Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 10.1
A Translation of the Seir Mutaqherin (Haji Mustafa) 10.1
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10.1.1
Shudjah-eddoülah, alias Shudjah-qhan, the then Sübahdar or Viceroy of Bengal, was a native of Bürhanpür, a city in Decan, and by origin an Afshar, which is a tribe of Turks dwelling in Qhorassan, a province of Iran. He was one of the principal men of that city, and having contracted an alliance with Djaafer-qhan, another man of consequence of the same city, he lived with that nobleman, who in Aoreng-zib's time had become Divan of Bengal, and in process of time had obtained likewise the Nizamet or Military Government of the same province. By means of the alliance between them, every preferment obtained by Djaafer-qhan proved an accession of influence to the son-in-law likewise, and the father-in-law having joined in his person the distinct offices of Divan and Nazem of the two Governments of Bengal and Oressa, procured the SSbahdary or Viceroyalty of the latter province for Shudjah-qhan, who went and established his residence there, not only in order to inspect himself the affairs of his government, but also because there had arisen such a diversity of tempers and opinions, between these noble persons, that they could no more live together upon those terms of concord which decency prescribed. The son-in-law therefore wished to live at a distance from his father-in-law. He was a man of a moderate temper and a lover of justice, and he bore a character for many valuable qualifications that had acquired him the esteem and respect of all the world.
10.1.2
Djaafer-qhan was the very reverse of him, and universally known for such. Another subject of difference was the dislike taken at Shudjah-qhan by his consort, Zinet-en-nessa-begum, daughter of Djaafer-qhan, and mother of Ser-efraz-qhan. This Princess, who was of a virtuous disposition, and a pattern of chastity, had her heart alienated from her husband, not only on account of his being upon such bad terms with her father, but especially on account of his excessive proneness to the love of women. She parted with him, and taking her son with her, she chose her residence in Moorshood-abad, a city founded by her father, and named with his title which was Moorshood-cooly-qhan, where she lived in great splendour, and where she would have probably continued to enjoy tranquillity, had not fate suscitated a man predestined to overturn her family, and to change the face of these countries. There appeared at this time at court a person called Mirza-mahmed, husband to a lady, who being herself of the Afshar tribe, was allied to Shudjah-qhan. This Mirza-mahmed had with him an elder son of his, by name Hadji Ahmed, and a younger son, Mirza-mahmed-aaly, since known under the name of Aaly-verdy-qhan, and the title of Mehabet-djung. This Mirza-mahmed had been in the service of Aazem-shah the forgiven; and on his master's death, he was reduced to the utmost poverty and distress, having lived a long time out of employment, and being obliged to support a family equally numerous and indigent.
10.1.3
In this extremity Mirza-mahmed-aaly, son to Mirza-mahmed, betook himself to the expedient of sending his mother and father to the court of Shudjah-qhan, and this happened in the beginning of Mahmed-shah's reign. That Governor glad to oblige a relation, conferred several favours on Mirza-mahmed, took him into his service, and shewed him so much kindness, that Mirza-mahmed-aaly, the son, resolved to repair likewise to the court of Bengal and Oressa, a resolution which he effected with the utmost difficulty, on account of his being entirely destitute of the means of performing so long a journey. He at last arrived at the court of Oressa, and being a man of a keen genius, of an insinuating turn of mind, and of a temper capable of the most delicate affairs, to the niceties of which he knew how to adapt himself, he soon joined to these civil qualifications, the military ones of an intrepid bravery, and an undaunted prowess, and he acquired so great a character, that Shudjah-qhan congratulated himself on the acquisition of so excellent a subject, and looked on his arrival as upon an event of unexpected good luck, that prognosticated the rise of his protector's family; insomuch that Mirza-mahmed-aaly rose in favour and in credit from day to day, and was promoted to the highest offices;
10.1.4
and now the plant of inclination and attachment having taken a firm footing between these two persons, and its strength having been tried and confirmed by experience, Mirza-mahmed-aaly sent for his brother, Hadji Ahmed, with the consorts, children and relations of the whole family, which then lived at Shah-djehan-abad; and the latter having accordingly assembled the whole of them, he travelled into Bengal, from whence he repaired to the court of Oressa, where being arrived, he was, as well as his younger brother, taken into favour, and promoted to offices and employments; and as the two brothers were both men of abilities, of much versatility of mind, and of such a perseverance as was capable of surmounting the greatest difficulties, they strengthened so much Shudjah-qhan's government, as to become the foundation of that elevation to which it rose in the sequel. Particular arrangements were introduced into the department of finances, and the revenues greatly augmented by their application and their industry; but Mirza-mahmed-aaly, who to the political abilities of his brother, joined a brilliant character, as a soldier, and had always displayed a greater extent of genius, than either his father or brother, came soon to eclipse all his relations, as well as all the persons in Shudjah-qhan's service, in so much that he became in time exposed to the shafts of envy, both from relations and strangers.
