1 SECOND REIGN OF NASIR-UD-DIN DUMAYUON. 133
2 Khan, his general-in-chief, and directed him to advance with Khizr Khan,
3 Tardi Beg Khan, Sikandar Khan Uzbak, and Ali Kuli Khan Shibéni. At
4 Peshdwar, the king was joined by his younger son, Akber. __
5 Bahram Khan, having crossed the Indus at the head of his army, first
6 encountered Tartdv Khan, the Afghan viceroy of Lahore, whom he surprised
7 and defeated. ‘Tdrtdy Khan, abandoning the fort of Rohtas, fled, and was
8 hotly pursued by the Moghal general to the walls of Léhore, which was also
9 evacuated. Humaytin entered Léhore unopposed, and halted there for some
10 days, to make the necessary arrangements for a further advance. Tfrom
11 this place he sent Bahram ,Khan.to Sirhind, and the whole country up to
12 that point was occupied. Intelligence being at the same time received that
13 the Afghans had collected in large uumbers at Depdlpur, under Shahbaz
14 Khan and Nasir Khan, Pathan commandants, he sent a strong detachment
15 against them, under Shah Abul Madli, a Sayad of great sanctity, and originally
16 a, resident of Kashgar, to whom the king had shown great condescension, by
17 calling him his son. The Sayad routed the enemy and returned with
18 enormous booty to Léhore.
19 Meanwhile Sikandar Shah’s army of 30,000 horse, under Tartar Khan
20 and Kabul Khan, was advancing against Himaytn from Delhi. Bahram
21 Khan, with Prince Akber, marched to check the Indian army. The weather
22 was cold and the Afghan soldiers had kindled great fires in their camp, on
23 the opposite bank of the Sutlej, to warm themselves at night. Bahram
24 Khan, taking advantage of their situation, crossed the river at night with
25 the whole of his army, which, falling upon the Afghans on all sides, routed
26 them at Machiwdré. The whole of the elephants and baggage and a
27 number of horses belonging to the Afghans fell into the hands of the Mog-
28 hal general, while the detachments sent out by him occupied the country
29 almost up to the walls of Delhi. Humdyin was so pleased with the
30 bravery displayed by his general that he bestowed on him the title of
31 Khan-i-Khandn. ;
32 Sikandar Shah was now advancing to meet the invader, at the head ‘of
33 80,000 horse and a large number of guns and elephants. Bahram Khan,
34 too weak to hazard an action in the open field, retired into the fort of Nau-
35 shera, where he laid in a stock of provisions and prepared it for a siege. From
36 this point he made repeated sallies on the enemy’s position and inflicted
37 heavy loss on them, At the same time he sent urgent messages to the
38 emperor at Lahore begging him to join him, which Himaydn did without
39 delay.
40 the 18th of June, 1555, is memorable in the annals of India, for, on that
41 day, was decided the fate of the empire in respect of the nation that was
42 to govern it for the next three centuries. The young Prince, Akber, was, in
43 the early morning, inspecting the pickets of the camp, when the Afghans,
44 under Sikandar Shah and Tartar Khan, advanced and offered battle.
45 The Moghal army met the advancing columns, and a fierce battle, worthy of
46 the great prize for which the two claimants fought, took place. The young
47 Akber, who was in the thickest of the fight, greatly distinguished him-
48 self by his feats of valour. He led the troops in a grand charge and
49 inspired them with such ardour that nothing could resist them. The battle
50 raged with great fury, and, for a time, the issue was doubtful, but the Af-
51 ghans'‘were at last defeated with great slaughter and took to flight. Their
52 king, Sikandar Shah Sur, fled to the Siwdlik mountains, leaving the whole
53 country in the hands of the invader. Troops were sent in advance to Delhi
54 and Agra, which were occupied without opposition. HtimaAyéin re-entered
55 Delhi in July 1555, and ascended the throne of his father, after, an exile of
56 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamahariEll rary@ gm
57 And enters Lahore.
58 Operations in
59 Depalpur.
60 Defeat of the Afghan
61 in Machiwara.
62 The decisive battle
63 of Sirhind, 1555.
64 Young Akber gains
65 his first Jaurels in this
66 battle.
67 Hiiadyin re-enters
68 Delhi, 1555.
69 ail.com