Part 3

Parwiz was born of Sahib-Jamal (Mistress of Beauty), the cousin [40] of Zain Khan Koka, who, in point of affinity, was on the same footing [41] as Mirza `Aziz Koka, in the 34th year of my father's reign, in the city of Kabul, two years and two months after the birth of Khusrau. After several other children had been born to me and had been received into God's mercy, a daughter was born of Karamsi, [42] who belonged to the Rathor clan, and the child received the name of Bihar Banu Begam. To Jagat Gosa'in, [43] daughter of the Mota Raja (the fat raja), was born Sultan Khurram, in the 36th year of my father's reign, corresponding to A.H. 999, [44] in the city of Lahore. His advent made the world joyous (khurram), [45] and gradually, as his years increased, so did his excellencies, and he was more attentive to my father than all (my) other children, who was exceedingly pleased with and grateful for his services, and always recommended him to me and frequently told me there was no comparison between him and my other children. He recognised him as his real child.

After that (Khurram's birth) some other children were born who died in infancy, and then within one month two sons were borne by concubines. One of these I called Jahandar and the other Shahryar. [46]

About this time there came a petition from Sa`id Khan with regard to granting leave to Mirza Ghazi, who was a son of the ruler of the province of Thathah (Tattah in Sind). [47] I said that as my father had betrothed his sister to my son Khusrau, please God, when this alliance came into force, I would give him leave to return to Sind.

A year before I became king I had determined that I would drink no wine on Friday eve, and I hope at the throne of God that He will keep me firm in this resolve as long as I live.

Twenty thousand rupees were given to Mirza Muhammad Riza Sabzwari to divide amongst the faqirs and the needy of Delhi. The viziership of my dominions I gave in the proportions of half and half to Khan Beg, [48] to whom when I was prince I had given the title of Waziru-l-mulk, and to Wazir Khan [49] (Muqim), and I gave to Shaikh Farid Bukhari, who held the rank of 4,000, that of 5,000. I promoted Ram Das Kachhwaha, whom my father had favoured, and who held the rank of 2,000, to that of 3,000. I sent dresses of honour to Mirza Rustam, son of Mirza Sultan Husain and grandson of Shah Isma`il, the ruler of Qandahar, and to `Abdu-r-Rahim Khankhanan, son of Bairam Khan, and to Iraj and Darab, his sons, and to other nobles attached to the Deccan (command). Barkhurdar, son of `Abdu-r-Rahman, son of Mu'ayyid Beg, as he had come to court without a summons, I ordered back to his jagir. [50]It is not according to good manners to go to the king's banquet without a summons, otherwise there would be no forbidding of the doors and walls to the foot of desire.

A month had elapsed after my auspicious accession when Lala Beg, who while I was prince had obtained the title of Baz Bahadur, obtained the blessing of waiting on me. His rank, which had been 1,500, was raised to 4,000. I promoted him to the Subah of Bihar and gave him 2,000 rupees. Baz Bahadur is of the lineage of the special attendants of our family; his father's name was Nizam, and he was librarian to Humayun. Kesho Das Maru, who is a Rajput of the province of Mairtha and is greater in loyalty than his contemporaries, I promoted to the rank of 1,500. I directed the `ulama and the learned men of Islam to collect those of the distinctive appellations of God which were easy to remember, in order that I might make them into my rosary [51] (ward). On Friday eves [52] I associate with learned and pious men, and with dervishes and recluses. When Qilij Khan, who was one of the old retainers of the State in my revered father's reign, was appointed to the government of the province of Gujarat, I presented him with a lakh of rupees for his expenses. I raised Miran Sadr Jahan from the rank of 2,000 to that of 4,000. I knew him in my childhood when I read the "Forty Sayings" with Shaikh `Abdu-n-Nabi, [53] whose history is given in detail in the Akbarnama. From these early days till now Miran Sadr Jahan has acted towards me with single-minded loyalty, and I regard him as my preceptor in religions matters (khalifa). Whilst I was prince and before my revered father's illness, and during that time, when the ministers (pillars of the State) and the high nobles had become agitated, and each had conceived some idea of gain for himself and wished to become the originator of some act which could only bring ruin on the State, he had not failed in the activity of his service and devotedness. Having made `Inayat Beg, [54] who for a long period in the reign of my father had been Master of Works (Diwan-i-buyutat) and held the rank of 700, half-vizier of my dominions in the place of Wazir Khan, I gave him the high title of I`timadu-d-daula with the rank of 1,500, and I appointed Wazir Khan to the Diwani of the province of Bengal, and assigned to him the settlement of the revenues thereof. To Patr Das, who in the time of my father had the title of Ray Rayan, I gave the title of Raja Bikramajit. The latter was one of the great Rajas of India, and it was in his reign that astronomical observatories were established in India. I made Patr Das Master of Ordnance, and ordered that he should always have light artillery [55] in the arsenal, 50,000 light guns [56] and 3,000 gun-carriages, ready and in efficient order. He was a khatri by caste, and rose in my father's service from being accountant of the elephants' stables to be diwan and an amir. He is not wanting in military qualities and in administrative skill. I made Khurram, the son of Khan A`zam (`Aziz Koka), who had had the rank of 2,000, an officer of 2,500.

