Ibrâhim Sâru had with him a cross-bow man, who shot astonishingly well, I never met with his equal, he wounded a great many of my people. After the surrender of the castle, he entered into my service. As the siege drew out to some length, orders were given to construct, in two or three places, the works called Sir-kob,1 to run mines, and to use every exertion to get ready whatever machines or works were wanted for pushing on the siege. The siege lasted forty days; but, at last, Ibrâhim Sâru, being reduced to the last extremity, and taken. made his offers of unlimited submission through the medium of Khwâjeh Moulana Kazi; and, in the month of Shawal, having come out and presented himself before me with a scymitar suspended from his neck, delivered up the fort. June, Baber recovers Kho jend; and visits Sultan Mahmûd Khan. Khojend had, for a long period, belonged to Omar-Sheikh Mirza, but, during the wars at the close of his reign, it had been occupied by Sultan Ahmed Mirza. As I had advanced so near it, I determined, situated as matters were, to proceed against it. Abdal Wahâb Shaghâwal, the father of Mîr Moghul, commanded in the place; and, immediately on my approach, without making any difficulty, surrendered the fortress. At this period, Sultan Mahmûd Khan happened to be in Shahrokhîa. Some time before, when Sultan Ahmed Mirza advanced into the territory of Andejân, the Khan, on his side, laid siege to Akhsi, as has been mentioned. It occurred to me, that, as we were now so near, and as he stood in the relation of a father and elder brother to me,3 I ought to go and pay him my respects, and dispel from his mind any misunderstanding that might exist in consequence of past events; a line of conduct which I perceived would be attended with this farther advantage, that it would enable me to form a nearer and better idea of the real state of things at his court. Having formed this resolution, I went on, and waited on the Khan in the neighbourhood of Shahrokhîa,1 in a garden which had been laid out by Haider Beg. The Khan was seated in a pavilion erected in the middle of the garden. Immediately on entering it, I made three low bows. The Khan returned my salutation by rising from his seat and embracing me; after which I went back and again bowed once; when the Khan, inviting me forward, placed me by his side, showing me every mark of affection and kindness. In the course of one or two days afterwards, I set out by way of Kundezlik and Amâni, and proceeded towards Akhsi and Andejân. When I arrived Returns by at Akhsi, I went and visited the tomb of my father. Leaving Akhsi, on a Friday, way of Akhsi. about noon-day prayers, I proceeded towards Andejân, by the route of Bend-Sâlâr, and arrived between evening and bed-time prayers. The road by Bend-Sâlâr is nine far sangs. 1 Sir-kob is a framework constructed of carpentry, or a mound of earth, equal in height to the wall, or overtopping it. 2 This usage is to show that the person so coming surrenders at discretion, and considers himself as ready for execution. 3 As the remains of the patriarchal system were still strong among the Moghuls and Tûrks, great respect was paid to the father or chief person of the family; and the forms of this respect subsisted, both in language and ceremony, long after the reality had ceased. 4 Shahrokhîa, formerly Benâket, stands on the Sirr, between Khojend and Tâshkend. 5 The road by Kundezlik and Amâni seems to have been that generally pursued in going from either Tâshkend or Shahrokhîa to Akhsi. Among the inhabitants of the wilds of the country of Andejân, there is one tribe, Plunders the Jagrag. named Jagrag, which is very numerous, consisting of five or six thousand families. They reside in the mountains that lie between Ferghâna and Kâshghar. They have great numbers of horses and sheep; and on these mountains, instead of the common ox, they have the Kitâs, or mountain ox, in great numbers; and as they inhabit mountains difficult of access, they will not pay tribute. Having, therefore, given Kâsim Beg the command of a strong force, I dispatched him against the Jagrag, to seize some of their property, that there might be something to