The Bābur-nāma in English (Memoirs of Bābur)
Bāqī—Khusrau makes abject submission to Bābur—Mīrzā Khān
demands vengeance on him—Khusrau's submission having been on
terms, he is let go free—Bābur resumes his march—first sees
Canopus—is joined by tribesmen—Khusrau's brother Walī flees to
the Aūzbegs and is executed—Risks run by the families now
fetched from Kāhmard—Kābul surrendered to Bābur by Muqīm
_Arghūn_—Muqīm's family protected—+Description of Kābul+ (pp.
199 to 277)—Muqīm leaves for Qandahār—Allotment of
fiefs—Excess levy in grain—Foray on the Sulṯān Mas`ūdī
Hazāra—Bābur's first move for Hindūstān—Khaibar
traversed—Bīgrām visited—Bāqī Beg prevents crossing the
Sind—and persuades for Kohāt—A plan for Bangash, Bannū and
thence return to Kābul—Yār-i-ḥusain _Daryā-khānī_ asks for
permission to raise a force for Bābur, east of the Sind—Move
to Thāl, Bannū, and the Dasht—return route varied without
consulting Bābur—Pīr Kānū's tomb visited—through the
Pawat-pass into Dūkī—horse-food fails—baggage left behind—men
of all conditions walk to Ghaznī—spectacle of the
Āb-istāda—mirage and birds—Jahāngīr is Bābur's host in
Ghaznī—heavy floods—Kābul reached after a disastrous
expedition of four months—Nāṣir's misconduct abetted by two
Begchīk chiefs—he and they flee into Badakhshān—Khusrau Shāh's
schemes fail in Herāt—imbroglio between him and Nāṣir—Shaibānī
attempts Ḥiṣār but abandons the siege on his brother's
death—Khusrau attempts Ḥiṣār and is there killed—his followers
revolt against Bābur—his death quenches the fire of sedition 188-245
911 AH.—June 4th 1505 to May 24th 1506 AD.—Death of
Bābur's mother—Bābur's illness stops a move for Qandahār—an
earth-quake—campaign against and capture of Qalāt-i-ghilzāī—Bāqī
Beg dismissed towards Hindūstān—murdered
in the Khaibar—Turkmān Hazāra raided—Nijr-aū
tribute collected—Jahāngīr misbehaves and runs
away—Bābur summoned by Ḥusain _Bāī-qarā_ against
Shaibānī—Shaibānī takes Khwārizm and Chīn Ṣūfī is
killed—Death and biography of Ḥusain _Bāī-qarā_ (256 to
292)—his burial and joint-successors 246-293
912 AH.—May 24th 1506 to May 13th 1507 AD.—Bābur, without news
of Ḥusain _Bāī-qarā's_ death, obeys his summons and leaves
Kābul—Jahāngīr flees from Bābur's route—Nāṣir defeats
Shaibānī's men in Badakhshān—Bābur, while in Kāhmard, hears of
Ḥusain's death—continues his march with anxious thought for
the Tīmūrid dynasty—Jahāngīr waits on him and accompanies him
to Herāt—Co-alition of Khurāsān Mīrzās against Shaibānī—their
meeting with Bābur—etiquette of Bābur's reception—an
entertainment to him—of the _Chīngīz-tūrā_—Bābur claims the
ceremonial observance due to his military
achievements—entertainments and Bābur's obedience to
Muḥammadan Law against wine—his reflections on the
Mīrzās—difficulties of winter-plans (300, 307)—he sees the
sights of Herī—visits the Begīms—the ceremonies observed—tells
of his hitherto abstention from wine and of his present
inclination to drink it—Qasīm Beg's interference with those
pressing Bābur to break the Law—Bābur's poor carving—engages
Ma`ṣūma in marriage—leaves for Kābul—certain retainers stay
behind—a perilous journey through snow to a wrong pass out of
the Herīrud valley—arrival of the party in Yakaaūlāng—joy in
their safety and comfort—Shibr-tū traversed into
Ghūr-bunḍ—Turkmān Hazāra raided—News reaches Bābur of
conspiracy in Kābul to put Mīrzā Khān in his place—Bābur
concerts plans with the loyal Kābul garrison—moves on through
snow and in terrible cold—attacks and defeats the
rebels—narrowly escaped death—attributes his safety to
prayer—-deals mercifully, from family considerations, with the
