CHAPTER III.
MIÁN DÍN MUHAMMAD AND MÍAN YÁR MUHAMMAD.

On the death of Mián Nasír Muhammad, he was

Mián Dín Muhammad son of Nasír Muhammad,

succeeded by his son Mián Dín Muhammad. As he began to grow in importance and power, the landholders and governors of the neighbourhood rose against him, Mír Panwhár, whose chief town Fatehpur had been taken possession of by the Siráís, went with a complaint to the Emperor of Dehlí* and brought an order for Mírzá Khán Piní* directing him to fight with the Siráís. This chief tried his best repeatedly to subdue the enemy but was each time repulsed. The Emperor therefore sent Amír Shekh Jahán to set matters right. Guided by Mír Panwhár, Shekh Jahán attacked the Fakírs or the followers of the Mián. Feróz Wírar proceeded from Derah Kulí to meet him, and made a sudden nocturnal attack on the Amír’s army at the village of Kharelah,* to the general confusion of the latter. He was soon after joined by the army despatched from Khárí and the two armies of Fakírs totally defeated the Amír’s forces. Alahyár Khán, the governor of Bakhar fled, but being succoured by Kambar Khán Bróhí returned and fell upon the Siráís all of a sudden, causing them great loss. However, when the Siráís moved again under Mírán Sháh to meet him, he made peace with them and went away.

After a short time the Panwhárs again began to make

Fighting of the Kalhórahs with the Panwhárs and the Afgháns.

a head against the Fakírs, and the Siráís of Márakpur* marched against them and completely defeated them, bringing a large tract of country into their possession. The Panwhárs, being now subjugated, submitted to the Siráís and began to lead a quiet life in subordination to them.

There still remained some disagreement with the Afgháns of Piní, the governor of Siwí and Shikárpur. For a short period there was fighting between them and the Siráís, till the Emperor’s son, prince Muhammad Muizzud­dín,* hearing of the death of Shekh Jahán and of the defeat of Alahyár Khán came down to Sind from Láhór. Learning of the prince’s approach, Mián Dín Muhammad sent his youngest brother Mír Muhammad with Kásim and Khamal to Bakhar, in order to welcome him and win him over on his side. They succeeded in doing so and the prince much pleased with the Mián, returned towards Láhór.

About that time Maksúdah, the elder brother of

Fighting of the Kal­hórahs with the imperial army and the capture of Mián Dín Muhammad.

Bahár Sháh, who was a foolish and vain person, believing that the prince had gone away without knowing how brave the natives of the place were and wishing to give him a proof of his bravery, took some troops with him and attacked and plundered Máthelah and slaughtered a number of people at Uch. When the prince heard of this rude and arrogant behaviour of the Mián’s men, he became very angry and returned with the imperial army and laid waste Khárí and its dependent villages. Mián Dín Muhammad could do nothing in opposition to him and thought it prudent to remain quiet. When however the prince passed on to Siwístán,* where he halted for about 6 months, the Mián went over and submitted to him. A strong imperial detachment, was then sent to bring up his dependents, but the Siráís would not easily give in. A pitched battle was faught at Khór near the stream of Gáj, where both the sides showed great bravery. The Emperor was represented by Rájah Kájsing Bhattí and Súríjmal of Udhepur, and the Siráís were commanded by the Mián’s brother Yár Muhammad, assisted by Tájah, Jádah and Bakhtár Fakírs of the Óthwál tribe. Blood flowed in streams. Every one of these heroes was killed, together with a large number of people. The Mughul force was ultimately defeated, and the prince had no alternative but to return with Mián Dín Muhammad as his captive. The latter spent the remainder of his life at Multán.

Meanwhile Dín Muhammad’s brother Mián Yár Muhammad

Mián Yár Muhammad goes to Kalát.

went to Kalát where at first the Bróhís of the place fought severe battles with him, but after all peace was made between them and they allowed Mián Yár Muhammad to live among them on his giving his two sons Mír Muhammad and Muhammad Khán as hostages for keeping the peace. This event occurred in the year 1111 A.H. (1699 A.D.).

During the next two years, Yár Muhammad led an unsettled life in Kalát and the Siráís were mostly quiet and secluded. After that period, however, that is, in 1113 A.H. (1701 A.D.) when Rájah Fakír and other Siráí chiefs joined him, Yár Muhammad took a solemn promise from them to abide by his commands, and taking Altás Khán Bróhí with an army to assist him, marched to his hereditary country.

