CONCLUDING SUPPLEMENT
TO
BĀBUR’S MEMOIRS

Sept. 7.
A. D. 1529.

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.

which is
attacked by
Saīd Khan.

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
anxicty.

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.

Illness of
Humāiūn.

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.

Anecdote
of Mahdi
Khwājeh.

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.’*