On the eve of Monday, the ----, [567] of the month of Jumada-l-awwal,
A.H. 1031, March 10-12, 1622, after one watch, five gharis and a
fraction had passed, the sun that illuminates the world lighted the
mansion of Aries, and the 17th year of the reign of this suppliant
began auspiciously and happily. On this joy-increasing day Asaf K. was
promoted to the mansab of 6,000 personal and horse. Having given Qasim
K. leave to proceed to the government of the Panjab, I presented him
with a horse, an elephant, and a dress of honour. Eighty thousand darbs
were given to Zambil Beg, ambassador of the ruler of Persia. On the 6th
of the same month (Farwardin) the royal camp was at Rawalpindi. Fazil
K. was promoted to the post of Bakhshi. Zambil Beg was ordered to
remain at ease in Lahore until the return of the victorious army from
Kashmir. An elephant was conferred on Akbarquli K. Gakkar.
At this time I frequently heard that the ruler of Persia had hastened
from Khurasan for the purpose of conquering Qandahar. Although looking
to our previous and present connections, it appeared very unlikely,
and beyond all calculation, that such a great king should entertain
such light and crude ideas, and himself come against one of my humble
slaves who was in Qandahar with 300 or 400 [568] servants, yet as
caution is one of the duties of a ruler and becoming to a king, I sent
Zainu-l-`Abidin, Bakhshi of Ahadis, with a gracious farman to Khurram
to come and wait on me with all possible speed with a victorious host,
and elephants of mountain hugeness, and the numerous artillery that
were assigned for his support in that Subah. So that, if these words
should be near the truth, he might come and be despatched with an
innumerable army and countless treasure, in order that he (the king of
Persia) might discover the result of breaking faith and of wrong-doing.
On the 8th I halted at the fountain of Hasan Abdal. Fida'i K. was
promoted to the mansab of 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse, and
Badi`u-z-zaman was appointed Bakhshi of the Ahadis. On Friday,
the 12th, Mahabat K., having come from Kabul, waited on me and had
the good fortune to pay his respects, and became the recipient of
daily-increasing favours. He presented 100 muhrs as a present and
Rs. 10,000 as alms. Khwaja Abu-l-Hasan passed his followers before me
in review; 2,500 well-horsed cavalry were enrolled of whom 400 were
matchlock men. At this stage a qamurgha hunt was arranged, and I shot
[569] 33 hill quchqar (mountain sheep), etc. At this time Hakim Mumina,
at the recommendation of the pillar of the State, Mahabat K., had
the good fortune to wait on me. With power and courage he undertook
my cure, and I hope that his coming may prove auspicious to me. The
mansab of Amanu-llah, s. Mahabat K., was fixed at 2,000 personal and
1,800 horse. On the 19th I encamped near Pakhli, and the feast of the
culmination was held there. Having given Mahabat K. leave to return to
Kabul, I gave him a horse, an elephant, and a dress of honour. The
mansab of I`tibar K. was ordered to be 5,000 personal and 4,000
horse. As he was an old servant, and had become very weak and old,
I promoted him to the Subah of Agra, and entrusted to him the defence
of the fort and the treasury, and, presenting him with an elephant,
a horse, and a dress of honour, dismissed him. At the Pass of Kunwar
[570] Mast, Iradat K. came from Kashmir, and had the good fortune to
kiss the threshold. On the 2nd of the Divine month of Urdibihisht,
I entered the enchanting region of Kashmir. Mir Miran was promoted to
the mansab of 2,500 personal and 1,400 horse. At this time, in order
to ease the condition of the ryots and soldiery, I did away with the
faujdari cess, and gave an order that in the whole of my dominions
they should not impose anything on account of faujdari. Zabar-dast
K., Master of the Ceremonies (Mir Tuzuk), was promoted to the mansab
of 2,000 personal and 700 horse. On the 13th, by the advice of the
physicians, and especially of Hakim Mumina, I was lightened by being
bled from my left leg. A present of a dress of honour was made to
