Ismail Quli Khan Zulqadar (Shah Nawaz Khan, [1780], 1941)

Ismail Quli Khan Zulqadar

He was the younger brother of Husain Quli Khan Khan Jahan, and one of the high officers of Akbar’s reign. In the battle of Jalandhar when Bairam Khan was defeated and made to retreat, the imperialists pursued Isma’il Quli Khan and captured him. After his brother was received into favour, he too was well treated by the Emperor, and performed great deed in company with his brother. When his brother died as Subadar of Bengal, Isma’il Quli Khan came to the Court with his (brother’s) good and chattels, and was favourably received. In the 30^th year¹, he was sent to chastise the Baluchis, who had become rebellious and did not submit to authority. When he came to Baluchistan, the people were first contumacious, but soon sued for peace. Their chiefs, Ghazi Khan Wajih and Ibrahim Khan Daulat, accepted service, and their country was restored to them by the Emperor. In the 31^st year², when Raja Bhagwant Das was recalled owing to insanity from the government of Zabulistan (Afghanistan), Isma’il Quli Khan was appointed in his place, but he exhibited improper traits and fell out of favour. An order was given that he should be put into a boat and sent to Mecca by the way of Bhakkar. He had recourse to entreaties, and though his request were granted, he was removed from where he was and appointed to chastise the Yusufza’is. Suddenly various kinds of diseases resulting from the obnoxious atmosphere broke out in the hill-country of Sawad (Swat) and Bajaur. The chiefs of their own accord came before Isma’il Quli Khan and submitted. When Zain Khan, the governor of Zabulistan had pressed hard upon Jalala Raushani and made him leave Tirah for the hill-country of the Yusufza’is, Zain Khan, to wipe out the disgrace which he had incurred in the affair of Bir Bar, entered the hill-country. Sadiq Khan also was sent from the Court so that he might take post in Sawad, and that Jalala might be caught whichever way he turned. Isma’il Quli Khan. Who was thanadar of that country, took umbrage at Sadiq Khan’s coming, and leaving the passes open went off to the Court. Suddenly Jalala got his opportunity and came out. For this reason Isma’il Quli Khan was for some time under censure, but, in the 33^rd year, was appointed to the government of Gujarat. When in the 36^th year, Prince Sultan Murad was appointed to the government of Malwa, Isma’il Quli Khan was made his Vakil, but he did not act properly as Murad’s guardian. In the 38^th year, Sadiq Khan was appointed in his place, and Isma’il Quli Khan was recalled to the Court. In the 39^th year, he was allowed to go to Kalpi, which was his fief, so that he might develop the property. In the 42^nd year, 1005 A.H. (1596―97 A.D.), he was raised to the rank of 4,000. They say, he was much given to pleasure and displayed great luxury in food and clothing, and in carpets and other furniture. He had 1,200 women, and when he went to the Court he used to have seals put on the strings of their drawers. At last they all got annoyed and joined together and poisoned³ him. His sons, Ibrahim Quli, Salim Quli, and Khalil Quli obtained suitable appointments in the time of Akbar.

¹ Akbarnama, Text III, p. 475, Beveridge’s translation, III, pp. 716, 717.

² Akbarnama, Text III, pp., 491, 492, Beveridge’s translation, III, pp. 742―745. For the various spellings of the name of Raja Bhagwant Das, see Blochmann’s translaton of the A’in, I (2^nd edn.), p. 353.

³ See his life in Blochmann’s translation of the A’in, I (2^nd edn), pp. 388, 389.

Shah Nawaz Khan, The Ma'athir-ul-Umara, Being Biographies of the Muhammadan and Hindu Officers of the Timurid Sovereigns of India from 1500 to about 1780 A.D. Beveridge, H. (tr.). Revised, annotated and completed by Baini Prasad, vol. I, Calcutta, 1941, pp. 703―704.