LXXXVII.

TAZKIRA-I CHAGHATAY

OF

MUHAMMAD HADI KAMWAR KHAN.

[THIS work is sometimes called Tárikh-i Chaghatái, but it must not be confounded with the history bearing that title by Muhammad Shafi' Wárid (No. LXXXVIII.). The author of the Tazkira was Muhammad Hádí Kámwar Khán, who has been already noticed as the author of the Tatimma-i Waki'át-i Jahángiri (No. LVI.),1 and the Haft Gulshan (No. LXXXVI.). The Tazkira-i Chaghatái is a general history of the Chaghatáí sovereigns in two parts. The first commences with an account of the origin of the Mongols, and of Changíz Khán, and goes down to the death of Jahángír. The second part, which is the more important and useful, begins with the death of Jahángír, and ends with the seventh year of Muhammad Sháh, a.н. 1137 (1724 A.D.).

In writing about this author, Colonel Lees says, "I do not know the exact limits of the period within which this author flourished; but it is evident that he was contemporary with Aurangzeb for a considerable portion of his reign, and, for some portion of the time, at least, had good opportunities of obtaining accurate information. I find that in the forty-fifth year of his 1 Suprà, Vol. VI. p. 392.

VOL. VIII.

reign, he went, in company with the Paymaster General Kifayat Khán bin Arshad Khán, Kháfi, to Ahmadábád; and as he has brought down his history only to the sixth year of Muhammad Shah's reign, or A.H. 1136,1 and Kháfí Khán has continued his to the fourteenth year of the same reign, or 1144 A.H., we may conclude that Kámwar Khán was not the later of the two. He opens his history modestly stating that he commenced it after he had completed the compilation of the Haft Gulshan (No. LXXXVI.). He continues, 'I humbly crave the students of history, regardless of the impropriety of the words I have used, or the want of elegance in my style, to take into their consideration, and do me the justice to remember, that without any royal order, and without the aid or assistance of any of the nobles of the times, which in an undertaking of this important nature is very necessary, how many nights I have turned into days and vice versâ, and what anxiety of mind I have suffered, in communicating the information contained in this history in a new form.' The author was appointed Controller of the Household of Prince Muhammad Ibráhím, and received an increase of pay and the title of Kámwar Khán, in the second year of the reign of Bahádur Sháh Sháh 'Alam, and he received a khil'at from the Emperor in the following year. He was in a position then to know what was going on; and the apparently straightforward manner in which he has written his history inspires the confidence of the reader."

From incidental observations in the pages of the book, it appears that the author was diwán, bakhshi and khánsámán, in the time of Bahádur Sháh, and that he afterwards held the office of dárogha of the treasury of the ahadis. In the later years of the work it is little more than a record of appointments and promotions, with the concomitant presents and offerings.]

1 ["So far the Bengal Asiatic Society's copy. Mr. Morley says the Royal Asiatic Society's copy is continued for another year."]

2 [See Mr. Morley's Catalogue, and Col. Lees' Article, Journ. R. A. S. (New Series), vol. iii. p. 456.]

EXTRACTS.

Accession of Sháh Jahán.

[Yamínu-d daula Asaf Khán, ’Azam Khán and other nobles defeated the army of Shahriyár in the vicinity of Láhore. They entered the city, made Shahriyár prisoner, and blinded him. Bulákí and the other sons of Dániyál and Khusrú were put in chains, and imprisoned in the fort of Láhore.]

Death of Bahadur Sháh.

[Bahadur Sháh died on the night of the 20th Muharram, 1024 A.H. (9th Feb. 1615). Great confusion immediately followed in the royal camp, and loud cries were heard on every side. The amirs and officials left the royal tents in the darkness of the night, and went off to join the young princes. Many persons of no party, and followers of the camp, unmindful of what fate had in store for them, were greatly alarmed, and went off to the city with their families. Ruffians and vagabonds began to lay their hands upon the goods of many. The streets were so crowded that it was difficult to pass along them, and houses could not be found to accommodate the people. Several persons were to be seen seeking refuge in one little shop. Friends and relations were unable to answer the calls made upon them. Great disturbances arose in the armies of the Princes, and none of the great men had any hope of saving their lives. The soldiers loudly demanded their pay and allowances, and joining the unceremonious servants, they made use of foul and abusive language, and laid their hands on everything they found. Fathers could do nothing to help their sons, nor sons for their fathers. Every man had enough to do in taking care of himself, and the scene was like the day of judgment.' Informers brought in news that Prince Muhammad Karím, son of Prince 'Azímu-sh Shán, had left his own camp and gone off towards that of Mahábat Khán and Khán-zamán, sons of the

late Khán-khánán, and no one knew what his intentions were. Every one, small and great, looked upon 'Azímu-sh Shán as the successor; for he had soldiers, artillery, elephants, treasure, and implements of war two-fold more than all his three brothers. Except Amiru-l umard Bakhshíu-l Mulk (Zú-1 fikár Khán), all the royal nobles were in his favour. It was probable that he would draw up his forces at once, and not give his adversaries time to assemble theirs.]

LXXXVIII.

TARIKH-I CHAGHATAY

OF

MUHAMMAD SHAFI, TEHARANI.

[THIS work is also found bearing the names Mir-átu-l Wáridát and Tárikh-i Muhammad-Shahi. The author was Muhammad Shafi'-i Teharání, whose poetical soubriquet was Wárid. He tells his readers that he was born in Hindústán, but that his father, Muhammad Sharif, and his ancestors, were natives of Teharán. Up to the age of forty-one he had done nothing to hand his name down to posterity, and while he was regretting his wasted life, and considering what work he should undertake, he was visited by his friend, Mirza 'Inayatu-llah 'Atúfat Khán, at whose instance he composed this history. He goes on to say, "From the year 1100 A.H., the greater portion of what I have recorded I have myself seen, and that which I heard from trustworthy persons I took the utmost pains in sifting and inquiring into, and whatever statements I had the slightest doubt about I discarded. But from the commencement of the war of the late Sultán Muhammad A'zam up to the present time, or for twentytwo years, I have seen everything with my own eyes." The work is written in an elegant, but somewhat difficult style. It begins with the history of Bábar, and includes part of the reign of Muhammad Sháh down to the withdrawal of Nádir Sháh in 1739. He closes his work with the following statement:

"After the departure of Nádir Sháh, a Royal Order was issued to the following effect: All public officers should occupy