The passing of the great star that illumines the world into the
constellation of Aries took place on the night of Saturday, the 14th
Zi-l-hijja, in Hijra 1017 (21st March, 1609), and New Year's Day that
made brilliant the world began with good auspices and rejoicing. On
Friday, the 5th Muharram, in the year 1018, Hakim `Ali died. He was
an unrivalled physician; he had derived much profit from Arabic
sciences. He had written a commentary on the Canon (of Avicenna)
in the time of my revered father. He had greater diligence than
understanding, just as his appearance was better than his disposition,
and his acquirements better than his talents; on the whole he was
bad-hearted, and of an evil spirit. On the 20th Safar I dignified
Mirza Barkhurdar with the title of Khan `Alam. They brought from the
neighbourhood of Fathpur a water-melon, greater than any I had ever
seen. I ordered them to weigh it, and it came to 33 seers. On Monday,
the 19th Rabi`u-l-awwal, the feast of my annual lunar weighing was
arranged in the palace of my revered mother; a part of the money was
divided among the women who had assembled there on that day.
As it had been evident that in order to carry on the affairs of
the State in the Subah of the Deccan it was necessary to send one
of the princes there, it came into my mind to send my son Parwiz
there. I ordered them to send his equipments and fix the hour for his
departure. I summoned to Court Mahabat Khan, who had been nominated
to the command of the army against the rebel Rana to arrange certain
matters at headquarters, and appointed in his place `Abdu-llah Khan,
whom I exalted with the title of Firuz-jang. I sent `Abdu-r-Razzaq
bakhshi to carry an order to all the mansabdars of that army not to
depart from the orders of the aforesaid Khan, and to pay every heed to
his thanks and blame. On the 4th Jumada-l-awwal one of the goatherds,
who are a particular tribe, brought before me a gelded goat that
had teats like a female, and gave every day sufficient milk to take
with a cup of coffee. [288] As milk is one of the favours of Allah,
and the source which nourishes many animals, I looked on this strange
affair as an omen for good. On the 6th of the same month, having given
him the rank of 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse, I sent Khurram, son
of Khan A`zam, to the government of the province of Sorath, which is
known as Junagadh (in Kathiyawad). I honoured [289] Hakim Sadra with
the title of Masihu-z-zaman, and gave him the rank of 500 personal
and 30 horse. On the 16th a jewelled waist-sword was sent to Raja
Man Singh. On the 22nd, having handed over 2,000,000 rupees for the
expenses of the army of the Deccan, which had been ordered for Parwiz,
to a separate treasurer, 500,000 rupees more were given for the private
expenses of Parwiz. On the 25th, Wednesday, Jahandar (his son), who
previously to this had been appointed, together with Qutbu-d-din Khan
Koka, to Bengal, came and waited on me. In reality it became known to
me that he was a born devotee. [290] As my mind was taken up with the
preparations for the Deccan, on the 1st Jumada-l-akhir I nominated the
Amiru-l-umara as well to that duty. He was honoured with the favour
of a robe of honour and a horse. Having promoted Karam Chand, son of
Jagannath, to the rank of 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse, I sent him
in company with Parwiz. On the 4th of the month 370 ahadi horse were
appointed with `Abdu-llah Khan to the assistance of the army employed
against the Rana. One hundred horses were also despatched from the
government stables to be given as he thought proper to the mansabdars
and ahadis. On the 17th I gave a ruby of the value of 60,000 rupees
to Parwiz, and another ruby with two single pearls, worth about 40,000
rupees, to Khurram. On Monday, the 28th, Jagannath was promoted to the
rank of 5,000 personal and 3,000 horse, and on the 8th of Rajab, Ray
Jay Singh was promoted to that of 4,000 personal and 3,000 horse, and
was dismissed for service in the Deccan. On Thursday, the 9th, Prince
Shahriyar from Gujarat came and waited on me. On Tuesday, the 4th,
I despatched my son Parwiz on the service of conquering the country of
the Deccan. He was presented with a robe of honour, a special horse, a
special elephant, a sword, and a jewelled dagger. The Sardars and Amirs
who were appointed with him each according to his condition received
and were made happy with the favour of a horse, a robe of honour, an
elephant, a sword, and a jewelled dagger. I appointed 1,000 ahadis to
be in attendance on Parwiz for the service of the Deccan. On the same
day a representation came from `Abdu-llah Khan that having pursued the
rebel Rana into the hill country into rough places, he had captured
several of his elephants and horses. When night came on he had escaped
with difficulty with his life. As he had made things go hard with him,
he would soon be taken prisoner or killed. I promoted the said Khan
