Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 10.2
A Translation of the Seir Mutaqherin (Haji Mustafa) 10.2
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- English
10.2.1
His chief counsellor and adviser was Aaly-verdy-qhan; but he availed himself likewise of the abilities of Hadji Ahmed, the latter's brother, and of those of Ray-aalem-chund, an ancient Divan or Minister of his, who was really a Hindoo of merit, and such as deserved all the confidence and trust reposed in him. He also called to his councils several well-wishers of his, and especially Djagat-seat-fateh-chund, a famous banker of those days, whose wealth was reckoned by corors, and who has never had his equal. All this assistance was only for public business, but in private matters, and in every difference between man and man, he would trust to no one whatever; but sending for the parties, and listening patiently and leisurely to the tales of each, he accurately summed up the reasons of both sides, and with much subtility drew up his conclusions from them, pronounced the sentence, and had it executed with dispatch and punctuality. No recommendation, no entreaties from the nearest relation, would avail, if they proved to militate against the justice arising from a thorough examination of the case. His equity and humanity were no less conspicuous to the Zemindars and other landholders of Bengal. These, under Djaafer-qhan's administration, had been mostly kept in prison and confinement, and tormented in such a variety of manners, that it would be a pity to spend any paper or ink in describing or mentioning them.
10.2.2
It is doubtless of such characters and morals that the Poet Saady had in view when he wrote these verses:— "Never be guilty of such actions as dishonour your family and person, "For fear lest people one day should curse both your person and family." Shudjah-qhan, after having firmly established his Government, dismissed such Zemindars and other landholders, as he found to be innocent, and free from crime or fraud; as to the others, he ordered them to be all brought into his presence and to form a circle round his person; and this being done, he asked them, how they would behave in future, should he release them from the miseries of confinement and restore to them the blessing of liberty and the sweets of free air? The poor people, who had been for years languishing in confinement, and had undergone a variety of torments and racks, surprised at this address, broke forth in encomiums on his generosity and goodness; and after supplicating Heaven to grant him a long series of prosperous years, they unanimously raised their voices, and promised that henceforward they would pay their rents with a thousand times more punctuality than they had done heretofore, and would, moreover, prove obedient and dutiful in whatever services his goodness might think fit to command.
10.2.3
This promise they couched down in a particular writing, which was authenticated by the proper formalities, and after having opposed their hands and seals to it, they confirmed their promises with the most sacred oaths, and with the most solemn execrations against anyone that should act contrary to its tenor. This matter being over, Shudja-qhan sent for a number of rich Qhylaats, in which they were dressed, every one of them according to their respective rank and station; insomuch, that there was not a man in that assembly that did not receive a suitable present. After that ceremony they were all dismissed to their regretted homes, with injunctions to transmit henceforwards their rent by the means of Djagat-seat.
10.2.4
It is in consequence of so much benignity of temper, and such a celestial distribution of justice, that the kingdom of Bengal, which in books is called the terrestrial paradise, came to enjoy so much prosperity, as to exhibit everywhere an air of plenty and happiness quite analogous to the title it bore. The inhabitants of that happy region enjoyed under his government every ease and benefit, which a Government founded on justice and benignity could bestow; and every one of them were unanimous in offering up their supplications to Heaven for his conservation and prosperity. As soon as the Zemindars were dismissed, he turned his views towards the distribution of offices and employments; and he continued his eldest son, Ser-efraz-qhan, in the Divanship of Bengal, as he did Mahmed-tacky-qhan, his second son, in the Government of Oressa. The Government of Djehan-ghir-nagur-Daca he bestowed on his son-in-law, Murshed-culy-qhan.
10.2.5
The family of his friend and favourite, Aaly-verdy-qhan, could not fail to partake of that distribution of graces and employments; and as the favourite had three nephews, to whom he had given his three daughters, they were promoted equally. Sayd-ahmed-qhan, second son of Hadji Ahmed, was appointed to the Fodjdary of Rungpûr, and Zin-eddin-ahmed-qhan, the youngest, to that of Acbar-nagur, vulgo Radjemahal. But Nuvazish-mahamed-qhan, the eldest, was invested with the office of Paymaster of the forces. These were particular offices. For in the general affairs of government and finance, he had formed a kind of council, composed of Aaly-verdy-qhan — Hadji Ahmed — the Ray-rayan — Aalem-chund, and the Djagat-seat-fateh-chund; and these were invested with the power of binding and loosing, and acted as his Chief Ministers. Matters remained in that state, until Fahr-eddöwlah being dismissed from his Government of Azim-abad, that province was annexed to the Viceroyalty of Bengal, and the patents of it were sent to Shudja-qhan by Qhandöwran, his particular protector. Shudja-qhan on being invested with the new Government, turned his thoughts towards discovering a proper subject to send thither, as his Deputy, and several persons were proposed to him by his council, to all of whom he objected. At last he resolved to send one of his two sons.
