Muntakhab al-lubab 31.1

31.1

[vol. ii. p. 90.] Prince Muhammad Sultan, with Mu'azzam Khan as his adviser and commander-in-chief, pursued Shuja' until he reached Dacca, where Shuja' busied himself in collecting munitions of war, men and artillery. The command of the Imperial army and the appointment of the amírs rested in a great degree with Mu'azzam Khán. This was a great annoyance to the Prince, and Shuja', having got information of this, conceived the idea of winning the Prince over to his side. So he opened communications with the Prince, and by letters and presents, and the arts which gain the feelings of young, inexperienced men, he seduced the Prince from the duty he owed to his father, and brought him over to his own side. Soon he offered the Prince his daughter in marriage, and at length the Prince was so deluded as to resolve upon joining Shuja'. Towards the end of the month Ramazán, at the beginning of the third year of the reign, he sent a message to Shujá', informing him of his intention, and in the night he embarked in a boat on the Ganges with Amir Kuli, the commander of the artillery, Kasim 'Ali Mir-tuzak, who were the prime movers in this business, and with some eunuchs and domestic servants, taking with him all the treasure and jewels he could. When Shuja' heard of this step, he referred it to the favour of God, and sent his son Buland Akhtar with several boats and porters to conduct the Prince with his treasure and baggage over the river.