BOOK IV. with all his troops. The two armies soon met face to A. D. 1537. face; but when they were on the point of engaging, a strong north-wester rising, blew such clouds of dust right in the eyes of the insurgents that they could not keep their position. The imperial troops, who had the wind on their backs, availing themselves of their advantage, pressed hard upon the enemy, whose retreat was soon converted into a flight. Hindal, after taking possession of Belgrám and the surrounding country, pursued the remainder of their army, as they marched to form a junction with Ulugh Mírza. He overtook them at Oud, where Muhammed Sultan and his sons, having concentrated all their force, halted to check his advance. The two armies lay opposed to each other for nearly two months, when news arrived, that Humáyun had left Mándu, and was on his way back to Agra. This decided Muhammed Sultan to bring on an action, as his only chance of safety. He marched out of his trenches; an engagement ensued, in which the imperial troops had the advantage. The insurgents, dispirited by their continued want of success, began to despair, and soon after dispersed. Muhammed Sultan Mírza, and three of his sons, fled to Kuch-Behár † ; while Mírza Hindal, following up his advantage, went on to Juánpúr. Having soon after heard of Humayun's arrival at the capital, he left the army and joined his brother there.‡ Loss of Meanwhile, the Emperor was less fortunate on the side of Malwa. No sooner was it known in the surrounding countries that he was on his march back to Agra, than Bhopal Rai, the chief of Bijagar, a district that lies to the east of Malwa, finding that no garrison was left in Mándu, entered and occupied the place. There he was speedily joined by Milu Khan, who * Bád-e-kibla. Jouher has Koh-Khanda Behár near Parnián (or, Parbatián). ‡ Akbernáma, f. 41.; Jouher, c. 2. aspired to the throne, which he ascended under the title of Káder Shah; and by Mirán Muhammed Fárúki of Kandesh. As the Emperor's troops appear to have been entirely withdrawn, they met with no opposition anywhere, and soon took possession of the whole country; and thus the kingdom of Malwa, as well as that of Gujrát, slipped from the unsteady grasp of Humayun.* CHAP. II. SECT. IV. tions between Be háder Shah Portuguese. and the But while the course of events was thus once more Transacso favourable to Beháder Shah, that monarch was not doomed long to enjoy his prosperity. Fourteen days after the fall of Champanír, he hastened back to Diu. His negociations with the Portuguese had become complicated. When his fortunes were at the lowest ebb, he had received some assistance from them, as has been mentioned; and, at the same time, had sent rich presents to the Portuguese Viceroy of Goa, inviting him to come to his aid with a more powerful force. The Viceroy, Nuño d'Acuña, had accordingly obeyed his call, and set sail from Goa and Chewel, with a large fleet and army. But when he reached the coast of Gujrát, understanding that the Emperor of Delhi's troops had in the interval been driven out of the country, he began to apprehend, that, as his services were no longer necessary, he might not gain those advantages to himself and his followers, and that increase of terri- A.. 943, tory to his country, which he had anticipated. Some quarrels had arisen before the King's arrival, between the Portuguese and his officers, in consequence of the insulting pretensions and encroaching spirit of the for Beháder would gladly have seen his troublesome allies removed from Diu, where the building of the new fort was hurried on upon a plan infinitely more extensive than had been reckoned upon. Both parties, however, dissembled their feelings. * Akbernáma, ut supra. A. D. 1537. 98 CHAPTER III. AFFAIRS OF KHORÁSÁN AND KANDAHÁR. STATE OF KHORÁSÁN. - AND HERÁT WHICH IS RETAKEN BY BOOK IV. WHILE these events were passing in Malwa and Gujrát, Khorásán and the Persian frontier were the scene State of Khorásán, A. H. 935, Obeid Khan and the Uzbeks. years of before important transactions. After the great defeat which the Uzbeks sustained at Jám, about nine this time, it was expected that Khorásán would, for a long period, have been delivered from their inroads and invasions. But they were an enemy not easily daunted. Inroads of That same year, as soon as Shah Tahmasp had quitted the province, Obeid Khan again collected an army, crossed the Amu, and marched against Meshhid, which he took possession of, after a blockade of two months. Thence he proceeded to