Storia do Mogor 371.7

371.7

The other prince, Kãm Bakhsh, learnt the above news at Bījāpur, where he had already sufficiently established his authority. Therefore he quitted that place and made himself master of Gulkandah. He made the governor thereof a prisoner, and caused him to be trodden to death under the feet of an elephant along with twenty-three other officials. He took their women and children, and confiscated their wealth, besides ill-treating the inhabitants and robbing them of any money they possessed. This series of confiscations added greatly to his power, and this again inspired him with the idea of becoming emperor. He thought he could put himself into a state to resist Shãh 'Alam, his eldest brother. When he (Shãh 'Ãlam) was informed of Kãm Bakhsh's projects, he made the best peace he could with the Hindu princes, and then began his march early in February, 1708. At the beginning of June he found himself on the Gulkandah frontier, close to a town called Bldar. His whole family accompanied him. His army consisted of one hundred and twenty thousand horsemen and two hundred thousand infantry. But the heavy rains having caused the rivers to overflow their banks, he was constrained to stop where he was. Prince Kãm Bakhsh left Gulkandah and encamped with his army two leagues from that place. His position was at the foot of a hill, and here he prepared to give battle.