to the rank of 5,000 personal, and a rosary of pearls, worth 10,000
rupees, was given to Parwiz. As I had given the province of Khandesh
and Berar to the said son, I also conferred on him the fort of Asir,
and 300 horse were sent with him to be given to ahadis, mansabdars,
and whomever else he might consider worthy of favour. On the 26th,
Saif Khan Barha was given the rank of 2,500 personal and 1,350 horse,
and appointed to the faujdarship of the Sarkar of Hisar. On Monday,
the 4th Sha`ban, an elephant was given to Wazir Khan. On Friday,
the 22nd, I gave an order that as bang and buza (rice spirit)
were injurious, they should not be sold in the bazars and that
gambling should be abolished, and on this subject I issued stringent
orders. On the 25th they brought a tiger from my private menagerie
to fight with a bull. Many people gathered together to see the show,
and a band of Jogis (religious mendicants) with them. One of the
Jogis was naked, and the tiger, by way of sport, and not with the
idea of rage, turned towards him. It threw him on the ground and
began to behave to him as it would to its own female. The next day
and on several occasions the same thing took place. As no such thing
had ever been seen before and was exceedingly strange, this has been
recorded. [291] On the 2nd of the month of Ramazan, at the request
of Islam Khan, Ghiyas [292] Khan was promoted to the rank of 1,500
personal and 800 horse. Faridun Khan Barlas was promoted to the rank
of 2,500 with 2,000 horse. One thousand tolcha of gold and silver
and 1,000 rupees were given in alms on the day of the procession of
the sun into the constellation of the Scorpion, which, according to
the general acceptation of the Hindoos, is called the Sankrant. On
the 10th of that month an elephant was presented to Shah Beg Yuzi
[293] (? the panther-keeper), and Salamu-llah, the Arab, who is a
distinguished young man and a relative (son-in-law?) of Mubarak, the
ruler of Darful. [294] On account of some suspicion that Shah `Abbas
had entertained against him, he came to wait upon me. I patronised
him, and gave him the rank of 400 personal and 200 horse. Again,
another force, containing 193 mansabdars and 46 ahadis, I sent after
Parwiz for service in the Deccan. Fifty horses were also entrusted
to one of the servants of the Court to convoy to Parwiz.
On Friday, the 13th, a certain idea came into my mind, and this rhymed
ghazal was produced:--
"What shall I do, for the arrow of loss of thee has pierced my liver!
So that the (evil) eye not reaching me again may reach another?
Thou movest as if frenzied, and the world is frenzied for thee.
I burn rue lest thy eye should reach me.
I am frenzied at union with my friend, and in despair at her absence.
Alas for the grief that has o'erwhelmed me!
I've grown mad that I may rush on the pathway of meeting:
Woe for the time that brought me the news!
Jahangir, the time for humility and prayer is every morning, [295]
I hope that some spark of light may take effect."
On Sunday, the 15th, I sent 50,000 rupees as sachaq to the house
of the daughter of Muzaffar Husain Mirza, son of Sultan Husain
Mirza, son of Bahram Mirza, son of Shah Isma`il Safawi, who had
been demanded in marriage for my son Khurram. On the 17th of the
month Mubarak Khan Sarwani was honoured with the rank of 1,000
personal and 300 horse. Five thousand rupees were also given to
him, and 4,000 rupees to Haji Bi Uzbeg. On the 22nd a ruby and a
pearl were given to Shahriyar. One hundred thousand rupees were
given for the subsistence of the Uymaqs (special cavalry) who
had been appointed for service in the Deccan. Two thousand rupees
were given to Farrukh Beg, the painter, who is unrivalled in the
age. Four thousand rupees were sent for expenditure on Baba Hasan
Abdal. One thousand rupees were handed to Mulla `Ali Ahmad Muhrkan
(engraver) and Mulla Ruzbihan Shirazi to expend on the anniversary
festival of Hazrat Shaikh Salim at his mausoleum. An elephant was
given to Muhammad Husain, the writer, and 1,000 rupees to Khwaja
`Abdu-l-Haqq Ansari. I gave orders to the Diwans that having
raised the rank of Murtaza Khan to 5,000 personal and horse
they should give him a jagir. I ordered Bihari Chand Qanungu,
of the Sarkar of Agra, to take 1,000 footmen and equipment from
the Zamindars of Agra, and, fixing their monthly pay, to send
them to Parwiz in the Deccan, and 500,000 rupees more were fixed
for the expenses of Parwiz. On Thursday, the 4th Shawwal, Islam
Khan was promoted to the rank of 5,000 personal and 5,000 horse,
Abu-l-wali Beg Uzbeg to that of 1,500 and Zafar Khan to that of
2,500. Two thousand rupees were given to Badi`u-z-zaman, son
of Mirza Shahrukh, and 1,000 rupees to Pathan Misr. I ordered
that drums should be given to all of them as their rank had
been raised to 3,000 and higher. Five thousand rupees more of
the money from my weighing were entrusted for the construction
of a bridge at Baba Hasan Abdal and the building that is there