10.2.6
But Zinet-en-nessa, his consort, would not consent to her being parted from her son, who acted already as Divan of Bengal, and on the other hand, she objected to Mahmed-tacky-qhan, as to a stranger; so that her husband at last became of the same opinion. He reflected that the Bahar was a country that required a curbing hand; that it bordered on the Aûd, the Ilah-abad, the Barar, and the dependencies of Aoreng-abad, with the Governors of which countries it ought to keep a correspondence; and he concluded that such a post could not be properly filled by any but by Aaly-verdy-qhan. On his proposing him to his council, his choice was unanimously approved, as none of his counsellors had any views of his own, and they paid many encomiums to the penetration of his mind, in singling out the very man wanted. The appointment being published, Shudjah-qhan resolved to decorate Aaly-verdy-qhan with new titles, and new honours and dignities. The title of Bahadyr or valiant, and that of Mehabet-djung or the formidable and majestuous in battles, an addition to his military grade that should raise the whole to the command of five thousand horse, a fringed Paleky, a standard, and a kettle-drum, were the new honours which he wanted to confer upon him, and for which he immediately applied through his agents to the Emperor, and to his favourite Minister, QhandoSran. Zinet being informed of the new appointment, expressed her approbation ;
10.2.7
and willing to confer an obligation on Aaly-verdy-qhan, she sent for him to the gate of her apartment, and having ordered a rich Qhylaat to be put upon his shoulders, she conferred upon him the Government of Bahar, as from herself. And it was only after this investiture, that Shudjah-qhan himself sent for him, and presented him, on his part also, with the Qhylaat of the Deputyship or Niabet of Azim-abad, to which he joined the patent of it, with an elephant, a sabre, and a quantity of jewels. A number of troops was appointed to serve under him ; after which he was dismissed, with injunctions to bring the province under a proper order and subordination. History ought to remark that a few days before this elevation, a grandson was born to Aaly-verdy-qhan from his youngest daughter, married to his youngest nephew, Zin-eddin-ahmedqhan; and as he had no son of his own, he called him Mirza-mahmed, after his own name, adopted him for his son, and had him educated in his own house. He ascribed to his auspicious birth, that sudden flow of honours, dignities, and favours; and on that account he redoubled his affection for him. Aaly-verdy-qhan, before his departure, obtained leave to carry with him two of his sons-in-law, with several of his relations, and after a prosperous journey, he made his entry in Azim-abad;
10.2.8
and having stayed a whole year in the province, he returned to Moorshoodabad to pay his respects to his benefactor and master, was received with every mark of distinction and favour, and sent back to his Government; nor was it long before he received the patent of those dignities and those honours that had been devised for him by his protector. He received from Court the fringed Paleky, and the standard and kettle-drum, with the other insignia of his dignity; and these did not contribute a little to the exaltation of his character in the minds of the people, by adding so much lustre to his pomp and retinue. But he was not dazzled by them. Being a man of wisdom and industry, endowed with a lofty enterprising mind, ever intent on high designs, he soon observed how precarious was his situation, and he therefore commenced his administration by introducing order in the city, augmenting and inuring his forces, gaining the hearts of the subjects, attaching the military to his person, and chastising and bringing to order the Zemindars and other refractory persons and insurgents of the province. Above all, he made it a standing rule to bring into his service as many military of character as he came to hear of in the neighbouring provinces; and by these means he in a little time found himself at the head of an army, well-appointed, and furnished with everything that could insure success.
10.2.9
Intent on adding to his power, and preparing himself for higher achievements, he was alert in chastising such of his dependants as attempted to go astray from the path of duty, and he made them serve for an example. He had taken into his service one Abdol-kerim-qhan, an Afghan-Rohila, who commanded fifteen hundred of his countrymen, and had such an opinion of his own strength and prowess, as to make little account of others, and in reality he deserved the high opinion he had conceived of his ownself. Aaly-verdy-qhan who had made use of him in many an arduous occasion, could not be but satisfied with his services; but he wanted likewise to reduce him to the rules of subordination, and to repress that forwardness of his, which prompted him to stretch his feet beyond the carpet of obedience and submission. The Afghan, proud of his prowess, minding no superior, and fearing no one, set his master at defiance, and continued to be guilty of actions that strongly savoured of an assuming refractory temper, and of a spirit of independence that spurned at control. Aaly-verdy-qhan reflected, that to dissemble with him any longer would only add to his presumption, and excite that of others, and that to connive at his excesses and insolencies any more, might prove highly imprudent, and even dangerous;
10.2.10
and he was convinced at the same time, how exceedingly improper it would be in a person of his high station to defer the punition of a headstrong man, whose punition ought to be held up in terrorem to others. The day then being fixed for that execution, Aaly-verdy-qhan ordered a number of his trustiest men to keep themselves in the Hall of Audience, and to fall upon him with their sabres as soon as that Afghan should enter, and presume to answer to a reprimand which he intended to give him. Effectively the next day the man, as usual, presented himself with ten of his followers, armed; but as he had always at the gate a couple of hundred of his men ready to support him, and he was himself a man of great personal strength and prowess, it was not an easy matter to come at him, or to find people that could match the man. Three such men having been pitched upon at last, were ordered to attend and to dispatch him. The next morning the execution took place; so that the smoke that used to arise from the heads of the refractory, was at once dissipated. The soldiery began to tremble, and many of the Zemindars, who had hitherto proved refractory, and had acted with all the freedom and insolence to which the weakness of the former administration had accustomed them, were set upon one after another, and severely chastised.
10.2.11
Some were torn out by the roots, and some, that were guilty likewise, but who had shewn tokens of submission and attachment, were not only forgiven but taken into favour, and they attached themselves to his person. In consequence of such a vigorous administration, which never abated from its vigilance, he found means both to conserve Shudjah-qhan's good-will and esteem, and to strengthen his own power and influence.