1 NADIR SHAH. , 201
2 At Atak Nddir Shah put on an Indian dress and sat on the throne after
3 the manner of Indian emperors.
4 ' Nddir Shah now crossed the Indus, which, at that season of the year,
5 was swollen by the rains and flowed with a rapid current. On entering the
6 Panjib, he commanded his army to ravage the country, and to freely use
7 both fire and sword in all places. The consternation and desolation caused
8 by his troops throughout the Panjab soon spread over the whole of India.
9 The whole country was seized with terror, and his victories and brutalities
10 became the topic of all circles. ,
11 He then, at the head of his Turkomdn army, crossed the Jhelum, and
12 after that, without boats or rafts, the Chindb at Shahdaula, “furious as the
13 ocean or as an arm of the destructive sea,” in the words of Mirza Mahdi.
14 Kalandar Khan, an amir in the service of the Moghal, and naib of the
15 viceroy of Ldhore, was in charge of Emandbad, subordinate to Lahore, with
16 a body of ten thousand horse. Amir Khan, one of the dependants of Nasir
17 Khan, who had now submitted to Nddir Shah, made a night attack
18 on Emandbéd with his own people and a large body of Kazil Bdashis.
19 Kalandar Khan having been killed in the action, Amir Khan garrisoned §,
20 the place with his own troops, Zakaria Khan, the viceroy of the Panjab,
21 who had advanced ten kos from Léhore, with an army of twenty thousand
22 horse, had no sooner heard of this than he retreated to his capital. The
23 Persian army pillaged all the towns and villages on its way to the capital
24 and massacred the inhabitants. On the first of Shawal, the Persian monarch
25 reached the banks of the Ravi, which he forded, and his troops coming up in
26 sight of the Ldéhore army, a battle ensued, in which the Lahore governor
27 was completely routed and repulsed with great slaughter.* The conquerors
28 were so close upon the heels of the conquered in the pursuit, that they at
29 once obtained possession of the gates of the town. Zakaria Khan, on re-
30 turning to the citadel, put it ina state of defence, mounting cannons on
31 the ramparts and strengthening his position by all available means. The
32 king of Persia crossed the Ravi on the fourth day, and pitched his tents in
33 the Shalamar gardens,
34 The viceroy of Lahore, Azuddaula Nawab Zakaria Khan, surnamed
35 Khan Bahadur, sent an officer of rank to implore the clemency of the Shah,
36 promising the completest submission. -On the part of his Persian Majesty,
37 Kifayat Khan, an amir of his Court, was commissioned to settle the terms.
38 On the 12th of Shawal, the viceroy was met by Wazir Abdul Baki, and by
39 him conducted into the presence of the Shah. His majesty received the
40 viceroy with great courtesy and consideration, and presented him with a
41 chapkan of gold brocade, a jewelled dagger and a horse. On the 14th, the
42 viceroy having been again introduced to the Shah at the royal camp in the
43 gardens of Shalamar, he, according to the terms settled, laid before the throne
44 of the conqueror twenty lakhs of rupees, a portion of which had been taken
45 from the State coffers, and the remainder raised by contributions from the
46 wealthiest inhabitants, and a large number of elephants. The present was
47 graciously accepted by the Persian monarch, and- Lahore was thus saved
48 from the horrors of a massacre and spoliation. Zakaria Khan, having been
49 confirmed in his government of Lahore, departed in all honour. The Shah
50 took into his service Hayatullah Khan, the second brother of Azuddaula,
51 and appointed him to the command of five hundred horse. Fakhr-ud-doula
52 * According to Anand Rim, Afukhlis, author of the ‘ Tazkara,” the fighting was renewed
53 the next day, and ‘the plain was strewed with the’ slain.” Anand Rém was an eye-witness of
54 much that passed during Nadir Shah’s stay in India, and suffered from his exactions. Five
55 lakhs of rupees were extorted from him,
56 Nadir Shah enters
57 the Panjab,
58 Crosses the Jholum
59 and Chinib,
60 Emanabid captured
61 on his behalf by Amir
62 ant, *
63 Defeat of the
64 governor of Lahore,
65 The Shah puts up in
66 the Shalimar gardens,
67 The city spared, on
68 payment of tribute,
69 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com