nifest; he refused to pay
respects to Danyal. Akbar was encamped at Ujain when the news reached
him. He ordered Abul Fazl to join him; he ordered Danyal to go on to
Ahmadnagar; he then prepared for the subjugation of Bahadur Khan.

The story of the operations may be told in a few words. Danyal advanced
to Ahmadnagar. Chand Bibi was slaughtered by her own soldiers.
Ahmadnagar was occupied by the Moguls. Meanwhile Bahadur Khan abandoned
Burhanpur and took refuge in the strong fortress of Asirghur. Akbar was
joined by Abul Fazl and laid siege to Asirghur. The siege lasted six
months. At last Bahadur Khan surrendered; his life was spared;
henceforth he fades away from history.

So far Akbar had prospered; he had conquered the great highway into the
Deccan--Malwa, Khandesh, Berar, and Ahmadnagar. He raised Abul Fazl to
the command of four thousand. He resolved on conquering the Deccan. He
was about to strike when his arm was arrested. His eldest son Selim had
broken out in revolt. He had gone to Allahabad and assumed the title of
padishah.

Akbar returned alone to Agra; he was falling on evil days. He effected a
reconciliation with Selim; he saw that Selim was still rebellious at
heart; that his best officers were inclining toward his undutiful son.
In his perplexity he sent to the Deccan for Abul Fazl. The trusted
servant hastened to join his imperial master. But Selim had always hated
Abul Fazl. He instigated a Rajput chief of Bundelkund to waylay Abul
Fazl. This chief was Bir Singh of Urchah. Bir Singh fell upon Abul Fazl
near Nawar, killed him, and sent his head to Selim. Bir Singh fled from
the wrath of the Padishah; he led the life of an outlaw in the jungle
until he heard of the death of Akbar.

Akbar was deeply wounded by the murder of Abul Fazl. He thereby lost his
chief support, his best trusted friend. Henceforth he seemed to yield to
circumstances rather than to struggle against the world. Other
misfortunes befell him: his mother died; his youngest son, Danyal,
killed himself with drink in the Deccan; his own life was beginning to
draw to a close.

The last events in the reign of Akbar are obscure. Outwardly he became
reconciled to Selim. Outwardly he abandoned scepticism and heresy; he
professed himself a Mussulman. At heart he was anxious that Selim should
be set aside; that Khuzru, the eldest son of Selim, should succeed him
to the throne. It is impossible to unravel the intrigues that filled the
court a