Thatta

"In the year 973 H. (1565 A.D.,) near the end of his life, ‘Isa Tarkhan, proceeded with his son, Mirza Muhammad Baki, in the direction of Bhakkar. As they drew near the town of Durbela, a dependency of Bhakkar, Mahmud Khan, having strengthened his stronghold, sent forth his army to meet them, for, thought he, what breach of contract is this? They bring an army into my territory! What can be their object? It was the intention of Muhammad Baki to detach the Parganah of Durbela, from the province of Bhakkar, and to incorporate it in that of Siwan; but he was frustrated in this design by the army of Mahmud Khan, which was powerful, and was everywhere prepared for fight. Blood had not yet been spilled, when, suddenly, news came from Thatta, that the Firingis had passed Lahori Bandar, and attacked the city. The gates were closed, said the despatch; if the army returned without delay, the place would be delivered; otherwise, [p. 26] the enemy was strong, and would effect his object. This intelligence caused the Mirza to desist from prosecuting the quarrel any further. Leaving the country under the rule of the Khan, he speedily embarked in his boats, and departed. Before he could arrive, the Firingis had sacked the city, and filled it with fire and slaughter. Many of ‘the inhabitants had found an asylum in the J ama’ Masjid of Mir Farrukh Arghun, which they quitted, on hearing of the Mirza’s approach. The mode of the Firingis comin was as follows: – Between the town of Thatta and Lahon Bandar is a distance of two days journey-both by land and by water; beyond this, it is another day’s march to the sea. There is a small channel, (called nar in the language of Thatta), communicating with the port; it is in some places about ten tanabs wide, in others, something more. It is unfordable. Between the port and the ocean there is but one inhabited spot, called Sui Miani. Here a guard belonging to the Mir Bandar, or port-master, with a loaded piece of ordnance, is always stationed. Whenever a ship enters the creek, it intimates its approach by firing a gun, which is responded to by the guardhouse, in order, by that signal, to inform the people at the port, of the arrival of a strange vessel. These again, instantly send word of its arrival to the merchants of Thatta, and then embarking on boats, repair to the place where the guard is posted. Ere they reach it, those on the look-out have already enquired into the nature of the ship. Every vessel and trader must undergo this questioning. All concerned in the business, now go in their boats, (ghrabs) to the mouth of the creek. If the ship belong to the port it is allowed to move up and anchor under Lahori Bandar; if it belong to some other port, it can go no further, its cargo is transferred into boats, and forwarded to the city. To be brief, when these Firingi traders had got so far, and learned that the king of the country was away on a distant expedition, they felt that no serious obstacle could be made to their advance. The Mir Bandar wished to enforce the regulations, but he was plainly told by the foreigners that they had no intention of staying at the Bandar, but that they intended [p. 27] to proceed on to Thatta, in the small boats (ghrabs) in which they had come. There they would take some relaxation, sell their goods, buy others, and then return. The ill-provided governor, unable to resist them by force, for their plans had been well laid, was fain to give in; so, passing beyond the Bandar, the Firingis moved in boats, up the river Sind towards Thatta, plundering as they went all the habitations on the banks. The ruler of the country being away, no one had sufficient power to arrest the progress of the invaders. They reached the city unmolested; but here the garrison, left by the Mirza, defended the place with the greatest gallantry. A spirited contest with artillery took place on the banks of the river. In the end the defenders were overpowered; the enemy penetrated the city, and had made themselves fully masters of it, when the Mirza arrived in all haste. As soon as they heard of his being near, with a powerful army, they loaded their boats with as much spell as they could contain, and withdrew. The Mirza, who had previously laid the foundation of a citadel for protection against the Arghuns, now deemed it necessary to encircle his palace and the whole city, with fortifications. His reign ended with his life in the year 984 H. (1576 A.D.) His wealth and kingdom passed into the hands of his son – Muhammad Baki."

"“…Julal-ood-Deen now occupied Tutta, destroyed all the temples, and built mosques in their stead; and on one occasion detached a force to Nehrwala (Puttun), on the border of Guzerat…”"