Indian Antiquary Vol 51

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

Page 41

PEBRUARY, 1922]
HISTORY OF THE NIZAM SHAH KINGS OF AHMADNAGAR.
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all bounds, and in the extremity of his folly, ignorance, pride, and arrogance aimed at royal power, and had gone forth into the land oppressing the people and raising strife everywhere until the people, the army, the amirs and the officers of state could endure his tyranny no longer and had left their land and hereditary homes in a body, while tumults arose everywhere and on all sides. They said that unless the king took the field in person against this rebel he might soon become so strong that it would not be possible to overthrow him. They so plied the king with arguments of this nature that orders were at length issued to the effect that Sayyid Murtaza and the amirs of Berar should march against şahib Khân, and either bring him to Ahmadnagar or drive him forth of the kingdom, and thus free the people from his tyranny.
Sayyid Murtazâ, who had for years been anxious for permission to act thus, seized his opportunity and sent Jamshid Khân, Khudavand Khân, and Bahri Khan with other officers and a body of troops as an advanced guard to act against gâhib Khan, while he followed them. These amírs, marching with the rapidity of the wind, came up with Şahib Khan at the village of Ranjani.
Sahib Khân was quite ready to fight and began to prepare for battle, but the amirs sent a message to him to say that they had come not to fight, but to pay their respects to him. The fool believed them and hastened forth to meet his death. When the amirs met that prince of evil-doers they at once slew him and quenched the fire of strife and tyranny with the water of the sword, freeing the people of the country and of the towns from his oppression.226
When the news of Şahib Khân's death was brought to the king he was much grieved and vexed, and conceived a hatred for all the amírs and officers of state. He withdrew entirely from all public business and formed the intention of abdicating and of retiring entirely from the world. He frequently told his more intimate courtiers that he devoutly and sincerely wished to repair what was past and to atone for his past errors, to which end he proposed to retire altogether from the world and to devote the rest of his life to an attempt to secure eternal happiness. He said that he had a desire to travel and to make pilgrimage to Makkah, Madinah, and to other holy places, to spend the rest of his life in acquiring merit for the world to come, and after life's worldly disputes to attend to his own welfare. He said that he knew that the affairs of the state could not go on without a just ruler, that in this matter reference should be made to the Sayyids, who were the true rulers of men, and that they should select one of them, who should seem to be most fitted for the office, to manage the affairs of the state in order that he himself might abdicate. The courtiers would not assent to the king's proposal, and said that they were unable to find anybody who would be equal to this great task. But the king had become weary of his crown and, with a few of his confidants, passed over secretly, in the guise of a darvish, into Humayunpar. When the amirs, the officere of state, and the officers of the army became aware of the king's
336 According to Firishta, sahib Khan sent to Bahri Khan, the Qizilbåsh in Ranjant, demanding his daughter in marriage and Bahri Khan replied that it was not fitting that a fowl-seller should mate with tho sisters and daughters of amira. Sahib Khån marched on Ranjant, and Bahri Khan, who had not sufficient force to oppose him, fled to JAlna, where he joined Jamshid Khan Shirazi, Meanwhilo Sayyid Murta A Sabzavari, in obedience to the royal command, sent Khudavand Khan and other amers to Sahib Khan to advise him to return at once to Ahmadnagar, but secretly instructed Khudavand Khân to kill şahib Khan if he could. The mission was joined at Jalna by Jamahid Khan and Bahri Khan and then went on to Sahib Khan's camp, where they sarcastically begged that they might be admitted to the honour of an interviow. Şahib Khan, who was drinking wine and apparently intended to receive them with scant respeot, failed to perceive the sarcasm and gave orders for their admission. On perceiving that they were armod, he rose to receive them with proper ceremony. Khudavand Khan, while embracing hino, criod out that gåhib Khan was trying to crush him, and suddenly putting forth his strength crushed gahib Khan's ribs, throw him to the ground, and finished him with his dagger. Sahib Khan's force then dispersed. Sayyid Murtaz reported to the king that he had obeyed his commands with regard to sahib Khan, but that when his messengers had reached his camp şahib Khan had foolishly attacked them, and had lost his life in consequence. The king was much grioved by his favourite's death, but the satisfaction was so general that he could not venture to take any steps in the matter. F ii, 278.