Travels in the Mogul Empire (Bernier) 3.13
Travels in the Mogul Empire (Constable) 3.13
- Language
- English
3.13.1
As to those infamous individuals, Gionkan and Nazer, the well-deserved fate of the former has been recounted; but what subsequently became of Nazer is not ascertained. In regard to Jessomseingue and Jesseingue, there is some obscurity which I shall endeavour to clear up. A revolt had taken place, headed by a gentile of Visapour, who made himself master of several important fortresses and one or two seaports belonging to the King of that country. The name of this bold adventurer is Seva-Gi, or Lord Seva. He is vigilant, enterprising, and wholly regardless of personal safety. Chah-hestkan, when in the Decan, found in him an enemy more formidable than the King of Visapour at the head of his whole army and joined by those Rajas who usually unite with that prince for their common defence. Some idea may be formed of Seva-Gi's intrepidity by his attempt to seize Chah-hestkan's person, together with all his treasures, in the midst of his troops, and surrounded by the walls of Aureng-Abad. Attended by a few soldiers he one night penetrated into Chah-hestkan's apartment, and would have succeeded in his object had he remained undetected a short time longer. Chah-hestkan was severely wounded, and his son was killed in the act of drawing his sword. Seva-Gi soon engaged in another daring expedition, which proved more successful.
3.13.2
Placing himself at the head of two or three thousand men, the flower of his army, he silently withdrew from his camp, and pretended during the march to be a Raja going to the Mogol's court. When within a short distance of Sourate, he met the Grand Provost of the country, on whom he imposed the belief that he intended to prosecute his journey without entering the town: but the plunder of that famous and wealthy port was the principal object of the expedition; he rushed into the place sword in hand, and remained nearly three days, torturing the population to compel a discovery of their concealed riches. Burning what he could not take away, Seva-Gi returned without the least opposition, laden with gold and silver to the amount of several millions; with pearls, silken stuffs, fine cloths, and a variety of other costly merchandise. A secret understanding, it was suspected, existed between Jessomseingue and Seva-Gi, and the former was supposed to have been accessory to the attempt on Chah-hest as well as the attack on Sourate. The Raja was therefore recalled from the Decan, but instead of going to Dehli, he returned to his own territories.
3.13.3
I forgot to mention that during the pillage of Sourate, Seva-Gi, the Holy Seva-Gi! respected the habitation of the Reverend Father Ambrose, the Capuchin missionary. 'The Frankish Padrys are good men,' he said, 'and shall not be molested.' He spared also the house of a deceased Delale or Gentile broker, of the Dutch, because assured that he had been very charitable while alive. The dwellings of the English and Dutch likewise escaped his visits, not in consequence of any reverential feeling on his part, but because those people had displayed a great deal of resolution, and defended themselves well. The English especially, assisted by the crews of their vessels, performed wonders, and saved not only their own houses, but those of their neighbours. a native of Constantinople, astonished everybody. Seva-Gi knew that he was in possession of most valuable rubies, which he intended to sell to Aureng-Zebe; but he persevered in stoutly denying the fact, although three times placed on his knees to receive the stroke of a sword flourished over his head. This conduct was worthy of a Jew, whose love of money generally exceeds his love of life. Aureng-Zebe prevailed with Jesseingue to take the command of the army in the Decan, attended by Sultan Mazum, who, however, was not invested with any authority. The Raja's first operation was vigorously to attack Seva-Gi's principal fortress;
3.13.4
but he had recourse, at the same time, to his favourite art, negotiation, which he brought to a favourable issue, as the place surrendered by capitulation long before it was reduced to extremity. Seva-Gi having consented to make common cause with the Mogol against Visapour, Aureng-Zebe proclaimed him a Raja, took him under his protection, and granted an omrah's pension to his son. Some time afterwards, the King meditating a war against Persia, wrote to Seva-Gi in such kind and flattering terms, and extolled his generosity, talents and conduct so highly, as to induce him to meet the Mogol at Dehli, Jesseingue having plighted his faith for the chieftain's security. Chah-hestkan's wife, a relation of Aureng-Zebe's, happened to be then at court, and never ceased to urge the arrest of a man who had killed her son, wounded her husband, and sacked Sourate. The result was that Seva-Gi, observing that his tents were watched by three or four omrahs, effected his escape in disguise under favour of night. This circumstance caused great uneasiness in the palace, and Jesseingue's eldest son, being strongly suspected of having assisted Seva-Gi in his flight, was forbidden to appear at court. Aureng-Zebe felt, or seemed to feel, equally irritated against the father and the son;
