RULE OF NAWĀB ISLĀM KHĀN, AND AN ACCOUNT OF THE FALL OF ‘OSMĀN KHĀN.

When in the third year of Emperor Jahāngir’s accession, the Nizāmat of the Ṣūbah of Bengal was entrusted to Islām Khān, the latter had strict orders to extinguish the fire of insurrection and rebellion that had been kindled by ‘Osmān Khān. Islām Khān on arrival at Jahāngīrnagar (Dacca),* set himself to the affairs of the administration of the country. When his good administra­tion and his thorough grasp of the affairs of the Nizāmat came to be known by the Emperor, the latter, in recognition of his good services, in the 4th year of accession, raised him to the rank of a Panjhazāri, including soldiers and troopers. Islam Khān detached a large force under the command of Shaikh Kabīr Shujā‘it Khān* for the extirpation of ‘Osmān Khān, leader of the Afghan insurrection, whilst other notable grandees, like Kishwar* Khān, son of Qutbu-d-dīn Khān Kokah,* Iftikhār Khān,* Syed Adam Barha,* Shaikh Achha,* M‘utaqad Khān, the sons of Mu‘azzam Khān,* together with other Imperial officers, were appointed his auxiliaries. When these reached the frontiers of the tract* under ‘Osmān, they first deputed a sagacious envoy to con­ciliate the refractory mind of the leader of the insurrection. They strung the precious pearl of good advice to the ear-corner of his heart. Inasmuch as that wretched man (‘Osmān Khān) was by inherent nature a bad stuff, and had not the capacity of appreciat­ing goodness, not appraising the value of this pearl of advice, he collected brickbats of vain aspirations in the vessel of his bad luck, and in the face of that shining pearl, he put forward the stature of his wild ambition, gave permission to the envoy to withdraw without accomplishing his mission, and preparing to die, spurred swiftly the horse of aggressiveness and fighting, and rallied his forces on the banks of a river,* full of mud. When news of this daring impudence reached Jahāngir’s officers, in the seventh year of accession, towards the end of the month of Ẕilḥaj, 1020 A.H., the latter arrayed their forces, and advanced to the field of warfare. From the other side, ‘Osmān Khān also arrayed his miscreant troops for battle on the field of adversity, in front of the auspicious Imperialists. The heroes of the battle, on both sides advancing to fight, displayed heroism and bravery.

When the fighting hosts on both sides faced each other,
They fell to fighting against each other from every side.
From the gun, the musket, the spear and the arrow,
The banquet of warfare became warm.
From excess of smoke and dust up to the sky,
The universe could not be descried.
From the din and tumult of both the armies,
The battle-field turned into the field of the Day of Resur­rection.
Showered from every side cannon-balls, arrows and war-rockets,
And emptied the world of heroes.
The corpses of heroes frisked in every direction,
Like slaughtered cocks, on both sides.

In the thick of the fighting, and amidst the shower of arrows and rockets, ‘Osmān, displaying great valour, placed before himself rogue war-elephants, and assaulted the vanguard of the Imperialists.

The brave Imperialists advancing, grappled with their swords and spears, and exhibited heroism worthy of a Rustam and a Sam. Syed Adam Barha* and Shaikh Acha* who were Commanders of the Imperial vanguard, fell gallantly fighting. At this moment, the flanks of both the armies came into line. Iftikhār Khān,* Commander of the left wing, and Keshwar Khān,* Commander of the right wing, with a large number of adherents, were killed; and on the enemy’s side also many passed to hell.* On seeing that some of the leaders of the Imperialists had been killed, and their ranks emptied of veterans, a second time ‘Osmān placing before himself the rogue elephant, named Bacha,* himself mounted on a saddled elephant, personally assaulted the Imperial van, and delivered successive onsets. From the side of the Imperialists, Shujāit Khān,* with his relations and brothers, advancing to oppose him, exhibited great bravery and heroism. Many of his relations were killed, and many retreated on receiv­ing mortal wounds. When that elephant came in front of Shujāit Khān, the latter spurring his horse struck it with a spear on its trunk, and with great agility drawing the sword from his waist, inflicted two successive cuts on its head; and when he came in collision with the elephant, he drew his dagger, and inflicted on it two more cuts. The elephant, from its great ferocity, not recking of these cuts, with great fury rushed up, and flung down both the rider and the horse. Shewing agility, Shujāit dismounted from his horse, and stood erect on the ground. At this juncture, Shujāit’s groom struck the trunk of the elephant with a double-edged sword, and inflicted a serious cut, causing the elephant to fall on its knees. Shujāit Khān, with the help of his groom, threw down the rider of the elephant, and with a dagger inflicted another cut on its trunk. The elephant roaring fiercely fled after this cut, and moving some paces fell down. Shujā‘it Khān’s horse sprang up unhurt, and the Khān mounted it again. In the mean­time, another elephant attacking the Imperial standard-bearer threw him down with the standard.

