Storia do Mogor 354.7
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 354.7
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354.7.1
Within their own country this tribe consider themselves valiant soldiers, and are very tender on the point of honour. If by chance, in going out from or coming into any place, their clothes are touched unintentionally, or when passing each other they cough or spit, they hold that there has been an affront, and they forthwith challenge each other to a duel. This sort of duel happens customarily two or more times in a day. They are fought in the presence of the prince, who allows them because he cannot prevent them. These officers and soldiers are highly paid, and live very well; they are rather skilled in the use of weapons, and are accustomed to wear on their arms small armlets of gold or silver. In a few months from this time, if Aurangzeb lives, we shall see what sort of valour these soldiers have, and I shall not fail to give a clear report.
354.7.2
Although this prince might easily lead this great army against the Mogul, he is an enemy of war, and it pleases him better to live in peace and amity. He offered to his Majesty fifteen millions of rupees and five elephants, promising, in addition, to double his annual tribute, on condition that he was not interfered with. Aurangzeb accepted [156] the proposal, and at once sent off a thousand horsemen to convey the money to his camp. The Shivã Jīs (the Mahrattahs) had information, and pursued the convoy with twenty thousand horse, hoping to relieve them of the cash, but the pursuers were not in time. The escort had retired with the utmost promptitude into a fortress, and up to this moment the money is locked up there.
354.7.3
In the month of September of the said year [1705] King Aurangzeb fell ill, and for twelve days he did not appear at the public audiences. The news caused a great commotion in the royal camp, since the greater number believed he was dead; the fact being that he unexpectedly fell into a swoon, and for three hours on end he was unable to speak a word. When Prince Kãm Bakhsh heard of it, he, too, jumped to the conclusion that his father was dead. With the idea of getting command over the whole army, he sent a letter to the grand wazīr, Asad Khãn. In this letter he told him to remain without apprehension; he undertook that no one should interfere with him. The wazīr, in answer, made use of similar phrases, saying, 'May God preserve his Majesty's life! If it happen otherwise, and he die, I am constrained to make over the treasure, the property, and the whole of this army to that one of the emperor's four sons who succeeds in ascending the throne and crowning himself, and to him I shall render [157] an account of everything.'
354.7.4
Aurangzeb was informed of what had passed between Prince Kãm Bakhsh and the wazīr, and he was satisfied at finding the latter so loyal; as an inducement to be still more faithful, he promoted him in rank. However, suspecting there might be some treachery or rising if he were not seen at audience time, Aurangzeb, when his illness had subsided a little, went, weak though he was, to the public audience, and remained for half an hour. By this means the populace were quieted, and the pretensions of every man were rendered vain. During the time when the king was thought to be at the point of death, some grandees loaded twelve camels with gold coin, intending to place the money in some neighbouring fortress, as on such occasions is customary. But the financial officials who were in charge and the tax-collectors prevented this removal. When the king gave audience again, the matter was reported to him ; he sent men to seize the money, its guards having already abandoned it for fear of its being known who the owners were. The cash was used to pay the army, which had not been paid for years, and this distribution caused great joy. The owners of the money were not discovered.
354.7.5
The physician who treated his Majesty was the son of Mossancam (Muhsin Khãn), of whom I have already spoken (III. 43). This man has received the title of his deceased father. As a reward for the cure, an order was given to weigh him against silver rupees, which came to six thousand five hundred, then five hundred were added, making in all seven thousand rupees. [158] When the king could move about, having recovered from his indisposition, the rainy season had ended. He sent men to measure the quantity of water in the rivers, preparatory to an attack on the prince of Maisur, to whom he forwarded violent threats. At this time news was received by his Majesty that the villagers in the province of Ãgrah had risen and plundered the suburbs of the city, and closed the roads in those parts. Very shortly afterwards other reports were received that some Pathãn chiefs, who ruled between the province of Kabul and the Indus river, had risen in rebellion, and killed several soldiers of Prince Shãh 'Alam, his son. From the coming of these reports the design of fighting the prince of Maisur was frustrated ; and the king withdrew his army to the neighbourhood of Aurangãbãd [read Ahmadnagar], having continually at his heels the Mahrattahs, who follow him everywhere. Here the report was received that Prince A'zam Tãrã, the son who was in charge of Gujarat province, had XLVI. A SATI, or Widow-burning. To face page 242.
