a crowd of attendants; and Hakím Ainu-l-Mulk followed him. The Gujarát nobles, having deliberated for some time, now came to the resolution of having coins struck, and the oration at the mosque pronounced in the name of Akbar.
Itimád Khán, on his arrival near Karri, a town distant from Ahmadábád twenty koss, sent forward Sháh Fakhru-d-dín, to declare his attachment to Akbar's government; and, on the following day, when the Emperor marched from Chotánáh, Khoájah Khán and Mír Abú Túráb, were ordered to go and bring Itimád Khán to pay his respects. Itimád Khán came accordingly; on which occasion, the Emperor was mounted on a large elephant, escorted by foot soldiers. Subsequently, Ikhtiyáru-l-Mulk, Maliku-s-Shark, Shujár Khán Habshí, Wajíhu-l-Mulk, and Mujáhid Khán, came to pay their respects, and were each distinguished by marks of imperial favour, according to their rank. Itimád Khán and several others were directed to ride near the Emperor; and, when the imperial standards arrived at Karri, Sádik Khán, and several of those who had accepted service, were sent to Mahmúdábád, with a view of inducing Seifu-l-Mulk Habshí and others to come in and pay their respects.
As Akbar was solicitous to settle and protect the country, he at this time assembled all the Gujarát nobles; telling them, “that, as he had spared the country, through the intercession of Itimád Khán, he would grant whatever they should ask through him; but that they must give respectable security to preserve the peace of the country.” Mír Abú Túráb became Itimád Khán's security; and the latter became security for all the others, excepting the class of Abyssinians. As the latter were the slaves of Sultán Mahmúd, the Emperor ordered that they should be numbered among those belonging to himself, and that there would be consequently no occasion for bail. Soon after, however, he ordered that they should be distributed among the great officers of state, to perform the different duties connected with the government.
The army encamped the next day at Hájípúr, when a set of vagabonds raised a cry that there was an order for plundering the Gujarát camp. A crowd of men given to robbery consequently entered the Gujarát line, and plundered it, on which occasion a great tumult was produced. When this dishonourable affair was represented to the Emperor, he ordered that the quartermasters and their deputies should see the robbers punished, and not permit one to be left alive. Wherefore, all the things plundered from the Gujarátís were recovered, and given to the rightful owners.
The Emperor at this time, mounting a throne,
gave a general audience to the people; and ordered
all concerned in the plunder to be
trampled under the feet of furious elephants.
Confidence and tranquillity being thus restored,
the imperial colours were pitched soon after,
within sight of Ahmadábád, on the 14th of
18th November,
A.D. 1572.
Thus was Gujarát conquered without a battle; and which is in every respect allowed to be the finest country of Hindústán. Such was once its populous state, that it contained three hundred and eighty púrahs; and a púrah is itself a considerable quarter, containing good buildings and bazárs, filled with every thing valuable and rare, so that each is almost a city.
Some days after, Amín Khán Ghorí sent a letter, with a suitable tribute; and, though Ibrahím Husain Mírzá also sent a tribute, the latter was not accepted, as the Emperor did not think it was given with a sincere intention. The government of Ahmadábád, with the settlement of the country, was now entrusted to the great Khán Mírzá Azíz Koká; who received, in jágír, the parganahs situated on this side of the river Mahindrí. The other parganahs, such as Baroda, Chámpánír, Súrat, and others, then in possession of the Mírzás, were given to the Gujarát nobles, who had lately renewed their allegiance, and now undertook the task of driving out the Mírzás.
Some days afterwards, the Emperor, desirous of having some amusement on the sea, marched for Khambáyat, on the 2d of Shabán. The nobles of Gujarát remained behind some days at Ahmadábád, and asked permission to do so, that they might prepare for the journey. Hakím Ainu-l-Mulk, who had formed a friendship with them, was left behind to watch, and bring them along with him. The Emperor, while on the road, received intelligence that Ikhtiyáru-l-Mulk had fled to Lúnawáráh, and that Itimád Khán and other Gujarátís were irresolute, and disposed to be ungrateful for the benefits they had received. Shábáz Khán was accordingly ordered to proceed, with all possible expedition, to Ahmadábád, so as not to give them an opportunity of being treacherous, and was instructed to collect them, and bring them along with him