Storia do Mogor 185: Flight of Akbar into Persia.
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 185
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Flight of Akbar into Persia.
185.1
In this interval Akbar fled from Vingorla to Rajapur; he could not make his escape in the vessel he had prepared, for the royal fleet had burnt it. At Rajapur, with the help of some French merchants there, he acquired means of flight, and reached Persia, where he was received in state by Xaasoliman (Shah Sulaiman), son of Shah 'Abbas. Great gifts were conferred on him, but he was not permitted to leave the court. There he dwelt till the death of that king. I shall have to speak hereafter (II. 253) of how this prince once entered the Mogul realm in the days of Xaa Houcem (Shah Husain), son of the then existing King of Persia, and caused a certain amount of apprehension.
185.2
When Aurangzeb knew that his son had reached Persia, where he was favoured by King Sulaiman, who gave him daily three hundred patacas for expenses, he wrote a letter to the following effect : 'I know from trustworthy reports that the rebel Akbar is with you. Thus, at sight of this, forward him to me in chains. If you do not act as I command you I will chastise you severely, as I did Dara.' The wazir, Asad Khan, after having sealed the letter, laid it before the king, saying : 'Here is the letter, in conformity with your Majesty's commands ; now you can nominate the person who is to take it ; as for the answer, I know not who will bring it.' Thereby he conveyed to the king that he who carried the letter would be beheaded, and King Sulaiman would march in person against India. On hearing this opinion, Aurangzeb said some evasive words, but the letter in question was never dispatched. We went to Vingorla, and the prince captured that place easily, seeing that nearly everybody took to flight. The fleet continued to accompany us. After a few days the Portuguese ambassadors arrived; they were Joao Antunes Portugal and Manoel de Santo Pinto. They brought some showy presents, and lengths of ornamented China cloth, some lovely branches of coral, and six small pieces of artillery, with other objects, the whole being worth a good amount.
185.3
They were well received, and sarapa (sets of robes) were ordered for each of them, in addition to two thousand rupees. For the viceroy there were given a caparisoned horse, a dagger mounted with precious stones, a little bottle of essence of roses, and an honourable formao (farman, or rescript ?). It should be noted here that at the presentation of these ambassadors I did not act as interpreter, but some other European. In reading out the conditions he succeeded in doing a piece of bad work for the Portuguese. For in one paragraph the viceroy desired Shah 'Alam either to give him eight hundred horses, or permit him to buy them in the camp. The European stated as the viceroy's proposal that, if the prince gave him eight hundred horses he would consider himself a subject. This was as much as to say that he would place Goa in the prince's hands. When I heard this, I prayed the royal scribe to stop writing, for the interpreter did not understand the viceroy's proposal. All he said was, that being in want of eight hundred horses to continue the campaign against Sambha Ji, he asked for these eight hundred horses; and should His Highness decline to give them, he prayed leave to buy them in his camp. The interpreter was angered, but I judged it necessary on such an occasion to speak up, to defend truth, and protect Goa from a pretext under cover of which Aurangzeb would proceed to occupy that island.
185.4
In the evening of the same day I encountered Shekh Muhammad at the entrance of the prince's tents. He is the man who had gone first as envoy from Aurangzeb to the viceroy, and had promised Aurangzeb to make over Goa to Shah 'Alam. He complained to me, telling me it was not for me to intervene in the royal affairs, nor was it my business to act as an agent for the Portuguese. In time we began to raise our voices, so that the prince heard the altercation and asked the cause, and who were the men making so much noise. Then they told him how Hakim Niculao and Shekh Muhammad were shouting at each other over the pending negotiations. The prince, who did not want any violence, sent word to Shekh Muhammad to go away and not open his mouth on such affairs. As for me, he called me inside, reassured me, and gave me his word that he would not touch the Portuguese. Of a certainty, had he listened to Shekh Muhammad, he must have taken Goa, for that man was very familiar with the ground, being a native of those parts.
185.5
Manoel de Santo Pinto then returned to the viceroy, and reported to him the above two affairs. On this account the the viceroy sent me, through him, the proposition that I should accept either the knighthood of Sant' Iago, or a village yielding annually a thousand xerafins (ashraft). I did not want to accept one or the other, but Manoel de Santo Pinto pressed the accepting of one of the offers [223], as it would affront the viceroy if I refused. I therefore accepted the knighthood of Sant' Iago, which he forthwith conferred on me, together with the letters patent, in which are set forth the two particular services aforesaid which I rendered to the crown of Portugal, as may be seen from the following copy of that patent : ' Dom Pedro, by the Grace of God, Prince of Portugal and of the Algarves, on this and that side of the sea in Africa, of Guinea, and of the conquered commercial navigation of Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia, and India, et cetera; As regent and successor, and ruler of the said realms and lordships, and governor and perpetual administrator, as I am, of the Mastership and Knighthood of the three Military orders :
185.6
' Be it known to all beholding this Patent, that having regard to the services done by Niculao Manuchy in our Indian dominions on various occasions arising in our service; by translating the letters written by the Mogul King to the Count, our viceroy in the said Dominions; and by being present during the conferences with his ambassador, Shekh Muhammad, upon the matters under negotiation; subsequently, upon the approach of the prince Muhammad Mu'azzam, Shah 'Alam, eldest son of the said king, with his army, to the vicinity of the said Dominions, by accompanying the envoy that the said Count, our viceroy, sent to the said Prince; and by going more than once to the said army on various matters of great importance appertaining to the said Dominions. Wherein the said Niculao Manuchy conducted himself with great fidelity and zeal in our service; from which we anticipate he will act in the same way from now henceforth. 'For all these reasons he is worthy of every honour and favour, and to prove to the said Prince the esteem in which we hold his person; We hold it expedient to make a grant to the said Niculao Manuchi of the vestment of the order of Sao Tiago which he can wear on his breast like a true knight, for which he will be recognised, and respected as such, enjoying all the honours and privileges thereto appertaining.
185.7
'Wherefore I order that this patent now issued be made over to him, that it be carried out and observed in its entirety, as therein set forth, and that it be sealed with the seal bearing the Royal Arms of the Crown of Portugal. Our Lord the Prince issues it through Francisco de Tavora, Count of Alvor, one of His Councillors of State, Viceroy and Captain-General of India, Executed by the Custodian Souza Moreira in Goa the twenty and ninth of January of one thousand six hundred and eighty-four. 'Count of Alvor. 'Ordered to be recorded. 'The Secretary, 'Luis Gonsalves Cota. 'LUIS GONSALVES COTA.' ' Patent by which Your Highness is pleased to grant to Niculao Manuchy the vestment of the Order of Sao Thiago, to be borne on his breast as a true knight enjoying all the honours and privileges pertaining thereto, as is above declared. ' Verified by Your Highness. ' Registered in the Book of Grants in the State Secretariat on page twenty-nine. ' Luis Gonsalves Cota.'