Preface.—Containing the usual lauds, pp. 1-6.
Book I.—The early prophets, pp. 7-100.
II.—The early philosophers, pp. 100-104.
III.—The early Kings of Persia, pp. 104-135.
IV.—The prophet Muhammad, pp. 136-138.
V.—The four first Khalifs and twelve Imáms, pp. 138-144.
VI.—The Ummayide Khalifs, pp. 144-146.
VII.—The 'Abbáside Khalifs, pp. 146-150.
VIII.—The dynasties contemporary with, and subsequent to, the 'Abbáside Khalifs, viz. Táhirides,—Sámánians, Buwaihides or Dailamites,—Ismá'ílians,—Saljúkians, —Ghorians,—and others, pp. 150-190.
IX.—The sons of Japhet, pp. 191-218.
X.—The dynasty of Tímúr.
Accession of Khákán Sa'íd Sháh Rukh, Sultán, to the throne
of Khurásán.—Mirzá 'Aláu-d daula ascends the throne, and
the death of Mirzá 'Abdu-l Latíf in the year 857 H.—Mirzá
Mughísu-d dín Ulugh Beg Gúrgán crosses the river.—March of
Mirzá Abu-l Kásim Bábar to Khurásán.—Disagreement between
Mirzá 'Aláu-d daula and Mirzá 'Abdu-l Latíf.—Enmity between
Mirzá Ulugh Beg and Mirzá 'Abdu-l Latíf; and the death of the
King.—A brief account of Mirzá Sultán Muhammad.—March of
Mirzá Bállá.—Mirzá 'Abdu-l Latíf killed, and the accession of
Mirzá 'Abdu-lla to the throne of Samarkand.—Mirzá 'Abdu-lla
Shírází killed—and Sultán Sa'íd ascends the throne.—March of
Mirzá Bábar towards Balkh.—Mirzá 'Aláu-d Daula seized.—
Mirzá Sultán Muhammad.—Mirzá Bábar proceeds towards
Astarábád.—Mirzá Bábar departs for Mashhad.—Mirzá Sháh
Mahmúd, and certain events of his time.—Arrival of Sultán
Sa'íd at Khurásán.—March of Mirzá Ibráhím to Mázandarán,
and his defeat by Mirzá Jahán Sháh Turkomán.—Visit of Mirzá
Jahán Sháh to the capital of Khákán Sa'íd, and his peace with
him.—Fight of Sultán Sa'íd with Mirzás Ibráhím, 'Aláu-d
Daula and Sanjar.—Arrival of Amír Khalíl to besiege Hirát.—
March of Sultán Sa'íd towards Turkistán.—A brief account of
Mirzá Jahán Sháh Turkomán.—March of Sultán Sa'íd from
Astarábád.—The Khurásání troops defeated, and Sultán Sa'íd
Gúrgán killed.—Accession of Sultán Husain Bahádur Khán to
the throne.—Several events related in a concise manner.—March
of Mirzá Yádgár Muhammad with the design of conquest, and
his defeat by the royal army.—The King marches against Mirzá
Yádgár Muhammad.—Accession of Mirzá Yádgár Muhammad
to the throne of Khurásán.—The King proceeds in the direction
of the garden Zághán, and Mirzá Yádgár is killed.—Re-accession
of the King to the throne of Khurásán.—The events which
occurred after his accession to the throne of Khurásán.—Death
of Mirzá Sultán Husain, and the joint succession of Badí'u-z
Zamán Mirzá and Mirzá Muzaffar Husain to the throne of
Khurásán, and several other events.—A summary account of the
tribe of Ak-Kúínlú who ruled in Azarbaiján, Fárs, the two
'Iráks, and Kirmán.—A brief account of the Uzbek Kings who
ruled in Máwaráu-n Nahr and Khurásán subsequent to 900 A.H.
—Safaví Kings.—Conquests of 'Irák, Persia, and Kirmán.—
Fall of Baghdád, and flight of Sultán Murád.—Conquest of
Khúzistán.—The territories of Khurásán conquered, and Sháhí
Beg Khán killed.—A brief account of Amír Yár Muhammad
Isfahání.—Arrival of Sultán Salím, King of Rúm, in Írán.—
Death of the King.—Accession of Sháh Tahmásp, son of Sháh
Isma'íl.—Zahíru-d dín Muhammad Bábar.—Accession of Humá-
Conclusion.—Account of Sipahdár Khán.—The peace of God rest on him, and may his life be prolonged!—Pp. 446-482.
SIZE.—Small quarto, containing 482 pages, and 17 lines in each page.
