Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 32.2
A Translation of the Seir Mutaqherin (Haji Mustafa) 32.2
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32.2.1
On the twenty-fourth of Shaaban, of the same year, a daughter was born to Mahmed-shah, from Sahabah-mahal, daughter to Sofian-sooltana-begum, which last was sister to Malekah-zemani, daughter to a sister of Saadat-qhan. This Princess had chanced to be seen by Mahmed-shah, who fell in love with her charms, and having married her, brought her to the Mahal-sera, or Seraglio. About this time, Azim-ollah-qhan, having proved by his ill conduct how little able he was to get the province of Malva out of the hands of the Marhattahs, was neglected by the Emperor, and fell into contempt; he was an opinionated obstinate man, who gave so many proofs of ill conduct, that even the Vezir himself, his kinsman, whose sister he had married, conceived a disgust against his manners. The man, incensed at these marks of general contempt, resolved to shew his resentment in his turn, and had the imprudence to quit all at once the palace of the late Aaly-merdan-qhan where he resided, and to go and encamp without leave at the Char-bagh, a seat belonging to the Vezir, as if to change his ground, exactly like one who intended to set out on an expedition. The Emperor, shocked at his behaviour, vacated his office of Sadr-el-soodoor, and bestowed it on Sheriat-ollah-qhan, who had enjoyed it before. At the same time, the command of the Goozer-bans, or door and way-keepers, was conferred on Agher-qhan, the Turk; as was the Fodjdary of Soharen-poor on Hafiz-eddin-qhan.
32.2.2
This Agher-qhan was, with some other Commanders, ordered to watch and attend Azim-ollah-qhan's behaviour and motions, and they kept round his post for some days; when the man, being sensible of the imprudence of his conduct, thought proper to repent, and to return to his house, where, having dismissed his troops, he lived retired. This same year, it being the Festival of the Sacrifice, a Comet, with a tail of a full yard in length, made its appearance in the sign of Caper, inclining to the south. At last it turned to the north, and after having shined for a full month, it disappeared. And on the thirteenth of Moharrem, being the beginning of the year 1155, the Nourooz, or New Year's Day, was celebrated with the usual ceremonies. There were some more promotions this year.
32.2.3
Radj-mahmed-qhan, the Cazi of Cazies, that is, the Supreme Judge of the Empire, having departed his life, his office was conferred on Moorad-eddin-qhan, and this nobleman was installed in that high dignity with a Qhylaat of four pieces. In the month of Redjeb, Sheriat-ollah-qhan, the Sadr-el-soodoor, son to Mir Djumlah, that great favourite of Feroh-syur's, departed his life. It was in this year that there happened a conjunction of two Planets, in the end of the sign Leo, according to the Astronomical Tables, drawn up under the inspection of the learned Radja Djehi-sing-ketchvaha, by the mathematicians, Mirza Qhair-ollah and Shek Mahmed-ayed, who comprised their observations in a book, commenced and finished under Mahmed-shah. But according to Ooloogh-beg's Tables this conjunction happened in the beginning of the sign of Virgo.
32.2.4
In that same year, Azim-ollah-qhan, tired of living private in his house, eloped from it, and for the second time quitted the city, with an intention to go to Lahor. He was that same day pursued by the sons of the Vezir Camer-eddin-qhan and Haider-cooly-qhan, at the head of the Regiment, called of Cabool, and of some other troops, amongst which was the body of two thousand horse belonging to the Artillery. Azim-ollah-qhan, sensible of his being pursued, made so much haste, that in eight days he arrived at Lahor, where Zekeriah-qhan, who was allied to him, (the two Noblemen having married the two sisters,) received him in his palace, and made him a present of elephants and horses, and of every thing else requisite to appear like a nobleman of his high rank. Meanwhile, those that pursued him, coming to the gates, the Governor received them with respect, gave them an entertainment, and, after having put to them many questions about their ulterior orders, he delivered his brother-in-law into their hands, and dismissed them, satisfied with the reception they had met with. The two officers having marched without stopping, carried their prisoner to Shah-djehan-abad, where he was, by an Imperial order, confined in the Citadel. In this same year, on the last day of the month of Shawal, there happened, in the sign of Virgo, a conjunction of the Planets, of bad omen.
