Meanwhile the Khán Khánán, who before this had received a farmán summoning him from Ágrah, arrived at Court and did homage. The Emperor gave him all the jágírs of Bahádur Khán and Khán Zamán, from Jounpúr and Banáres as far as Gházípúr and the fortress of Chunar and Zanániyah to the ford of the river Júsah, and having presented him with a robe of honour and a horse, dismissed him to his jágírs. In Zí-ḥijjah* of the aforesaid year in the midst of the rainy season the Emperor set out, and in Muḥarram* in the year nine hundred and seventy-five (975) his Majesty alighted at the Capital.
In this year Muḥammad Qulí Khán Bartás, and Muzaffar Khán, and the force which had been sent against Sikandar Uzbek in Oudh, blockaded him in that fort, and every day skirmishes took place. When news of the death of Khán Zamán and Bahádur Khán came to his ears, he utterly lost heart. First he laid before the Amír's proposals of peace, and having engaged them in negotiations, he embarked in a boat and crossed over to the other side of the river Sarw. Then, still treating for peace, he requested that some of the Amírs would put off alone from their side, and he himself with three or four persons put off from the other side in a boat, and the treaty and oath was confirmed on both sides, and it was agreed that they should bring him to the Court; but afterwards (P. 102) he would not abide by the terms, but went off to among the Afgháns. The Amírs pursued him as far as Gorák'hpúr, and then wrote a statement of the case to Court: and, when they received a farmán ordering them to repair to the Court, they hastened thither, leaving Muḥammad Qulí Barlás in Oudh.
And in this year the intention was formed of reducing the fortress
of Chiṭor. Accordingly the Emperor took away Biyána from Ḥájí
Muḥammad Khán Sístání, and gave it as jágír to Áçaf Khán; and
Basáwar and Wazírpúr Mandalgaṛh he also gave to him, on the
understanding that he should proceed thither, and collect provisions
and materials for the army. The Emperor set out after him, and
travelling by way of Bárí and hunting in Mou-maidánah, proceeded
thence towards Súpar. The subjects of Ráí Sargún evacuated the
fort of Súpar, and Nazar Bahádur was appointed commandant of
that fort, and Sháh Muḥammad Khán Qandahárí to hold the fort
of Kotah Baláyah. When the Emperor arrived at the fort of
Kákarún, having given to Shaháb-ud-dín Aḥmad Khán and Sháh
Bidágh Khán jágírs in the district of Málwah, he appointed them
to quell the disturbances caused by the sons of Muḥammad Sulṭán,
viz. Mírzá Ulugh and Sháh Mírzá, who had fled thither from Sam-
The Emperor ordered Sábáṭs* and trenches to be constructed, and gradually brought close to the walls of the fortress. The width of the Sábáṭ was such that ten horsemen could easily ride abreast in it, and its height was so great that a man on an elephant with spear in hand could pass under it. Many of the men of our army were killed by musket and cannon balls, and the bodies of the dead were made use of instead of bricks and stones. After a length of time the Sábáṭ and trenches were brought up to the foot of the fortress, and they undermined two towers which were close together, and filled the mines with gunpowder. A party of men of well-known bravery fully armed and accoutred approached the towers, and waited till the towers should fall, and then they would enter the fortress. By accident, though the two mines were fired at one and the same moment, the fuze of one, which was shorter than the other took effect soonest, and the fuze of the latter, which was longer, hung fire, so that one of the two towers was blown up from its foundations and heaved into the air, and a great breach was made in the castle. Then the forlorn hope in their impetuosity forgetting the second mine stormed the breach at once, and soon effected a lodging. While the hand-to-hand struggle was going on, suddenly the second fuze went off and blew the other tower, which was full, both of friends and foes, from its place and lifted it into the air. The soldiers of Islám were buried under stones, some of 100, and some of 200 man in weight, and the stony-hearted infidels in like manner flew about like moths in that flood of fire. Those stones were blown as far as three or four cosses, and a cry of horror arose from the people of Islám and from the infidels:—
(P. 104) “This stream flowed to Paradise, that to Hell,
Though the blood of Guebre and of an unbeliever both flowed in one place.” And a happy day was it for the vultures and crows
(Glory to Him who multiplieth food for his creatures!)
