[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) › 192 # Storia do Mogor 192: The March against Gulkandah ; the Imprisonment of Shah 'Alam and his Family. Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 192 - **Language:** English ### The March against Gulkandah ; the Imprisonment of Shah 'Alam and his Family. ### [192.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.192.1) Aurangzeb was pleased at having overcome the kingdom of Bijapur, partly by arms, partly by deceit. It was a realm in which the ancient kings kept up ordinarily fifty thousand horsemen. Already he (Aurangzeb) found his projects half executed, and imagined he could now move forward without obstacle to the destruction of Sambha Ji; for all that remained was to capture Gulkandah and seize the king. This he purposed, although very little time had elapsed since, in pursuance of his orders, Shah 'Alam had made peace with that king. Little did he care about that, it being his maxim to keep neither his own nor another's word, so long as he succeeded in his desires. For this reason, even when Bijapur was taken, he did not go into quarters; on the contrary, he set his army in motion against Gulkandah. The prince Shah 'Alam was much hurt that his father, for no reason at all, should break the treaty of peace which by his order had been concluded with Gulkandah, and in the end he complained to his father. He said the world would wonder that so great a king should pay no heed to the promises made by his son and heir. He therefore entreated him to abandon this intention of his, for the King of Gulkandah was quite helpless, and could not impede His Majesty's projects against Sambha Ji. ### [192.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.192.2) Aurangzeb had resented greatly this prince's want of effort when trying to take Goa, which he might easily have achieved, and was also turned against him by his having sent off supplies to the King of Bijapur, as I have stated (II. 237). He also feared that the prince, to revenge himself on his father for breaking without cause the peace with Gulkandah, might send some succour in secret to that king. Aurangzeb therefore determined to make Shah 'Alam a prisoner. Some scent of this resolve of Aurangzeb was perceptible, and Shah 'Alam's eldest son, called Sultan Mu'izz-ud-din, wanted to end the business by killing his grandfather. But though he was a resolute young man, he would not do it without communicating with his father. He quoted to him as a precedent how his grandfather had not spared his brothers nor his father, nor Sultan Muhammad (his son). Equally they ought not to spare him, for he had fallen short in his behaviour to the King of Gulkandah. But Shah 'Alam, a benign and tender-hearted prince, forbade any such attempt, saying that he had no wish to leave such a bad example to posterity. ### [192.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.192.3) Aurangzeb, the cunning fox, concealed his intentions by causing the preparation of several caparisoned elephants, and many gifts, robes of honour, arms, and horses, and he let it be spread abroad that he was going back to Hindustan. He would leave his son, Shah 'Alam, as lord of the Dakhin, and he might then deal with the King of Gulkandah as he thought fit. All this he did in order not to displease his son, who was in low spirits. He also professed to be broken, as it were, by the marches and fatigues of so many campaigns, and meant at last to take repose, and leave what had yet to be done to his sons. Shah 'Alam was informed of his father's talk, and in a few days the camp was full of such rumours ; thus the prince remained satisfied, not knowing that he was on the edge of the abyss. For these purposes the army halted some days. One day Aurangzeb gave a secret order to Shahab-ud-din Khan and Asad Khan, the chief ministers, to remain in the council-chamber. When Shah 'Alam arrived, they were to disarm him. After this he sent at once for the prince, everybody imagining he was called inside to receive robes of honour and promotion. ### [192.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.192.4) Therefore the prince came joyfully, hoping to see carried out his wish \[240\] of preserving peace with Gulkandah, while he would become lord of the Dakhin. He entered the royal tent, but on seeing him, Aurangzeb prevented his approach by saying at once with simulated joy : 'Shah 'Alam, Bahadur ! Retire into the privy chamber and take council with my ministers as to what has to be done ; they await you.' Hardly had the prince reached the designated room, when Shahab-ud-din Khan and Asad Khan, accompanied by the other ministers, told him it was the order of the Badshah (that is, 'emperor'), Aurangzeb the Great, that he deliver up his arms. He knew well it was useless to resist ; undoing his sword and pulling his kattari (dagger) from his waist, he let the whole fall to the ground. While Shah 'Alam went into the inner room, Aurangzeb sent for Sultan Mu'izz-ud-din, eldest son of Shah 'Alam, as I said above, and he, believing it to be a fortunate day, appointed for the distribution of robes of honour, came with great delight, but hardly had he entered the presence of that schemer than he was treated the same as his father. Before he could get close Aurangzeb said to his grandson, with haste, as if relying on his judgment: 'Sultan Mu'izz-ud-din ! Go into that adjoining chamber, where your father and the ministers are waiting for you to hold a council and decide what ought to be done.' ### [192.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.192.5) The prince went in with great vivacity, being then arrived at twenty years of age. When he had entered, the ministers said to him what they had said to Shah 'Alam. But he was of another temper, and would not yield readily ; grasping his sword, he turned his eyes towards his father, waiting for such orders as he might give. But the prudent Shah 'Alam told him that it was no longer a time to hope : let him unbuckle his sword and deliver up his arms, for it was necessary to obey. Then Mu'izz-ud-din, lowering his eyes, full of tears of rage, allowed his sword and dagger to fall to the ground. When this had been carried out, Aurangzeb sent a messenger for Sultan 'Azimudin ('Azim-ud-din), and dealt with him in the same manner ; so also with Sultan Daulat-Afza. Orders were issued to place the father and the sons in different prisons under strict watch and ward, so that they could send no messages, nor for seven years were they left with more than a small knife. ### [192.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.192.6) During this period of imprisonment Daulat Afza died. There remained the little princes, named Rafia Elcader (Rafi'-ul-qadr) and Coja Sactar (Khujistah-Akhtar), and these were placed in a separate prison together, so that they might play with each other. Afterwards the order was given that the women of Shah 'Alam, of Sultan Mu'izz-ud-dln, and of all the family should be removed to the fortress of Agrah, to the house of the widows. The treasure and the rest of the wealth in the prince's house were appropriated, including a large sum in pagodas coinage of the kings of Gulkandah and Bijapur. Shah 'Alam decided to play a game of finesse, and shortly after his imprisonment he said to his guards that he was willing to show his obedience to his father, and that he took no offence at what had been done. They went off to inform Aurangzeb of his son's words. The king smiled and sent him food, which Shah 'Alam ate as if such an affront as imprisonment did not matter to him. But afterwards food was so sparingly supplied that it was grievous to see princes of such high lineage treated in such a manner. When they marched with the camp, they appeared like shadows, devoid of all ornament and without spirit, shut up in litters put on elephants, and without retinue, just like ordinary prisoners. ### [192.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.192.7) Of them all he who felt the imprisonment most was Sultan Mu'izz-ud-din. His room being close to the royal audience-hall, he used, on the days when Aurangzeb was distributing justice, to shout his complaints as a demonstration against the injustice of his grandfather, who conformed neither to the rights of humanity nor followed the Quran. So troublesome was he, that Aurangzeb was obliged to send him to another room farther away from the audience-hall. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.192](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.192) · Pramāṇa