Riyaz al-salatin 93: THE ASSIGNMENT OF BENGAL IN JAGIR TO MAHABET KHAN AND HIS SON.

93

When the Subah of Bengal was assigned, in the shape of Jagir, to Nawab Mahabet Khan and his son Khanahzad Khan, they, parting company with Prince Parviz, marched to Bengal. And orders were given to the zamindars of that country to cease impeding Darab Khan, and to allow him to come. Darab Khan, without any impediment, came to Mahabet Khan. But when the news of Darab's coming to Mahabet Khan reached the Emperor, the latter sent an order to Mahabet Khan to the following effect: "What expediency dost thou see in sparing that villain? It behoves you, instantly on reading this, to send the head of that mischievous rebel to the Imperial presence." Mahabet Khan, carrying out the Emperor's order, beheaded Darab Khan, and sent the latter's head to the Emperor. And as Mahabet Khan had not sent to the Emperor the elephants that he had captured in Bengal, and had defaulted in payment of a large amount of the Imperial Revenue, the Emperor passed orders to the effect that 'Arab Dast Ghaib should go to Mahabet Khan, confiscate the elephants and send them to the Emperor, and tell Mahabet Khan, that if he got proper accounts, he should submit them personally to the Emperor, and pay up all Revenue arrears to the Imperial exchequer. Mahabet Khan first sent the elephants to the Emperor, and subsequently after appointing his son Khanahzad Khan to be Subadar of Bengal, set out to meet the Emperor with four or five thousand blood-thirsty Rajput cavalry, and resolved inwardly that in case any harm or injury were attempted against his honour, property or life, he with his family and children would be prepared to face martyrdom. When news of his arrival reached the Emperor, order was passed that he would not be granted an audience, so long as he did not pay up the Revenue arrears to the Imperial Exchequer, and so long as he did not redress by exercise of justice the public grievances against him. Afterwards summoning to his presence Barkhurdar, son of Khwaja Nakshbandi, to whom Mahabet Khan, without the Emperor's approval, had betrothed his daughter, the Emperor had him disgracefully whipped and thrown into prison, with his neck bound and head bare. In the morning, Mahabet Khan rode out with his cavalry, and without making obeisance to the Emperor, in an insolent and daring manner broke open the door of the Emperor's Private Chamber, entered it with four hundred or five hundred Rajputs, saluted the Emperor in hunting and travelling suit, and marched back towards his own residence.
In short as the Imperial army had gone towards Thatah, Mahabet Khan was ordered to join it there. In the meantime, Prince Parviz died. As Sharif Khan had entrenched himself in the fort of Thatah, Shah Jahan's army marched back to the Dakhin. Mahabet Khan after reaching Thatah sent letters to Shah Jahan, avowing his loyalty, and Shah Jahan being conciliated, Mahabet Khan entered the former's service. In consequence, the Subah of Bengal was transferred from Khanahzad Khan, son of Mahabet Khan, to Mukkaram Khan, son of Muazzam Khan, and the Province of Patna was entrusted to Mirza Rustam Safavi. It is said that on the day the patent transferring the Subahdari of Bengal from Khanahzad Khan to Nawab Mukarram Khan was drawn up at ShahJahanabad (Delhi), Shah Neamatullah Firuzpuri composing a Qasidah (an Ode) in praise of Khanahzad Khan, transmitted it to the latter, and in this Qasidah, there was one line which was indicative of Khanahzad's supercession, and that line was this:—
Translation: I am in love with thee, O budding rose, like a nightingale, Thy cypress, however, is a new spring and a sight to others.
When Khanahzad Khan perused the above lines, he anticipated his supercession, and made preparations to pack up. And after one month the Imperial order of recall was received by him.