‘Humayun
‘Father, ever since we left Kabul we have fought only skirmishes. All the major fortresses like Rohtas have surrendered at our approach and now this great city of Lahore has too. How much further can we go into Hindustan without a real battle?’
‘Not far, I think. We’ll soon be entering what were the heartlands of Sher Shah’s and Islam Shah’s dominions. The three contenders for their throne will have heard of our advance and will know that we — the rightful rulers of Hindustan — are a greater threat than any of their fellow pretenders. One or all of them will turn aside from their squabbles to attack us.’
‘D’you think they will unite against us?’
‘Possibly, but the amount of death and destruction they have inflicted on each other makes that unlikely. However, each will be a formidable opponent in his own right.’
‘How long will we stay in Lahore?’
‘Only long enough to have the chief mullah proclaim me emperor once more by reading the
Two weeks later, as, shrouded in early morning mist, his troops were lighting their cooking fires to prepare their early meal, Humayun sat with his military council around him in his scarlet tent at the centre of his camp. Since leaving Lahore eight days earlier, he and his army had advanced ninety miles southeast, ever deeper into Hindustan across the featureless, red plains.
‘You are certain, Ahmed Khan, that the forces of Adil Shah are heading east across our line of march?’
‘Yes. Five days ago they had the worst of another encounter with the army of their rival Sekunder Shah and now they are hastening towards their stronghold in the fortress of Sundarnagar to regather their strength.’
‘How far away are they?’
‘Perhaps eight miles ahead of us, Majesty.’
‘How many of them are there?’
‘Ten thousand or so, nearly all mounted. They have abandoned most of their cannon and heavy equipment.’
‘Do they have pickets and outriders posted?’
‘Only a very few, Majesty; they are in too much disorder. They paused merely for a few hours overnight to snatch some sleep and were in the saddle again before dawn. Their minds seem concentrated only on reaching Sundarnagar as speedily as possible.’
‘Then let us attack immediately, taking advantage of the cover of the mist while it lasts. Tell the men to douse their cooking fires. There is no time to eat. We will take mounted cavalry and archers. Also, order some of the cavalrymen to take musketeers up behind them on their horses.You, Bairam Khan, will remain with Akbar in charge of the camp. Ensure you establish good defences and post pickets. I expect to win but the camp must be strongly protected in case Adil Shah evades us or for any reason secures a temporary advantage.’
Two hours later, the mist had entirely evaporated. Humayun — who had ridden a mile or so ahead of his advancing main force with Ahmed Khan and a party of his scouts — looked over the low mud wall of a small village inhabited by a few poor farmers and their goats and chickens. Shielding his eyes with his hands against the sun’s glare, he saw about three-quarters of a mile away a large cloud of dust billowing as it crossed from right to left in front of him. Within the dust cloud, Humayun could just distinguish the shapes of riders and a few small baggage wagons pulled by mules or oxen. Two large banners fluttered at the head of the column. At this distance and through the dust, Humayun found it difficult to make out their colour, let alone any device on them, but it could only be Adil Shah’s forces.They had no scouts posted and appeared as yet oblivious of any danger.
‘Send orders back to Nadim Khwaja to take his division of cavalry and attack the rear. Tell Zahid Beg to bring his men here and I will lead them in an attack on the vanguard. Additionally, let those horsemen who have musketeers with them ride straightaway to within a hundred yards of the enemy line of march and there let the musketeers add to our opponents’ discomfort.’
Soon, Humayun’s musketeers were dismounting to place their long muskets on their firing tripods and Humayun and his troops were almost on Adil Shah’s vanguard. At the last moment their opponents had suddenly become aware of them and were turning to face them, unsheathing their weapons as they did so. Officers were shouting orders to close ranks and to prepare to receive the attacks. Almost immediately, Humayun’s musketeers fired their first volley, which knocked some of Adil Shah’s men from their saddles and wounded and panicked some of their horses.
Moments later, Humayun at the head of his cavalry thudded into their vanguard. His first action was to cut down one of the two banner holders with a sword swipe to the head. As the man fell backwards, he dropped his great banner, which Humayun could now see was orange with a gold sun on it. The long cloth twisted around the legs of Humayun’s black horse and it stumbled. Humayun, caught off balance as he leaned from the saddle to aim a sword stroke at the second banner carrier, fell. As he landed on the hard ground, his sword was knocked from his grasp.
Another of Adil Shah’s men, a stocky officer wearing a domed helmet with an orange plume, reacted more swiftly than Humayun’s bodyguard. He kicked his chestnut horse towards Humayun and attempted to impale him on his long lance. Humayun rolled quickly away, throwing off his gauntlet as he did so and trying to extract his dagger from its jewelled scabbard hanging at his waist. After what seemed an age, he tugged it free and threw the foot- long weapon with all his force at the throat of the horse of his opponent, who was attempting to ride him down once more. The point of the dagger hit its mark and the horse, bleeding profusely, staggered and collapsed, throwing its rider, who hit the earth with a thump.
Humayun was by now on his feet and rushed over to the winded officer, who had lost his helmet in the fall. Humayun grabbed him round his thick neck as he too attempted to stand. For some seconds they fought as the officer tried to extract himself from Humayun’s headlock. Then he bit hard into the bare flesh of Humayun’s wrist and hand, drawing blood. Humayun relaxed his grip slightly and the officer wrenched his head free.
Half smiling through teeth flecked with Humayun’s blood, he immediately kicked out at Humayun’s groin. But Humayun leaped back and his opponent missed, throwing himself off balance. Humayun swept the man’s trailing leg from beneath him and, as he fell, leaped upon him, landing with his knees on his opponent’s chest. The officer, although winded again, in turn succeeded in kneeing Humayun in the back and dislodging him.They rolled over and over in the dust together until Humayun used his superior strength and agility to get both his hands firmly round his opponent’s neck. Deliberately he pressed his thumbs into the man’s windpipe as hard as he could and twisted his neck sharply. There was a loud crack and slowly the officer’s face suffused with purple and his bulging eyes grew unfocused as he ceased to struggle.Throwing the limp body aside, Humayun scrambled to his feet and retrieved his sword. Grimly he realised that without the training of his wrestling bouts with Bayzid Khan he might not have prevailed. It would have been very difficult in the press of the fight for his bodyguard to protect him once he was unhorsed.
These same bodyguards were by now gathering round and Humayun saw that many of Adil Shah’s men were already fleeing. Others were surrendering. It was still less than an hour since he had first seen Adil Shah’s army, phantoms in the dust, from the shelter of the farmers’ village. Now they were in complete confusion and disarray, as were Adil Shah’s chances of making good his claim to the throne of Hindustan.
‘Pursue our enemies. Capture as many animals and as much equipment as you can. We will need them for the harder fights that surely lie ahead. If you capture Adil Shah show him no mercy, as he showed none to his
