The Memoirs of Jahāngīr (Jahāngīrnāma) 3.2
The Tūzuk-i-Jahāngīrī (Rogers, Beveridge) 3.2
- Language
- English
3.2.1
"Fate's pen wrote on the coin in letters of light, The Shāh Nūru-d-dīn Jahāngīr"; and between the lines of the verse the Creed (Kalima) was impressed. On the reverse was this couplet, in which the date of coinage was signified: — "Through this coin is the world brightened as by the sun, And the date thereof is 'Sun of Dominion' (Āftāb-i-Mamlakat)." Between the lines of the verse, the mint, the Hijra year, and the regnal year were impressed. On the nūr-jahānī, which is in the place of the ordinary gold muhr and exceeds it in weight by 20 per cent. (as 12 to 10), is impressed this couplet of the Amīru-l-umarā: — "Shāh Nūru-d-dīn Jahāngīr ibn Akbar Pādshāh Made gold's face bright with the sheen of sun and moon." Accordingly, a hemistich was impressed on each face, and also the mint, and the Hijra and regnal year. The jahangiri sikka, also, which is greater in weight by 20 per cent., was reckoned as equal to a rupee, its weight being fixed in the same manner as that of the nur-jahani (each was a tola in weight, but one was in gold and the other was in silver). The weight of a tola is 2½ misqals of Persia and Turan. It would not be good to give all the versified chronograms which were made for my accession. I therefore content myself with the one which Maktub Khan, the superintendent of the library and picture gallery, and one of my old servants, composed—
3.2.2
" The second lord of conjunction, Shahinshah Jahangir, With justice and equity sat on the throne of happiness. Prosperity, Good Fortune, Wealth, Dignity, and Victory, With loins girt in his service, stood rejoicing before him. It became the date of the accession when Prosperity Placed his head at the feet of the Sahib-Qiran-i-Sani." To my son Khusrau a lakh of rupees was presented that he might build up for himself the house of Mun'im Khan, the (former) Khankhanan, outside the fort. The administration and government of the Panjab was bestowed on Sa'Id Khan, who was one of the confidential nobles and connected with my father by marriage. His origin was from the Moghul tribe, and his ancestors were in the service of my forefathers. At the time of his taking leave, as it was said that his eunuchs oppressed and tyrannized over the weak and the poor, I sent a message to him that my justice would not put up with oppression from anyone, and that in the scales of equity neither smallness nor greatness was regarded. If after this any cruelty or harshness should be observed on the part of his people, he would receive punishment without favour. Again, having previously bestowed on Shaikh Farid Bukhari, who had been Mir Bakhshi in my father's service, a dress of honour, a jewelled sword, a jewelled inkstand and pen, I confirmed him in the same post, and in order to exalt him I said to him, "I regard thee as Sdhibu-s-saif-wa-l-qalam" ("Captain Sword and Captain Pen").
3.2.3
Muqim, to whom my father had given at the end of his reign the title of Wazir Khan and the viziership of his dominions, I selected for the same title, rank, and service. I also gave Khwajagi Fathu-llah a dress of honour, and made him a bakhshi, as formerly. 'Abdu-r-Razzaq Ma'muri, although when I was prince he had left my service without cause or reason and had gone over to my father, I made bakhshi as formerly, and I gave him a dress of honour. To Aminu-d-daula, who when I was prince had the post of bakhshi, and without my leave had run away and taken service with my revered father, not looking to his offences I gave the office of Atish-i-begi (Head of the Artillery), which he had held under my father. I left all those who were in possession of posts, both inside and outside, in the positions which they had with my father. Sharif Khan had lived with me from his early years. When I was prince I had given him the title of khan, and when I left Allahabad to wait upon my honoured father I presented him with a drum and the tuman-togh (standard of yak tails). I had also promoted him to the rank of 2,500 and given him the government of the province of Bihar. I gave him complete control over the province, and sent him off there. On the 4th of Rajab, being fifteen days after my accession, he waited upon me. I was exceedingly pleased at his coming, for his connection with me is such that I look upon him as a brother, a son, a friend, and a companion.
3.2.4
As I had perfect confidence in his friendship, intelligence, learning, and acquaintance with affairs, having made him Grand Vizier, I promoted him to the rank of 5,000 with 5,000 horse and the lofty title of Amiru-l-umara, to which no title of my servants is superior. Though his position might have warranted a higher rank, he himself represented to me that until some notable service on his part had become perceptible to me he would not accept a higher grade than that mentioned (5,000). As the reality of the loyalty of my father's servants had not yet become apparent, and certain faults and errors and unbecoming intentions which were not approved at the throne of the Creator or pleasing to His creatures had shown themselves, they of themselves became ashamed. Though on the day of my accession I had forgiven all offences and determined with myself that I would exact no retribution for past deeds, yet on account of the suspicion that had been aroused in my mind about them I considered the Amlru-l-umara my guardian and protector ; although God Almighty is the guardian of all His servants, and is especially so of kings, because their existence is the cause of the contentment of the world. His father, 'Abdu-s-Samad, who in the art of painting had no equal in the age, had obtained from the late king (Jannat-ashyani) Humayun the title of Shirln-qalam (Sweet pen), and in his council had attained a great dignity and was on intimate terms with him (the king).
3.2.5
He was one of the chief men of Shiraz. My honoured father, on account of his former services, paid him great honour and reverence. I made Raja Man Singh — who was one of the greatest and most trusted noblemen of my father, and had obtained alliances with this illustrious family, inasmuch as his aunt had been in my father's house (i.e. was his wife), and I had married his sister, and Khusrau and his sister Sultanu-n-nisa Begam, the latter of whom is my eldest child, were born of her — as before, ruler of the province of Bengal. Though as in consequence of certain of his acts he had no expectation of this favour towards himself, I dignified him with a charqab (vest without sleeves) as a robe of honour, a jewelled sword, and one of my own horses, and sent him off to his province, which is a place of (or can keep up) 50,000 horse. His father was Raja Bhagwan Das. His grandfather, Raja Bihari Mal, was the first of the Kachwaha Rajputs to have the honour of entering my father's service, and he excelled his tribe in truth and sincerity of friendship, and in the quality of valour. After my accession, when all the nobles with their retinues presented themselves at my palace, it came into my mind that I should send this body of retainers under my son, Sultan Parwiz, to make a holy war against the Rana, who was one of evil deeds, and a foul infidel of the country of Hindustan, and in my father's time had had troops sent constantly against him, but had not been driven off.
3.2.6
In a fortunate hour I invested my said son with gorgeous robes of honour, a jewelled waist-sword, a jewelled waist-dagger, and a rosary of pearls intermixed with rubies of great price of the value of 72,000 rupees, 'Iraq and Turkman horses and famous elephants, and dismissed him. About 20,000 horsemen with nobles and chief leaders were appointed to this service. The first was Asaf Khan, who in my father's time was one of his confidential servants, and for a long time had been confirmed in the post of bakhshi and afterwards became diwan ba istiqlal (Chancellor with full powers); him I advanced from the rank of an Amir to that of Vizier, and promoting him from the command of 2,500 horse to that of 5,000 made him guardian to Parwiz. Having honoured him with a robe of honour, jewelled waist-sword, a horse and an elephant, I ordered that all the mansabdars (commanders), small and great, should not depart from such orders as he thought proper to give them. I made 'Abdu-r-Razzaq Ma'muri his bakhshi and Mukhtar Beg, Asaf Khan's paternal uncle, diwan to Parwiz. I also presented to Raja Jagannath, son of Raja Bihari Mal, who had the rank of 5,000, a robe of honour and a jewelled waist-sword.