Storia do Mogor 370.1

370.1

With this I bring to an end Part V., and if time allows me, and I should come across anything worthy of record, I will go on with a Sixth Part, hoping thereby to complete the satisfaction of the inquiring reader. Let us now turn and say something of the old and wily king, Aurangzeb. We find him, then, with his army not far from the fortress of Ahmadnagar, of which we have spoken before (V. 202), feeble and old, full of disillusions, and near to the day of his death. On February 7, 1707, he fell ill, and on no day was he able to appear in public audience. His absence raised a tumult in the camp, the shops were closed, supplies grew dear, and many other disorders arose. The chief wazīr, Asad Khān, worked hard among both the nobles and the smaller men to keep them quiet, and did all that was possible to show the royal person to the populace, as he had done on other occasions. But the king's weakness was so complete that this had become impossible. Meanwhile the king, being somewhat afraid of A'zam Tãrã, ordered him not to come to audience without being sent for. But Prince Kãm Bakhsh went frequently to see his father. He perceived the king's malady was mortal, and petitioned his Majesty before he died to give him liberty to depart as promised. Otherwise it was quite certain that he would lose his life. Then the king ordered him to surround the royal tent with his guards, and to this direction effect was given at once.