Muqarrab K., and one of 1,000 darbs to Hakim Mumina. At the request
of Khurram the mansab of `Abdu-llah K. was fixed at 6,000. Sar-faraz
[571] K. was honoured with the gift of drums. Bahadur K. Uzbeg,
having come from Qandahar, had the good fortune to pay his respects:
by way of nazar he gave 100 muhrs, and by way of charity offered
Rs. 4,000. Mustafa K., governor of Thatta, had sent as an offering
a Shah-nama and a Khamsa (quintet) of Shaikh Nizami illustrated
by masters (of painting), along with other presents: these were
laid before me. On the 1st of the Divine month of Khurdad Lashkar
K. was exalted to the mansab of 4,000 personal and 3,000 horse, and
to Mir Jumla was given that of 2,500 personal and 1,000 horse. Some
of the Amirs of the Deccan were similarly honoured with an increase
of mansab. Promotion was also given as follows: Sardar K., 3,000 and
2,500 horse; Sar-buland K., 2,500 personal and 2,200 horse; Baqi K.,
2,500 and 2,000 horse; Sharza K., 2,500 and 1,200 horse; Jan-sipar K.,
2,000 personal and 2,000 horse; Mirza Wali, 2,500 and 1,000 horse;
Mirza Badi`u-z-zaman s. Mirza Shahrukh, 1,500 personal and horse;
Zahid K., 1,500 and 700 horse; `Aqidat K., 1,200 and 300 horse;
Ibrahim Husain Kashghari, 1,200 and 600 horse; and Zu-l-faqar K.,
1,000 personal and 500 horse. Raja Gaj Singh and Himmat K. were
selected for drums. On the 2nd of the Divine month of Tir, Sayyid
Bayazid was honoured with the title of Mustafa K., and was also
presented with drums. At this time Tahawwur K., who is one of the
personal servants, was despatched with a gracious farman to summon
my fortunate son Shah Parwiz.
Some days before this, petitions came from the officials in Qandahar
reporting the intention of the ruler of Persia to conquer Qandahar,
but my mind, which is actuated by sincerity, looking to past and
present relations, placed no reliance on the truth of this until the
report of my son Khan Jahan arrived that Shah `Abbas, with the armies
of Iraq and Khurasan, had come and besieged Qandahar. I ordered them
to fix an hour for leaving Kashmir. Khwaja Abu-l-Hasan, the Diwan,
and Bakhshi Sadiq K. hastened to Lahore in advance of the victorious
army to expedite the arrival of the princes of high degree with the
armies of the Deccan, Gujarat, Bengal, and Behar, and to send on the
Amirs who were present with the victorious stirrups, and those who
one after another should come in from the districts of their jagirs
to my son Khan Jahan at Multan. At the same time the artillery,
with the strings of warlike elephants, and the armoury [572] were to
be prepared and forwarded. As there was little cultivation between
Multan and Qandahar, the despatch of a large army without provisions
was not to be thought of. It was therefore decided to encourage the
grain-sellers, who in the language of India are called banjara, and,
providing them with money, to take them along with the victorious army,
so that there might be no difficulty about supplies. The Banjaras
[573] are a tribe. Some of them have 1,000 bullocks, and some more
or less. They take grain from different districts (bulukat) into the
towns and sell it. They go along with the armies, and with such an
army there would be 100,000 bullocks or more. It is hoped that by the
grace of the Creator, the army will be furnished with numbers and arms
so that there may be no delay or hesitation until it reaches Isfahan,
which is his (the Shah's) capital. A farman was sent to Khan Jahan to
beware and not start in that direction (Qandahar) from Multan before
the arrival of the victorious army, and not be disturbed, but attend
to orders. Bahadur K. Uzbeg was selected to go as an auxiliary to the
army of Qandahar, and favoured with a horse and dress of honour. Fazil
K. was given the mansab of 2,000 personal and 750 horse.
As it had been brought to notice that the poor of Kashmir suffer
hardships in the winter from the excessive cold, and live with
difficulty, I ordered that a village of the rental of Rs. 3,000 or
Rs. 4,000 should be entrusted to Mulla Talib Isfahani, [574] to be
expended in providing clothes for the poor, and for warming water,
for purposes of ablution, in the mosques.