to Abu-l-wafa, son of Hakim Abu-l-fath, in order that he might
exert himself and put the bridge and the aforesaid building in
perfect order. On Saturday, the 13th, when four gharis of day
were left, the moon began to be eclipsed. By degrees the whole
of its body was obscured, and it continued till five gharis of
night had passed. In order to avert the bad omen of this I had
myself weighed against gold, silver, cloth, and grain, and gave
away in alms all kinds of animals, such as elephants, horses,
etc., the cost of all of which was 15,000 rupees. I ordered them
to be distributed among the deserving and the poor. On the 25th,
at the request of her father, I took the daughter of Ram Chand
Bandilab into my service (i.e. married her). I gave an elephant
to Mir Fazil, nephew of Mir Sharif, who had been appointed to
the faujdarship of Qabulah and those regions `Inayat-ullah was
dignified with the title of `Inayat Khan. On Wednesday, the 1st
Zi-l-qa`da, Bihari Chand was granted the rank of 500 personal and
300 horse. A khapwa (dagger), adorned with jewels was given to my
son Baba Khurram. Mulla Hayati, by whom I had sent a message to
the Khankhanan, with a verbal message containing (expressions of)
all kinds of condescension and affection, came and brought before
me a ruby and two pearls of the value of about 20,000 rupees,
which the Khankhanan had sent by him. Mir Jamalu-d-din Husain,
who was in Burhanpur and whom I had sent for, came and waited on
me. I presented Shaja`at Khan Dakhani with 2,000 rupees. On the
6th of the aforesaid month, before Parwiz arrived at Burhanpur, a
petition came from the Khankhanan and the Amirs that the Dakhanis
had assembled together and were making disturbances. When I
discovered that, notwithstanding the nomination of Parwiz and
the army that had proceeded with him and been appointed to his
service, they were still in need of support and assistance, it
occurred to me that I should go myself, and by Allah's favour
satisfy myself with regard to that affair. In the meanwhile a
petition came also from Asaf Khan that my coming there would be
for the advantage of the daily-increasing State. A petition from
`Adil Khan, from Bijapur, also came, that if one of the trusted
ones of the Court could be appointed there to whom he could tell
his desires and claims, so that the envoy might convey them to me,
he hoped that it might become the means of affording profit to
these slaves (i.e. himself). On this account I consulted with the
Amirs and loyal men, and told them to represent whatever entered
into anyone's mind. My son Khan Jahan represented that inasmuch as
so many Amirs had been despatched for the conquest of the Deccan,
it was not necessary for me to go in person. If he were ordered,
he himself would go and attend on the prince and would, please God,
perform this duty while serving him. Those words were approved of by
all those who were loyal. I had never contemplated separation from
him, but as the affair was an important one I necessarily gave him
permission, and ordered that as soon as matters had been arranged he
should return without delay, and should not remain more than a year
in those regions. On Tuesday, the 17th Zi-l-qa`da, he was free to
go. I presented him with a special gold-embroidered robe of honour,
a special horse with a jewelled saddle, a jewelled sword, and a special
elephant I also gave him a yak-tail standard (tuman tugh). I appointed
Fida; Khan, who was one of my faithful servants, and to whom I gave
a robe of honour and a horse and his expenses, promoting him to the
rank of 1,000 personal and 400 horse, original and extra, to go with
Khan Jahan, in order that if it were necessary to send anyone to `Adil
Khan according to his request, he might despatch him. Lanku Pandit,
who in the time of the late king Akbar had come with offerings from
`Adil Khan, I also gave leave to go with Khan Jahan, bestowing on
him a horse, a robe of honour, and money. Of the Amirs and soldiers
who had been appointed with `Abdu-llah Khan to the duty of beating
back the Rana, men such as Raja Bir Singh Deo, Shaja`at Khan, Raja
Bikramajit, and others, with 4,000 or 5,000 horse, were nominated to
support Khan Jahan. I sent Mu`tamad Khan with the announcement that I
had made him a sazawal (i.e. one who urges on others), and that he was
to act along with Khan Jahan in Ujjain. Out of the men of the palace,
I sent 6,000 or 7,000 horse with him, such as Saif Khan Barha, Haji
Bi Uzbeg, Salamu-llah `Arab, brother's son of Mubarak `Arab, who had
in his possession the province of Jutra(?) [296] and Darful(?) and
that neighbourhood, and other mansabdars and courtiers. At the time
of giving them leave I gave each one an increase of rank and robe of
honour and money for their expenses. Making Muhammad Beg paymaster
of the army, I provided him with 1,000,000 rupees to take with him. I
sent to Parwiz a special horse, and to the Khankhanan and other Amirs
and officers who were appointed to that Subah dresses of honour.