give the troops. Kâsim Beg accordingly proceeded against them, and took twenty thousand sheep and fifteen hundred horses, which were divided among the soldiers of the army. After the return of the army from the country of the Jagrag, I proceeded against Marches Uratippa, which had long been subject to Omar-Sheikh Mirza, but had been lost the against Uratippa. year of his death. It was at present held for Baiesanghar Mirza by his younger brother, Sultan Ali Mirza. Sultan Ali Mirza, on receiving information of my approach, escaped alone to the hill-country of Masîkha, leaving his governor, Sheikh Zûlnûn, in Uratippa. While on the road, after I had passed Khojend, I dispatched Khalîfa as my envoy to Sheikh Zûlnûn, to communicate with him; but that wrong-headed man, instead of returning a suitable answer, seized on Khalîfa, and gave orders that he should be put to death. Such, however, was not the pleasure of God; and Khalifa escaped, and, two or three days afterwards, returned back to me, naked and on foot, after having endured a thousand distresses and hardships. I went forward, and entered the territory of Uratippa; but as winter was now near at hand, the inhabitants had taken in all their grain and provender for that season, so that in a few days I was obliged to march back on my return to Andejân. After my departure, the Khan's people attacked Uratippa, and the inhabitants being unable to resist, were obliged to surrender the city. The Khan gave Uratippa to Muhammed Hussain Korkân, in whose hands it remained from that time till the 908.1 year A. D. 1502. EVENTS OF THE YEAR 901.2 sain Mirza SULTAN Hussain Mirza having led an army from Khorasân against Hissâr in the win- Sultan Iluster season, arrived at Termez.3 Sultan Masaûd Mirza, on his part, also collected an marches army, advanced towards Termez, and took post in front of him, to prevent his cross- against ing the Amu. Khosrou Shah, having fortified himself in Kundez, sent his younger 1 In that year it was taken by Sheibâni Khan. The year of the Hejira 901 commences 21st September, A. D. 1495. E Hissar. saud Mirza retires to Hissâr; brother, Wali, to join Masaûd's army.' Sultan Hussain Mirza spent the greater part of the winter on the banks of the river, without being able to effect a passage. Finally, however, being an experienced and intelligent general, and full of expedients, he marched up the river towards Kundez; and, after having by this manœuvre put the opposite army off their guard, he dispatched Abdallatîf Bakhshi, who was an excellent officer, with five or six hundred chosen men, down to the passage of Kilif. Before the enemy were apprized of his motions, Abdallatîf Bakhshi had made good his passage with his whole party at the ferry of Kilif, and fortified a position on the opposite bank of the river. When this intelligence reached Sultan Masaûd Mirza, in spite of the warmest instances of Khosrou Shah's brother Wali, who strongly urged an immeSultan Ma- diate attack on that part of the enemy's army which had passed, the Sultan, either from want of courage, or misled by the advice of Baki Cheghaniâni, who hated Wali, would not march against them, but, breaking up in terror and confusion, took the road to Hissâr. Sultan Hussain Mirza having passed the river, detached Bedîaez-Zemân Mirza, Ibrahîm Hussain Mirza, Muhammed Wali Beg, and Zûlnûn Arghûn, without loss of time, against Khosrou Shah, and sent Muhammed Berenduk Birlâs against Khutlân; whilst he himself advanced upon Hissâr. On learning the news of his near approach, Sultan Masaûd Mirza no longer thought himself safe even in Hissâr; but flying up the river Kamrûd,3 by way of Siretâk, went to join his Samarkand. younger brother Baiesanghar Mirza, in Samarkand. Wali drew off towards Khutlân; while Bâki Cheganiâni, Mahmûd Birlâs, and Sultan Ahmed, the father of Kuch Beg, fortified themselves in Hissâr. Khamzeh Sultan and Mehedi Sultan, who, several years before, had separated themselves from Sheibâni Khan, and had been entertained in the service of Sultan Mahmûd Mirza, with a body of Uzbeks; and Muhammed Doghlet and Sultan Hussain Doghlet, who, with a band of Moghuls, had settled in the country