Of evil intentions he had none. ** But for all their pleas and remove the suspicions which Orders were given for a force before him. Hayát Khán said protestations they could not Aurangzeb had of his son.** to be sent to bring the Prince there was no necessity for that. If the Emperor sent an officer to call the Prince, he would come at once, for he had no thought but of obedience. So on the 18th Rabí'u-s sání, in the twentyninth year of the reign, an officer was sent to bring the Prince, with Muhammad 'Azím, his second son, to the royal presence. The Prince obeyed immediately, and waited on his august father. * * The Emperor ordered that all the establishments of the Prince should be seized, and his mansabs and jágirs confiscated. [Harsh treatment of Núru-l Nissa, the Prince's wife, and of her eunuchs.] But here we will refrain from entering upon the unhappy details of the Prince's imprisonment, and his liberation, and will proceed with the account of the conquest of Golkonda. Day by day, and week by week, the approaches were pushed forward under the direction of Gházíu-d dín Fíroz Jang, but they were encountered with great daring by the besieged under the command of Shaikh Nizám, Mustafá Khán Lárí, otherwise called 'Abdu-r Razzák, and others. The fighting was desperate, and many were killed on both sides. * After one sharp encounter, in which a sally of the garrison was driven back with loss, Shaikh Minháj, Shaikh Nizám, and others, deserted Abú-l Hasan, and came over to the besiegers, when Aurangzeb granted to them suitable mansabs and titles. Muhammad Ibráhím, who was the first to quit the way of error, and to enter upon the royal road of rectitude, received a mansab of 7000 and 6000 horse, with the title of Mahábat Khán. He exerted himself above all others in endeavouring to reduce the fortress. Shaikh Nizám received a mansab of 6000 and 5000 horse, with the title of Takarrub Khán. Of all the nobles of Abú-1 Hasan, the one who never forsook him until the fall of the place, and who throughout exerted himself in an inconceivable manner, was Mustafá Khán Lárí, or, as he was also called, 'Abdu-r Razzák. The siege was protracted for a long time, and from the immense stores of ammunition in the fortress, an unintermitting discharge was kept up night and day from the gates, and towers, and walls, of cannon-balls, bullets, rockets and other fiery missiles. The smoke arising from the constant firing removed the distinction of day and night, and no day passed without the besiegers suffering a loss in killed and wounded. The assailants exerted themselves vigorously, especially *, and so in the course of a month and some days the lines were carried up to the very edge of the ditch, and orders were issued for filling it up. It is said that Aurangzeb himself, after observing the rite of purification, sewed the seams of the first cotton bag to be filled with earth and thrown into the moat. High mounds were raised, and heavy guns were placed upon them and pointed against the fortress. Their heavy five greatly harassed the defenders. The scarcity and dearness of grain and fodder (within the city) was extreme, so that many men of wealth were disheartened; who then can describe the position of the poor and needy? Throughout the Dakhin in the early part of this year there was a scarcity of rain when the jouár and bájrá came into ear, so they dried up and perished. These productions of the autumn harvest are the main support of the people of the Dakhin. Rice is the principal food of the people of Haidarábád, and the cultivation of this had been stopped by war and by scarcity of rain. The Dakhinís and the forces of the hell-dog Sambhá had come to the assistance of Haidarábád, and hovering round the Imperial forces, they cut off the supplies of grain. Pestilence (wabá) broke out, and carried off many men. Thus great numbers of men were lost. Others, unable to bear the pangs of hunger and wretchedness, went over to Abú-1 Hasan, and some treacherously rendered aid to the besieged. When the siege had been carried on for some time, Aurangzeb recalled Prince Muhammad A'zam, whom, in consequence of the unfaithfulness of Prince Sháh 'Alam, he had sent to settle the country round Ujjain and Akbarábád, and who had got as far as ** Burhanpúr. He also summoned Rúhu-lláh Khán, an experienced and highly-trusted nobleman, from Bíjápúr. Soon after the Prince's arrival, the dearness of grain passed all bounds. * * In the middle of Rajab, when the siege had lasted three months, it was resolved to make an attempt to take the place by surprise at night, by means of scaling-ladders and ropes. A few brave men succeeded in ascending the ramparts, ** but the barking of a dog gave the alarm, and the defenders rushed to the walls and soon despatched those who had gained the top. They also threw down the ladders, and so made an end of those who were mounting. Others opened fire. When the leaders of the storming party gained the summit of the ramparts, one of Aurangzeb's servants ran off to report their success, without waiting to see the result of the enterprise. Aurangzeb, on receiving his report, ordered the drums of victory to be beaten, and ordered out his royal equipage and state dress. Next day spies