Indian Antiquary Vol 51

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

Page 78

70
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ APRIL, 1922
This army of 10,000 horse marched from Bijâpar and came up with the army which had been sent to the assistance of the ruler of Bidar on the banks of the Beora. Here the amirs of Bijapur reviewed their united forces and found that they numbered nearly 30,000.
At this juncture spies brought the news that 8,000 Qutb Shahi horse, which were marching by way of Sirol and Serâm to the aid of the Nigam Shahi army, had entered Bijapur territory. The amirs of the 'Adil Shahi army considered the repulse of this force to be more urgent than any other operation, and decided to intercept and disperse this force before it could effect & junction with the Nigam Shahf army and then attack the latter. The Bijapur amirs then marched to meet the Qutb Shahi army, but before they could come up with them the news of their movement reached the latter, and the Qutb Shahi troops, overcome with terror, fled before they were face to face with the enemy. They were pursued for three stages by the 'Adil Shâhi troops and many of them were slain. The 'Adil Shâhi troops, having pursued them as far as the village of Tåndar, near Firuzábad, returned in triumph, their courage and confidence and their eagerness to meet the Nizam Shahi army, being much increased by the successful issue of their expedition against the Qutb Shahi army. LXXXIX-AN ACCOUNT OF THE DEI LAT WHICH, OWING TO THE NEGLIGENCE AND OVER
WEENING CONFIDENCE OF BIHZAD-UL-MULK, BEFEL THE NIXAM SHAH ARMY.
It has already been mentioned that the quarrel between Balábat Khan and Sayyid Murtaza had reached an acute stage and that each was constantly employed in endeavouring to overthrow the other. It was at this time that Salábat Khan, owing to his quarrel with Sayyid Murtard, took from him the command-in-chief with which he had been so long 24sociated that it was, as it were, & garment sewn upon his body, and bestowed it on Bihzad-ul-Mulk, who was both young and inexperienced, placing most of the great amits under his orders, seeking only his own interests and disregarding those of his master. In obedience to the royal farmáns, the amits of necessity submitted openly to Bih zâd-ul-Mulk, but rendered unwilling service and were exceedingly slack in the performance of their duties in the field. At length Şalábat Khan realized how disgraceful was the state of affairs 238 and repented of having appointed Bibzâd-ul-Mulk to the command. He now, therefore, appointed Sayyid Murtaza, who was then in Ahmadnagar, to the command of the army in the field, and Sayyid Murtazh, in obedience to the royal command, set out with his own personal troops from Abmadnagar towards the army in the field and at the same time sent messenger to the amirs of Berar, ordering them to assemble their forces and follow him.
When Sayyid Murtaza was within two stages of the army commanded by Bih zâd-ulMolk, he was informed by spies that the 'Adil Shebi army was marching to attack Bihzad ul-Mulk, who bad neglected the most ordirary precautions of warfare.920 The new commander-in-chief therefore sent a message to Bihmid-ul-mulk ordering him to march with the army and join him, legt the 'Adil ShAhf army should attack bim when he was unprepared. Bihzad-ul-Mulk retreated one stage but would retreat no further towards Sayyid Murtaga and halted and passed his time in sensual enjoyment and frivolity. His youthful pride prevented him from taking any precautions until & heavy defeat befell the royal army. This
238 The armies of Aḥmadnagar and Btj&pôr remained enos mped within five or six burda of one another for nearly month or, according to another account, " for some daya."-F. ii. 94, 980. • Firishta mys that Sayyid Martazd was camped at some distance from Bihadd-ul-Mulk, and that the amire of Bljâpår were encouraged to attack the latter by their knowledge that Sayyid Murtaza, owing to resentment at his supersension, would not be likely to rapport him.-F. ii, 280.