ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>TAR&#298KH-I-MUZAFFAR&#298</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279<i>TAR&#298<u>KH</u>-I-MUZAFFAR&#298</i>, by Muhammad 'Al&#299 <u>Kh</u>&#257n Ans&#257r&#299, is the title of a Persian manuscript of much historical value copies of which are preserved in several libraries in India and abroad. The author belonged to a prominent family of Arab extraction, long resident at P&#257n&#299pat, in present-day Hary&#257&#7751&#257 state. His grandfather, Lutfullah <u>Kh</u>&#257n S&#257diq, a <i>haft-haz&#257r&#299 mansabd&#257r</i>, had been a minister under emperors Farru<u>kh</u> S&#299yar and Muhammad Sh&#257h and was the governor of Delhi at the time of N&#257dir Sh&#257h's invasion (1739). His father, Hiday&#257tullah <u>Kh</u>&#257n had held a <i>Pañj-haz&#257r&#299 mans&#257b</i>. Muhammad 'Al&#299 <u>Kh</u>&#257n himself was <i>daro<u>gh</u>&#257h-i-ad&#257lat faujd&#257r&#299</i> (superintendent of criminal court) of Tirh&#363t and H&#257j&#299pur in Bih&#257r. The work, completed in 1225 AH/AD 1810, is a history of the Indian Timurides, i.e. the Mu<u>gh</u>als, from the beginning to Emperor Akbar II (1806-37). The account, sketchy in respect of the period from B&#257bur to Aura&#7749gz&#299b, is more detailed in respect of the later Mu<u>gh</u>als and N&#257dir Sh&#257h and Ahmad Sh&#257h Durr&#257n&#299. The author had already written a much larger book, <i>Bahr ul-Mawwaj</i> in nine parts. The <i>Tar&#299<u>kh</u>-i-Muzaffar&#299</i> corresponds to the last part of that work, at places reproducing passages verbatim. Of special interest to students of Sikh history are references in the Tar&#299<u>kh</u> to the Sikhs at two places --the imperial campaign against Band&#257 Si&#7749gh Bah&#257dur and the role of the Sikh <i>misls</i> as allies of J&#257&#7789s and Z&#257bit&#257 <u>Kh</u>&#257n Ruh&#299l&#257 against the imperial prime minister Najaf <u>Kh</u>&#257n (d. 1782). Unlike Some other Muslim chroniclers of the period, Muhammad 'Al&#299 <u>Kh</u>&#257n's language is restrained and free from calumny when writing about the Sikhs. The campaign of 'Abd us-Samad <u>Kh</u>&#257n and his son Zakar&#299y&#257 <u>Kh</u>&#257n against Band&#257 Si&#7749gh Bah&#257dur is described in detail As the imperial forces besieged the Sikh stronghold (at Gurd&#257s Na&#7749gal), they set up an <i>ala&#7749g</i>, a virtual wall of fortifications around the fortress. Yet Sikhs, says the author, remained undaunted. They came out in day time and they made sallies by night, falling fiercely upon the besiegers and returning to their place of refuge after the attack. The <i>Tar&#299<u>kh</u>-i-Muzaffar&#299</i> does not contain the harrowing details of the massacre of Band&#257 Si&#7749gh, his infant son and his followers, but it does narrate the story of a Sikh youth yet in his teens whose widowed mother had managed to secure orders for his release but who, when asked to leave, refused to do so and insisted that he be executed like others, too.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1">Kirpal Singh, <i>A Catalogue of Persian and Sanskrit Manuscripts</i>. Amritsar, 1962<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Syad Hasan Askar&#299<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>