The Glorious Deeds of ʿĀlamgīr 10: Imprisonment of Prince Muhammad Mu'azzam.

10

[Text, p. 293.] Muhammad Mu'azzam, although a prince of great intelligence and penetration, was led by pernicious counsellors into opposition to his father's wishes, and this conduct became the source of much suffering to himself and displeasure to the ruler of the State. For a long time His Majesty, loth that such conduct should become known, closed his eyes to the Prince's proceedings. During the siege of Bijapur some persons were caught carrying secret messages to Sikandar ('Adil Shah); these men were put to death. Some officers also, suspected of evil intentions, Mumin Khan, commandant of artillery, 'Aziz Afghan, Multifat Khan, second bakhshi, and the cunning Bindraban, were expelled from the army on the 18th of Shawwal. The Prince's destiny grew dark, and wisdom and foresight quite forsook him. During the investment of Haidarabad he allowed himself to be deluded by some promise of Abu-l Hasan, and at last sundry written communications, which passed between the trenches and the fort of Golkonda, fell into the hands of Firoz Jang. Other proofs were also available of the Prince's treachery. The Khan, that very night, laid these documents before the King, who was now well convinced of the Prince's wilfulness, whatever doubts he might have entertained before. Hayat Khan, darogha of the Prince's diwan-khana, was sent for and ordered to direct his master to send his troops to oppose Shaikh Nizam Haidarabadl, who was about to make a night attack on the camp. Ihtimam Khan, it was said, would guard the Prince's tents during the absence of his own people. This order was obeyed.
The next morning, according to order, the Prince, Mu'izzu-d din, and Muhammad 'Azim, attended the darbar. His Majesty, after taking his seat, told them that Asad Khan and Bahramand Khan had something to communicate to them in the chapel. No sooner had the Princes entered this place than their arms were taken from them. As soon as a tent could be pitched, they were removed into it. His Majesty withdrew to the seraglio by the private entrance, and there, wringing his hands, and with many symptoms of grief, he exclaimed that the labour of forty years had fallen to the ground!
Guards were placed round the tent, under the orders of Ihtimam Khan. Mutasaddis seized all the Prince's property, which, however, was but as a drop of water in the ocean. Ihtimam was invested with the title of Sardar Khan, and raised from the command of 1000 to that of 1500.