Passing Zaidí and travelling along the lake Manchhar,

Miáu Yár Muhammad invades Sind and recaptures the chief places.

he came to the villages of Sanóh and Nenak in the tálukah of Hatrí. Then marching further, he first took Sámtání from Kaisar Panwhár and encamped at Káhah. From there, he sent on his brother Mír Muhammad with some Siráí chiefs, who conquered the country up to Márakpur and Gáhí Jamshed, and retook the fort of Fatehpur. Soon, they were joined by Mián Yár Muham­mad himself. Altás Bróhí now seeing that the Siráís were sufficiently strong and did not much require his services, withdrew to his native place.

The number of the Siráís now went on increasing, as

Shikárpur fixed as the central city under the name of Khudábád.

different parties, who had dispersed some time before, returned and joined their comrades. They took posses­sion of Kacherah* and came to Shikárpur the chief city of the Panwhárs. They called it Khudábád and fixed it as their camp. From this centre, parties were sent in different directions, till, they recovered Khárí and Kadiá­rah* and dispossessed Malak Alah Baksh brother to Bakhtáwar Khán of Ládkánah.

Seeing no other help at hand Bakhtáwar Khán hastened to prince Muhammad Muizzuddín at Multán and asked his help in the matter. But the prince could not be induced by his entreaties to take his side. Unfortunately about the same time the prince resolved to go to Bakhtá­war Khán’s territory, but the latter, fearing some bad result tried to dissuade the prince. This step, however, only irritated the prince who, after some fighting, defeated and killed Bakhtáwar Khán.

Meanwhile the envoys of the Siráís were working at the

Siwí given to Mián Yár Muhammad by Prince Muizzuddín.

prince’s court to win him over. Soon the prince came and stopped at Bakhar, and entrusted Siwí, vacated by Bakhtáwar Khán, to Ghází Khán Dódáí. As that chief was found unable to manage the affairs of that part of the country, the prince removed Ghází Khán and gave the charge to Malak Alah Baksh, brother to the deceased Bakhtáwar Khán. The charge next fell into the hands of Islám Khán and Káím Khán Nahárs successively, but as none of them governed the hilly country satisfactorily, the prince gave it over to the agents of Mián Yár Muhammad and directed that the Mián should appear before him to receive the honour personally.

Accordingly Mián Yár Muhammad proceeded to meet

Mián Yár Muhammad appointed as the imperial agent, with the title of “Khudáyár Khán.”

the prince and at Darbelah the charge of Siwí was formally given to him by the prince’s envoy Khwájah Husain Khán, with the title of “Khudá­yár Khán.” Thenceforth, Mián Yár Muhammad became one of the imperial agents or governors.

After giving charge of Khánpúr to Mír Amínuddín

Mír Shahdád Tálpur dis­tinguishes himself in fight­ing at Derah Ghází Khán for the Emperor.

Khán, of Shikárpur to Sanjar Khán, Mubárak Khán and Hót Khán Dáúd­pótáhs, and of Siwistán to Ghulam Muhammad Sukhání, the prince left Bakhar for Multán and thence to the Deráhs* to settle the affair of Sháh Muhammad, son of Ghází Khan. In the fighting that ensued with that chief, Mir Shahdád Tálpur Balóch who had been sent by the prince in command, distinguished himself greatly for his bravery and skill, as he settled the whole affair to the entire satisfaction of the prince, who raised his position and conferred more favours upon him. The land of Pat Bárán was given as a jágír to the Mír.

After these events Mián Yár Muhammad’s two sons

The Pinís and Dáúdpótahs revolt but are punished.

Núr Muhammad and Muhammad Khán, who had been so long in Kalát, came to Khudábád. Siwí was first left in charge of Mír Muhammad, Yár Muhammad’s brother, and then in that of Muhammad Dáúd Khán. During their time, Rahím Khán Pránk and Daolat Khán Piní raised the standard of revolt, but they were promptly punished.

For a short time, the Dáúdpótahs also fought with the Siráís for supremacy, but they were so much crushed that they completely gave in and thenceforth permanently remained subordinate to them.

All the above events took place during the first 9 years

Mián Yár Muhammad gets Jhól, Rópáh and other places.

of Mián Yár Muhammad’s rule. The next 9 years were spent in peace and enjoyment, except for the war with Jhók* in which too the Mián was successful. And for these services, part of Jhól and several villages in Shamáwátí and Cháchikán were ceded to him as a jágír. After Nawáb Shákir Khán’s departure the Mián also got the parganah of Rópáh on a farming contract.*

In short, after a successful rule of 18 years, Mián Yár Muhammad died on Monday or Tuesday the 15th of Zíkaad 1131 A.H. (1718 A.D.).