CHAPTER 48 -- Conquest of the country of the Gakhars owing to the valour of the imperial troops.

    [[296]] To resume, there was in this blessed year a cause of increased discernment to the perceptive, of seeing to the short-sighted, viz., the conquest of the country of the Gakhars. Their country is between the Indus and the Beas, in the folds of the mountains, and [[297]] among hillocks and caverns. Though in former times the rulers of India had attempted with large armies and abundant equipment to establish tranquillity there, they had not succeeded, inasmuch as they had no skill beyond that of outward show, and as they had not a good intention. The knot was not untied by their efforts, as has already been related. Now that the world had received grace and ornament from the excellent intention and pure acts of H.M. the Shahinshah, and that the celestials and terrestrials had gained spiritual and temporal welfare from his existence, this great undertaking, which had not been effected by former rulers of India, was admirably carried out by the fortune of the Shahinshah. The country came into the possession of the imperial servants.

The account of this great boon is that as the Gakhar clan was always boasting of its loyalty and singleness of heart, that mine of clemency and liberality (Akbar) cast nought but eyes of favour upon their country. Though with reference to the courtesies of service it is most proper that the great men of the land should, if they cannot always be in attendance, occasionally obtain the auspiciousness of kissing the threshold, Sultan Adam, the headman of the country who had been encompassed by the Shjahihshah's favours, did not at all perform these duties.... 

    [[298]] When he [Kamal Khan] had represented his misfortunes and had begged for his old native land, a world-obeyed order was issued from the ascension-point of justice that the country of the Gakhars which Sultan Sarang had held, and which was now possessed by Sultan Adam, should be divided into two portions and that Sultan Adam should [[299]] have one of them and Kamal Khan the other.... If Sultan Adam did not submit to these orders, the army was to march from the Panjab against his territory and punish him for his contumacy so that all savage rustics might receive warning. When Kamal Khan obtained the highest point of his hopes he left the sublime threshold and came to the Panjab. The great officers communicated to Sultan Adam H.M.'s commands. He and his son Lashkari, who managed all his father's affairs, turned away their heads from obedience to the world-adorning order, and proffered excuses which were worse than their offence. They would not agree to descend even a little from their borrowed sovereignty or to Kamal Khan's obtaining his inheritance....

As his refractoriness had been shown, the army marched and entered the Gakhar territory. Adam stuck to his folly and prepared to resist. A great battle took place in the vicinity of the town of Hilan. Hilan. As courage and activity are implanted in the nature of the Gakhars, there was fighting and carnage; but as the imperial armies are always aided by God, the flashing of the victorious swords scoured the rust of the oppressors' battlefield, and those wild beast-like savages traversed the desert of defeat. By the good fortune of the Shahinshah, a victory which might fittingly be the embroidery of great victories was won, and Sultan Adam was [[300]] made prisoner. His son Lashkari fled and went to the hill-country of Kashmir. for some time he was a vagabond, and then he too was captured. The whole country of the Gakhars, which none of the rulers of India had conquered, was by sublime inspiration subdued by a few of the imperial servants. In accordance with the sacred order the great officers gave the whole of the Gakhar country to Kamal Khan, and confirmed him therein. They returned after making over Sultan Adam and his son to him....

    [[305]] .... When the minds of the imperial servants were at rest about the business of M. Sharafu-d din Husain, they addressed themselves to the taking of the fort of Jodhpur, which was the strongest fort in that country. Let it not be concealed that this fort was the capital of Rai Maldeo, who was one of the great Rajahs of India, both in rank and position, and for the number of his servants, and the extent of his territories. When he departed from the fortress of life, his hyounger son Chandar Sen succeeded him and held this fort. The officers went to besiege it, and Ram Rai, the elder son of Rai Maldeo, came and joined the army of fortune, and after that he was exalted by saluting the sublime threshold.... By the Divine aid the fort was soon conquered....

===========
*full text of this chapter*


== Akbar-nama vol. 2 == Abu'l-Fazl == Glossary == fwp's main page ==