Muntakhab al-lubab 15: Flight of Dara Shukoh. Aurangzeb ascends the Throne.

15

[vol. ii. p. 39.] Dara Shukoh, in his progress through the Panjab, broke up, burnt or sunk the boats where he crossed the rivers. * * It was reported that upon his arrival at Lahore he had seized upon nearly a kror of treasure, together with all the stores belonging to the Government and the royal amirs, and that he was engaged in enlisting soldiers and collecting munitions of war. On hearing this, Aurangzeb, not caring to enter the fortress of Dehli, encamped in the garden of Aghar-abad, now called Shalamar, and he sent on an advanced force, under Bahadur Khan, in pursuit of Dara. On the 1st Zi-l ka'da, 1068 A.H. (22nd July, 1658 A.D.), after saying his prayers, and at an auspicious time, he took his seat on the throne of the Empire of Hindustan, without even troubling himself about placing his name on the coinage or having it repeated in the khutba. * * Such matters as titles, the khutba, the coinage, and the sending of presents to other sovereigns, were all deferred to his second taking possession of the throne.