ʿIbrat-namah 1: Mutiny against 'Imádu-l Mulk Gháziu-d dín.

1

['Imádu-l Mulk, after arranging the revenue and other matters (upon the accession of 'Álamgír II.), set about a reformation of the cavalry and sín dágh system, which had fallen into a very corrupt state. He removed the Emperor from Sháh-Jahánábád to Pánípat, and then, taking away from the officials of the cavalry the lands which they held round the capital, he appointed his own officers to manage them. The chiefs of the cavalry, being hurt by the deprivation of their sources of income, and being encouraged by the Emperor and some of his councillors, were clamorous against the wazír, and sent their wakíls to him to demand their pay. The wazír directed Najíb Khán to inquire into the matter, and he set his son, Zábita Khán, to the work. * * The soldiers, dissatisfied with their wakíls, and ready for a disturbance, sent thirty or forty of their most violent leaders to get redress for their grievances. These men, complaining and railing against their officers, went to the pavilion of the wazir, and, collecting there in a mob, raised a great tumult. The wazir heard this, and, proud of his rank and power, came fearlessly out to quell the disturbance. The rioters seized him, and began to abuse him in terms unmentionable. Numbers gathered together from every side, and the mob increased. They tore off his clothes, and in the struggle his turban even fell from his head. Then they dragged him through the streets of Panipat to their camp. The wazir's forces, hearing of the disturbance, gathered and prepared to fight; but when they saw their master in the hands of the mutineers, they were helpless. The chiefs of the dagh went to the wazir with apologies, and brought him a turban and such garments as they could get. The wazir, seeing how frightened they were, flew into a rage, and reviled them. Meanwhile a message was brought from the Emperor to the officers, offering to make himself responsible for their pay if they would deliver over the wazir to him a prisoner, and telling them that if he escaped from their hands, they would have hard work to get their pay from him.
The passions of the mob being somewhat quieted, their chiefs thought that the best way of saving themselves was to communicate the Emperor's message to the wazir. They came humbly before him, with importunities, and brought an elephant, on which they seated him. Hasan Khan, one of the chiefs, took his seat in the howda with him, and attended him as his servant to the door of his tent. As soon as the wazir had alighted, Hasan Khan also dismounted from the elephant, and mounting a horse went off to the camp. The wazir entered his tent, and sat down. He then inquired what had become of Hasan Khan, and on being told, he went out and mounted an elephant. His own officers and soldiers were collected there, prepared to act, and waited only for directions. He gave them orders to kill every man of that riotous party, whoever he might be, and wherever they might find him; not one was to be allowed to escape with life. The Rohillas of Najib Khan and other adherents fell upon the doomed band, and in a short space of time no trace of them was left. Many were killed, and a few with (only) a nose and two ears escaped by flight. 'Imadu-l Mulk was much hurt and troubled by the part the Emperor had taken. In a few days they returned to Dehli, and he, leaving the Emperor under the watch of his confidants, proceeded to Lahore.]