THIRTIETH YEAR OF THE REIGN, 1066 A.H. (1655-6 A.D.).

Painful Death of Sa du-la Khán.

On the 22nd Jumáda-s sání 'Allámí Sa'du-lla Khán, conformably to the sacred text, "When your time of death has arrived, see that ye defer not a moment, nor procrastinate," returned the response of Labaiká to the herald of God, and migrated from this transitory sphere to the realms of immortality. For nearly four months he had been labouring under a severe and painful attack of cholic; during the first two months of which period, when he was not confined to his bed, he used to attend daily in the auspicious presence, and uttered no exclamation of pain. In fact, he was then trying to dispel the disease by attending to Takarrub Khán's medical treatment; but after he became confined to his house from the acute agony he was suffering, the matter was disclosed to the royal ear; whereupon the skilful physicians in attendance at the foot of the sublime throne were commanded to effect his cure. As his appointed time of death, however, had come, all their remedies produced no effect, and the disease gradually gaining ground, put an end to his sufferings. The monarch, the appreciator of worth, expressed intense regret at the demise of that deserving object of kindness and consideration, and showered favours on his children and all his connexions.

Marriage of Muhammad Sultán with Kutbu-l Mulk's daughter.

The sequel to the narrative of Golkonda affairs is as follows. As the moment for the celebration of Muhammad Sultan's nuptials had been fixed for the morning of the 18th of Jumáda-s sání in this happy-omened year, Prince Muhammad Aurangzeb Bahadur sent his diwán, Muhammad Táhir, one day previously to Kutbu-l Mulk, together with the ecclesiastics, and

forwarded a khil'at. ** Next day, the marriage service was read in a fortunate moment, and the hymeneal rites were duly observed. After a week's interval, the illustrious Prince again despatched his own diwán and the royal bakhshi into the fortress, with a view of fetching that chaste and fortunate damsel; and commanded several nobles to wait outside the fortifications, and accompany her from thence. These obedient vassals accordingly acted in conformity with his injunctions, and conducted her along with Kutbu-l Mulk's mother, who had accompanied her, to a pavilion that had been erected near His Royal Highness's. Kutbu-l Mulk sent about ten lacs of rupees in gems and other articles by way of dowry. Next day the Prince forwarded the farmán and a superb khil'at, the delivery of which he had deferred, as has been alluded to in its proper place, to Kutbu-l Mulk, who went out to meet them, and received them with the deepest reverence.

[Return of Prince Muhammad Aurangzeb from Golkonda, investiture of Mir Jumla with the title of Mu'azzam Khán, and bestoral of that of Khủn-Jahin on Shajista Khán

Appointment of Prince Muhammad Aurangzeb to conduct the campaign of Bíjápúr, and dismissal of Mu'azzam Khán [Mir Jumla], etc., from the presence.

Among the events of this year was the appointment of the victorious Prince Aurangzeb Bahádur to conduct the campaign of Bíjápúr, and the dismissal of Mu'azzam Khán and the other nobles and mansabdárs from the sublime presence to share in the above campaign; a concise version of which is as follows. As it had been reported at the threshold of royalty, through the representations of the above-named Prince, that 'Adil Khán had bid adieu to existence by a natural death, and his servants had constituted Majhúl Illáhí his successor, who professed to be his offspring, it was ordered, on the 18th of Safar,

that His Royal Highness should hasten thither with the Dakhin forces, and bring the campaign to a conclusion, in such a way as he should deem expedient. An ever-obeyed mandate was also issued to Khán-Jahán, to repair expeditiously to Daulatábád, and remain in that city until the ever-successful Prince's return. Jamdatu-1 Mulk Muazzam Khán, Sháh Nawáz Khán Safvi, Mahábat Khán, Nijábat Khán, Rájá Rái Singh, and a number more nobles and mansabdárs, whose total strength amounted to 20,000 horse, were appointed to serve under that ward of divine providence; some being despatched from the auspicious presence, and others from their respective homes and jágirs, along with a great many musketeers both horse and foot, and rocketmen. Among those who received their dismissal from the presence, Jamdatu-l Mulk was presented with a handsome khil'at, etc.

