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SEPTEMBER, 1898.]
TUE SIEGE OF AHMADNAGAR.
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Mujàbid-ud-Din Shamshir Khân replied: "Ii you will look on, wait in this same place; hand over the command of this force to me, and leave me to fight the enemy : by the aid of the Lord of earth and heaven I will make a night attack on the enemy's army, and gain a victory which will throw into oblivion the story of the seven-sold slaughter. Ir, with the divine assistance victory be on the side of the nobles of this State, well and good! Otherwise we can scatter our forces, and like devoted servants, continually attacking the flanks of the enemy's army, we shall throw on the dust of destruction ench one whom we find. We can block up their lines of communication, till we reclucu that crowd to distress. Want of water and forage, like a pair of compasses, will describe a circle outside which none of the enemy's army will be able to set ioot. Perhaps by this stratagem the enemy, being reduced to straits, may return without acquiring a name and reputation."
Since Miyan Manju did not feel secure from Shamshir Khan ; on the pretence that the army would not unanimously consent to obey the latter, he rejected his advice; but in order to curry favour with Shamshir Khan he promoted him to the rank of Amir-ul-Umara and corumander of the forces in the province of Ahmadnagar ; he appointed him to keep the districts in subjection and protect the subjects till the dispersed army from the various quarters of the dominions should assemble under the shadow of his victorious standard, and obey his commands and prohibitions. He wrote a farmán concerning this, and adorned the person of that khán with the robe of honour of Amir-ulUmard and administrator of the country. The office of Kotwal of the fortress of Ahamadnagar he conferred on Anşar Khan, who was one of his friends and coadjutors, and charged him to repel some of the nobles and inhabitants of the country.
Then Ahmad Shah, on Friday, the 20th Rabi II., A. H. 1004 [13th December, A. D. 15957, with all the cash and odd valuables which were at hand in the treasury, and about three hundred unrivalled elephants, all the artillery, all the paraphernalia of sovereignty and pomp, and about 8,000 cavalry who had elected to join him, proceeded towards the district of Bhid.
A number of nobles, such as Afzal Khan (who was distinguished above all his compeers in the service of the kings of the Dakhan, and whose sincerity and good will had commended him to Her Highness Chînd Bibi, and who had enrolled himself among her followers) ; Maulana Shams-ud-Din Muhammad Lárt, ambassador of His Majesty Ibrahim Adil-Shah ; Maulana Hiji Isfahani, ambassador of His Majesty Muhammad Kuli Kutb-Shah ; Habib Khân, who at that period was promotel to the office of wazir ; Mubirr-uz-Zainan Razwi Mashadi, and a number of other foreigners, amongst whom was the writer of this history, drew the foot oi safety into the skirt of retirement from office, and being unwilling to join Mfyân Manjů, considered the service of the court preferable to the companion. ship of that synopsis of the lords of deviation,
Miyan Manjů being apprehensive at their remaining behind, sent a person to Şafdar Khan, governor of the city and Burhanabid in order that he should seize and bring to his camp the whole of the foreigners, whether they would or not, and the artillery and rocket apparatus belonging to the govornment; consequently he cause l Şafdar Khan, Habib Khin, Asad Khan and several of the foreigners to march nolens volens and brought them to the army of Miyan Manju; and a number of the grandees sitting in their houses shut the doors in the faces of the people and joined the army of Miyan Manju.
When Her Highness Chand Bibi obtained information of the flight of the mischief-makers of the country and inverters of the State, she used her utinost endeavours in arranging the affairs of religion and the State, and devoted her attention to putting in order the bases of sovereignty and discovering a remedy for the state of disorder which had found its way to the feet of the royal throne.
• Mirza Rafi -ud-Din Shirazi ways that Miyan Manju carried off Ahmad Shah to Bijapur, where the latter way well treated; being given a fine house to live.in and the revenue of ten villages assigned for his support, but in the month of Muharram, A. H. 1018 (March-April, A. D. 1509) having attempted to raise a rebellion, he was sent with his wife and family as a prisoner to the fort of Murtazi'abad.
