I had at first bestowed the country of Samāneh on Muhammedi
Expedition
against
Sambal;
Gokultāsh, and sent him on a plundering expedition
into Sambal.*
I had bestowed Hissār-Firozeh on Humāiūn
by way of gift, and now gave him Sambal likewise. As I had
placed Hindū Beg in Humāiūn’s service, I, therefore, in the
room of Muhammedi, sent Hindū Beg, accompanied by
Kitteh Beg, Malik Kāsim, and Bāba Kashkeh, with their
brothers and relations,* *
Mulla Apāk, Sheikh Gūren, and the
bowmen from the Doāb, with orders to proceed on duty to
Sambal. Intimations*
had come three or four times from
Kāsim Sambali, that the traitor Bīban had laid siege to
Sambal, and reduced him to the last extremity, so that it
was desirable that they should advance by forced marches.
Bīban,*
with the same force and array with which he had
fled from us, had occupied the skirts of the hills, collected
the fugitive and discomfited Afghans,*
and, finding the place
ill garrisoned, during these troubles, had gone and laid siege
to Sambal. Hindū Beg, Kiteh Beg, and the whole detachment
that had been dispatched to the relief of the place,
on reaching the Ahār-ford,*
while busy in passing the river,
sent on Malik Kāsim, and Bāba Kashkeh with his brothers,
in advance. As soon as Malik Kāsim had crossed the river,
he pushed on with great expedition, accompanied by
a hundred or a hundred and fifty of his brethren,*
and
reached Sambal about the time of noon-day prayers. Bīban,
on his side, drew out his men from his camp, and ranged
them in order of battle. Malik Kāsim and his party having
advanced rapidly, and got the fort in their rear, began to
engage him. Bīban, unable to keep his ground, took to
flight. They killed a number of his men, whose heads they
cut off, and took several elephants and a number of horses.*
Next morning, the Begs who had been sent to relieve the
place arrived. Kāsim Sambali came out and had an interview
with them, but made some difficulties as to giving up
which is
taken.
the fort, always contriving evasions. One day, Sheikh
Gūren having concerted measures with Hindū Beg and the
rest of the generals,*
brought Kāsim Sambali before them by
stratagem, and introduced my men into the fort of Sambal.
The family and dependants of Kāsim Sambali were suffered
to leave the place in safety, and were conducted to Biāna.*
Kalender Piādeh was now sent to Nizām Khan* with letters, in which threats were mingled with promises. I wrote extempore, and sent the following fragment:
Contend not with Tūrks, O Mīr of Biāna!* The speed and bravery of Tūrks are surpassing.
Now is the time to present yourself, and to lend an ear to counsel.
What is the use of telling a man of what is before his eyes?
The fort of Biāna is one of the most famous in Hindustān; and the foolish man, confiding too much in its strength, had cherished expectations, and instructed his envoy to make demands, far beyond what he was able to command. I returned him a sharp answer* by the man whom he sent to treat, and made every exertion to collect whatever was necessary for the siege.
Muham-I sent Baba Kuli Beg to Muhammed Zeitūn* with letters, in which menaces were mixed with conciliation. He likewise made excuses to waste the time, and practised a variety of artifices.
RānaAlthough Rāna Sanka,* the Pagan, when I was in Kābul, had sent me an ambassador with professions of attachment, and had arranged with me, that, if I would march from that quarter into the vicinity of Delhi, he would march from the other side upon Agra; yet, when I defeated Ibrahīm, and took Delhi and Agra, the Pagan, during all my operations, did not make a single movement. After some time, he advanced and laid siege to Kandār,* the name of a fort which was held by Hassan, the son of Makan. Hassan Makan had several times sent me envoys, though Makan himself had not waited on me with his submissions. The forts around, such as Etāwa, Dhūlpūr, Gwāliār, and Biāna,* were not yet in my possession. The Afghans to the eastward were in a state of rebellion and contumacy; they had even advanced two or three marches from Kanauj towards Agra, and had then encamped and fortified their position.* I was by no means secure of the fidelity of the country immediately about us. It was impossible for me, therefore, to send any detachment to his relief; and Hassan, in the course of two or three months, having been reduced to extremity, entered into a capitulation, and surrendered the fort of Kandār.
RāberiHussain Khan, who was in possession of Rāberi,* being seized with a panic, abandoned the place, and made his escape. I bestowed it upon Muhammed Ali Jeng-Jeng.
I had several times summoned Kutb Khan, who was in
Etāwa
given to
Mahdi
Khwājeh.
Etāwa, to come out and wait upon me;*
but he neither
waited upon me nor surrendered the fort. I now bestowed
the fort of Etāwa on Mahdi Khwājeh, and sent along with
him Muhammed Sultan Mirza, Sultan Muhammed Duldāi,
Muhammed Ali Jeng-Jeng, Abdal-azīz, the master of horse,
with some other Begs, several of my inferior Begs and
adherents, and a number of other troops,*
to occupy the
place. I had lately bestowed Kanauj*
on Sultan Muhammed
Duldāi; but, in the meanwhile, I ordered him also to
march against Etāwa, accompanied by Firōz Khan, Mahmūd
Khan, Sheikh Bayezīd, Kazi Jia, and the Begs of their
party, to whom I had shown great favour, and given
pergannas on the side of Pūrab.
Muhammed Zeitūn continued in Dhūlpūr, and, under various false pretences, would neither leave the place nor make his submission. I bestowed Dhūlpūr* on Sultan Juneid Birlās, and appointed Ādil Sultan, Muhammedi Gokultāsh, Shah Mansūr Birlās, Kūtluk Kadem, Wali Jān Beg, Abdallah, Pir Kuli, and Shah Hussain Bārgi, to proceed against that place, giving them instructions to assault and take it by storm, and to deliver it into the custody of Sultan Juneid Birlās; after which they were to march against Biāna.
Bābur Having appointed these armies to proceed in execution
of their various objects, I sent for the Tūrki nobles and those
of Hind, and held a consultation. I stated to them that the
rebellious lords in the east, Nāsir Khan Lohāni, Maarūf
Fermūli, and their adherents, had passed the Ganges, to the
number of forty or fifty thousand men, had occupied
Kanauj, and advanced and encamped two or three marches
on this side of it; that the Pagan Rāna Sanka had taken
Kandār, and was in a state of open disobedience and revolt;
that the rainy season was now nearly over; that it seemed
expedient and necessary to march against either the rebels
or the pagans; that it would be an easy matter to reduce
the neighbouring forts after getting rid of these formidable
enemies; that then they would cost no trouble; that Rāna
Sanka was not, upon the whole, a very formidable enemy.
Resolution
to march
against the
Afghans in
the east.
The com-
mand given
to Hu-
māiūn,
All unanimously answered, that Rāna Sanka was not only
far off, but that it was not even plain that it was in his
power to come near us; that the rebel chiefs had advanced
closer up to us; that to repulse them should be our first
object; and they therefore begged to be led against that
enemy. Humāiūn represented that it was quite unnecessary
for the Emperor to accompany the expedition, and asked
to be permitted to undertake the service. All having agreed
in this plan, and the Tūrki Begs, as well as those of Hind,
being pleased with the arrangement, it was settled that
Humāiūn should march towards the east, with the armies
that had been appointed to proceed against Dhūlpūr*;
and
Kābuli Ahmed Kāsim was in consequence dispatched with
all speed, to make these armies change the course of their
march, so as to meet Humāiūn in Chāndwār.* *
Mahdi
Khwājeh, Muhammed Sultan Mirza, and the armies that
had been sent against Etāwa, were likewise ordered to march
and form a junction with Humāiūn.