rebel chiefs—reflects on their behaviour to him who has
protected them—asserts that his only aim is to write the
truth—letters-of-victory sent out—Muḥ. Ḥusain _Dūghlāt_ and
Mīrzā Khān banished—Spring excursion to Koh-dāman—Nāṣir,
driven from Badakhshān, takes refuge with Bābur 294-322
913 AH.—May 13th 1507 to May 2nd 1508 AD.—Raid on the Ghiljī
Afghāns—separation of the Fifth (_Khams_)—wild-ass,
hunting—Shaibānī moves against Khurāsān—Irresolution of the
Tīmūrid Mīrzās—Infatuation of Ẕū'n-nūn _Arghūn_—Shaibānī takes
Herī—his doings there—Defeat and death of two _Bāī-qarās_—The
Arghūns in Qandahār make overtures to Bābur—he starts to join
them against Shaibānī—meets Ma`ṣūma in Ghaznī on her way to
Kābul—spares Hindūstān traders—meets Jahāngīr's widow and
infant-son coming from Herāt—The Arghūn chiefs provoke attack
on Qandahār—Bābur's army—organization and terminology—wins the
battle of Qandahār and enters the fort—its spoils—Nāṣir put in
command—Bābur returns to Kābul rich in goods and fame—marries
Ma`ṣūma—Shaibānī lays siege to Qandahār—Alarm in Kābul at his
approach—Mīrzā Khān and Shāh Begīm betake themselves to
Badakhshān—Bābur sets out for Hindūstān leaving `Abdu'r-razzāq
in Kābul—Afghān highwaymen—A raid for food—Māhchuchak's
marriage—Hindūstān plan abandoned—Nūr-gal and Kūnār
visited—News of Shaibānī's withdrawal from Qandahār—Bābur
returns to Kābul—gives Ghaznī to Nāṣir—assumes the title of
Pādshāh—Birth of Humāyūn, feast and chronogram 323-344
914 AH.—May 2nd 1508 to April 21st 1509 AD.—Raid on the
Mahmand Afghāns—Seditious offenders reprieved—Khusrau Shāh's
former retainers march off from Kābul—`Abdu'r-razzāq comes
from his district to near Kābul—not known to have joined the
rebels—earlier hints to Bābur of this "incredible"
rebellion—later warnings of an immediate rising 345-346
+Translator's Note.+—914 to 925 AH.—1508 to 1519 AD.—Date of
composition of preceding narrative—Loss of matter here seems
partly or wholly due to Bābur's death—Sources helping to fill
the Gap—Events of the remainder of 914 AH.—The mutiny swiftly
quelled—Bābur's five-fold victory over hostile champions—Sa`īd
_Chaghatāī_ takes refuge with him in a quiet Kābul—Shaibānī's
murders of Chaghatāī and Dūghlāt chiefs 347-366
915 AH.—April 21st 1509 to April 11th 1510 AD.—Beginning of
hostilities between Ismā`īl _Ṣafawī_ and Shaibānī—Ḥaidar
_Dūghlāt_ takes refuge with Bābur.
916 AH.—April 11th 1510 to March 31st 1511 AD.—Ismā`īl defeats
the Aūzbegs near Merv—Shaibānī is killed—20,000 Mughūls he
had migrated to Khurāsān, return to near Qūndūz—Mīrzā Khān
invites Bābur to join him against the Aūzbegs—Bābur goes to
Qūndūz—The 20,000 Mughūls proffer allegiance to their
hereditary Khān Sa`īd—they propose to set Bābur aside—Sa`īd's
worthy rejection of the proposal—Bābur makes Sa`īd The Khān of
the Mughūls and sends him and his Mughūls into
Farghāna—significance of Bābur's words, "I made him
Khān"—Bābur's first attempt on Ḥiṣār where were Ḥamza and
Mahdī _Aūzbeg_—beginning of his disastrous intercourse with
Ismā`īl _Ṣafawī_—Ismā`īl sends Khān-zāda Begīm back to
him—with thanks for the courtesy, Bābur asks help against the
Aūzbeg—it is promised under dangerous conditions.
917 AH.—March 31st 1511 to March 19th 1512 AD.—Bābur's
second attempt on Ḥiṣār—wins the Battle of Pul-i-sangīn—puts
Ḥamza and Mahdī to death—his Persian reinforcement
and its perilous cost—The Aūzbegs are swept across the
Zar-afshān—The Persians are dismissed from Bukhārā—Bābur
occupies Samarkand after a nine-year's absence—he
gives Kābul to Nāṣir—his difficult position in relation to
the Shī`a Ismā`īl—Ismā`īl sends Najm S̤ānī to bring him
to order.