354.7.6
taken the field with a great army, and was advancing on the road to Ãgrah, in the belief that his Majesty was dead. Against this prince came out a Rãjput leader called Dorucdax (Durgã Dãs), belonging to the territory of Jaswant Singh, at the head of twelve thousand cavalry. This is the Rãjput who took Prince Akbar's side when he rose in rebellion. A'zam Tãrã was under the impression that Durgã Dãs was coming to effect a junction with him. Therefore he wrote him a letter [159] of thanks; but he found by experience that things were very different from what he had expected. When the prince's force arrived in front of that of Durgã Dãs, the latter barred its passage onwards, resulting in a loss of four hundred Rajputs and twelve hundred of the prince's men. This opposition forced A'zam Tãrã to retreat. The cause which led Durgã Dãs to resist A'zam Tãrã was his contention that the throne belonged to Prince Akbar, in the maintenance of whose rights he had taken the field. When the king heard of this movement, he called upon Prince A'zam Tãrã to return to the Presence, under promises of many high dignities and appointment as lord over still greater provinces. After the retreat of the prince, Durgã Dãs also withdrew to his own territory, which is that formerly belonging to Jaswant Singh.
354.7.7
His Majesty's retreat towards Aurangãbãd was against his will, his desire being to make war against the prince of Maisur; but he had to postpone that campaign in order to attend to the above rising. The king was greatly exercised in mind by these uprisings, the more so when he recollected that his undertakings had not been very successful, and the common people had begun to speak disparagingly of his continual and fruitless marches. He issued a proclamation [160] that, if anyone spoke abusively about the royal marchings, his tongue would be pulled out the next morning early. After such a proclamation the royal army marched without giving any sign of life and without sound of instruments, wishing to convey thereby that they would have to return a second time. Marches in this style continued for fifteen days. It happened on the second day of this journey that the Mahrattahs reached the rear of the advance tent, in which the king took a rest, and killed one thousand Mughals, burnt the tent, and carried off the officer, whom they blinded, to prison in a fortress. For his ransom they demanded five lakhs of rupees. The Mahrattahs had many openings for attacking the king himself, but declined to avail themselves of them, owing to the profit they find in his continuing to live. Being king of the Mogul country, there come to him various subsidies in treasure and merchandise, by capturing which the Mahrattahs benefit.
354.7.8
Aurangzeb was also informed that the Mahrattahs had crowned as their prince Shivã Jī, son of Rãm Rãj. He was also told that the new rajah was to take the field, although a minor. At the present time these Mahrattah peoples keep on foot a huge army of cavalry, to the number of two hundred thousand. They never cease from skirmishing and plundering in all directions with the greatest boldness. [161] Among all the princes, sons of Aurangzeb, one of whom must succeed to the throne, the most esteemed and loved at court is A'zam Tãrã, and he is spoken of there much more than all the others. The reason for believing that he will become king is that the princes at court take his side and object to Shãh 'Alam as king. This animus of the princes against Shah 'Alam can be understood by the attitude adopted to him by the grand wazir (Asad Khãn) and other officials. For it is known that when Aurangzeb ordered him (Shãh 'Alam) to be seized, the chief wazir removed the prince's sword from his side, the powerful general Gueazudi Kam (Ghãzí-ud-dln Khãn, or sometimes Ghiyãz-ud-dln Khãn) placed the fetters on his feet, other officials seized his sons, others plundered his palace and behaved disrespectfully to his women. For these reasons all the persons I have named and the rest of their faction are on the side of A'zam Tãrã.