10.1.5
This envy had risen to a pitch, when his protector, who kept several of his agents at court, obtained for him a grade of honour with the appellation of Mahmed-aaly-verdy-qhan, a distinction which jealousy could not bear. All this while Djaafer-qhan continued displeased with his son-in-law, and as his life was drawing to an end, he conceived the project of procuring the Nizamet of Bengal for Ser-efraz-qhan, his grandson by Zinet-en-nessa, a young Prince, who had already the Divanship or Intendance of that province. Full of that scheme, he wrote to his agents at court, and spared no pains and no expense to obtain an object that had now become the wish of his heart, and on the completion of which he expected to be succeeded by his grandson in both those offices. This project having come to the knowledge of Shudjah-qhan, the latter applied to both Aaly-verdy-qhan, and to Hadji Amed, his brother, for advice. The two brothers agreed in giving one and the same counsel, and in pointing at one and the same method of succeeding. They, first of all, recommended some acquaintances of theirs, men of talents, and of a ready speech, to be dispatched immediately to the court of Shah-djehan-abad, with full powers to treat; and then, they brought the minutes of the supplications which it became necessary to write to the Emperor, to the Vezir, and to the Prince of Princes, Qhandoüran.
10.1.6
These were drawn up in an elegant, conciliating style, calculated to sooth and to persuade, and they requested the patents of Divan and Nazem in Shudjah-qhan's name, for both the provinces of Bengal and Oressa. With these credentials, the envoys were dispatched to the capital and ordered to make the utmost dispatch. Other trusty men of the military kind, were at the same time dismissed upon some pretence from Shudjah-qhan's service, but in fact, were only dispatched by various roads to Moorshoodabad, with orders to keep themselves disjointed, but in the environs of Djaafer-qhan's palace, so as to be night and day ready to execute such new orders as would be sent after them. But as the rainy season was at hand, and it was foreseen that the inundation would necessarily preclude all communication from Cateck to Moorshoodabad, a vast number of boats of all sizes, and for all uses, were therefore provided, and a multitude of boatmen assembled and kept in pay to the end that, on the very first intelligence of Djaafer-qhan's demise, Shudjah-qhan might, without hinderance, proceed to Mooshoodabad immediately. A secret post was also established betwixt Cateck and Shah-djehan-abad, not only for the sake of receiving as soon as possible the desired patents, but also for being every day furnished with intelligence from both that capital and Moorshoodabad.
10.1.7
At last a letter of undoubted credit having informed Shudjah-qhan, that Djaafer-qhan had hardly five or six days to live, he set out from Cateck, taking with him Aaly-verdy-qhan, and such a number of friends and troops as he thought sufficient, and he proceeded hastily to Moorshoodabad, sometimes by water, and sometimes by land, just as opportunity served. He had a son by a lady different from Djaafer-qhan's daughter. It was Mahmed-tacky-qhan, and him he appointed his deputy at Cateck. Whilst he was proceeding with so much expedition, he received certain intelligence that Djaafer-qhan was dead, and a few days after, being yet upon the road, he received the patent for which he had applied to court. This spot proving so auspicious to him he stopped awhile, and called it Mubareck-menzil, or the auspicious stage. From thence he proceeded with as much expedition as a simple courier, and in a few days he arrived at Moorshoodabad, where without giving himself time to take breath, he directly repaired to the Chehel-sutun, a place raised by Djaafer-qhan on forty pillars for such solemnities;
10.1.8
and sending for the Vacaa-naviss or gazetteer, and the Sevaneh-naviss or crown-intelligencer, with some other Crown-officers, and the principal men of the city, he produced his patents, got them read aloud by those two officers, and having procured himself to be acknowledged as the lawful Subahdar of the two provinces, he took possession of the Mesned, sat in it, and ordered the Imperial music to strike up in rejoicing; after which he received Nuzurs of acknowledgment and congratulation from every one present. What is very singular, is that his son, Ser-efraz-qhan, an unsuspecting young man, fast asleep in the lap of ignorance and security, was actually at a country-seat about two miles from the city, in the full confidence that he was the designed and undoubted heir of Djaafer-qhan, his grandfather, in his offices and estate, and that there was no man daring enough to dispute his title; nor did he know any thing of what was passing within the city. The first intelligence he had, was from the sound of the Imperial Nagara and from the music which had struck up. Confounded and astonished at the intelligence that was soon brought him, he stopped short, and asked his principal courtiers, and the principal officers of his troops, what they thought was to be done? Most of them answered unanimously, "that as his father had received and proclaimed his patents; had "taken possession of the Mesned of command as well as of the "palace and the city; had been peaceably acknowledged;
10.1.9
and "was master of the treasury; there remained no other party, but "that of submission." This unanimous opinion of theirs having been submitted to by the young man, he left his retinue behind, and taking only a few servants, he advanced briskly; and whether he would or not, he kissed his father's feet, presented his Nuzur, congratulated him on his accession, and dropped every thought of dispute and contention. This inauguration being over, Shudjah-qhan turned his mind (and he had an excellent one) towards putting in order the affairs of Government and finance.