of Hissûr, all now, in this general dispersion, retired towards Karatigîn. and flees thence to His chief nobles disperse; and are pursued. Several of them join Baber. Sultan Hussain Mirza being informed of these proceedings, dispatched Abul Hassan Mirza with a body of troops to the valley of Kamrûd, in pursuit of Sultan Masaûd Mirza. They overtook him at the pass, but were able to effect nothing of importance. Mirza Beg Feringi distinguished himself by his bravery. The Sultan also dispatched Ibrahîm Terkhân and Yâkub Ayûb with a considerable detachment, against Khamzeh Sultan and the Moghuls, who had taken refuge in Karatigîn. The detachment having overtaken them in that country, an engagement ensued, and Sultan Hussain Mirza's troops were defeated. The greater part of the Begs were dismounted and taken prisoners, but afterwards suffered to depart. Khamzeh Sultan, Mehedi Sultan, and Mamak Sultan, the son of Khamzeh Sultan, Muhammed Doghlet, who was afterwards better known by the name of Muhammed Hissâri, Sultan Hussain Doghlet, and such 1 Sultan Musaûd Mirza, it will be recollected, was the eldest son of Sultan Mahmûd Mirza, whom he had nominally succeeded in the sovereignty of Hissâr and the adjoining countries. The real authority was in the hands of Khosrou Shah. 2 Kilif is on the Amu, below Termez. The expression rather imports ford of Kilif, but it may be doubted if there is any ford so low down. 3 The Kamrud river descends from the Kâra-tagh mountains, flowing S. E. towards Hissâr. sain Mirza of the Uzbeks as depended on the Sultans, along with the Moghuls who had settled in the country of Hissâr, and who had been in the service of Sultan Mahmûd Mirza, after giving me due notice of their approach, came to Andejân, in the month of Ramzân. May or On this occasion I received them sitting on a toshak, according to the custom of the June, 1496. sovereigns of the house of Taimur. When Khamzeh Sultan, with Mehedi Sultan and Mamak Sultan entered, I rose to do them honour, and descending from the toshak, embraced them, and placed them on my right hand on a baghish. A body of Moghuls, commanded by Muhammed Hissâri, also came and entered into my service. Sultan Hussain Mirza having invested the fort of Hissâr, encamped and busied Sultan Hushimself, without rest or intermission, night and day, in running mines, in assaulting besieges the fort, in battering it with shot and planting cannon. Mines were run in four Hiss-r. five places. The mine which advanced towards the city-gate having made great progress; the besieged countermined, discovered it, and from above introduced smoke upon those in the mine:3 the besiegers, on observing this, instantly closed up the hole of the mine. This was no sooner effected than the smoke was forced back on the besieged, who were obliged to retreat in their turn, nearly suffocated. At length having brought pitchers of water, they poured them into the mine, and drove out the besiegers. On another occasion, a party of active warriors having sallied out from the fort, attacked a party of the besiegers who were stationed at the mine, and drove them off. or On the north side, again, where the Mirza in person was encamped, a battering piece was set a-going, which threw such a multitude of stones, that one of the towers was shaken, and fell about bed-time prayers. A party of warriors, with the greatest alacrity, asked permission to storm, which the Mirza refused to grant, alleging that the night was too dark. Before morning, however, the garrison had repaired the tower, so that then no attack was practicable. For two months, or two months and a half, nothing was attended to except pushing on the work, the running of mines, the raising of works to overtop the wall, and discharging of stones. There was no fine fighting. Zeman Mir Badîa-ez-Zemân Mirza, with the detachment sent by Sultan Hussain Mirza against Badia-ezKhosrou Shah, having encamped three or four farsangs below Kundez, Khosrou Shah za marches immediately armed and marched out of that place with such of his troops as he had against left with him, and next morning came down upon Badîa-ez-Zemân Mirza and his army; when that mighty body of Mirzas, and Begs, and Chiefs, who, with their men, 1 The toshak seems to have been a quilt, or cushion, on a platform elevated above the rest of the apartment; the baghish were probably cushions, or carpets. 