Note 83 — PART I.—DESCRIPTION.

Báz Bahádur, a.d. 1555–1570.On the death of his father Malik Báyazíd killed his brother Daulat Khán, and was crowned in a.d. 1555 with the title of Báz Bahádur. He attacked the Gonds, but met with so crushing a defeat that he foreswore fighting.83 He gave himself to enjoyment and become famous as a musician,84 and for his poetic love of Rúp Mani or Rúp Mati, who according to one account was a wise and beautiful courtezan of Saháranpur in Northern India, and according to another was the daughter of a Nímar Rájput, the master of the town of Dharampuri.85 In a.d. 1560 Pír Muhammad, a general of Akbar’s, afterwards ennobled as Khán Jehán, defeated Báz Bahádur, drove him out of Mándu, and made the hill his own head-quarters.86 In the following year (a.d. 1561), by the help of the Berár chief, Pír Muhammad was slain and Báz Bahádur reinstated. On news of this defeat (a.d. 1562) Akbar sent Abdulláh Khán Uzbak with almost unlimited power to reconquer the province. Abdulláh was successful, but, as he showed signs of assuming independence, Akbar moved against him and he fled to Gujarát.87 Akbar remained in Mándu during the greater part of the following rains (a.d. 1563), examining with interest the buildings erected by the Khilji kings.88 At Mándu Akbar married the daughter of Mírán Mubárak Khán of Khándesh.89 When Akbar left (August 1564) he appointed Karra Bahádur Khán governor of Mándu and returned to Ágra.90 In a.d. 1568 the Mírzás, Akbar’s cousins, flying from Gujarát attacked Appendix II. The Hill Fort of Mándu. History The Mughals, a.d. 1570–1720. Ujjain. From Ujjain they retreated to Mándu and failing to make any impression on the fort withdrew to Gujarát.91 The Mirzás’ failure was due to the ability of Akbar’s general, Háji Muhammad Khán, to whom Akbar granted the province of Mándu.92 At the same time (a.d. 1568) the command of Mándu hill was entrusted to Sháh Budágh Khán, who continued commandant of the fort till his death many years later. During his command, in a picturesque spot overlooking a well-watered ravine in the south of Mándu, between the Ságar Lake and the Tárápur Gateway, Budágh Khán built a pleasure-house, which he named, or rather perhaps which he continued to call Nílkanth or Blue Throat. This lodge is interesting from the following inscriptions, which show that the emperor Akbar more than once rested within its walls.93