The Book of Akbar 389.1.2

389.1.2

Fourthly, he shows himself oppressive and tyrannical towards all mankind. The unhappy wretch thinks in his folly that he is constructing the materials of his own greatness, but the wise know that he is dressing the arena of his own ruin. The case of ‘Ali Quli Khan, commonly known by the name of Khan Zaman, is a repeated illustration of these truths. Physical courage, in which thousands of unreasoning brutes are victorious rivals, was made by him a motive for self-exaltation, and increased arrogance, and he ascribed to himself his success, which was a ray from the fortune of the Khedive of the Age, and so made it a cause of increased infatuation. Accordingly, a hint has already been given of his intoxicated ways. The pride of this wicked man increased when the son of ‘Adli, who had gathered round him a number of vagabond Afghans, had been defeated by him, and the veil over his actions was nearly altogether withdrawn. The perfect reason and great affection of the Shahinshah impelled him to proceed to that province on the pretext of hunting.