CHAPTER LXVI.

CONCLUSION OF THE AFFAIRS OF BÁBAR PÁDISHÁH AFTER HIS RETURN TO KÁBUL. DEATH OF HIS BROTHER SULTÁN NÁSIR MIRZÁ. CAUSE OF THE INSUBORDINATION OF HIS AMIRS.

THAT point in Bábar Pádisháh's history has been reached, at which he returned from Kundáz to Kábul. He committed Kábul to the care of his brother Sultán Násir Mirzá, who [however] died from excessive indulgence in wine in the course of the year 921. [Couplet] … Ghazna had belonged to Sultán Násir Mirzá, and after his death a dispute arose among the Amirs of that town, which took the form of a mutiny, in which all the Moghuls and the rest of the people in the Emperor's service joined. As for example, Mir Shiram, the uncle of the Emperor's mother, who had spent all his life in the Emperor's service; his brother, Mir Mazid, Jaka, Kul Nazar, and others; also of the Chaghatái and Tájik Amirs, Mauláná Bábá Bashághiri and his brother Bábá Shaikh. This Mauláná Bábá was one of the associates [sharik] of the village of Bashághir in Samarkand. He won such favour with the Emperor that, when the latter took Mávará-un-Nahr, he gave Mauláná Bábá the government of Samarkand, Uratippa, and part of Kuhistán. Others [who rebelled were] Mir Ahmad, whose story has been given above, and his brother Kitta Beg (the one being Governor of Táshkand, and the other of Sairám) Maksud Karak, Sultán Kuli, Chunák, and others. These were all distin­guished Amirs and great chiefs. But Satan took possession of their brains, and put there, in the place of sound reason, vain­glory and wickedness, which are the outcome of cursed natures.

They rose in rebellion, putting round their necks the accursed collars left behind by Mir Ayub. In short, after a few intrigues and skirmishes, a pitched battle was fought between themselves and the Emperor. As soon as the opposing troops had been drawn up facing each other, the son of Amir Kásim Kuchin, named Amir Kambar Ali, arrived from Kunduz with a powerful force, and the rebels were defeated. [A proverb] … Several of them were captured [and met with their due reward; others fled in shame to Káshghar.] Among these were Mir Shiram and his brothers, who [on the occasion of the Khán's first interview, and conclusion of peace, with Mansur Khán] had gone to wait on the Khán, and had remained for some time in his service. They were ashamed and dejected. Mir Mazid, on account of insufficient means of livelihood, went to Tibet in hopes of plunder. But at Ghazwa* a stone fell on his head, and he was killed.

Mir Shiram, likewise, finding it impossible to stay near the Khán, returned to the Emperor, who with his usual benevolence, received him kindly, and closing the eye of wrath on his wrong-doings, opened the eye of favour upon past services. He, however, soon afterwards, left this faithless world. The Emperor, having become firmly established in Kábul, marched upon Kandahár, which was then in the hands of Sháh Beg, son of Zulnun* Arghun, as mentioned above. He besieged it for five years. At length, Sháh Beg, having resolved on flight, went to Sivi, and thence to Tatta, which he took, together with Ucha and Bakar,* as will be mentioned in the proper place. The Emperor, having captured Kandahár, proceeded to Hindustán. He made several inroads, but retired after each one. At last, he met, in a pitched battle at Pánipat, the Ughán Sultán, Ibráhim,* the son of Sultán Iskandar, who was king at that time.* Ibráhim's army numbered more than 100,000 men, but the Emperor utterly defeated him with 10,000 men. He and his army became possessed of so much treasure, that all the world, from there to Rum and to Khitái, benefited by it. The rich brocades of Rum and the embroidered satins of Khitái, which are scarce in those countries, were found in ass-loads. All this will be explained presently.