[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Storia do Mogor](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci) › [Storia do Mogor (Irvine)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine) › 191 # Storia do Mogor 191: Capture of Bijapur and Imprisonment of the King. Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 191 - **Language:** English ### Capture of Bijapur and Imprisonment of the King. ### [191.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.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. ### [191.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.191.2) With this event came to an end the Kings of Bijapur, but it must be noted that Sikandar was not of the ancient royal family, for his father was no son of the king, only a servant of the queen's. When she became a widow, the king having left no sons she made this servant of hers king, so that she might have liberty to move about as she pleased. Four times did her devotion take her to Mecca, and here happened what may not secure the belief of readers, but it is very certain that it occurred as I state it. ### [191.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.191.3) When she arrived the first time at Mecca and requested to be admitted, they refused permission as she was a widow; for no one may enter who is not married. In order that those not married may marry, there stand at the gates old men and old women, boys and girls, ready to marry the unmarried. But the queen declined to marry in this way, there being no one there of her rank. After a good deal of talk to the holy men, they invented a remedy by making a ridiculous marriage, taking a nice little sum as bribe for doing it. They married her (who will believe it?) to a cock, which she carried in her arms to the tomb of Muhammad. In this way she was able to pay her devotions, leaving the judicious to laugh at and wonder over the foolishness and madness of those holy men. They displayed this subtlety and power of refining in the interpretation of their books simply on hearing the rattling of patacas and rupees. For it being stated in their books of ceremonial that no one can enter the sepulchre of Muhammad without being married, they got hold of this grand and famous device of a marriage with a cock ! \[Here a coarse, abusive sentence is omitted.\] ### [191.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.191.4) The campaigns against Bijapur began from one thousand six hundred and seventy, and \[238\] lasted until this year (? 1686). At the commencement of the war, when the men of Bijapur caught any unhappy persons belonging to the Moguls who had gone out to cut grass or collect straw or do some other service, they did not kill them but cut off their noses. Thus they came back into the camp all bleeding. The surgeons belonging to the country cut the skin of the forehead above the eyebrows, and made it fall down over the wounds on the nose. Then, giving it a twist so that the live flesh might meet the other live surface, by healing applications they fashioned for them other imperfect noses. There is left above, between the eyebrows, a small hole, caused by the twist given to the skin to bring the two live surfaces together. In a short time the wounds heal up, some obstacle being placed beneath to allow of respiration. I saw many persons with such noses, and they were not so disfigured as they would have been without any nose at all, but they bore between their eyebrows the mark of the incision. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.191](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.191) · Pramāṇa