3.13.5
and Jesseingue, apprehending that he might avail himself of this pretext to seize his territories, abandoned his command in the Decan and hastened to the defence of his dominions, but he died on his arrival at Brampour. The kindness shown by the Mogol to the Raja's son, when apprised of this melancholy event; his tender condolences, and the grant to him of the pension enjoyed by the father, confirm many persons in the opinion that Seva-Gi did not escape without the connivance of Aureng-Zebe himself. His presence at court must indeed have greatly embarrassed the King, since the hatred of the women was most fierce and rancorous against him : they considered him as a monster who had imbued his hands in the blood of friends and kinsmen. But here let us take a cursory review of the history of the Decan, a kingdom that, during more than forty years, has constantly been the theatre of war, and owing to which the Mogol is so frequently embroiled with the King of Golkonda, the King of Visapour, and several other less powerful sovereigns. The nature of the quarrels in that part of Hindoustan cannot be well understood while we remain ignorant of the chief occurrences and have only an imperfect knowledge of the condition of the Princes by whom the country is governed.
3.13.6
Two centuries have scarcely elapsed since the great peninsula of India, stretching from the Gulf of Cambaye on the west to the Gulf of Bengale near Jagannaie on the east, and extending southerly to Cape Comori, was, with the exception perhaps of a few mountainous tracts, under the domination of one arbitrary despot. The indiscretion of Raja, or King, Ram-ras, the last Prince under whom it was united, caused the dismemberment of this vast monarchy, and this is the reason why it is now divided among many sovereigns professing different religions. Ram-ras had three Georgian slaves in his service, whom he distinguished by every mark of favour, and at length nominated to the Government of three considerable districts. One was appointed governor of nearly the whole of the territory in the Decan which is now in the possession of the Mogol; Daulet-Abad was the capital of that government, which extended from Bider, Paranda and Sourale as far as Narbadar. The territory now forming the kingdom of Visapour was the portion of the second favourite; and the third obtained the country comprehended in the present kingdom of Golkonda. These three slaves became extremely rich and powerful, and as they professed the Mahometan faith and declared themselves of the Chyas sect, which is that of the Persians, they received the countenance and support of a great number of Mogols in the service of Ram-ras.
3.13.7
They could not, even if so disposed, have embraced the religion of the Gentiles, because the gentiles of India admit no stranger to the participation of their mysteries. A rebellion, in which the three Georgian slaves united, terminated in the murder of Ram-ras, after which they returned to their respective governments, and usurped the title of Chah, or King. Ram-ras's children, incapable of contending with these men, remained quietly in the country known commonly by the name of the Karnaleck, and called on our maps Bisnaguer, where their posterity are Rajas to this day. The remainder of the Peninsula was split at the same time into all those smaller states still existing, governed by Rajas, Naïques, and other Kinglets. While the three Slaves and their successors preserved a good understanding with each other, they were able to defend their kingdoms, and to wage wars on a large scale against the Mogols; but when the seeds of jealousy were sown among them, and they chose to act as independent sovereigns who stood in no need of foreign assistance, they experienced the fatal effects of disunion. Thirty-five or forty years ago, the Mogol, availing himself of their differences, invaded the dominions of Nejam-Chah, or King Nejam, the fifth or sixth in succession from the first Slave, and made himself master of the whole country. Nejam died a prisoner in Doulat-Abad, his former capital.