They Are Of Fair Complexions, And Well Made, But Have, Small
Eyes Like The Tartars And Chinese.
Their nobility wear rich and gay
clothes, fashioned like those of the Persians, and have long beards.
Their military dress is very costly, their arms being splendidly gilt
and highly polished, and they are singularly expert in the use of the
bow.
In battle they are brave and well disciplined and use artillery.
Their padishah is treated with wonderful majesty, seldom making his
appearance in public, and has a guard of 2000 horse, which is changed
quarterly. Both Moguls and Patans endeavoured to conquer India; but by
treachery and the event of war, the Patans and the kingdom of Delhi were
reduced by the Moguls at the time when Baber, the great-grandson of the
great Tamerlane was their padishah.
At the period to which we have now proceeded in our history of the
Portuguese in India, Omaum or Humayun, the son of Baber, was
padishah of the Moguls, and declared war against Badur king of Guzerat;
who immediately sent an army of 20,000 horse and a vast multitude of
foot to ravage the frontiers of the enemy. Ingratitude never escapes
unpunished, as was exemplified on this occasion. Crementii queen of
Chitore, who had formerly saved the life of Badur, and who in return
had deprived her of the kingdom of Chitore, was required by him to send
her son with all the men he could raise to assist him in the war against
Humayun. The queen required he would restore her other son, whom he kept
as an hostage, that she might not be deprived of both, and in the mean
time raised all the forces she was able. Not aware of her intentions,
Badur sent her son to Chitore, on which she immediately put herself
under the protection of Humayun. Badur immediately drew together an army
of 100,000 horse, 415,000 foot, 1000 cannon, 600 armed elephants, and
6000 carriages, with which he besieged Chitore, and battered its walls
with great fury. While engaged in this siege, he received information
that the army he had sent to ravage the country of the Moguls had been
defeated with the loss of 20,000 men. He at length got possession of
Chitore by policy more than force, after losing 15,000 men during the
siege; but the queen made her escape with all her family and wealth. He
repaired the fortifications of Chitore, in which he left Minao Husseyn
with a garrison of 12,000 men. He then marched to meet the army of the
Moguls, which was advancing through Mandou or Malwa in order to
relieve Chitore. On learning that Chitore had fallen, and that Badur was
intrenched with his army at Dozor, Humayun marched to that place and
took up a position with so much judgment that the army of Badur was
reduced to extremity for provisions. Being unable to extricate his army
from this state of difficulty, Badur fled with all speed to Mandou, or
Mundu near the Nerbuddah on the southern frontier of Malwa,
accompanied by Mustapha Rumi Khan and a few Portuguese.
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