Travels in the Mogul Empire (Bernier) 2.4.8

2.4.8

Sultan Sujah was the first who took the field. He had filled his coffers in the rich country of Bengale by utterly ruining some of the Rajas or Kinglets of that region, and by plundering others. He was therefore enabled to raise a numerous army : and confiding in the support of the Persian omrahs, whose religious views he had embraced, advanced rapidly on Agra. He issued a proclamation which set forth the death of his father by poison from the hand of Dara, and declared his determination both to avenge so foul a murder, and to occupy the vacant throne. Chah-Jehan, at the instance of Dara, hastened to undeceive him in regard to the rumour of his decease ; the malady was giving way, he said, to the power of medicine, and he expressly commanded him to return forthwith to his government of Bengale. But as Sultan Sujah's friends at court represented the Emperors disorder as incurable, he continued his march toward the capital, pretending that he was too well convinced of the death of his revered parent, and that if, contrary to his expectation, he should be yet alive, he was desirous of kissing his feet, and receiving his commands.