32.2.5
On the seventeenth of Zilcaadah, the Emperor set out of the city on a hunting party, and encamped in a garden contiguous to the town of Louly; but a few days after he was seized by an Esquinancy and a palpitation of the heart, which was soon followed by a pain in the side, and by a swelling that disturbed the animal excretions, and impeded the admission of liquids as well as solids. He was immediately requested to lose some blood, and to suffer an application of some leeches. But this not affording the desired relief, he returned in a few days to the Citadel, where, after some repose, he found himself better. The Nou-roz, or New Year's Day, fell this year on the twenty-fourth of Moharrem, of 1156. On a Tuesday, being the seventh of the first Djemady, of the same year, Saad-eddin-qhan, Mir-ateshy, as well as Steward of the Imperial Household, after having made his obeisance to the presence, went home, and, about midnight, he found himself ill of a pain in the bowels, of which he expired before day-break. His son, having, a few days after, made his appearance before the Emperor, received a Qhylaat of mourning, with the confirmation of his father's two offices; to which was added a fringed Paleky, and an augmentation of his Military grade; so that he was now Commander of five thousand horse, and Grandmaster of the Imperial Palace, as well as Steward of the Household.
32.2.6
In this same year, an Imperial order, backed by notes in the Emperor's hand, was severally dispatched to Emir-qhan, Viceroy of Ilah-abad; to Abool-mansoor-qhan, Governor of Aood; to Zekeriah-qhan, Viceroy of Lahor, and Moltan; to Radja Baht-sing, Rathor; and to Radja Dehiradj-djehising, as well as to several other persons of distinction, requesting their immediate attendance at Court. Nizam-el-mulk likewise received a similar order; but that Viceroy excused himself upon his great age, and the debility of body inseparable from it. The truth is, that being at the head of six Soobahdaries, or Viceroyalties, he thought himself strong enough to decline going to Court; he had besides resolved on conquering the kingdom of Carnatic, had already besieged and taken the fortress of Tir-china-pally, and received Arcat at composition. As to Radja Dehiradj-djehising-sevai, he died the seventh of Shaaban, which was about the time of the Hindoo Festival of the Dessara, when three Ranies or Princesses, his consorts, with three of his concubines, and some of his dancing-women, thought proper to follow him into the other world, and burned themselves together with his body, on his funeral pile, which in the Indian language is termed to become Satti. We have said, that several Viceroys had been ordered to Court.
32.2.7
Abool-mansoor-qhan, on receiving the Imperial command, referred himself for his compliance to Emir-qhan, his neighbour, of Ilah-abad, with whom he was closely connected, and to whom he acknowledged himself beholden for his promotion. That keen-sighted nobleman, thinking that bringing a General of that character to Court would redound to his own honor and advantage, exhorted him to comply with the Imperial mandate, and, on the other hand, Abool-mansoor-qhan having conceived that his affairs would receive some benefit by making a stay at Court, resolved to make the voyage; and he tarried sometime to complete his preparations. Radja Nevol-ray was ordered to act in his absence as his Deputy. This was a man whom he had raised from a common trooper in his service, to the highest dignities at his Court, and whose abilities and zeal were so agreeable to him, that he had lately made him his Paymaster-General. After making his mind easy on that subject, and spending some more time with his several Governors and Deputies, he fixed a day for his departure, as he had given his word to Emir-qhan that he would be in the Capital a few days only after him. The latter put his affairs in order, and left for his Deputy, Syed Mahmed-qhan, an Iranian, renowned for an heroical bravery, which had greatly raised his character, when he commanded at Corrah.
32.2.8
After that he set out on his journey, and on the twenty-ninth of Ramazan, he arrived on the strand of the Djumna, over against the venerable Citadel of the Imperial city. There he was met, two days after, by the Vezir Camer-eddin-qhan, who on that day, which happened to be the festival ending the fast, came out of the city, took him on his own elephant, and carried him to his palace. On that same evening, Emir-qhan went to Court, and had the honor to pay his obeisance, and to kiss the columns of the Imperial throne.