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Shahbaz Khan Kamboh

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General Shahbaz Khan Kamboh (1529 AD - 1600 AD) was one of the most trusted and able generals of Mughal emperor Akbar [1] [2]. His real name was Shahrullah and his sixth ancestor, Haji Ismail was a disciple of the renowned saint Bahauddin Zakariya of Multan. He had entered Mughal service during the time of Akbar. The Emperor was very much impressed by his sagacity and sharpness of intellect at the first sigt and elevated him to the rank of Mir Tozak (Quarter-Master General) and soon later to an Amir (minister). From a mansab of 100, he rose to that of 1000 persons and horses and soon to Char-hazari (4000) and then to 5000 [3] and became very close confidant of His Majesty (Emperor Akbar) -- a companion, a bakhshi and a Vakil (General Administrator) and acquired great powers.

Shabaz Khan as a General

In 1572 he was appointed Mir Bakhshi (Paymaster-General) and the title of 'Shahbaz Khan' was conferred on him. During 21ist year of his service, Shahbaz Khan proceeded against Kalah Rai and Maldeo Rai, the rebel Rathod Rajputs of Jodhpur and brought them under control. He also attacked the fort of Daigur which resulted in the deaths of numerous Rathods. Later, he also reduced the forts of Dunar and Siwanah and was made commandant of these forts by the Crown.

During 23rd year of his service (1577), Shahbaz Khan invaded Komelmer and subdued the pride of Rana Pratap of Mewar. Akbar had appointed Raja Bhagwant Das and his son Man Singh to this force on account of their knowledge of the country (Mewar) but Shahbaz Khan refused to take them. Rana Pratap fled in the disguise of an ascetic to escape the wrath of aggressive General Shahbaz Khan.

Bahadhur Khan-i-Shaibani and his brother Khan Zaman-i-Shaibani were Amir Viziers in the court of Akbar and both were holding big Jagirs, but as luck would have it, they rebelled against the Crown. With the help of Shahbaz Khan, Akbar crushed the rebellion with an iron hand. General Khan Zanan-i-Shaibani was killed in the battle but Bahadhur Khan was executed by Shahbaz Khan Kamboh and Rai Bansi Das Kamboh on orders of the Crown [4].

The princes of Goganda, and Udaipur also submitted to him. Shahbaz Khan setup 50 police posts in mountainous regions and 30 in the plains to keep control over the rebellious Rajputs.

On 18 May 1583, he was appointed Governor of Bengal. Initially, he had commanded 5000 cavalry and had distinguished himself greatly in Bengal, but later when operating in Brahmputra, he had commanded 9000 strong cavalry [5].

On 15 November 1583, he defeated Masoom Khan Kabuli and compelled him to flee to Bhati while Jabbari, an ally of Masoom Khan, fled to Kooch Bihar. In 1584, he led an expedition against Isa Khan, initially achieved a considerable success and even ravaged Katrabo, Khizirpur, Sonargaon and Egarasindhur but finally suffered a defeat in the battle of Egarasindur and Bhawal and was forced to rtreat to Tandah. With reinforcements sent by Akbar, Shahbaz Khan again marched towards Bhati in 1586 and defeated Isa Khan and forced him to come to terms with the Crown.

In November 1586, Shahbaz Khan was again appointed Governor of Bengal in which capacity he served for two years before leaving in 1588. Shahbaz Khan was one of the best Khan best Khans during his governorship of Bangala and Orissa [6].

Shahbaz Khan Kamboh had also subdued the pride of Raja Ram Chander Sain, Rai Surjan Handa & Dauda, Raja Gajpati, Rana Sangram as well as the officers of Surat. He had participated in some of the most difficult expeditions of emperor Akbar and much of the territorial expansion of Akbar was due to General Shahbaz Khan.

In 1589 AD, General Shabaz Khan led an expedition from Attock against the Eusafzai or Yousafzai Afghans and defeated and dispersed them [7].

As a Mir Bakshi, Shahbaz Khan introduced the system of Dag-o-mahali which had considerably cut down the over-heads as well as the corruption in the military departments of the Crown.

Shahbaz Khan was also appointed the tutor of Salim (jahangir) by Akbar and he helped the later in the administration of the Ajmer province.

Shahbaz Khan was a very able and efficient General and his military division was always found in excellent conditions. Shahbaz Khan died of illness on 11 November 1600 at Ajmer at the age of over 70 years. He was then on a military expedition against the Rajputs of Rajasthan.

Historian Abu-L-Fazl Alami, the author of Aiana-i-Akbari, attests that Shahbaz Khan was a very competent and capable General but Abu-L-Fazal also accuses him for his Sunni fanaticism and arrogance. Many a times, he strongly opposed the emperor, but Akbar had a great regard for Shahbaz Khan and took it lightly. But once, the defiant Shabaz Khan had to be imprisoned and was released only after three years.

The 9000 strong cavalry of General Shahbaz Khan is said to have comprised mostly the Kamboj (Kamboh) horsemen and it included both the Muslim as well as the Hindu Kamboj soldiers. He used to pay an annual salary of one lakh rupees each to ten of his officers and none (of his servants) had a subsistence-stipend less than five six thousand [8]. The total annual expenses on his division was over 30 lakh Indian Ruppees during those times. "He did not leave the Kambohs clan in the whole of India unemployed; he took all of them in his service" [9]. Abu-al-Fazl writes: "To Kambohs, he gave so much that no Kamboh in India was in bad circumstances" [10].

Shahbaz Khan was known for his generosity and liberality and the money he spent was so great that it made the people think that he had in his possession Philosopher's stone [11]. He left behind a huge Jagir and treasure which was seized by Jahangir (Salim), son of Emperor Akbar after his death [12] [13].