As it was reported that the Zamindars of Kishtwar had again raised
their heads in disobedience and sin, and engaged in sedition and
disturbance, Iradat K. was ordered to proceed hot-foot, before
they had time to establish themselves firmly, and having inflicted
condign punishment on them to tear up the root of sedition. On this
day Zainu-l-`Abidin, who had been sent to summon Khurram, came and
waited on me, and reported that the stipulation he made was that he
should pass the rainy season in the fort of Mandu, and then come to
Court. His report was read. I [575] did not like the style of its
purport nor the request he made, and, on the contrary, the traces
of disloyalty (bi-daulati) were apparent. There being no remedy,
an order was given that as he proposed to come after the rains,
he should despatch the great Amirs, the servants of the Court who
were employed in assisting him, and especially the Sayyids of Barha
and Bukhara, the Shaikh-zadas, the Afghans, and the Rajputs. Mirza
Rustam and I`tiqad K. were ordered to go to Lahore in advance, and
assist the army of Qandahar. Rs. l,00,000 were given them as advance
of pay, and I also granted drums to `Inayat K. and I`timad K. Iradat
K., who had hastened to punish the rebels of Kishtwar, having killed
many of them and regained the mastery and established himself firmly,
returned to duty. Mu`tamid K. had been appointed Bakhshi to the army
of the Deccan. As that matter was over [576] he was sent for at his own
request. He came on this day, and on his arrival kissed the threshold.
It is a strange thing that when a pearl of the value of Rs. 14,000 or
15,000 was lost in the harem, Jotik Ray, the astrologer, represented
that it would be found in two or three days. Sadiq K. Rammal
(soothsayer) represented that in the same two or three days it would
come from a place which was perfectly clean and pure, such as the
place of worship or oratory. A female soothsayer represented that it
would soon be found, and that a woman with white skin would bring it
in a state of ecstasy, and give it into the hand of the Hazrat (the
king). It happened that on the third day one of the Turkish girls
found it in the oratory, and all in smiles and in a happy frame of
mind gave it to me. As the words of all three came true each one was
favoured with an acceptable reward. This is written because it is
not devoid of strangeness.
At this time I appointed Kaukab and Khidmatgar K., and others to the
number of twelve in all, of the familiar servants to be sazawuls of
the Amirs in the Deccan in order that they might exert themselves
and send them forward as soon as possible to Court, so that they
(the Amirs) might be sent to the victorious army at Qandahar. [577]
At this time it was frequently reported to me that Khurram had
taken into his possession some of the estates of the jagir of Nur
Jahan Begam and Shahriyar, and especially the pargana of Dholpur,
which had by the High Diwan been assigned to Shahriyar, and had
sent there an Afghan of the name of Darya, one of his own servants,
with a body of men. Darya fought with Sharifu-l-mulk, a servant of
Shahriyar, who had been appointed to the faujdari of that region,
and many were killed on both sides. Although in consequence of his
(Khurram's) remaining in the fort of Mandu, and the unreasonable
requests made in his letter it appeared that his reason was turned,
yet from hearing this news it became clear that he was unworthy of
all the favours and cherishing I had bestowed on him, and that his
brain had gone wrong. Accordingly I sent Raja Ruz-afzun, who was a
confidential servant, to him, and made inquiries as to the cause of
this boldness. He was ordered hereafter to behave properly, and not
place his foot beyond the path of reasonableness and the high road of
politeness, and content himself with the districts of his own jagir
that he had obtained from the High Diwan. He must also beware not to
form any intention of coming to wait upon me, but to send the body
of the servants of the State I had requisitioned on account of the
disturbance at Qandahar to the Court. If anything contrary to this
order should come to notice, he would repent it.
At this time Mir Zahiru-d-din, the grandson of Mir Miran, s. the famous
Shah Ni`matu-llah, came from Persia and waited on me, and received as
a present a dress of honour and 8,000 darbs. Ujala Dakhani obtained
leave to go to Raja Bir Singh Deo with a gracious farman in order
that he should act as sazawul and collect the men. Previously to
this, on account of the great regard and abundant affection I bore to
Khurram and his sons, at the time when his son (Shuja`) was very ill,
I had determined that if God Almighty would grant him to me I would
not again sport with a gun, and would inflict no injury on a living
thing with my own hand. Notwithstanding my inclination and love for
hunting, especially with a gun, I had given it up for five years. At
this time, when I was greatly distressed at his unkind behaviour,
I took again to sporting with a gun, and gave orders that nobody
should remain in the palace without one. In a short time most of
the servants took a liking to shooting with guns, and the archers,
[578] in order to perform their duties, became cavalry soldiers.
