At Debālpūr he was joined by Doulet Khan, and his
sons Ghāzi Khan, and Dilāwer Khan, who, after their revolt,
had been compelled to seek refuge among the Balūches.*
They informed him that Ismāel Jilwāni was lying on the
side of a rising ground near Sitāra,*
with a large body of
troops intending to harass him in his advance, and that it
would be expedient to send a detachment to disperse them.
Bābur was making preparations for acting in conformity
with this advice, when he was secretly informed by Dilāwer
Khan that it was given with a treacherous intention,
Doulet Khan being very desirous of dividing Bābur’s army
in order to serve his own purpose. Bābur was soon after
convinced, or pretended to be convinced, from concurring
circumstances, of the truth of this information, and threw
Doulet Khan and Ghazi Khan into prison. He was soon,
however, prevailed on to release them, and gave them in
jagīr*
the town of Sultānpūr, which the father had built,
with its dependencies. They were afterwards permitted
to repair it, where they employed their time in preparing
Revolt of
Doulet
Khan.
everything for a revolt, and soon after fled, but took shelter
in the hill-country to the east of the Panjāb. Bābur, on
receiving the news of this event, sent for Dilāwer Khan,
gave him possession of their estates, and loaded him with
favours. This revolt of a man of such influence in the
Panjāb as Doulet Khan, with other adverse circumstances,
made it inexpedient for him to advance to Delhi, so that he
fell back on Lahore, after he had crossed the Satlej and
Bābur
advances to
Sirhind.
Returns to
Kābul.
proceeded as far as Sirhind.*
He soon after found it necessary
to return to Kābul. He had now, however, gained a
permanent footing beyond the Indus, and parcelled out the
different districts among his most trusty officers, or such
great men of the country as it was necessary to conciliate.
In the course of this invasion he had been joined by Sultan
Alā ed dīn, a brother*
of the Emperor Ibrahīm. On him
Bābur bestowed Debālpūr, and probably flattered him
with hopes of the succession to the empire of Hindustān.
He now left with him Bāba Kashkeh, one of his favourite
officers, to watch him, and retain him in his duty. He
appointed Mīr Abdal-azīz to the charge of Lahore, Khosrou
Gokultāsh to Siālkot, and Muhammed Ali Tājik to Kalanūr.*
Scarcely had Bābur recrossed the Indus, when Doulet
Khan and Ghāzi Khan issued from their retreat in the hills,
resumed possession of Sultānpūr, by vigorous exertions,
succeeded in making Dilāwer Khan prisoner, and detained
him in close custody. Their army rapidly increased, and
they advanced to Debālpūr, where they defeated Sultan
Alā ed dīn, who escaped and fled to Kābul. Bāba Kashkeh
repaired to Lahore, which was the head-quarters of the
Tūrki army. Doulet Khan, encouraged by his first successes,
sent five thousand Afghans against Siālkot, in hopes
A. H. 931.
A. D. 1525.
of reducing the place; but Mīr Abdal-azīz having marched
from Lahore, with a detachment of Bābur’s troops, encountered
the Afghans, and completely defeated them.
Sultan Ibrahīm had now leisure to collect an army, which he sent against Doulet Khan, for the purpose of reducing him to obedience; but so successful were the intrigues of Doulet Khan in the imperial camp, that he contrived to gain over the general, and the army was completely broken up.
BāburThe crafty old politician soon after learned that Sultan Alā ed dīn had been favourably received at Kābul by Bābur who being himself obliged to march to the relief of Balkh, which was besieged by the Uzbeks, had sent Alā ed dīn into Hindustān, with orders to his generals there to accompany him in his march against Delhi, for the purpose of placing him on the throne of the empire.* Doulet Khan instantly wrote to Sultan Alā ed dīn, whose talents appear to have been but slender, congratulating him on the success of his negotiations, and assuring him that he was the very person whom Doulet Khan was most anxious to see placed on the throne. These assurances were accompanied by a deed of allegiance, under the seal of his Kazis and Chiefs. Sultan Alā ed dīn, on reaching Lahore, informed Bābur’s generals that they were ordered to accompany him to Delhi, and that Ghāzi Khan, Doulet Khan’s son, was to join them with his army, and to assist them in the expedition. To this Bābur’s Begs objected. They declared that they had no confidence in Ghāzi Khan or his father, with whom both Alā ed dīn and themselves had recently been in a state of war; and that he must give hostages before they could place any confidence in him. Their remonstrances, however, were unavailing. Alā ed dīn made a treaty with Doulet Khan, ceding to him all the Panjāb; while it was agreed Alā ed dīn should have Delhi, Agra, and the other dominions of the empire in that quarter; and that Hāji Khan, a son of Doulet Khan, should march with a large body of troops in his army. Dilāwer Khan, who had but recently escaped from his rigid confinement, joined Alā ed dīn. Ferishta says, that Bābur’s officers who remained in the Panjāb bargained that their master should have all the country north-west of the Indus, a circumstance not mentioned by Bābur himself, whose narrative never alludes to the claims of Alā ed dīn, in whose name* he appears at first to have marched against Ibrahīm. He probably imagined that Alā ed dīn’s breach of faith, and subsequent treaty with Doulet Khan, had cancelled all their engagements.
Alā ed dīn’s army, in its advance, was joined by many Amīrs of rank, and by the time it reached Delhi, could muster forty thousand horse. The siege of Delhi, the defeat of Alā ed dīn, and the events that followed, are detailed by Bābur himself in his Memoirs, as he was not informed of them till he was considerably advanced in his fifth invasion of Hindustān, with which his narrative recommences.