Shahbaz Khan as a religious man

Shabaz Khan belonged the family whose ancestors were all celebrated for piety, asceticism and religiosity. Shahbaz Khan in early part of his life was celebrated for his religiosity till he first became deputy Kotwal of the Chabutara when he displayed his awareness of the (affairs of the) kingdom and judicious disposal of matters. Afterwards, he became Kotwal and became a favorite of His Majesty, Emperor Akbar [14]

Shahbaz Khan himself was deeply religious and pious man. He did not put on dress outside the sanction of simna (ie which had no sanction of the Prophet's action). He always carried a rosary in his hand, reciting all the while invocations of God's salutations on the chief of the world (prophet Muhammad) and between the evening and sunset prayers, he would sit down facing west (qibla) and offering nimaz. He did not follow other Khans as long as he was alive in shaving off his beard and drinking wine and did not have (the word) Murid on his signet. He remained steadfast in the religion of Islam and left his name in the world of generosity and religiosity [15].

Emperor Akbar tried his best to bring General Shahbaz Khan and another General Qutb-ud-din Muhammad Khan Koka into his new faith known as Din-i-Ilahi but the move was strongly criticized both by General Shabaz Khan Kamboh as well as Qutb-ud-din Khan. [16] This, according to Abu-L-Fazl had created obstacles in his promotion upwards. On the other hand, many incompetent and junior officers got promoted which they did never deserve.

References

  1. ^ Sikhs: By Bingley, A. H. 2d Ed, 1970, p 57, A. H. Bingley - Sikhs.
  2. ^ Discovery of Pakistan: By A. Aziz. [2d Rev. Ed.], 1964, p 71, Abdul Aziz - Pakistan.
  3. ^ As a Governor of BengalIn Bengal when operating in Brahmputra, he had commanded 9000 strong cavalry (See: Aina-i-Akbari, Blochman’s trans, I, p 399-402).
  4. ^ Aina-i-Akbari, Abu-al-Fazl Alami, Trans H. Blochman, 1965, Part I, p 347.
  5. ^ Aina-i-Akbari, Blochman’s trans, I, p 399-402.
  6. ^ The Dhakhiratul-khawanin: A Biographical Dictionary of Mughal Noblemen, 1993, p 116, Shaikh Farid Bhakkari, Ziyaud-Din A. Desai - Mogul Empire.
  7. ^ History of Punjab from Remotest times to the Present Time, 1964, p 141, Sayid Muhammad Latif; Bibliotheca Indica, 1936, p 627, Royal asiatic Society of Bengal (Calcutta India).
  8. ^ The Dhakhiratul-khawanin: A Biographical Dictionary of Mughal Noblemen, 1993, p 114,Shaikh Farid Bhakkari, Ziyaud-Din A. Desai - Mogul Empire.
  9. ^ Nobility Under the Great Mughals: Based on Dhakhīratul Khawanīn of Shaikh Farīd Bhakkari, 2003, p 245, Shaikh Farid Bhakkari, Ziyaud-Din A. Desai.
  10. ^ Ain-i-Akbari, 1873, p 402, Abu-al-Fazl ibn Mubārak, Trans: Henry Blochmann, Henry Sullivan Jarrett.
  11. ^ An Oriental Biographical Dictionary: Found on Materials Collected by the Late Thomas William Beale, 1894, p 361, Thomas William Beale, Henry George Keene; The Dhakhiratul-khawanin: A Biographical Dictionary of Mughal Noblemen, 1993 (edition), p 114, Shaikh Farid Bhakkari, Trans: Ziyaud-Din A. Desai - Mogul Empire.
  12. ^ The Dhakhiratul-khawanin: A Biographical Dictionary of Mughal Noblemen, 1993 (edition), p 114, Shaikh Farid Bhakkari, Trans: Ziyaud-Din A. Desai - Mogul Empire; Akbar the Great Mogul, 1542-1605: The Great Mogul 1542-1605, 1919, p 301, Vincent Arthur Smith - Mogul Empire.
  13. ^ For full details, see refs in: The Ain-i-Akbari, 1873, pp 242, 326, 328, 342, 402, 528, 629, 630, 636, 642, 657, Abū al-Faz̤l ibn Mubārak, Trans: Henry Blochmann, Henry Sullivan Jarrett; Muntaḵẖabu-t-tawārīḵẖ, 18894, pp 176, 40, Abd al-Qādir ibn Mulūk Shāh Badāʾūnī, George Speirs Alexander Ranking, William Henry Lowe, T. W. Haig; The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians: The Muhammadan Period, 1873, pp 343, 383, 458, 467, Henry Miers Elliot, John Dowson; Bibliotheca Indica , 1902, p 166, Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal, Asiatic Society (Calcutta, India), Asiatic Society of Bengal, India Asiatic Society (Calcutta - Indic literature); Encyclopaedic Survey of Islamic Culture: Growth & Development, 1998, p 112, Mohamed Taher; Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part - II, p 126, Satish Chandra.
  14. ^ The Dhakhirat Ul-Khawanin of Shaikh Farid Bhakkari, 1993, p 107,Farīd Bhakkari, Shaikh Farid Bhakkari, Ziyaud-Din A. Desai.
  15. ^ The Dhakhiratul-khawanin: A Biographical Dictionary of Mughal Noblemen, 1993, p 116, Shaikh Farid Bhakkari, Ziyaud-Din A. Desai - Mogul Empire; Road to Pakistan: A Comprehensive History of the Pakistan Movement, 1947, edition 1990, p 187,Hakim Mohammad Said - Muslims.
  16. ^ Muslim Civilizatiuon in India, New York, Columbia University Press, 1964 , XII. Religion at Akbar's Court, S. M. Ikram, (Ed) Ainslie T. Embree.

See also

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