Storia do Mogor 191.1

191.1

It is now time for us to begin talking of the war with Bijapur. Aurangzeb, finding that he could not come easily to a settlement with Bijapur, made for that reason a peace with Gulkandah. He then went with his whole army to the conquest of a kingdom which he had already pillaged, taking from it little by little, as I have said (II. 174), strong places, revenues, and materiel of war. Thus Secander (Sikandar), a youth of fifteen, the last King of Bijapur, was forced to seek shelter in the fortress there with not more than twelve thousand soldiers. Aurangzeb appeared before it with his whole army [237], and, encircling the city, forced it to surrender when all provisions had been exhausted. It was his misfortune that Xaabudican (Shahab-ud-din Khan), Aurangzeb's general, of whom I shall have to speak again (II. 239, 240), seized the supplies of coin and provisions which were on their way from Shah 'Alam's trenches to the fortress. For this prince was not pleased at the King of Bijapur losing his liberty and his kingdom. But when Aurangzeb heard of this attempt he drew his lines still closer, and thus Sikandar in one thousand six hundred and eighty-six delivered himself up to Aurangzeb, who kept him captive in his camp. This concession was made because he was still only a boy, and of the same religion as himself.