About the same time Mirzá Sháh Husain marched back towards Bhakkar, and on the 12th of the same month, died at the village of 'Alípútra, twenty kos from Thatta, after a reign of thirty-two years. Máh Begam and Shaikh 'Abdu-l Waháb carried his remains to Thatta, where they were temporarily deposited in the Makalí Hills. After two years, they were sent in charge of Saiyíd 'Alí Shirází and Máh Begam to the holy city of Mecca, and were re­interred there by the side of the tomb of his father, Sháh Beg.

Mirzá 'Ísá Tarkhán.

Mirzá 'Ísá Tarkhán, son of Mirzá 'Abdu-l 'Alí, son of Mirzá 'Abdu-l Khálik, son* of Arghún Khán, son of Abaká Khán, son of Hulákú Khán, son of Changíz Khán, succeeded to the throne of Thatta, after the death of Mirzá Husain Arghún. Mirza 'Ísá made Mirzá Sálih Tar-khán his heir apparent, and placed the reins of government in his hands, reserving to himself only the name of king.* When Mirzá Sálih had made himself secure of Thatta and its dependencies, he left his brother, Mirzá Ján Bábá, who was greatly attached to him, to attend upon his father while he himself marched against Si-wistán. He commenced his march on the 14th of Shawwál, A.H. 961 (Sep. 1554), and on the 21st of the same month he wrested the fort of Siwistán from the the hands Mahmúd Khán Bhakkarí. When Sultán Mahmúd heard of this loss, he collected an army to oppose Mirzá Sálih. This was reported to Mirzá 'Ísá Tarkhán, and he thereupon led a large force from Thatta to attempt the conquest of Bhakkar. He reached Bhakkar in the month of Muharram, A.H. 962 (Nov. 1554), where Sultan Mahmúd had drawn up his army to resist him. Two or three engagements followed, and many were killed on both sides. Sultán Mahmúd was at length com­pelled to take refuge in the fort, where he was so hardly pressed that he sent Saiyid Mír Kalán, grandfather of Mír M'asúm Bhak-karí, to treat with Mirzá 'Ísá, making professions of friendship, and offering to give up Siwistán and its appurtenances, if Bhakkar were secured to him; urging also that Bhakkar was on the frontier of Hindustan, and acted as a barrier on that side. At this juncture, intelligence arrived that the Firingís, who were coming from Lahori-bandar to the assistance of Mirzá 'Ísá Tar-khán, finding the city of Thatta unprotected, had plundered it, set fire to it, and made the inhabitants prisoners. The Mirzá therefore accepted the proposal of Sultán Mahmúd, and peace being con­cluded, he hastened back to Thatta, and resumed the government.

In the beginning of the year 964 H. (November, 1556), Mirzá Muhammad Bákí rebelled against his father, asserting his rights as eldest son, and objecting to the selection of Mirzá Muhammad Sálih as heir to the throne. In the fighting which ensued, Muhammad Bákí was worsted, and he fled to Wanka, which was the abode of the Súmras. There he formed a connection with sundry Arghúns, and returned with them by way of 'Umarkot and Jesalmír to Bhakkar. On his arriving there, Sultan Mahmúd Khán laudably exerted himself to effect a reconciliation between him and his father; but Mirzá 'Ísa Tarkhán, out of regard for Mirzá Sálih, exiled Muhammad Bákí from Thatta, and sent him to Bhakkar. Here he endeavoured to procure assistance from Hindustan,* but Sultán Mahmúd opposed him. The Sultán foresaw that if an army came from Hindustan it must necessarily pass by Bhakkar, which would be the first place to suffer. So he kindly but firmly opposed the project.

In the year 970 H. (1562 A.D.) the brave Muhammad Sálih, who had won so many victories, drank the sherbet of martyrdom from the hands of a Bulúch named Muríd. The family and tribe of this man had been put to death by Muhammad Sálih in punishment of their robberies; so holding a petition in his hand he placed himself in the way of the Mirzá. The prince called him to his side and stooped down to receive the petition, when the caitiff plunged a dagger into his breast, and killed him.

After the death of his favourite son, Mirzá 'Ísá Tarkhán nominated Mírzá Ján Bábá as heir apparent. After some time Sultán Mahmúd begged Mírzá 'Ísa to forgive his son Muhammad Bákí, but failed in his object. Several nobles who inclined to the side of that prince then interested themselves on his behalf, and roused the father's pride by urging that the prince ought not to be a dependant on Sultán Mahmúd. Being thus induced to pardon his son, Mirzá 'Ísa sent Shaikh 'Abdu-l Waháb Purání and Mír Yár Muhammad, his nephew, to bring him home. When Muhammad Bákí arrived, he waited on his father, and, receiving the town of Siwistán as his jagír, departed thither.

Mirzá 'Ísa was of a gentle and patient disposition, and showed great kindness to the people of his tribe (ulús); but the Arghúns were disaffected, and breaking out in open rebellion crossed the river. The guns* of Mirzá 'Ísa opened upon them. Many were killed, and the remnant fled for succour to Sultán Mahmúd at Bhakkar. This prince gave a horse and a robe to each of them, and uniting them with a party of his own dependents sent them against Siwistán. They besieged the fort, and once or twice succeeded in scaling the ramparts, but could accomplish nothing more. Mirzá 'Ísá marched from Thatta with a numerous force, and sent a detachment on in advance to raise the siege and pursue the assailants. The opposing forces met at the village of Rakbán, when victory declared in favour of Mirzá 'Ísá, and many of Sultán Mahmúd's men were slain. The Mirzá advanced as far as the town of Durbela. The Sultán also, coming out of Bhakkar, arrived near the same place, and throwing up a fort, prepared for the conflict. In the end peace was made through the medium of Máh Begam and Shaikh 'Abdu-l Waháb Purání, and the rivals retired to Thatta and Bhakkar respectively.

In the year A.H. 974 (1566 A.D.) Mírzá 'Ísá Tarkhán was seized with mortal sickness, so he called together the Arghúns and the Tarkháns, the ministers and nobles, and all the chief men of the country, in order once more to name Mirzá Ján Bábá as his suc­cessor. But Máh Begam strenuously opposed this, maintaining the right of Muhammad Bákí, the eldest son. The dying monarch declared that Muhammad Bákí was tyrannical and cruel, that the people would suffer under his rule, and that she herself would perish by his hand. The end of it all was that Máh Begam sent to hasten the coming of Muhammad Bákí, and kept the death of his father secret until his arrival. Mirzá 'Ísá Tarkhán, who had reigned fourteen years, was then buried in a tomb, which he had constructed in his garden, and Muhammad Bákí ascended the throne.