Muntakhab al-lubab 191: Nizamu-l Mulk Minister.

191

[Text, vol. ii. p. 939.] In the latter days of Rabi'u-l akhir, 1133 A.H. (February, 1721 A.D.), Muhammad Amin Khan Chin died, after a four or five days' illness. I'nayatu-llah Khan was directed to perform the duties of wazir as deputy. Letters had repeatedly been written to Nizamu-l Mulk, calling him to Court; for several affairs of State required settlement and the matter of the office of wazir waited for the counsel of that master of the sword and pen. Nizamu-l Mulk, having settled the affairs of the Afghans at Bijapur, returned to Aurangabad, and setting out from thence at the end Zi-l hijja, he reached Dehli in the latter part of Rabi'u-l akhir. Envious detractors had cast aspersions upon him; but the Emperor acted as if he had never heard them, and sent Samsamu-d daula in state to meet him. On the 22nd Rabi'u-l akhir, he entered the city, and paid his homage to the Emperor. In consequence of the charges brought against him, to record which would be a perversion of language, some days were passed in deliberation ; but on the 5th Jumada-l awwal, 1134 A.H. (8th February, 1722 A.D.), in the fourth year of the reign, he was appointed wazir, and received the usual robe, a dagger, an ornamental pen-case, and a diamond ring of great value.
Nizamu-l Mulk was anxious to carry out the duties of his office, to maintain the character of the Emperor, and to accumulate funds, without which a sovereign falls into disrepute. But he was unable to accomplish his wishes through the interference of adversaries, who maligned him to the Emperor, and obstructed his authority as wazir. In particular, Koki Padshah, a woman of great charms and intelligence, colluded with Khwaja Khidmatgar Khan, who was said to be one of the Emperor's close companions, and, under the show of providing means and raising funds, they levied large sums under the name of peshkash for the Emperor and for themselves. This was a great difficulty in the wazir's way. Other associates of the Emperor made ridiculous insinuations against Nizamu-l Mulk, which the weak-minded Emperor believed. Haidar Kuli Khan, who had firmly established himself in the command of the artillery, meddled with plausible talk in revenue and civil affairs. When Nizamu-l Mulk spoke about it to the Emperor, and he, in a prudent and gentle way, prohibited Haidar Kuli Khan from pursuing that course, the Khan was offended, and asked to be sent to his suba. Leave being granted, he left a deputy at Court, and set off for Ahmadabad in the middle of Jumada-l akhir. On arriving there, he seized upon the jagirs of several royal servants and courtiers. When this was complained of repeatedly, an admonitory farman was sent to him, prohibiting the sequestration of jagirs. But this had no effect. At length his jagirs in the neighbourhood of Dehli were seized in compensation for those he had resumed at Ahmadabad.