On the 25th of the month, corresponding with the 7th Shawwal, at
the favourable hour that had been chosen, I turned towards Lahore
from Kashmir (apparently means Srinagar, the capital). I sent Bihari
Das Brahman with a gracious farman to Rana Karan to the effect that
he should bring his son with a body of men to pay his respects to
me. Mir Zahiru-d-din was promoted to the mansab of 1,000 personal and
400 horse. As he represented to me that he was in debt, I made him
a present of Rs. 10,000. On the 1st of Shahriwar I encamped at the
fountain of Achbal, [579] and on Thursday I had a feast of cups beside
the fountain. [580] On this auspicious day my fortunate son Shahriyar
was appointed to the Qandahar expedition, and was promoted to the
mansab of 12,000 personal and 8,000 horse. A special dress of honour,
with a nadiri with pearl buttons, was also given him. At this time
a merchant had brought two large pearls from the country of Turkey,
one of them weighing 1 1/4 misqals, and the second 1 surkh less. Nur
Jahan Begam bought the two for Rs. 60,000, and presented them to me
as an offering on the same day. On Friday, the 10th, by the advice of
Hakim Mumina, [581] I was relieved by bleeding from the arm. Muqarrab
K., who has great skill in this art, always used to bleed me, and
possibly never failed before, but now failed twice. Afterwards Qasim,
his nephew, bled me. I gave him a dress of honour and Rs. 2,000,
and gave 1,000 darbs to Hakim Mumina. Mir Khan, at the request of
Khan Jahan, was promoted to the mansab of 1,500 and 900 horse.
On the 21st of the month the feast of my solar weighing took place,
and the 54th year of the age of this suppliant at the throne of God
began auspiciously and happily. I hope that the whole of my life will
be spent in fulfilling the will of God. On the 28th, I went to see
the waterfall of Ashar [582] (?). As this spring is famous for its
sweetness and agreeable flavour, I weighed it in my presence against
Ganges water, and that [583] of the valley of Lar. The water of Ashar
was 3 masha heavier than that of the Ganges, and the latter was 1/2
masha lighter than that of the valley of Lar. On the 30th the camp was
at Hirapur. Though Iradat K. had done his duty in Kishtwar well, yet
as the ryots and inhabitants of Kashmir complained of his treatment of
them, I promoted I`tiqad K. to the governorship of Kashmir. I bestowed
on him a horse, a dress of honour, and a special enemy-piercing
[584] sword, and appointed Iradat K. to do duty with the army of
Qandahar. Having brought Kunwar Singh, the Raja of Kishtwar, out of
the fortress of Gwalior, where he was imprisoned, I bestowed Kishtwar
on him, and gave him a horse and a dress of honour, with the title of
Raja. I sent Haidar Malik to Kashmir (i.e., Srinagar) to bring a canal
from the valley of Lar to the Nur-afza garden, giving him Rs. 30,000
for the materials and labour. On the 12th of the month I came down
from the hill country of Jammu, and pitched at Bhimbhar. The next day I
had a qamurqha hunt. To Dawar-bakhsh, s. Khusrau, I gave the mansab of
5,000 personal and 2,000 horse. On the 24th I crossed the Chenab. [585]
Mirza Rustam came from Lahore, and waited on me. On the same day Afzal
[586] K., Khurram's Diwan, bringing a petition from him, waited on
me. He had clothed his immoderate acts in the garment of apology,
and had sent him with the idea that perhaps he might carry his point
by flattery and smooth speeches, and so correct his improprieties. I
[587] paid no attention, and did not listen to him. The Diwan Khwaja
Abu-l-Hasan and Sadiq K. Bakhshi, who had hastened to Lahore to make
provision for the army of Qandahar, had the good fortune to kiss
the threshold. On the 1st of the Divine month of Aban, Amanu-llah,
s. Mahabat K., was promoted to the mansab of 3,000 personal and 1,700
horse. A gracious farman was sent to summon Mahabat K. At this time
`Abdu-llah K., whom I had sent for for service at Qandahar, having come
from the district of his jagir, paid his respects. On the 4th of the
same month I entered the city of Lahore auspiciously and happily. Alf
K. was promoted to the mansab of 2,000 and 1,500 horse. I gave [588]
an order to the chief Diwans to levy the pay of the force of servants
of the State who had been appointed for service at Qandahar out of
the jagirs of Khurram, which were in the Sarkar of Hisar, and in
the Du-ab and those regions. In the place of these he might take
possession of districts from the Subah of Malwa and the Deccan, and
Gujarat and Khandesh, wherever he wished. Presenting Afzal K. with a
dress of honour I gave him leave to go. An order was passed that the
Subahs of Gujarat, Malwa, the Deccan and Khandesh should be handed
over to him (Khurram), and he might take up a permanent residence
wherever he might wish, and employ himself in the administration
of those regions. He was to send quickly the sazawuls who had been
appointed to bring the servants of the State who had been summoned to
my presence on account of the disturbance at Qandahar. After that he
was to look after his own charge, and not depart from order: otherwise,
he would repent. On this day I gave the best tipchaq horse that was in
my private stable to `Abdu-llah K. On the 26th Haidar Beg and Wali Beg,
envoys of the ruler of Persia, had an audience. After performing the
ceremony of salutation they produced a letter from the Shah. My son
Khan Jahan, according to order, having come post from Multan, waited
on me. He presented as offerings 1,000 muhrs, 1,000 rupees, and 18
horses. Mahabat K. was promoted to the mansab of 6,000 personal and
5,000 horse. I gave an elephant to Mirza Rustam. Raja Sarang Deo was
appointed sazawul to Raja Bir Singh Deo. I told him to produce him at
Court as quickly as possible. On [589] the 7th of the Divine month of
Azar the ambassadors of Shah `Abbas, who had come at different times,
were presented with dresses of honour and their expenses, and given
leave to go. The letter he had sent by Haidar Beg making excuses in
the matter of Qandahar has been given in this record of good fortune
(Iqbal-nama) along with my reply.
