Indian Antiquary Vol 49

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

Page 93

MAY, 1920]
HISTORY OF THE NIZAM SHAHI KINGS OF AHMADNAGAR
and his followers more numerous every day, while their own army was enfeebled and disheartened. It was decided that the best plan would be to send against the prince a large army of experienced veterans under the command of a cautious but active officer, and that this force should be sent against him before he grew too powerful to be meddled with. Accordingly, most of the amirs and officers who were at the royal court, with eighteen amirs who chose to serve against the prince, were appointed to the army which was to act against the prince. Some say that the first of Sultan Mahmûd's amirs to take the field against the prince, was Majlis-i-Rafi 'Yusuf 'Adil Khân, 28 and that a great battle was fought between him and the prince, but in all these wars the prince was victorious. Sultan Mahmûd then appointed the eighteen ministers who were always in attendance on him to the army acting against the prince, and 'Ali Tâlish Dihî came from the fort of Châkan to the assistance of the amirs. The royal army encamped near Wargaon, and the prince's army was in Wargaon. Sultan Mahmûd's amirs then sent on several of the principal officers of the army with the advanced guard against the prince, and the prince sent Rûmî Khân and Châlâk Khân to repulse them. These officers overcame the advanced guard of the royal army, slew many, and captured three elephants, which were presented to the prince. The next day the prince marched from Wargaon and encamped at Kapar, where his spies reported to him that the royal army was drinking morning and evening, and in their pride took no account of the prince's army. The prince accordingly marched at midnight with his army to attack the amirs, and with 'Ali Tâlish Dihi fell upon them before morning broke. The amirs were captured and stripped to the waist and were then ridden on buffaloes through the prince's army. After that they were let go. The prince highly honoured 'Ali Tâlish Dihi, and again conferred on him the command of the fortress of Châkan. After a while the prince asked for that fool's daughter in marriage, and 'Ali Tâlish attempted to put him off with excuses. The prince then led an army against Châkan, captured it, put 'Alî Tâlish Dihi and his principal officers to death but laid no hands on his daughter, who was in the fort, for 'Ali Tâlish Dihî when the prince asked her in marriage, had uttered words which changed his inclination to dislike. The prince then levelled the fortress of Châkan to the ground. But God alone knows the truth of the matter.29
89
VIII. AN ACCOUNT OF THE SECOND EXPEDITION OF THE PRINCE'S ENEMIES
AGAINST HIM.
The amirs who elected to fight against the prince (Ahmad), left the capital of Bidar with a large army and marched to the foot of the Meri Ghât. When spies brought the information that they had with them a very large army, the prince, although bis views in all contingencies were such that they always proved in the end to be in conformity with what had been decreed by God, summoned Masnad-i-'Ali Malik Naşîr-ul-Mulk Gujarati and the officers of his army, and took counsel with them. Some, noted for their bravery,
28 This is a mistake. Yûsuf 'Adil Khan did not take the field against Ahmad on this occasion. "Agamat-ul-Mulk the minister commanded the first force sent against him from Bidar after the defeat of Shaikh Mu'addi, but the account here given by Sayyid 'Alf seems to be a confused medley of the records of two or more expeditions.
This account, given as an alternative to what has gone before, is incorrect. Zain-ud-din 'Ali did not change sides as described, and he had already been slain. Ahmad certainly did not level the fort of Chakan with the ground, for portions of a structure anterior to the date of the capture of the fort by Aḥmad are still standing.