08-27-2006, 06:49 AM
Akbar's attack on Chittor as described by a bigoted Muslim historian named Al Badaoni:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->And in this year the intention was formed of reducing the fortress of Chitor. Accordingly the Emperor took away Biyána from Hájà Muhammad Khán SÃstánÃ, and gave it as jágÃr to Ãçaf Khán; and Basáwar and WazÃrpúr Mandalga?h he also gave to him, on the understanding that he should proceed thither, and collect provisions and materials for the army. The Emperor set out after him, and travelling by way of Bárà and hunting in Mou-maidánah, proceeded thence towards Súpar. The subjects of Ráà Sargún evacuated the fort of Súpar, and Nazar Bahádur was appointed commandant of that fort, and Sháh Muhammad Khán Qandahárà to hold the fort of Kotah Baláyah.
When the Emperor arrived at the fort of Kákarún, having given to Shaháb-ud-dÃn Ahmad Khán and Sháh Bidágh Khán jágÃrs in the district of Málwah, he appointed them to quell the disturbances caused by the sons of Muhammad Sultán, viz. MÃrzá Ulugh and Sháh MÃrzá, who had fled thither from Sam-bhal. When the AmÃrs reached Ujjain, the MÃrzás hearing the said news left that country, and went to Gujrát to ChangÃz Khán a follower of Sultán Mahmúd. Thus Málwah fell into the hands of the AmÃrs without their striking a blow.
And Ráná Udai Sing, committing the keeping of the fortress of Chitor to one Ráà Jaimal by name (a brave and chivalrous commander, who had been beseiged by MÃrzá SharfuddÃn Husain in the fortress of Mirt'hah and had cut his way out), himself took refuge in the high mountain ground and impassable jungles in the neighbourhood of Udaipúr Komal-mair. Ãçaf Khán marched to Rámpúr, which is an inhabited district in that region, (P. 103) and took the fortress by storm, and ravaged the district. And Husain Qulà Khán marched towards Udaipúr, and ravaged the environs; but the Ráná left that place for some other maze-like mousehole.
The Emperor ordered Sábáts* and trenches to be constructed, and gradually brought close to the walls of the fortress. The width of the Sábát was such that ten horsemen could easily ride abreast in it, and its height was so great that a man on an elephant with spear in hand could pass under it. Many of the men of our army were killed by musket and cannon balls, and the bodies of the dead were made use of instead of bricks and stones. After a length of time the Sábát and trenches were brought up to the foot of the fortress, and they undermined two towers which were close together, and filled the mines with gunpowder. A party of men of well-known bravery fully armed and accoutred approached the towers, and waited till the towers should fall, and then they would enter the fortress.
By accident, though the two mines were fired at one and the same moment, the fuze of one, which was shorter than the other took effect soonest, and the fuze of the latter, which was longer, hung fire, so that one of the two towers was blown up from its foundations and heaved into the air, and a great breach was made in the castle. Then the forlorn hope in their impetuosity forgetting the second mine stormed the breach at once, and soon effected a lodging. While the hand-to-hand struggle was going on, suddenly the second fuze went off and blew the other tower, which was full, both of friends and foes, from its place and lifted it into the air. The soldiers of Islám were buried under stones, some of 100, and some of 200 man in weight, and the stony-hearted infidels in like manner flew about like moths in that flood of fire. Those stones were blown as far as three or four cosses, and a cry of horror arose from the people of Islám and from the infidels:â
Nearly five hundred warriors, most of them personally known to the Emperor, were slain, and drank the draught of martyrdom: and of the Hindús who can say how many! <b>Night by night the infidels mustering in force kept building up the wall of the fortress from the ruins of these towers.</b>
After waiting a considerable time, six months more or less, at last on the night of Tuesday 25th of Sha'bán* in the aforesaid year the Imperial troops advancing from all sides, made a breach in the wall of the fortress, and stormed it. The fierce face of Jaimal became visible through the flashing of the fire of the cannon and guns, which was directed against the soldiers of Islám. At this juncture a bullet struck the forehead of Jaimal, who was distinctly recognizable, and he fell dead. It was as though a stone had fallen among a flock of sparrows, for, when the garrison of the fortress saw that their leader was dead, they fled every one to their own houses. Then they collected their families and goods together and burnt them, which is called in the language of Hind jouhar. Most of those that remained became food for the crocodile of the blood-drinking sword, and a few of those who remained, who escaped the sword and the fire, were caught in the noose of tribulation. The whole night long the swords of the combatants desisted not from the slaughter of the base, and returned not to the scabbard, till the time for the afternoon siesta arrived. <b>Eight thousand valorous Rájpúts were slain</b>.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
http://persian.packhum.org/persian/pf?au...6&work=001
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->And in this year the intention was formed of reducing the fortress of Chitor. Accordingly the Emperor took away Biyána from Hájà Muhammad Khán SÃstánÃ, and gave it as jágÃr to Ãçaf Khán; and Basáwar and WazÃrpúr Mandalga?h he also gave to him, on the understanding that he should proceed thither, and collect provisions and materials for the army. The Emperor set out after him, and travelling by way of Bárà and hunting in Mou-maidánah, proceeded thence towards Súpar. The subjects of Ráà Sargún evacuated the fort of Súpar, and Nazar Bahádur was appointed commandant of that fort, and Sháh Muhammad Khán Qandahárà to hold the fort of Kotah Baláyah.