918 AH.—March 19th 1512 to March 9th 1513 AD.—The Aūzbegs
return to the attack—`Ubaid's vow—his defeat of Bābur at
Kūl-i-malik—Bābur flees from Samarkand to Ḥiṣār—his
pursuers retire—Najm S̤ānī from Balkh gives him rendezvous
at Tīrmīẕ—the two move for Bukhārā—Najm perpetrates
the massacre of Qarshī—Bābur is helpless to prevent
it—Najm crosses the Zar-afshān to a disadvantageous
position—is defeated and slain—Bābur, his reserve, does
not fight—his abstention made a reproach at the Persian
Court against his son Humāyūn (1544 AD.?)—his arrow-sped
message to the Aūzbeg camp—in Ḥiṣār, he is attacked
suddenly by Mughūls—he escapes to Qūndūz—the retributive
misfortunes of Ḥiṣār—Ḥaidar on Mughūls—Ayūb _Begchīk's_
death-bed repentance for his treachery to Bābur—Ḥaidar returns
to his kinsfolk in Kāshghar.
919 AH.—March 9th 1513 to Feb. 26th 1514 AD.—Bābur may
have spent the year in Khishm—Ismā`īl takes Balkh from
the Aūzbegs—surmised bearing of the capture on his later
action.
920 AH.—Feb. 26th 1514 to Feb. 15th 1515 AD.—Ḥaidar's
account of Bābur's misery, patience and courtesy this year
in Qūndūz—Bābur returns to Kābul—his daughter Gulrang
is born in Khwāst—he is welcomed by Nāṣir who
goes back to Ghaznī.
921 AH.—Feb. 15th 1515 to Feb. 5th 1516 AD.—Death of
Nāṣir—Riot in Ghaznī led by Sherīm T̤aghāī _Mughūl_—quiet
restored—many rebels flee to Kāshghar—Sherīm
refused harbourage by Sa`īd Khān and seeks Bābur's
protection—Ḥaidar's comment on Bābur's benevolence.
922 AH.—Feb. 5th 1516 to Jan. 24th 1517 AD.—A quiet year
in Kābul apparently—Birth of `Askarī.
923 AH.—Jan. 24th 1517 to Jan. 13th 1518 AD.—Bābur visits
Balkh—Khwānd-amīr's account of the affairs of Muhammad-i-zamān
Mīrza _Bāī-qarā_—Bābur pursues the Mīrzā—has him brought to
Kābul—gives him his daughter Ma`ṣūma in marriage—An expedition
to Qandahār returns fruitless, on account of his illness—Shāh
Beg's views on Bābur's persistent attempts on Qandahār—Shāh
Beg's imprisonment and release by his slave Saṃbal's means.
924 AH.—Jan. 13th 1518 to Jan. 3rd 1519 AD.—Shāh Beg's son
Ḥasan flees to Bābur—stays two years—date of his return
to his father—Bābur begins a campaign in Bajaur against
Ḥaidar-i-`alī _Bajaurī_—takes two forts.
[+End of Translator's Note.+]
925 AH.—Jan. 3rd to Dec. 23rd 1519 AD.—Bābur takes the Fort of
Bajaur—massacres its people as false to Islām—Khwāja Kalān
made its Commandant—an excessive impost in grain—a raid for
corn—Māhīm's adoption of Dil-dār's unborn child—Bābur marries
Bībī Mubārika—Repopulation of the Fort of Bajaur—Expedition
against Afghān tribesmen—Destruction of the tomb of a heretic
qalandar—Bābur first crosses the Sind—his long-cherished
desire for Hindūstān—the ford of the Sind—the Koh-i-jūd
(Salt-range)—his regard for Bhīra, Khūsh-āb, Chīn-ab and
Chīnīūt as earlier possessions of the Turk, now therefore his
own—the Kalda-kahār lake and subsequent location on it of the
Bāgh-i-ṣafā—Assurance of safety sent to Bhīra as a Turk
possession—History of Bhīra _etc._ as Turk
possessions—Author's Note on Tātār Khān _Yūsuf-khail_—envoys
sent to Balūchīs in Bhīra—heavy floods in camp—Offenders
against Bhīra people punished—Agreed tribute collected—Envoy
sent to ask from Ibrāhīm _Lūdī_ the lands once dependent on
the Turk—Daulat Khān arrests and keeps the envoy who goes
back later to Bābur _re infectâ_—news of Hind-āl's birth and
cause of his name—description of a drinking-party—Tātār Khān
_Kakar_ compels Minūchihr Khān _Turk_, going to wait on Bābur,
to become his son-in-law—Account of the Kakars—excursions and
drinking-parties—Bhīra appointments—action taken against Hātī
Khān _Kakar_—Description and capture of Parhāla—Bābur sees the
saṃbal plant—a tiger killed—Gūr-khattrī visited—Loss of a
clever hawk—Khaibar traversed—mid-day halt in the
Bāgh-i-wafā—Qarā-tū garden visited—News of Shāh Beg's capture