As it was my desire that many of the Akbari and Jahangiri officers should obtain the fruition of their wishes, I informed the bakhshis that whoever wished to have his birthplace made into his jagir should make a representation to that effect, so that in accordance with the Chingiz canon (tura) the estate might be conveyed to him by al tamgha and become his property, and he might be secured from apprehension of change. Our ancestors and forefathers were in the habit of granting jagirs to everyone under proprietary title, and adorned the farmans for these with the al tamgha seal, which is an impressed seal made in vermilion (i.e. red ink). I ordered that they should cover the place for the seal, with gold-leaf (tilaposh) and impress the seal thereon, and I called this the altun [57] tamgha.

I had selected from the other sons of Shahrukh, Mirza Sultan, [58] son of Mirza Shahrukh the grandson of Mirza Sulaiman, who was a descendant (great-grandson) of Mirza Sultan Abu Sa`id and for a long time ruler of Badakhshan, and with consent of my [59] revered father brought him into my service. I count him as a son, and have promoted him to the rank of 1,000. I also promoted Bhao Singh, son of Raja Man Singh and the most capable of his sons, from his original rank to that of 1,500. I raised Zamana Beg, [60] son of Ghayur Beg of Kabul, who has served me personally from his childhood, and who, when I was prince, rose from the grade of an ahadi to that of 500, giving him the title of Mahabat Khan and the rank of 1,500. He was confirmed as bakhshi of my private establishment (shagird-pisha).

I promoted Raja Bir Singh Deo, a Bandela Rajput, who had obtained my favour, and who excels his equals and relatives in valour, personal goodness, and simple-heartedness, to the rank of 3,000. The reason for his advancement and for the regard shown to him was that near the end of my revered father's time, Shaikh Abu-l-fazl, who excelled the Shaikhzadas of Hindustan in wisdom and learning, had adorned himself outwardly with the jewel of sincerity, and sold it to my father at a heavy price. He had been summoned from the Deccan, and, since his feelings towards me were not honest, he both publicly and privately spoke against me. At this period when, through strife-exciting intriguers, the august feelings of my royal father were entirely embittered against me, it was certain that if he obtained the honour of waiting on him (Akbar) it would be the cause of more confusion, and would preclude me from the favour of union with him (my father). It became necessary to prevent him from coming to Court. As Bir Singh Deo's country was exactly on his route and he was then a rebel, I sent him a message that if he would stop that sedition-monger and kill him he would receive every kindness from me. By God's grace, when Shaikh Abu-l-fazl was passing through Bir Singh Deo's country, the Raja blocked his road, and after a little contest scattered his men and killed him. He sent his head to me in Allahabad. Although this event was a cause of anger in the mind of the late king (Akbar), in the end it enabled me to proceed without disturbance of mind to kiss the threshold of my father's palace, and by degrees the resentment of the king was cleared away.

I made Mir Ziya'u-d-din of Qazwin, who had done me service in the days of my princehood and had shown loyalty, commander of 1,000 and accountant of the stables. An order was given that every day thirty horses should be produced before me for the purpose of making presents. I honoured Mirza `Ali Akbarshahi, who is one of the distinguished braves of this family, [61] with the rank of 4,000, and gave him the sarkar of Sambhal as his jagir.

One day the Amiru-l-umara (Sharif Khan) greatly pleased me by an incidental remark. It was this: "Honesty and dishonesty are not confined to matters of cash and goods; to represent qualities as existing in acquaintances which do not exist, and to conceal the meritorious qualities of strangers, is dishonesty. In truth, honesty of speech consists in making no distinction between intimates and strangers and in describing each man as he really is."

When I sent off Parwiz I had said to him, "If the Rana himself, and his eldest son who is called Karan, should come to wait upon you and proffer service and obedience, you should not do any injury to his territory." My intention in this recommendation was of two kinds; one, that inasmuch as the conquest of Transoxiana was always in the pure mind of my revered father, though every time he determined on it things occurred to prevent it, if this business could be settled, and this danger dismissed from my mind, I would leave Parwiz in Hindustan, and in reliance on Allah, myself start for my hereditary territories, especially as at this time there was no permanent ruler in that region. Baqi Khan, who, after `Abdu-llah Khan and `Abdu-l-Mu'min Khan, his son, had acquired complete independence, had died, and the affairs of Wali Muhammad Khan, his brother, who is now the ruler of that region, had not as yet been brought into proper order. Secondly, to bring about the termination of the war in the Deccan, of which a part in the time of my revered father had been acquired, so that it might come into possession, and be incorporated with the Imperial dominions. My hope is that through the favour of Allah both these undertakings will be accomplished.