2 Lit. In casting stones, that is, in discharging shot. Seng means a bullet as well as a stone, the first bullets having generally been of stone. 3 Probably by throwing in smoke-balls and stink-pots. 4 Sirkob. 5 Sengha, stones or bullets, that is, either from cannon or manjanils, but probably from the former. "The Tûrki has ighaj, farsangs; the commentary explains it mil, which would be 3000 large, and 4000 smaller cubits. See Graves's Abulfeda. 7 A great part of his force had been dispersed on the retreat of Sultan Masaûd Mirza. Kundez. But is for ced to re treat. Sultan Hussain Mirza raises the siege of Hissar. Advances to Kundez and makes peace. if they were not double the number of Khosrou Shah's party, were at least one and a half times the number, consulting only their own comfort and safety, did not dare to leave their trenches. Khosrou Shah's force, good and bad, great and small, might perhaps amount to four or five thousand. And this Khosrou Shah, who, for the sake of this fleeting, unstable world, and for the vanity of being attended by a set of faithless servants, did so many bad actions, earned such a portion of infamy, and was guilty of so much tyranny and injustice; who seized so many extensive countries, and entertained so many adherents and soldiers, that, at last, his army amounted to twenty or thirty thousand men, while the countries and districts which he had occupied, exceeded in extent those of his sovereign and his Mirzas, in the whole course of his life, had only this one exploit to boast of, to entitle him or his adherents to lay claim to the praise of generalship or bravery; while those who did not venture out of their trenches from fear, became notorious for want of spirit, and their cowardice passed into a standing reproach. Badîa-ez-Zemân Mirza, having decamped, halted after some marches at Talikân1 in the Ulugh Bagh. Khosrou Shah remained in the fort of Kundez, and sent his brother Wali with a chosen body of well-appointed troops to Ishkamish,3 Fûlûl, and the skirts of that hill-country, to hang upon the rear of the enemy, and to harass them in their march. On one occasion Mohib Ali Korchi, accompanied by a body of wellarmed warriors, having fallen in with a party of the enemy on the banks of the river of Khutlân, completely discomfited them. On another occasion he again attacked a party of their troops, and returned, after dismounting some of their men, and cutting off a few heads. In emulation of these exploits, Sidîm Ali Derbân, and his younger brother Kuli Beg, with Behlul Ayub and a party of spirited young men, having overtaken the army of Khorasân at Amberkoh, near Khwâjeh Changal,5 charged them on their march, but without success; and Sîdîm and Kuli Baba, with a whole body of their followers, were dismounted and made prisoners.6 When news of these transactions reached Sultan Hussain Mirza, whose army, besides, was not without apprehensions on account of the spring rains of Hissâr, he patched up a peace; in consequence of which Mahmûd Birlâs having come out of the fort, and being met on the part of the besiegers by Haji Pir Bekâwal with a few great lords; and such musicians and singers as were to be got being collected, the eldest daughter of Sultan Mahmûd Mirza by Khanzâdeh Begum was given in marriage to Haider Mirza, who was the son of Sultan Hussain Mirza by Payendeh Sultan Begum, and grand-son of Sultan Abusaîd Mirza by one of his daughters; after which the Sultan broke up from Hissâr and took the route of Kundez. Having reached Kundez, he drove in all the enemy's parties, and set about making 1 Talikân lies nearly 60 miles higher up the river than Kundez. 2 That is, the Great Garden. 3 Ishkamish lies higher up the Aksera river than Kundez, on the Bangi branch of it. The Persian has Silâb. 5 Khwâjeh Changal lies on the Talikân river about fourteen miles below that place. 6 The above paragraph is not in Dr Leyden's manuscript, and is taken from the other copies. |
