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JUNE, 1899.]
Sikandar Khan, whom on account of his valuable services and sincerity the Sulțân had entitled "Farzand" (son), arrived in camp with a large force, and had the honour of making his obeisance. The Sultan treated Sikandar Khân with much courtesy, and further exalted him by the dignity of the Ruby Umbrella, and raised him in rank above all the other amirs and kháns. The Sultan ordered him to proceed to Kutûr and lay waste the country of Kir Khân, also to make him prisoner and bring him before the throne. Sikandar Khân swore by the dust of the Sultan's footstep that he would not return till he brought that promise-breaking old man bound as a malefactor before the foot of the throne.
HISTORY OF THE BAHMANI DYNASTY.
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Sikandar Khan then marched from the Sultan's camp with a large force, and proceeded towards Kutur. News of his approach reached Kir Khân; and when the army arrived within a farsang of Kittûr, Sikandar Khan was informed that Kir Khan watching his opportunity had sallied out from the fort with a force of brave men skilled in fight, made his way to the army of Sikandar Khân and in one attack untied the knot of agglomeration of those who, Pleiades-like, were drawn up in a compact formation, causing them to become dispersed like the constellation of the Bear, and pursued them as they fled; but suddenly Sikandar Khân rushed out from a place of ambush and attacked Kir Khan's force. In the midst of this battle Fakhr Sha'ban with some cavalry attacked Kir Khân, and the latter turned to repulse him. Fakhr Sha'ban, in order to draw him on pretended to run away, and Kir Khân boldly hurried in pursuit; but in the meantime another party of Fakhr Sha'ban's friends having joined him they turned on their pursuers, and Kir Khan being unable to cope with them wished to pluck his foot from the net of misfortune and the grasp of fate by taking to flight, but Fakhr Sha'ban caught him, and grasping him by the hair dragged him along the ground. The troops of Kir Khân endeavoured to release him, but failed, and at last they took to flight, leaving their leader in the net of misfortune. Fakhr Sha'ban then bound Kir Khan and took him to Sikandar Khan. The latter was much pleased, and having written a report of the victory sent it by Fakhr Sha'bân to the court of the Sultân. Fakhr, in despach outstripping lightning and the wind, reached the camp of the Sultan on the second day, and informed him of the victory and the capture of Kir Khân. The Sultan was delighted to hear this good news, and Fakhr obtained many marks of royal favour, and the drum of rejoicing was beaten in the camp.
A week afterwards the Sultan marched with his army towards Kittûr and when he arrived on that frontier, Sikandar Khân heard of his approach, and in accordance with his oath, he dragged Kir Khân in chains to the foot of the royal throne. The Sultan loaded Sikandar Khân with distinctions, and ordered Kir Khân to be denuded of the dress of life (put to death); but Sikandar Khân represented, saying: "Since this old sinner is given to me, and your Majesty's camp is pitched at the foot of the fortress of Kittur, if the people of this vile one repent and yield obedience, show regret for their tyranny and injustice, pay the past revenue and agree to pay the future revenue, well and good, but if not it will be perfectly easy to put him to a shameful death." According to the petition of Sikandar Khân the Sultan refrained from putting Kir Khân to death, and the camp was pitched in sight of the fort of Kittûr.
In the midst of these affairs Kalah Muḥammad leaving Kailiâni went to the fort of Kittûr and fortified himself there: several times he boldly sallied from this fort and attacked the Sultan's army, throwing them into confusion, and when the royal troops tried to intercept them, they, like foxes in fear of the attack of lions, took refuge in a hole in the fortress. But one day Kalah Muhammad, his fortune having turned against him, according to his past custom, came out of the fort with some of his troops and attacked the Sultan's army; but the latter intercepted them, and in one attack the sedition of that unfortunate, insignificant one was suppressed, his followers dispersed, and he himself made prisoner. According to a certain historian his figure was also relieved from the load of his head.
In this campaign the Sulțân obtained two celebrated fortresses which reared their heads as high as heaven, namely, the forts of Kalliâni and Kittûr: in whatever direction he went he used to return victorious.