This work is probably unique. I know of only one copy, and that is an autograph of the author, transcribed in Muharram, 1037, only a few months after the composition of the original. This MS. belongs to Nawáb Shamshír Kadr of Lucknow.
In the year 1003 H. Prince Sultán Murád marched towards the Dakhin by order of the King, where Khwája Beg Mirzá and Mirzá Muhammad Sálih paid their respects to him. Upon the death of Prince Sultán Murád in the Dakhin, Prince Dániyál, as has already been mentioned in its proper place, went to that province, and captured the fort of Ahmadnagar, which was the capital of Nizámu-l Mulk. The government of that country was conferred upon Khwája Beg Mirzá and Mirzá Muhammad Sálih. These two great men have resided in this country for a long period, during which they have conferred many kindnesses, obligations, and comforts upon the people, as will shortly appear in the sequel.
The forty-ninth, fiftieth, and fifty-first years of the reign of Akbar, or the years 1012, 1013, and 1014 of the Hijra, were marked by the following events, viz.:—
In the year 1012 A.H. Prince Sultán Salím was imprisoned in a bath, on the very day on which His Royal Highness, repenting of his evil actions, presented himself to the King, availing himself of the opportunity which the death of his grandmother, Mariam Makání, afforded him of offering his condolences to His Majesty. He was, however, after a space of twelve days, released. This year is also marked by the arrival from the Dakhin of the news of the death of Sultán Dániyál. In the year 1013 A.H. the King (Akbar) was taken ill. On Wednesday, the 12th of Jumáda-s sání, 1014 A.H., he died at Ágra, and was interred in Sikandra. “It is God alone who will exist for ever.”
This King never sustained a defeat at any place. His army was victorious in every engagement. He subjugated all adversaries, some by means of arms, and some by peaceful means. The whole length and breadth of the land was firmly and righteously governed. All people of every description and station came to his Court, and universal peace being established among all classes, men of every sect dwelt secure under his protection. Be it not concealed that this account of his happy reign does not comprise even one-tenth part of the transactions which actually occurred in it. The detailed particulars of his reign are recorded in the Akbar-náma and the Táríkh-i Nízámí. God be praised that the distress which the people experienced at the loss of their sovereign Akbar, was removed by the accession of his excellent and powerful son Jahángír. May this exalted dynasty maintain its power till the day of judgment!
A brief account follows of the events which occurred in the year 1036 H., viz.:—When Mahábat Khán returned from the Dakhin by command of the King, His Majesty was in Kashmír. On the way a dispute arose between Mahábat Khán and Ásaf Khán, son of I'timádu-d Daula, and brother of Núr Jahán Begam. It took so serious a turn, that they at last came to action, drawing up their troops in battle array. Mahábat Khán gained the victory, and Ásaf Khán fled to the fort of Attak Benáres, where he fortified himself. The victorious party besieged him, and after a few days succeeded in obtaining possession of his person, when they took him to their master, who threw him into prison. These circumstances gained Mahábat Khán such influence at Court, that no one without his authority could go near the King, and His Majesty's food and drink were subject to his inspection. Mahábat Khán also appointed his own obedient Rájpúts to remain in constant attendance day and night on the King, thereby cutting off every one from direct communication with His Majesty. The matter stood upon this footing for about six months, when a party of Mughals, collected through the judicious counsels of the wise Núr Jahán Begam, marched against Mahábat Khán, put nearly 3000 of his Rájpúts to death, and effected the release of Ásaf Khán. Mahábat Khán being thus defeated, took to flight. The Khán-khánán was sent by the King with a large force to pursue and exterminate him; but while engaged in the expedition, the Khán-khánán died, and Mahábat Khán is in consequence still (i.e. the close of the year 1036 H.) wandering about with a small body of adherents.
Sultán Khurram remains in the Dakhin under the same circumstances as have been already mentioned. We must wait to see what may happen to him, and what course he may hereafter pursue.
This year is also marked by the death of Prince Parwez in the city of Burhánpúr. The date of the death of that excellent Prince is found in the following chronogram, composed by Mauláná Samadí Búánátí, viz. Sháh-i Sháhán bi-shud az jahán. “The king of kings has departed from this world.”
In this year Nizámu-l Mulk created a disturbance in the Dakhin, which, however, was put down by the exertions of Khán Jahán. A detail of this transaction will be found in the concluding part of this work.
At the present time, i.e. the latter part of the year 1036 H., the people of this country, whether rich or poor, high or low, are in the enjoyment of all the blessings of comfort and content, and slumbering secure from all danger, are in return offering up their prayers to the Almighty God for the continued prosperity of the King, who is the safeguard of the empire and the shadow of God.