reported that Abú-1 Hasan gave the dog a gold collar, a plated chain, etc., and directed that the dog should be kept chained near to himself. In the middle of Sha'bán a heavy rain fell for three days, which was the cause of very great distress to the besiegers, and destroyed many of their works. The enemy also took courage, and made a sally in great force, in which they did great damage, and killed many men and took some prisoners. Abú-l Hasan treated his prisoners with hospitality and honour. **He took Sarbaráh Khán to his granaries and magazines and showed him his stores of corn and heaps of treasure. He then wrote a letter to Aurangzeb, reciting ** and offering to present a kror of rupees, and also to pay a kror of rupees for each time that Aurangzeb had besieged the place; so that any further slaughter of Musulmáns might be prevented. If his proposals were not accepted, he offered to supply five or six hundred thousand mans of grain for the troops. When these proposals were reported to Aurangzeb, he said, "If Abú-l Hasan does not repudiate my authority, he must come to me with clasped hands, or he must be brought bound before me. I will then consider what consideration I can show him." He then issued orders to the officials of Birár for the preparation of 50,000 bags of cotton, and for other materials for carrying on the siege and filling up the moat. On the 19th Sha'bán it was reported that a triple mine had been driven under the bastions of the fortress, and charged with gunpowder. Orders were then given that a force should be collected in the lines as if about to make an attack upon the undermined work, so that the enemy might observe this, and assemble his men there. The mines were then to be fired. 'Abdu-r Razzák Lárí and others of the besieged, having observed these proceedings, commenced countermining. They pushed their work with such skill and activity, that they drew the powder and match from one mine, and poured water into the other two. The Imperial troops collected for the assault, and raised their cries; and the gunners watched the ramparts for the proper moment for firing the mine. When the signal was given, one mine exploded, but as part of the powder had been extracted, and of the remaining part that which lay nearest to the fortress was wet, the blowing up of the bastion did more injury to the besiegers than the besieged. The garrison then sallied forth, and occupied the trenches, killing all whom they found alive in them. After a severe struggle, in which many men fell on both sides, the trenches were recovered. The second mine was exploded, and thousands of stones, great and small, were hurled into the air; but, as in the former case, they fell upon the heads of the besiegers, * and great numbers were killed and wounded. ** Great wailings and complaints arose from the troops engaged in the siege. ** The cannonade recommenced on both sides, and many more of the besiegers fell. * * Although Firoz Jang exerted himself most strenuously, he made no impression upon the place. The long delay kindled the anger of Aurangzeb. He called his chiefs and officers together, ** and placing him walls, he ordered an Prodigies of valour self at about a gun-shot distance from the assault to be made under his own eyes. were exhibited. ** But a storm of wind and rain arose, and obstructed the progress of the assailants, and they were forced to fall back drenched with rain. The garrison again made a sally, took possession of the trenches, spiked the heavy guns, on the mounting of which immense money and labour had been expended, and carried away all that was portable. They pulled out of the moat the logs of wood, and the many thousands of bags which had been used to fill it up, and used them to repair the breaches made by the mines. ** It was afterwards determined that the third mine should be sprung in the presence of Aurangzeb. But although fire was applied, nothing resulted. An examination as to the cause was instituted, but nothing was discovered until it was learnt from spies that the enemy had cleared out the powder and cut the match. ** Fíroz Jang had received two arrow wounds. The command of the army was then given to Prince Muhammad A'zam. Several of the officers of Abú-l Hasan had come over to the side of Aurangzeb, and had received suitable titles, mansabs, and presents. Shaikh Minháj, having heard of this, was about to desert, but Abú-1 Hasan placed him in confinement, and seized his house. Of all his nobles, none remained faithful to Abú-l Hasan but 'Abdu-r Razzák Lárí, who had received the title. Mustafa Khán, and 'Abdu-llah Khán Paní Afghán. At the end of Sha'bán, the siege had lasted eight months, and Abú-l Hasan's men still worked indefatigably. At length, 'Abdu-llah Khán made secret overtures to Aurangzeb, and agreed to open. one of the gates of the city for the admission of his troops. Aurangzeb frequently communicated with 'Abdu-r Razzák Lárí, and promised him a mansab of six thousand, with six thousand horse, and other regal favours. But that ungracious faithful fellow, taking no heed of his own interest and life, in the most insolent manner exhibited the Emperor's letter to the men in his bastion, and tore it to pieces in their presence, and he |