When the Emperor arrived at the fort of Kákarún, having given to Shaháb-ud-dÃn Ahmad Khán and Sháh Bidágh Khán jágÃrs in the district of Málwah, he appointed them to quell the disturbances caused by the sons of Muhammad Sultán, viz. MÃrzá Ulugh and Sháh MÃrzá, who had fled thither from Sam-bhal. When the AmÃrs reached Ujjain, the MÃrzás hearing the said news left that country, and went to Gujrát to ChangÃz Khán a follower of Sultán Mahmúd. Thus Málwah fell into the hands of the AmÃrs without their striking a blow.
And Ráná Udai Sing, committing the keeping of the fortress of Chitor to one Ráà Jaimal by name (a brave and chivalrous commander, who had been beseiged by MÃrzá SharfuddÃn Husain in the fortress of Mirt'hah and had cut his way out), himself took refuge in the high mountain ground and impassable jungles in the neighbourhood of Udaipúr Komal-mair. Ãçaf Khán marched to Rámpúr, which is an inhabited district in that region, (P. 103) and took the fortress by storm, and ravaged the district. And Husain Qulà Khán marched towards Udaipúr, and ravaged the environs; but the Ráná left that place for some other maze-like mousehole.
The Emperor ordered Sábáts* and trenches to be constructed, and gradually brought close to the walls of the fortress. The width of the Sábát was such that ten horsemen could easily ride abreast in it, and its height was so great that a man on an elephant with spear in hand could pass under it. Many of the men of our army were killed by musket and cannon balls, and the bodies of the dead were made use of instead of bricks and stones. After a length of time the Sábát and trenches were brought up to the foot of the fortress, and they undermined two towers which were close together, and filled the mines with gunpowder. A party of men of well-known bravery fully armed and accoutred approached the towers, and waited till the towers should fall, and then they would enter the fortress.
By accident, though the two mines were fired at one and the same moment, the fuze of one, which was shorter than the other took effect soonest, and the fuze of the latter, which was longer, hung fire, so that one of the two towers was blown up from its foundations and heaved into the air, and a great breach was made in the castle. Then the forlorn hope in their impetuosity forgetting the second mine stormed the breach at once, and soon effected a lodging. While the hand-to-hand struggle was going on, suddenly the second fuze went off and blew the other tower, which was full, both of friends and foes, from its place and lifted it into the air. The soldiers of Islám were buried under stones, some of 100, and some of 200 man in weight, and the stony-hearted infidels in like manner flew about like moths in that flood of fire. Those stones were blown as far as three or four cosses, and a cry of horror arose from the people of Islám and from the infidels:â
Nearly five hundred warriors, most of them personally known to the Emperor, were slain, and drank the draught of martyrdom: and of the Hindús who can say how many! <b>Night by night the infidels mustering in force kept building up the wall of the fortress from the ruins of these towers.</b>
After waiting a considerable time, six months more or less, at last on the night of Tuesday 25th of Sha'bán* in the aforesaid year the Imperial troops advancing from all sides, made a breach in the wall of the fortress, and stormed it. The fierce face of Jaimal became visible through the flashing of the fire of the cannon and guns, which was directed against the soldiers of Islám. At this juncture a bullet struck the forehead of Jaimal, who was distinctly recognizable, and he fell dead. It was as though a stone had fallen among a flock of sparrows, for, when the garrison of the fortress saw that their leader was dead, they fled every one to their own houses. Then they collected their families and goods together and burnt them, which is called in the language of Hind jouhar. Most of those that remained became food for the crocodile of the blood-drinking sword, and a few of those who remained, who escaped the sword and the fire, were caught in the noose of tribulation. The whole night long the swords of the combatants desisted not from the slaughter of the base, and returned not to the scabbard, till the time for the afternoon siesta arrived. <b>Eight thousand valorous Rájpúts were slain</b>.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
http://persian.packhum.org/persian/pf?au...6&work=001