After carrying out these matters I left the city for the purpose of
hunting. One thousand rupees were given to Mir `Ali Akbar. As the
Rabi` Fasl (Spring season) had arrived, for fear any damage should
happen to the cultivation of the ryots from the passage of the army,
and notwithstanding that I had appointed a qurisawul [297] (Erskine has
Kor, the Yasawal) (probably a kind of provost marshal) with the band of
ahadis for the purpose of guarding the fields, I ordered certain men
to see what damage had been done to the crops from stage to stage and
pay compensation to the ryots. I gave 10,000 rupees to the daughter of
the Khankhanan, the wife of Daniyal, 1,000 rupees to `Abdu-r-Rahim Khar
(i.e. ass) for expenses, and 1,000 to Qacha the Dakhani. On the 12th,
Khanjar Khan, brother of `Abdu-llah Khan, received the rank of 1,000
personal and 500 horse original and extra, and Bahadur Khan, another
brother, that of 600 personal and 300 horse. On this day two antelopes
with horns and one doe were taken. On the 13th I bestowed on and sent
to Khan Jahan a special horse. Having promoted Badi`u-z-zaman, son of
Mirza Shahrukh, to the rank of 1,000 and 500 horse, I gave him 5,000
rupees for expenses, and he was sent off with Khan Jahan for service
in the Deccan. On this day two male and three female antelope were
killed. On Wednesday, the 10th, I killed a female nilgaw and a black
antelope with a gun, and on the 15th a female nilgaw and a chikara
(gazelle). On the 17th of the month two rubies and a pearl were brought
to me by Jahangir Quli Khan from Gujarat, as well as a jewelled opium
box, which Muqarrab Khan had sent from the port of Cambay. On the
20th I killed with a gun a tigress and a nilgaw. There were two cubs
with the tigress, but they disappeared from view in consequence of
the thickness of the jungle and the number of trees. An order was
given that they should search for and bring them. When I reached
the halting-place my son Khurram brought me one of the cubs, and the
next day Mahabat Khan caught the other and brought it. On the 22nd,
when I had got within shot of a nilgaw, suddenly a groom (jilaudar)
and two kahar (bearers) appeared, and the nilgaw escaped. In a great
rage I ordered them to kill the groom on the spot, and to hamstring
[298] the kahars and mount them on asses and parade them through
the camp, so that no one should again have the boldness to do such a
thing. After this I mounted a horse and continued hunting with hawks
and falcons, and came to the halting-place.
Next day, under the guidance of Iskandar Mu`in, I shot a large nilgaw,
and promoted him to the rank of 600 personal and 500 horse. On Friday,
the 24th, Safdar Khan, who had come from the Subah of Behar, had the
good fortune to perform his obeisance to me. He presented as offerings
a hundred muhrs, a sword, and five female and one male elephant. The
male elephant was accepted. On the same day Yadgar Khwaja of Samarkand
came from Balkh and paid his respects. He made offerings of an album,
some horses, and other presents, and was dignified with a robe of
honour. On Wednesday, 6th Zi-l-hijja, Mu`izzu-l-mulk, who had been
removed from the paymastership of the army against the rebel Rana,
ill and miserable, waited on me. On the 14th of the said month,
having pardoned all the faults of `Abdu-r-Rahim Khar, [299] I promoted
him to the rank of yuzbashi (centurion) and 20 horse, and ordered
him to go to Kashmir and in company with the bakhshi of that place
hold a muster of the troops of Qilij Khan and all the jagirdars and
Uymaks in the service or not, and to bring the list. Kishwar Khan,
son of Qutbu-d-din Khan, came from the fort of Rohtas and had the
good fortune to pay his respects to me.