[THIS work is also called Hálát-i Asad Beg. It is an interesting personal memoir of the author during the latter years of Akbar's reign, containing accounts of some of the political transactions of that period, especially of the murder of Abú-l Fazl.
A Persian note at the end of Sir H. M. Elliot's MS. gives the following account of the author:—
“Asad Beg of Kazwín, the author of this work, was well known and noted for his kindness, magnanimity, benevolence, and great experience in business. When he first came to India, he spent a period of seventeen years in the service of Shaikh Abú-l Fazl, son of Shaikh Mubárak. After the death of Shaikh Abú-l Fazl, he was appointed an officer at the Court of His Majesty the Emperor Akbar, and obtained such distinguished employments and offices that he gained wealth and honour. In a short time the life and times of Akbar came to an end, and the reign of His Majesty Jahángír commenced. Although at first he was not admitted at Court, yet he continued a constant and good servant of the State. Towards the close of the reign of Jahángír he was honoured with the title of Peshrau Khán. He died at the commencement of the reign of His Majesty Sháh Jahán in the year 1041.”
The whole of this work was translated for Sir H. M. Elliot by Mr. B. W. Chapman, of the Bengal Civil Service. Several Extracts have been taken from it, and the following is a general summary of its contents:—
The first Extract gives the author's account of the death of Abú-l Fazl. Very much against his will and earnest entreaties, Asad was left behind by Abú-l Fazl at Sironj. Four days afterwards he heard of the murder of the Shaikh, and then he proceeded to fortify himself in Sironj. Soon he received a peremptory order to repair to Court. On reaching Kálábágh, he came up with Abú-l Fazl's heavy baggage, which had been left behind, and had been entrenched by the officers in charge. On reaching the scene of the disaster, he recovered a valuable casket of jewels, which a servant had preserved by hiding in the jungle. The baggage was worth four or five lacs of rupees, and he conveyed it safely to Ágra.
On his arrival at Court, he found that Akbar was greatly incensed at him for supposed negligence in protecting his master, Abú-l Fazl, and he heard, with great dismay, the Emperor's command to “bring Asad into the bath-room, that I may cut him in pieces with my own hand.” Upon ascertaining the facts, the Emperor was appeased, and conversed freely with him. Asad then received a dress of honour, and was soon afterwards made captain of the Emperor's body-guard. He got also “an estate from the lapsed lands of the criminal Sháh 'Alí Khán,” from which he realized in the first year 17,000, the second 20,000, and the third 23,000 rupees.
Shortly afterwards he was sent as a commissioner of inquiry to the camp of the Ráy-ráyán, in consequence of Abú-l Fazl's murderer, Nar Singh, having broken out of a fort in which he was besieged and made his escape. Upon reaching the camp, the officers endeavoured to secure Asad's favour by offering presents, amounting to 18,000 rupees, which he refused to take. The Ráy-ráyán showed him great attention, and Asad came to a decision which hushed matters up, and was satisfactory to all concerned. He says he received a horse and some garments as a parting gift from the Ráy-ráyán, but refused an elephant. On his return to Court, he presented his report, which the Emperor approved, to the great joy of the inculpated officers and their friends. “This,” he says, “was my first employment, and I brought it thus happily to a conclusion, so that no one got either disgrace or honour; but I obtained great praise and a handsome gratuity. * * * I immediately returned to the confidential service of the Emperor, in whose favour I rose from day to day, till at last I was appointed treasurer of the offerings, a very agreeable office.”
He had held this office only a few months when the Emperor sent him on a mission to the Dakhin. Akbar, in 1009 H., had sent Mír Jamálu-d dín Husain to Bíjápúr, to arrange a marriage between his son, Prince Dániyál, and a daughter of the King of Bíjápúr. Asad was now commissioned to bring back the Mír with the promised bride. This must have been in or just before the year 1013, for the marriage took place in that year. His instructions will be found among the Extracts. He received 20,000 rupees towards his expenses. On reaching Birár he was entertained by Prince Dániyál, and received from him and his nobles “nearly 100,000 rupees, fifty horses, and ten camels.” On entering the Bíjápúr territories he was entertained by Mír Jamálu-d dín and by 'Ádil Khán's daughter.