"Though a king should seize the seven climes, [62] He still would labour to take others."

I promoted Mirza Shahrukh, [63] grandson of Mirza Sulaiman, (once) the ruler of Badakhshan, who was nearly related to my family, and held the rank of 5,000 in my father's service, to the rank of 7,000. The Mirza is a true Turk in disposition and simple-minded. My father conferred great honour on him, and whenever he bade his own sons sit he gratified him also with this distinction. Notwithstanding the mischievous propensities of the people of Badakhshan, the Mirza in this familiarity never left the right road, or undertook anything that might lead to unpleasantness. I confirmed him in the Subah of Malwa just as my father had kindly conferred it on him.

I conferred on Khwaja `Abdu-llah, who is of the Naqshbandi family, and in the commencement of his service was an ahadi, and who had risen by degrees to the command of 1,000, but without reason had gone into my father's service, the rank and jagir my father had conferred on him. Although I considered it best for my own prosperity that my attendants and people should go into his (Akbar's) service, yet this had occurred without my leave, and I was rather annoyed at it. But the fact is that he is a manly and zealous man; if he had not committed this fault he would have been a faultless hero (jawan).

Abu-n-nabi, [64] the Uzbeg, who is one of the distinguished inhabitants of Mawara'a-n-nahr and in the time of `Abdu-l-Mu'min Khan was governor of Mashhad, obtained the rank of 1,500.

Shaikh Hasan is the son of Shaikh Baha. [65] From the days of his childhood to this day he has always been in my service and in attendance on me, and when I was prince was distinguished by the title of Muqarrab Khan. He was very active and alert in his service, and in hunting would often traverse long distances by my side. He is skilful with the arrow and the gun, and in surgery is the most skilful of his time. His ancestors also had been well practised in this profession. After my accession, in consequence of the perfect confidence I had in him, I sent him to Burhanpur to bring the children and dependants of my brother Daniyal to wait on me, and sent a message to the Khankhanan in low and high words [66] and profitable admonitions. Muqarrab Khan performed this service correctly and in a short time, and, clearing off the suspicions which had entered the minds of the Khankhanan and the nobles of that place, brought those who had been left behind by my brother in safety and security, together with his establishment and property and effects, to Lahore, and there presented them before me.

I promoted Naqib Khan, [67] who is one of the genuine Sayyids of Qazwin and is called Ghiyasu-d-din `Ali, to the rank of 1,500. My father had distinguished him with the title of Naqib Khan, and in his service he had complete intimacy and consideration. Shortly after his accession he (Akbar) had discussed several matters with him, and from this familiarity he called him akhund. He has no equal or rival in the science of history and in biographies. There is in this day no chronologist like him in the inhabited world. From the beginning of Creation till the present time, he has by heart the tale of the four quarters of the world. Has Allah granted to any other person such faculty of memory?

Shaikh Kabir, who was of the family of the venerable Shaikh Salim, I had honoured with the title of Shaja`at Khan when I was prince, on account of his manliness and bravery. I now selected him for the rank of 1,000.

On Sha`ban 27th (28th December, 1605) a strange thing was done by the sons of Akhayraj, son of Bhagwan Das, the paternal uncle [68] of Raja Man Singh. These unlucky ones, who bore the names of Abhay Ram, Bijay Ram, and Shyam Ram, were exceedingly immoderate. Notwithstanding that the aforesaid Abhay Ram had done improper (disproportioned) acts, I had winked at his faults. When at this date it was represented to me that this wretch was desirous of despatching his wives and children without leave to his own country and afterwards of himself running away to the Rana, who is not loyal to this family, I referred to Ram Das and other Rajput nobles, and said to them that if any one of them would become security for them, I would confirm the rank and jagir of those wretches, and passing over their offences would forgive them. In consequence of their excessive turbulence and bad disposition no one became security. I told the Amiru-l-umara that as no one would be bound for them, they must be handed over to the charge of one of the servants of the Court until security was forthcoming. The Amiru-l-umara gave them over to Ibrahim Khan Kakar, who was afterwards dignified with the title of Dilawar Khan, and Hatim, [69] second son of Mangli, who held the title of Shahnawaz Khan. [70] When these wished to disarm these foolish people, they refused, and, not observing the dues of good manners, began, together with their servants, to quarrel and fight. The Amiru-l-umara reported the circumstance to me, and I ordered them to be punished according to their deeds. He betook himself to driving them off, and I sent Shaikh Farid also after him. One Rajput armed with a sword, and another with a dagger stood up to the Amiru-l-umara. One of his attendants named Qutb engaged the man with the dagger and was killed. The Rajput also was cut to pieces. One of the Afghan attendants of the Amiru-l-umara attacked the one who had the sword and killed him. Dilawar Khan drew his dagger and turned towards Abhay Ram, who with two others was holding his ground, and after wounding one of these fell down after receiving wounds from the three. Some of the ahadis and the men of the Amiru-l-umara opposed and slew these doomed men. A Rajput drew his sword and turned to Shaikh Farid; he was met by a Habshi slave, who brought him down. This disturbance took place in the courtyard of the public palace. That punishment served as a warning to many who had not looked to consequences. Abu-n-nabi [71] represented that if such a deed had been done in the Uzbeg country the whole family and connections of that band of men would have been destroyed. I replied that as these people had been treated kindly and educated by my revered father I carried on the same benevolence to them, and justice demands that many shall not be chastised for the fault of one.