As Mu'azzam Khán had reported that he had sent several led horses, adorned with diamonds, rubies, and precious stones, and some other articles, that he had taken from the Zamindar of the Karnátik, to 'Adil Khán, the Sháh Buland Ikbál despatched by the hands of two confidential slaves a mandate, agreeably to orders, to the latter, respecting the forwarding of the aforesaid articles. As 'Adil Khán, however, departed this life very shortly after the receipt of the mandate, his servants forwarded to Court four out of the whole number of led horses, together with an epistle from his successor, in charge of the abovementioned slaves. They were accordingly presented on the 1st of Rabí'u-s sání this year, and their value was almost a lac of rupees.

LXIV.

BADSHAH-NAMA

OF

MUHAMMAD WARIS.

[THIS work is also called Shah Jahan-náma. It is the completion of the Badshah-náma of 'Abdu-l Hamíd by his pupil and assistant Muhammad Wáris, who was appointed to carry on the work when his friend and master had become incapacitated by age. It embraces the last ten years of Sháh Jahán's reign, from the beginning of the twenty-first to the thirtieth year, in which his actual reign closed. The work was submitted for revision to ’Aláu-1 Mulk Túní, entitled Fázil Khán, who became wazir in Aurangzeb's days, and the part of the work subsequent to the death of 'Allámí Sa'du-lla Khán was written by Fázil Khán, under the command of the Emperor himself. Little is known of Muhammad Wáris, but the author of the Ma-ásir-i 'Alamgiri records that "On the 10th Rabí'u-l awwal, 1091 (1680 a.d.), Wáris Khán, news reader, the graceful author of the third volume of the Bádsháh-náma, was killed by a blow of a penknife from a mad student, whom he had taken under his protection, and who used to sleep at night near his patron."

The work is composed in a style similar to that of 'Abdu-l Hamíd, and is of considerable length. It closes with a list of the shaikhs, learned men and poets who flourished during its decade.

The history of this period of Sháh Jahán's reign has been so fully supplied by the Extracts from the Shah Jahán-náma of 'Inayat Khán, that only one short Extract has been taken from this work.

Sir H. M. Elliot's MS. is a poor one. It is an 8vo., twelve

inches by six and a half, and contains 357 leaves, of nineteen lines to the page. There is a copy in the British Museum, and one in the Library of the Royal Asiatic Society.]

EXTRACT.

Twenty-second Year of the Reign.

[1 When the Emperor set off from Sháhjahánábád to chastise the Persians, it was his intention to march on and make no stay until he reached Kábul. ** But afterwards it appeared clear to his far-reaching judgment, that it was very improbable that the Shah of Persia would enter upon a campaign in the winter season, when grain and forage are very difficult to procure in that country (of Kandahár). The Emperor's counsellors also represented that the Shah of Persia had resolved upon this evil enterprise in that infatuation which arises from youth and inexperience. During the winter he would be busy making preparations in Khurásán, and in the spring he would commence operations. In this way the late Sháh 'Abbás came up against Kandahár in the reign of the Emperor Jahángír. The severe cold and the heavy snow and rain, together with scarcity of provender for the horses, would be sources of great suffering to the Imperial army; so under all circumstances it was desirable to postpone the march until the Nau-roz. ** So it was resolved to wait the arrival of news from Kandahár. On the 12th Muharram a despatch arrived from the commandant of the fortress, to the effect that on the 10th Zí-l hijja the Sháh of Persia had invested the fortress, his evident object being to accomplish this, the first enterprise of his reign, before the spring, when the roads would be open for the advance of the Imperial army.]

1 See suprà, p. 87.