Travels in the Mogul Empire (Bernier) 3.13.5

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.