Shaikh Husain Jami, who now sits on the cushion of darwishi and is one of the disciples of the dervish of Shiraz, [72] had written to me from Lahore six months before my accession that he had seen in a dream that saints and pious men had delivered over the affairs of the kingdom to that chosen one of the Court of Allah (Jahangir), and that, rejoicing in this good news, he should await the event, and that he hoped that when it had occurred, the faults of Khwaja Zakariyya, who was one of the Ahrariyya, [73] would be pardoned. [74]

I conferred on Tash Beg Furji, [75] who was one of the old servants of the State, and whom my father had honoured with the title of Taj Khan, and who had the rank of 2,000, that of 3,000, and I raised Tukhta [76] Beg Kabuli from the rank of 2,500 to that of 3,000. He is a brave and active man, and was greatly trusted in the service of my uncle, Mirza Muhammad Hakim. I promoted Abu-l-Qasim Tamkin, [77] who was one of my father's old servants, to the rank of 1,500. There are few men such as he for abundance of children; he has thirty sons, and if his daughters do not number so many they must be half that number. I dignified Shaikh `Ala'u-d-din, grandson of Shaikh Salim, who had strong connections with me, with the title of Islam Khan, and promoted him to the rank of 2,000. He had grown up with me from his childhood, and may be a year younger than I. He is a brave and well-dispositioned youth, and is distinguished in every way above his family. Till now he has never drunk intoxicating drinks, and his sincerity towards me is such that I have honoured him with the title of son.

I have bestowed on `Ali Asghar Barha, who has not a rival in bravery and zeal, and is the son of Sayyid Mahmud Khan Barha, one of my father's old nobles, the title of Saif Khan, and thus distinguished him amongst his equals and connections. He is evidently a brave youth. He was always one of the confidential men who went with me to hunt and to other places. He has never in his life drunk anything intoxicating, and as he has abstained in his youth he probably will attain high dignities. I granted him the rank of 3,000.

I promoted Faridun, son of Muhammad Quli Khan Barlas, who held the rank of 1,000, to that of 2,000. Faridun is one of the tribe of Chaghatay, and is not devoid of manliness and courage.

I promoted Shaikh Bayazid, grandson of Shaikh Salim, who held the rank of 2,000, to that of 3,000. The first person who gave me milk, but for not more than a day, was the mother of Shaikh Bayazid.

[78]One day I observed to the Pandits, that is, the wise men of the Hindus, "If the doctrines of your religion are based on the incarnation of the Holy Person of God Almighty in ten different forms by the process of metempsychosis, they are virtually rejected by the intelligent. This pernicious idea requires that the Sublime Cause, who is void of all limitations, should be possessed of length, breadth, and thickness. If the purpose is the manifestation of the Light of God in these bodies, that of itself is existent equally in all created things, and is not peculiar to these ten forms. If the idea is to establish some one of God's attributes, even then there is no right notion, for in every faith and code there are masters of wonders and miracles distinguished beyond the other men of their age for wisdom and eloquence." [79] After much argument and endless controversy, they acknowledged a God of Gods, devoid of a body or accidents, [80] and said, "As our imagination fails to conceive a formless personality (zat-i-mujarrad), we do not find any way to know Him without the aid of a form. We have therefore made these ten forms the means of conceiving of and knowing Him." Then said I, "How can these forms be a means of your approaching the Deity?"

My father always associated with the learned of every creed and religion, especially with Pandits and the learned of India, and although he was illiterate, so much became clear to him through constant intercourse with the learned and wise, in his conversations with them, that no one knew him to be illiterate, and he was so acquainted with the niceties of verse and prose compositions that his deficiency was not thought of.