Shujāit Khān shouted out, “Take care, behave like a man, I am alive, and will soon advance to your rescue.” A number of troops who were round the standard-bearer took courage, inflicted serious cuts on the elephant which fled, and placed the standard-bearer on the horse again. At this time, when the battle was lingering towards its close, and many had fallen, and many being wounded were unable to move their limbs, the Imperial fortune blazed forth, and a cannon-ball hit ‘Osmān Khān on the forehead, and levelled him straight on his horse. Though he realised that he could not survive this wound, still he heroically encouraged his soldiers to fight on. And when he read signs of defeat in the fore­head of his fate, pulling back the rein of his adversity, with the last breathings of a dying man, he reached Bengal. And the triumphant Imperialists following him up to his camp, halted. ‘Osmān* expired at midnight. Wali Khān, his brother, and Mamrīz Khān, his son, leaving behind the tents and the armaments, and removing his corpse, fled to their tent. Shujāit Khān on hearing of this, thought of following up the enemy, but his advisers opposed the pursuit that day, on the ground that the troops were tired, the killed had to be buried, and the wounded dressed. In the meantime, Mu‘taqad Khān, who was afterwards honoured with the title of Lashkar Khān, ‘Abdus-Salām Khān, son of ‘Abdul Mu‘azzam Khān,* and other officers of the Emperor arrived with a fresh re-inforcement of 300 cavalry and 400 mus­keteers. Shujāit Khān taking this corps with him, chased the enemy. Wali Khān despairing sent the following message: “The root of this insurrection was ‘Osmān; he has met with his deserts, we are all loyal. If we receive assurance of safety, we would make our submission and would send the elephants of ‘Osmān, in the shape of tribute.” Shujāit Khān and Mu‘taqad Khān, shewing chivalry, arranged terms of peace. The following day, Wali Khān and Mamriz Khān, with all their brothers and connexions, came to meet Shujāit Khān, and presented forty-nine elephants as tribute. Shujāit and Mu‘taqad Khān, taking charge of them, moved victorious and triumphant to Islām Khān to Jahāngirnagar (Dacca). Islām Khān sent a despatch contain­ing news of the victory to the Emperor at Akbarābād (Agra). On the 16th of the month of Muḥarram 1021 A.H., this despatch reached the Emperor, and was perused. In recognition of this good service, Islām Khān was raised to the manṣab of a Shashhazāri, and Shujāit Khān had his manṣab raised, and received the title of Rustam-i-Zamān; whilst all other Imperialists who had loyally and gallantly co-operated in the extirpation of ‘Osmān Khān, received similarly befitting manṣabs. The insurrection of ‘Osmān Khān lasted eight years, and in the 7th year of the Emperor’s accession, corresponding to 1022 A.H., his subjugation was accomplished. In the 8th year of the Emperor’s accession, Islām Khān led an expedition against the Mags, who were brutes in human form. Islām Khān sent to the Emperor, in charge of his son, Hoshang Khān, a number of the Mags that were captured, and in the same year (1022 A.H.) Islām Khān died in Bengal. Thereupon, the Governorship of that country was entrusted to his brother, Qāsim Khān.

NIZĀMAT OF QĀSIM KHĀN.

After the Governorship of Bengal was conferred on Qāsim Khān, brother of Islām Khān, he ruled five years and a few months, when the Assāmese making an incursion into the conquered Imperial domains, captured and decoyed Syed Abū Bakr.* Qāsim Khān failed to make a sifting enquiry into this affair, and was therefore superceded, and Ibrāhim Khān Fateḥ Jang was appointed Nazim in his place.