Letter of the King of Persia.
(After compliments, and good wishes for that "brother dear as life"
the letter proceeds as follows):
"You will be aware that after the death of the Nawab Shah Jannat-makan
(Shah Tahmasp) great misfortunes befell Persia. Many territories
which belonged to our saintly family passed out of possession,
but when this suppliant at the throne of Grace became sovereign,
he, by God's help, and the excellent measures of friends, recovered
the hereditary lands which were in the possession of enemies. As
Qandahar was held by the agents of your lofty family, I regarded you
as myself, and did not make any objection. From feelings of unity and
brotherhood we waited, thinking that you would, after the manner of
your ancestors [590] who are in Paradise, voluntarily take the matter
into your consideration. When you neglected to do this, I repeatedly,
by writing and verbal messages, directly and indirectly, asked for the
disposal of the question, thinking that perhaps that petty country
(Qandahar) was not regarded as worthy of your notice. You said
several times that by making over the territory to our family, the
notions of enemies and censurers would be disposed of, and praters,
enviers, and fault-finders would be put to silence. A faction [591]
formerly delayed the settlement of this matter. As the truth of the
affair was known to friends and enemies, and as no clear answer,
either of refusal or concession, came from you, it occurred to me
that I would go to Qandahar to see it, and to hunt. In this way the
agents of my distinguished brother, in accordance with the ties of
friendship which exist between us, might welcome us and wait upon
us. By this means the relationship of union would be renewed, and
would be made evident to the world, and the tongues of the envious
and the evil-speaking be shortened. With this view, I set off without
apparatus for taking forts, and when I came to Farah I sent a rescript
to the governor of Qandahar, mentioning that I intended to see the
place and hunt there. I did this in order that he might treat me
as a guest. We also called the honourable Khwaja Baqi Kurkaraq,
and sent a message to the governor and the other officers in the
fort to the effect that there was no difference between Your Majesty
and ourselves, and that we were aware of each other's territories,
and that we were coming to see the country. Therefore they were not
to act in such a way as to give umbrage or to vex anyone. They did
not receive the conciliatory order and message in the proper way,
but showed obstinacy and a rebellious spirit. When I came to the fort
I again called the honourable aforesaid (K. Baqi), and sent him with
the message that I had directed my troops not to invest the fort till
the lapse of ten days. They did not receive the wholesome advice,
and were stubborn in their opposition. As there was nothing more to
be done, the Persian army set about taking the fort, though it was in
want of appliances, and soon levelled the walls and bastions with the
ground. The garrison became straitened, and asked for quarter. We,
too, maintained the ties of love which had existed from of old
between the two exalted dynasties, and the brotherly relation which
was formed between you and me when you were prince (Mirza), and which
was an object of envy to contemporary sovereigns, and from my innate
kindness forgave their errors and offences. Encompassing them with
favours, I sent them safe and sound to your Court along with Haidar Beg
Qurbashi, who is one of the sincere Sufis of this family. Of a truth,
the foundation of love and union, both inherited and acquired, on the
part of this seeker after affection, has not grown old or decayed,
and is strong so that no rupture in it can take place on account of
any things which may have transpired owing to the action of Fate.