1 Capture of the
2 citadel,
3 The bravery display-
4 ed by Nawab Mozaffar
5 Khan,
6 He fg killed with his
7 five sous,
8 Plunder of the city
9 and the fort.
10 Excesses committed
11 by the Sikhs,
12 - Capture of the for
13 of Shujabad,
14 a
15 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary
16 412 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB.
17 simultaneous advance on the spur of the moment, and the entire work
18 was carried, the defenders being all slaughtered in a hand-to-hand fight.
19 The whole Sikh force, flushed with this success, advanced to the assault of
20 the fort and effected an entrance through the breaches, at the Khizri Gate,
21 which were the result of four months’ battering. Thus the very suddenness
22 of the onset of a small band of Akéli fanatics, led to the capture of the
23 citadel. The old Nawdb Muzaffar Khan, seeing this, dressed himself in
24 green, and with the remnant of his followers, his own sons, kinsmen, and
25 persenal attendants, made a stand with drawn swords at the door of his
26 residence near the Khizri Gate. This handful of heroes now rushed on their
27 assailants, and so furious and desperate was the onset, that many fell beneath
28 their swords. Cutting his way through the enemy, the nawa4b, with his devot-
29 ed little band, reached the tomb of Bahawal Hak. Here the nawab deter-
30 mined on standing his ground to the last, and such was the terror inspired
31 by the desperate valour displayed by him, that the Silhs drew back and
32 opened fire on them with their matchlocks. “ Come on like men!” shouted
33 the braves, “let us try our valour in a fair fight.” This was, however, a
34 challenge to which the Sikhs did not care to respond. Thus fell, the grey-
35 bearded Nawdéb Muzaffar Khan covered with wounds, but disdaining to
36 the last to accept the protection of a hated foe, and with him fell his five
37 brave sons, Shah Nawdz Khan, Mumtaz Khan, Aydz Khan, Haknawaz
38 Khan and Shah Baz Khan. There also were killed Nasrulla Khan, nephew
39 of the nawdéb, one of his daughters, and his councillors Khan Mahomed
40 Khan, Khoda Yar Khan aud Sahib Dad Khan. Zulfikar Khan, his second son
41 received a severe wound in the face. Sarfardz Khan, the nawdab’s eldest
42 son, who had for some years, during his father’s absence at Mecca, been
43 entrusted with the reins of Government, was found concealed in a cellar
44 and taken prisoner, with the youngest son, Amir Baz Khan. Dewdn
45 Ram Daydl, taking Sarfardz Khan with him on his elephant, conducted him
46 to his tent with all honours. A few only of the garrison effected their escape.
47 Nawab Muzaffar Khan, with his son, Shahnawdz Khan, was buried by the
48 shrine of Bahdwal Hak, with due honour. The city and fort were now given
49 up to be plundered by the Sikh troops. Great were the ravages com-
50 mitted by the Sikhs on this occasion. About 400 to 500 houses in the fort
51 were raised to the ground, and their owners deprived of all they had. The
52 precious stones, jewellery, shawls and other valuables belonging to the
53 nawdb were confiscated to the State and kept carefully packed by Dewdn
54 Ram Dayal, for the inspection of the Maharaja. The arms were all carried
55 away. In the town many houses were set on fire, and nothing was left with
56 the inhabitants that was worth having. Hundreds were stripped even
57 of their clothes. Outrages were committed on the women, many of whom
58 committed suicide by drowning themselves in the wells, or otherwise put-
59 ting an end to their lives, in order to save themselves from dishonour.
60 Hundreds were killed in the sack of the city, and indeed there was hardly
61 a soul who escaped both loss and violence. So great, in short, were the
62 horrors inflicted upon the unfortunate inhabitants, that the terrible in-
63 cidents attendant on the sack of Multdn are recollected to this day, and
64 still not unfrequently form the topic of conversation. When all was over,
65 Prince Kharak Singh made his triumphant entry into the fort, and took
66 possession of all the State property and treasures belonging to the nawab.
67 The fort of Sujdbad was then captured and sacked, and booty, estimated at
68 four lakhs of rupees, consisting of gold and silver utensils, and other valu-
69 ables, fell into the hands of the victors.
70 he first man who brought intelfigencp of the gepanre ch Afultdn to