334 W. Irvine— The Bang ash Nawdhs of FarruTchdhdd. [No. 4, 
Death of Akbar Khan. 
It was about this time, 1152 H. (1739), that Nizam-ul-Mulk and his 
son, Ghazi-ud-din, now at the head of affairs, disgusted Muhammad 
Khan by non-fulfilment of a promise to confirm him in his govern¬ 
ment of Allahabad, which was given to Amir Khan ’Umdat-ul-Mulk. # 
Muhammad Khan quitted Court without leave and retired to his estates. 
Sher Zaman Khan and Abu Samad Khan were sent at the head of a large 
force, with orders to turn him out of his territory. Nawab Muhammad 
Khan, not being in good health himself, sent his elder sons, Akbar Khan and 
Ahmad Khan, to oppose the invaders. Akbar Khan had ten thousand horse, 
and Ahmad Khan five hundred horse and one hundred swivel guns carried 
on camels. The foot soldiers were also very numerous. 
The two armies met at Rao-ka-Sikandra in the Aligarh district. Now, 
Muhammad Khan had instructed his chief-men that on no account were 
they to allow Akbar Khan to fight on horseback, for being a young man 
of rash temper, he might ride into the enemy’s ranks and be destroyed. The 
Pathans therefore forced Akbar Khan to mount an elephant. Ahmad 
Khan’s elephant was coming up alongside, when Akbar Khan called out 
“ Keep that elephant back, why are you driving it up beside mine.” Akbar 
Khan was of a very proud nature, and being the next in age, he did not defer 
even to the eldest son, Kaim Khan, thinking that on Muhammad Khan’s 
death he, Akbar Khan, would succeed. Ahmad Khan was vexed by his 
brother’s words, and drove his elephant off to some distance. 
The battle then began, both of the nobles sent from Delhi were slain, 
and the Pathans gained the day. Then Ahmad Khan out of revenge 
turned his camel swivels in the direction of Akbar Khan, and ordered them 
to be discharged. The ball from one of the zamburak penetrated Akbar 
Khan’s brain, and he was killed on the spot. They brought the body home, 
and Nawab Muhammad Khan mourned much for him, lying for three days 
on his cushion weeping for him and fasting. 
Muhammad Khan negotiates for Ali Muhammad Khan Kohela. 
In 1153 H. (18th March, 1740—7th March, 1741), Rajah Harnand 
was sent as Nazim to Katahr, with orders to expel ’Ali Muhammad Khan 
Rohela. In this difficulty the Rohela appealed to the Nawab to intercede 
for him, for although Harnand had given his acquittance for the kharif 
he still showed hostile intentions. The Nawab wrote to Kamr-ud-din 
Khan, Wazir, hoping that he would not send his son Mir Mu’in-ud-din 
Khan, to reinforce Rajah Harnand. ’Ali Muhammad Khan was a loyal 
subject, who had attended Court every year, and in 1729 when ’Azim-ullah 
Khan Zahir-ud-daula, the wazir’s brother, went against the Sayyads of Bar¬ 
ba, the Rohela joined with his troops and did good service. A man who 
* Dow, II, 433. 
