- Adham Khan
Adham Khan was a general of
Akbar . He was the younger son ofMaham Anga , he thus became the foster brother of Akbar. In his fourth regnal year, Akbar married him to the daughter of Baqi Khan Baqlani [Beveridge, H. (1907, reprint 2000). "The Akbarnama of Abu'l Fazl", Vol.II, Calcutta: The Asiatic Society, ISBN 81 7236 093 2,p.129] .Conquest of Malwa
After the dismissal of
Bairam Khan , Adham Khan was appointed as a general and was sent toMalwa to capture it.In 1561, the Mughal army led by Adham Khan and Pir Muhammad Khan invaded Malwa. They defeated the army of
Baz Bahadur , the Sultan ofMalwa in the battle ofSarangpur onMarch 29 ,1561 . All his treasures, elephants and his harem was captured by the victors. Adham Khan tried to take possession of Baz Bahadur's Hindu mistressRani Roopmati also, but she killed herself by consuming poison. According to the historian Badauni, both the commanders, Adham Khan and Pir Muhammad Khan perpetrated acts of barbaric cruelty, massacring the prisoners and killing even their wives and children. After the victory, Adham Khan sent to the emperorAkbar a report of victory along with only a few elephants, himself appropriating the rest of the spoils.Akbar resented this insolence and personally marched to Sarangpur. He took Adham Khan by surprise. Adham Khan surrendered to Akbar and his spoils were seized. Later he was recalled from Malwa and the command was made over to Pir Muhammad Khan [Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2007). "The Mughul Empire", Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, ISBN 81-7276-407-1,p.112] .
Murder of Ataga Khan and its aftermath
In November, 1561 Akbar’s favourite general Shams-ud-Din Muhammad
Ataga Khan , was appointed "wakil" (the prime minister), replacingMunim Khan . His appointment displeased Maham Anga.On
May 16 ,1562 , Adham Khan accompanied by a few ruffians burst in upon him as he sat in the hall of audience and murdered him. Adham Khan then rushed to the inner apartment where he was caught by Akbar, just roused from sleep by tumult. Akbar replied to the Adham Khan's explanation to palliate his crime by striking him down with a heavy blow of his fist. Adham was thrown down twice from the ramparts of theAgra Fort which was convert|40|ft|m|abbr=on high from ground level by the royal order and put to death. Akbar himself broke this news to Maham Anga, who made a simple but dignifed reply that he did well. This sudden demise of Adham Khan, made his mother mentally depressed and after forty days she also died [Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2007). "The Mughul Empire", Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, ISBN 81-7276-407-1,pp.113-4] [Beveridge, H. (1907, reprint 2000). "The Akbarnama of Abu'l Fazl", Vol.II, Calcutta: The Asiatic Society, ISBN 81 7236 093 2,pp.268-75] .After his death his body was sent with respect to Delhi. Akbar built the mausoleum of Adham Khan in
Mehrauli , where both Adham Khan and his foster mother Maham Anga were buried [Beveridge, H. (1907, reprint 2000). "The Akbarnama of Abu'l Fazl", Vol.II, Calcutta: The Asiatic Society, ISBN 81 7236 093 2,p.274] . This mausoluem, popularly known asBhul-bhulaiyan , is located at the north of theQutub Minar .Notes
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