Soon afterwards he reached Bíjápúr, and had his interview with the King, who, as he tells us, spoke Maráthí, “for although he understood Persian well, he could not speak it fluently.” Akbar had directed Asad to stay only one day at Bíjápúr. This greatly annoyed the King, who was also vexed that he had not received a direct cession of a town called Gwálior. He offered Asad 200,000 pagodas to alter his plan, and although Asad on this, as on other occasions, records his superiority to a bribe, he is evidently astonished at his own moderation. “I did not,” says he, “touch a coin of the 200,000 pagodas, a sum equal to 600,000 rupees.” Mír Jamál blamed him for being so scrupulous, and Asad then found out why the Mír was so reluctant to leave the Dakhin:—“he got every year three to four hundred thousand pagodas from Bíjápúr and Golconda.”
The question of presents to the Emperor came on between the King and Asad, and gave rise to a great deal of haggling. The King asked what the Emperor had the greatest taste for, and was answered, “rare jewels and choice elephants.” An elephant and some jewels were at length presented, and Asad prepared to leave. He was offered for himself 100,000 lárís, equal to 35,000 rupees, an elephant, horses, etc., but refused to receive them. Asad wore a badge as a disciple of Akbar's “Divine religion.” The King took this to examine it, and, professing himself a disciple, declared he would keep it, and Asad got it back with much trouble on a promise of obtaining one specially for the King. When he left, the King sent 9000 pagodas as a present after him. A short Extract descriptive of Bíjápúr has been taken from this part of the work.
The Princess and Mír Jamálu-d dín accompanied him on his return; but on reaching the boundary river (Bhíma?), the troops and the Princess made some demur to proceeding further. In the night a great storm of wind arose, which blew down the tents. The Bíjápúr escort dispersed and the Princess ran away; but in the morning she and her guardian were brought back “in great shame” by Mír Jamálu-d dín. It seems evident that the Princess and her friends were averse to the match which had been arranged for her. After her return Asad continued his journey, and conducted the Princess to Ahmadnagar. He was favourably received by Prince Dániyál, who presented him with robes of honour and arms. The Prince also directed that 10,000 rupees should be given to him, but he got “only 2000 muzaffarís.” He left Mír Jamálu-d dín with the Prince, and proceeded towards Ágra. He had with him the elephant which the King of Bíjápúr had sent to the Emperor. This animal had been accustomed to drink two mans of wine daily, and Asad, being unable to procure wine on his journey, was obliged to supply the animal's wants from some “chests of costly Portugal wine,” which he had bought at Bíjápúr as a present to the Emperor.
On arriving at Court, he was very graciously received. He records how, in a fit of rage, Akbar, on the night of his arrival, ordered a wretched servant to be thrown over the battlements, and that he dismissed his chamberlain in disgrace. Asad was appointed to the vacant office, the duties of which were to introduce persons to an audience of the Emperor. This office he held for a year. He was also raised to the command of 250, and he obtained a further allowance of 17,000 rupees out of the estates of Sháh 'Alí Khán. He was satisfied with his fortune, and exclaims, “What times those were, and what a blessing rested upon them!” Two Extracts have been taken from this part of the work: one giving an account of the savage execution of the servant, and the other relating to Asad's introduction of tobacco, which it appears was till then unknown at the Emperor's Court.
Asad was next appointed envoy to the four provinces of the Dakhin, with the objects stated in the Extract which follows. He was promised promotion to the rank of 1000 on his return, but this he never got. He proceeded on his mission, and, on reaching the Chandá pass, had some fighting with the men of “Rájá Bhoj,” who demanded the usual tolls, but Asad made his way through by night. On reaching Ujjain, he heard of the death of the Emperor. Continuing his journey, he reached Burhánpúr, and there and elsewhere he records the debauchery and gambling which were prevalent among the nobles, and into which he entered with evident zest. Soon after Jahángír's accession he was recalled, and on his return he found the new monarch angry and very ill-disposed towards him. He was at once dismissed with the words, “I will not keep him,—let him go where he likes.” His account of the death of Akbar and the accession of Jahángír will be found among the Extracts.
Sir H. M. Elliot's MS. is a 32mo. of 292 pages, thirteen lines to the page.]