Indian Antiquary Vol 49

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 91

May, 1920)
HISTORY OF THE NIZAM SHAHI KINGS OF AHMADNAGAR
velour of the fool, believing that a lamp could remain alight in the storm-wind, and that a crafty fox would prevail against the teeth and claws of a raging tiger. 21
When the contemptible and impertinent Shaikh undertook the expedition against the prince, he was given the command of 1,200 fierce Arab lancers, who were his own troops, and, taking the road to prison, encamped at Parner. The prince was informed by his spies, of the designs of his enemies, and of the appointment of Nadir-uz-Zaman with his Arabs as an expeditionary force. He assembled his forces, and, opening the doors of his treasurles, distributed both to his foot, and to his horse, liberal largesse, gold, horses, and arms, and soon had such an army as would have astonished the god of war. The army having assembled, the prince marched from Junnar to Nakot, so that a distance of not more than four leagues intervened between his army and that of the enemy.
VII.-AN ACCOUNT OF THE PRINCE'S EXPEDITION AGAINST ALI-TÂLISH DIHI, AND
OF THAT ILL-DOER'S REWARD FOR HIS ERRORS. In the midst of these affairs the prince's informers reported that 'Ali Talish Dihi, 13 who was the governor of the fort of Chåkan 24 and its dependencies, and of whose enmity to the prince some mention has already been made, had taken advantage of the prince's being occupied with his enemies, to assemble his troops, and was impudently marching to the support of Shaikh Mu'addi. The prince determined to march first against 'Ali Talish and crush him before he could join Shaikh Mu'addi, and it so happened that the arrow of his design hit its mark, and that his well-conceived plan led to the complete defeat of both armies.
The prince sent for Masnad-i- Ali Malik Nagir-ul-Mulk Gujarati, 25 who was at that time valil and pishvd, and took counsel with him. Masnad-i-Al highly approved of the prince's plan, and it was decided that Napir-ul-Mulk Masnad-i-Art should remain where he was, with the main body of the army, and that the prince should take a picked body of men by forced marches against Zain-ud-din 'Ali TAlish, should fall upon him, crush his army, and put him to death before he could effect a junction with Shaikh Mu'addi, and should then return to the main body of his army and deal with the Shaikh. The Prince, having chosen the force which was to accompany him, impressed upon Masnad-i-'Âli the necessity
31 It was at the instigation of Qasim Barid, who had succeeded Malik Naib as maire du palais, that this expedition was sent against Ahmad. Qasim first tried to enlist the aid of Yasuf 'Adil Khân of Btj&pår, who had been the bitter enemy of Malik Naib, but it was the system rather than its representative that your opposed and he transferred to Qasim all the ill-will be had formerly bome to Malik Nåib. He not only refused to act against Ahmad but sent him a message of condolence on the death of his father, oncouraged him to resist Qasim and withdrew force of 10,000 horse which he had sent to Indapar to support Zain-ud-din AL TAligh, governor of Chakan, who resisted Ahmad's authority. It was on the failure of the negotiations with You that QAgim dispatched the expedition under Shaikh My'addi, whose title is given by Firishta as Bahadur-uz-Zaman. (F. ii, 182.)
2 About 23 miles west by south of Ahmadnagar.
33 Called by Firishta, Zain-ud-din "Au Talish and mentioned on pago 6 sa 'All Balish Dihi. Talish is a distriot on the south-western coast of the Caspian.
Situated in 18° 46' N. and 73° 32 E.
> According to Firishta, Aḥmad had appointed Zarif al-Mulk the Afghan his amir-ul-umard and Naper-ul-Malk Gujarati his amer-ijumia. The appointment of officers with these titles wing tantamount to a declaration of independence.