Ahwal-i Dina Beg Khan 3: Shah 'Alam, son of 'Alamgir the Second.

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That prince of noble extraction, the jewel of the crown of sovereignty, fought a battle with Ghaziu-d din Khan in the fifth year of his venerable father's reign, and having left Dehli, proceeded to the eastward. None of the Afghan chiefs received him hospitably, through fear of Ghaziu-d din Khan. He was obliged to resort to that hero of the world (Shuja'u-d daula) in the fort of Jalalabad, where he was respectfully and hospitably received. After some days' halt, he proceeded to invade Bengal. Muhammad Kuli Khan, Governor of the province of Allahabad, and Zainu-l 'Abidin Khan, joined him. He allowed them to remain with the camp, and ordered them to raise an army. In a few days a force of about one hundred thousand horsemen was collected, and he went to take Patna 'Azimabad. After the city was besieged, and much blood was shed, Miran, son of Ja'far 'Ali Khan, Governor of the province of Bengal, assembled a large force, and having invited the Firingi armies to assist him, waged war with the Emperor. Though the garrison was on the point of being overpowered and Miran of taking to flight, yet, through the disaffection of the nobles in whom the Emperor confided, and the want of treasure, which can never be amassed without possessing dominion (dominion and treasure being twins), great disaffection arose in the Emperor's army. Many, from fear of scarcity of provisions, went to their homes, and others who had no shame joined with Ram Narain and Miran. The army of the Emperor met with a terrible defeat. Just afterwards Miran was killed by a stroke of lightning, and peace was concluded by the agency of the Christians.
Muhammad Kuli Khan came to Allahabad, and the news of 'Azizu-d din 'Alamgir's death reached Shah 'Alam in Patna, on which he was much afflicted in his mind ; but ascribing the event to the wise dispensations of Providence, he sat upon the throne of sovereignty on the 5th of Jumada-l awwal. Nawab Shuja'u-d daula, after a few days, came to the border of his territories, and having invited the Emperor from 'Azimabad, obtained the honour of an interview, and was exalted to the hereditary office of Wazir, and afterwards accompanied him to Allahabad. It is through the means of that great man that the name of Sahib Kiran Gurgan (Timur) still remains; otherwise, the Abdali would not have allowed one of his descendants to survive.
The Emperor now fixed his residence at Allahabad, kept the eldest son of Shuja'u-d daula in his Court as deputy of his father, whom he permitted to return to the province of Oudh, which is his jagir and altamgha. As it is at this time the 1180th year of the Hijra, it is therefore the twelfth year of His Majesty's reign, which commenced from the month of Jumada-l awwal. May God render His Majesty kind towards all wise and learned men, towards the poor, and towards all his subjects: and may he give him grace to walk in the paths of the Holy Law!
To relate in detail the events of Shah 'Alam's reign would require a separate history. The writer contents himself therefore with giving the above succinct account of him.