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OCTOBER, 1922)
HISTORY OF THE NIZAM SHAH KINGS OF AHMADNAGAR
201
for the army to march to Bijâpâr and besiege that city. The armies therefore marched from before Naldrug and encamped on the Beora where they remained for nearly twenty days. Here Muhammad Quli Qutb Shâh grew weary of campaigning and, prompted by some of the older officers of the army sent to the amir-ul-umard to say that he was tired of the field.
The amir-ul-umard, with the example of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah before him, was also weary of the long campaign and the two agreed to return. Of the Nizam Shahi army Sayyid Mîrza Yådgår, Shir Khân, and other anirs and of the Qutb Shahi army Sayyid Mîr Zainal and other officers, with the troops under their command, were left to guard the frontier of the territory which had been taken from Bijâpûr, and in the middle of Muharram, A.1. 991 (Feb. A.D. 1583) the two armies separated, each marching towards its own country.
When Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah arrived in Goloonda he took his ease and married the daughter of Sayyid Shah Mir, who had been betrothed to his elder brother, giving & great feast and shewing boundless hospitality to all comers.
The amir-ul-umard, owing to the quarrel which he had with Şalábat Khân, would not return to court, but marched straight to Berar.
The amirs of the 'Adil Shâhî army, on hearing of the departure of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shâh and of the Nizam Shahi amirs, collected their forces for the purpose of reconquering those districts which had been annexed by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah. Mîr Zainal then sent'a messenger to Golconda to represent to the king how great was the force which was advancing against him and how small was his own force. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah sent to support Mir Zainal a picked force which marched to join him with all speed.
Meanwhile some of Mir Shah Mir's enemies at Golconda, taking advantage of this opportunity to injure him, produced a forged letter, purporting to have been written by him to the 'Adil Shâhî amirs, instigating them to fight with determination and promising them the support of the Foreigners of Golconda, and showed it to the king. This device did not fail of success and Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, on seeing the letter, was at once estranged from Mir Shâh Mir, the principal pillar of his kingdom, and ordered his immediate arrest with. out any enquiry into the rights and wrongs of the matter. This action led to the greatest confusion in his kingdom and especially in the army, which was so disorganized by it that most of the elephants and cavalry horses of the army in the field were captured by the 'Adil Shâhî amirs.
When the news of Shâh Mir's arrest became known to the army the Foreigners who were the flower of the Qutb Shâhî troops, became utterly disorganized and lost heart altogether, so that the 'Adil Shahi army, on hearing of their condition, were greatly enoouraged and attacked the Qutb Shâhî army with great valour. As most of the bravest of the Qutb Shahi army were foreigners who were utterly confounded by Shâh Mîr's arrest, they made no effort to repulse the enemy, and, when the forces met, fled without striking a blow. The 'Adil Shahi army thus utterly defeated the Qutb Shahi army and, slaying large numbers of them, dispersed them, capturing most of the elephants and baggage. They took 216 elephants, and from this statement the amount of the rest of the plunder can be estimated.
The whole of the Qutb Shaht army having thus taken to flight with no regard either for honour or for shame, Mirza Yadgâr and the other Nizam Shahi amira, in spite of their utmost efferts, could do nothing and were compelled to foo.