Nearly five hundred warriors, most of them personally known to the Emperor, were slain, and drank the draught of martyrdom: and of the Hindús who can say how many! Night by night the infidels mustering in force kept building up the wall of the fortress from the ruins of these towers.
After waiting a considerable time, six months more or less, at last on the night of Tuesday 25th of Sha'bán* in the aforesaid year the Imperial troops advancing from all sides, made a breach in the wall of the fortress, and stormed it. The fierce face of Jaimal became visible through the flashing of the fire of the cannon and guns, which was directed against the soldiers of Islám. At this juncture a bullet struck the forehead of Jaimal, who was distinctly recognizable, and he fell dead. It was as though a stone had fallen among a flock of sparrows, for, when the garrison of the fortress saw that their leader was dead, they fled every one to their own houses. Then they collected their families and goods together and burnt them, which is called in the language of Hind jouhar. Most of those that remained became food for the crocodile of the blood-drinking sword, and a few of those who remained, who escaped the sword and the fire, were caught in the noose of tribulation. The whole night long the swords of the combatants desisted not from the slaughter of the base, and returned not to the scabbard, till the time for the afternoon siesta arrived. Eight thousand valorous Rájpúts were slain. The following line was found to give the date:—
“My heart said: He quickly took Chíṭór.”*After midday the Emperor ordered the sacking to cease, and returned to the camp. He remained there three days, and wrote letters announcing the victory, and despatched them in all directions. Then, having appointed Áçaf Khán to the command of that district, on the morning of Tuesday 25th* of the (P. 105) aforesaid month the victorious standards moved towards Ágrah. And by way of performing a vow the Emperor walked the whole way on foot, and on Sunday 7th of the month Ramzán* he arrived at Ajmír. There he paid a visit to the holy mausoleum of the blessed bestower of blessings the Saint Khwájah Mu'ín-ud-dín Chishtí (God sanctify his tomb!), and having occupied himself in alms, and good and pious works, after ten days he rode off towards the capital. And Mír 'Alá'uddoulah,* author of the “Biography of the Poets”, made this mnemosynon:—
“The Sháh cherishing the Faith, enthroned like Jamshíd,
The Khusrou of his age, Muḥammad Akbar,
Made, without doubt, for the conquest of Chíṭór
A mortar brazen-bodied, dragon-faced.
For the date there came from the unseen world [the voice]:
‘It was altogether a Chíṭór taking mortar’.”*When the Emperor arrived in the neighbourhood of Alwar* he took to lion-hunting. And 'Ádil Muḥammad Khán, son of Sháh Mu-
ḥammad Khán Qandahárí, who was himself as brave as a lion, went to face the animal [which was rushing upon the Emperor], and both he and the beast were killed. Then the Emperor separated himself from the camp, and went to Nárnoul. There he visited Shaikh Nizám Nárnoulí (who was one of the greatest Shaikhs), and in the fulness of his faith granted him a subsidy, and then continued his journey to the capital. In this year the second marriage of the Author took place at Badáón, and in accordance with: “And verily the latter is better for thee than the former”* it turned out most happily, thanks to God!, and I composed the following mne- mosynon :— “When to me, through the eternal bounty,
There was union with a moon-faced one,
My intellect uttered the date of the marriage,
The Moon is in conjunction with the sun.”*And in this year that model of men of thought, and beau ideal of the Shaikhs who practice perfection, Shaikh 'Abdul-'azíz of Dihlí (God sanctify his spirit!) departed to the other world, and the following mnemosynon was recited:—
And since the Shaikh used constantly to sign himself “The worthless atom 'Abdul-'azíz”, a clever fellow discovered the mnemosynon: Worthless atom.*
(P. 106) The glorious one of the world Shaikh 'Abdul-'azíz,
Whom all the world calls the Pole-star of Dihlí,
Turned his cheek towards the plain of eternity,
And from this narrow defile mounted the steed of his ambition.
I enquired of my heart, what was the day,
It replied, The Pole-star of Religion is no more.”*