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JULY, 1921)
HISTORY OF THE NIZAM SHAHI KINGS OF AHMADNAGAR
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THE HISTORY OF THE NIZAM SHAH KINGS OF AĦMADNAGAR. BY LIEUT.-COLONEL T. W. HAIG, C.8.I., C.M.G., C.B.E.
(Continued from p. 186. ) LXXIJI-AN ACCOUNT OF THE ALLIANCE BETWEEN IBRÎHÎM QUTB SHAH AND MURTASI NIZAM SHAH AND OF ITS BUPTURE OWING TO THE MACHINATIONS OF MISLED
FOMENTERS OF STRIFE. When Ibrahim Qutb Shah heard of the rupture which had occurred between Murtaza Nigam Shah and 'Ali `Adil Shah in the course of their expedition against Tufal Khan, he sent an envoy to Ahmadnagar for the purpose of settling the terms of an alliance between Abmadnagar and Golconda. The envoy disclosed some of the duplicity of 'Ali `Adil Shah and conveyed expressions, which were supported by the strongest oaths and assurances, of Ibrahim Qutb Shâh's friendship. The letter which he brought urged Murtaza Nizam Shah to march from his capital against 'Ali Adil Shah, saying that the fortress of Bijapûr was in a ruinous state and that 'Ali `Adil Shâh was devoting all his time and attention to rebuilding it. Ibrahim Qutb Shah promised that if Murtaza Nizam Shah would march against Bijâpûr, he, the son of Eltamrâj, ruler of Vijayanagar, and Tufal Khân of Berar would join him and would unite with him in besieging Bijâpôr. Khânzah Humâyên, being disgusted with the duplicity and bad faith of 'Ali 'Adil Shah, agreed to the proposals of Ibrâhîm Qutb Shah and at once marched from Ahmadnagar, without halting by the way, to the banks of the Krishna, which was the meeting place agreed upon. Here both Ibrâhîm Qutb Shâh and the son of Eltamraj joined the army of Ahmadnagar, and were honoured by being permitted to pay their duty to Murta & Nizam Shah.165
When 'Ali `Adil Shâh became aware of the great strength of the army of Ahmadnagar and of its having been joined by Ibråhim Qutb Shah and the son of Eltamráj, he realized that he could not withstand it in the field and therefore set himself by fraud and artifice to cause dissension between the allies. By means of his guile he succeeded in detaching Ibrahim Qutb Shâh from Ahmadnagar and in attaching him to himself, thus inducing him to break his treaty with Murtaza Nizâm Shâh.
Ibrâhîm Qutb Shah, being thus beguiled by Ali 'Adil Shah, deserted the camp of the allies at midnight and marched on Goloonda, and on the following morning, at daybreak, the news was brought to Murtaza Nizâm Shah ; and Khûnzah Humayun, having taken counsel of the officers of state, resolved to retreat to Ahmadnagar. News was now received that İbrâhîm Qutb Shâh had aggravated his perfidy by attacking and plundering a convoy whicb was on its way to the royal army. This news confirmed Khânzah Humâyûn in her resolution of retreating, and the army of Ahmadnagar retreated from its encampment to the dir. tance of one day's march on its homeward journey, and halted. That night the enemy's infantry attacked the camp in great numbers and there was great bloodshed until the breaking of the day. When the day broke, the king ordered that fortifications should be thrown up around the camp and should be garrisoned by infantry, artillery, and archers, in order that strangers might have no access to the camp, nor egress therefrom. These orders wers carried out and the enemy who attacked the camp were seized and put to death. In the same
165 The alliance between Aḥmadnagar and Golconds and the expedition to Bijapur, here des. cribed, are not recorded in their proper place. It was in A.977 (A.D. 1569-70), after Murtaza had imprisoned his mother, Khanzah Humayun, and when he was marching against Kishvar Khan of Bijapur, who had occupied Kach, near Bir, and had built the fort of Darur, that Murta; A sought aid of Ibrahim Qutb ShAh. It is impossible to fit in Bayyid 'Ali's account with the events which bappened at this time. -F. ii. 78, 79, 258, 336.