Herát, besieged it for seven months, and took it by capitulation. His Sunni zeal is said, by the Persian writers, to have led him to retaliate the Shía persecutions of Shah Ismael and his successor, and even to put to death many of the opposite sect, as Shías and heretics. They are expelled Next year, the victorious Uzbek advanced to Farra, from Kho- which he beleagured for some time, but without success, rásán ; so that he was compelled to raise the seige; and, on A. H. 936, hearing of the march of Shah Tahmasp into Khorásán, CHAP. III. at the head of seventy thousand men, he hastily abandoned Herát, and retreated to Merv. He summoned all A.D. 1530. the force of the Uzbeks to join him there; and the Sultans, from beyond the Amu, obeyed his call. But when met, their opinions differed. Kuchum Khan, of Samarkand, the Grand Khan, dying, was succeeded by his son Abusaíd, who set his face against the war, declaring his resolution not to join in it, and advising Obeid to desist. His views were supported by some other chiefs; and Obeid, seeing himself thus deserted, and hearing of the Shah's near approach, turned his back, with an indignant heart, upon Khorásán. Shah Tahmasp, having expelled the enemy, marched to Herát; and the fishstandard of Persia again gleamed over the whole province. Having established his brother Behrám Mírza as viceroy, with Gházi Khan, of the Taklu tribe, as his Protector and Amír-ul-omra, he returned to Irák. Again over- run it ; A.D. 1531. A. D. 1532. Obeid Khan, though unsupported by the Uzbek confederacy, next year sent a detachment into Khorásán, who marched as far as Meshhíd, but were driven back by the local force. Nothing dismayed, however, by this repulse, he, the following season, again entered the A. H. 938, country with a powerful host, having induced the other Uzbeks to join him, and marched straight for the capital, while divisions of his troops overran the provinces of Meshhíd, Asterábád, Sebzáwár and Bostám with va rious success. For a year and a half, the country was and besiege plundered in all directions, and Obeid continued to push on the siege of Herát. Shah Tahmasp, completely and painfully occupied by the rebellion of Aláma Taklu in Azerbaijan, who had called in the Osmanli Turks to his assistance, was unable to succour them. At length, famine began to rage in the besieged capital. The inhabitants were expelled, their provisions, money and property seized by the domineering Taklus, and the floors of their houses dug up to discover hidden trea Herát ; BOOK IV. A. D. 1537. Death of Feb. 13. Beháder Shah, on his arrival in the neighbourhood of Diu, attempted to restore confidence by acting with the utmost frankness, putting himself boldly in the power of the governor of the castle, and visiting him in his fort. The Viceroy, who arrived off Diu about this time, appears to have blamed the governor for not availing himself of the opportunity thus offered to seize the King, for the purpose of extorting from him the cession of some towns and sea-ports which he was anxious to possess. To repair this oversight, D'Acuña feigned sickness, and sent a message to inform Beháder, who had spent some days in the vicinity in hunting, that he was come, at his call, with powerful succours, and would wait upon him as soon as his health allowed. The Sultan, thrown off his guard, or perhaps suspecting no ill as intending none, laid cereRamzán 3, mony aside, and towards the close of the day rowed off from the shore, with only a few attendants and went aboard the admiral's ship, to visit him, and to inquire after his health. No sooner, however, did he see the Viceroy, than he plainly perceived that his illness was a mere pretence, and felt vexed that he had gone. The Viceroy, on his part, had probably been taken unprepared by Beháder's sudden and unexpected appearance. During the conversation that ensued, a page came in and whispered something in his ear. In the state of mind in which the King then was, this little incident increased his uneasiness and excited his suspicion. He continued to sit, however, though the intercourse was forced and constrained; till the Viceroy, rising, requested to be excused for a few moments, as he wished to show his Majesty some presents that were intended for his acceptance, and left the cabin. This confirmed the suspicions of the King, who hurriedly intimating a desire that they might be sent after him, started up and hastened to his boat. He reached it and put off; when Emanuel de Souza, the governor of Diu castle, |