Storia do Mogor 64: OF SULTAN BALLAQUI (BULAQI), ELDEST SON OF JAHANGIR
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 64
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OF SULTAN BALLAQUI (BULAQI), ELDEST SON OF JAHANGIR
64.1
When Jahangir died, Sultan Bulaqi, his eldest son, took possession of the kingdom without opposition. He looked on himself as absolute sovereign, and believed that no one could oppose him except his brother, who had been banished, as I have already said (I., 116), to the territories of Bijapur, and to him the usurper paid no attention. Thus he followed in the footsteps of his father, and occupied himself with dances, music, and other pastimes. Nevertheless, he sent off an envoy to the King of Bijapur, warning him against according any favour to his brother, or permitting him to leave his then abode. If the king disobeyed this direction, war would be declared, and his whole kingdom devastated. The King of Bijapur, frightened by these menaces, kept his eyes open, and meant to prevent Sultan Khurram leaving, and thus avoid drawing upon himself the wrath of Sultan Bulaql. Sultan Khurram was a prisoner with all his family — that is to say, his wives, four sons, Dara (Dara), Xaxuja (Shah Shuja'), Oranazeb (Aurangzeb), and Moradbaex (Murad Bakhsh), and three daughters — namely, Begom Saeb (Begam Sahib), Gonorara Begom (Jahanara Begam), and Roxonara Begom (Roshanara Begam). There was also a wife who was enceinte, who longed to eat apples, a thing difficult to procure thereabouts, nor was it the right season for them. He (Khurram) was vexed at his inability to gratify the princess, and went forth from his house much cast down.
64.2
On his way he met a faqlr, who offered him two apples. Highly delighted, he (Khurram) carried them off at once to the princess, and told the poor man to wait, as he had something to say. Going inside, he delivered the apples to the princess, then came back humbly and reverently to the faqlr, and said to him : 'I suspect that you are some holy man, since you have succoured me in the time of trouble. May it please you to do me the favour of telling me if that is so.' The man [119] replied that it was. They had a long conversation, and the faqlr told him many things. Among other things he said that he (Khurram) would fall ill, but on those occasions he must smell his hands. So long as they had the scent of apples, his illness would be neither dangerous nor mortal. When they ceased to smell of apples, it would be a warning that he had reached his term of life. In the end the prince asked him which of his sons would be the destroyer of his race. The faqlr answered that it would be Aurangzeb, who in those days was quite a child. This was the reason that Sultan Khurram never had any love for Aurangzeb. From this time he (Khurram) began to scoff at him (Aurangzeb), calling him the White Snake, he being fairer than all his brothers. Sometimes he resolved to kill him, but his elder sister, called Roshanara Begam, always preserved him, and God reserved him to be the chastisement of his father.
64.3
Meanwhile the prince Khurram had abandoned all hope of ever leaving the territory of Bijapur. There now came to him a letter from his father-in-law, Acet Can (Asaf Khan), the wazlr, father of Jahangir's beloved queen and of Sultan Khurram's wife, but by different mothers. The contents were that he (Khurram) must leave his place of refuge by whatever method he could devise, and procure a secret meeting with Mahabat Khan, then actually governor at the city of Brampur (Burhanpur). If he (Khurram) would come to court he should be made king, and everything was in readiness. The prince, finding that the King of Bijapur would neither consent to assist him nor even grant him his liberty, resorted to the following trick. He feigned for some time that he was ill, until the news spreading abroad everywhere, the King of Bijapur sent his people to see him and find out the truth. Sultan Khurram was informed of the men's arrival, and sent secretly to order the slaughter of a goat, the blood of which he drank. After this he ordered the envoys to be introduced. When they came in he shammed being overcome with nausea, and vomited blood, making himself out to be at the point of death.
64.4
On coming out, the envoys forthwith reported to their king how the Mogul prince was at the last gasp, and could not survive in any case. Finally, Khurram's household set up cries and lamentations, calling out that he was dead. Putting on mourning, they went to the court of the king to ask permission to quit his territory, and carry the corpse of the deceased prince to the sepulchre of his ancestors. The king gave them leave, and they carried him (Khurram) off, placed in a bier covered with all the trappings of woe, and followed by all his people weeping and lamenting as they went. This news reached the court of Sultan BulaqT, who was very pleased, saying : ' Now am I delivered from a great enemy, and become absolute monarch.' They travelled through the city of Burhanpur, and Mahabat Khan came out to follow the bier until they arrived at the suburbs of Agrah city. When the bier had arrived so far, Asaf Khan, father-in-law of the fictitious defunct, requested leave from Bulaqi to go himself at the head of a large cavalry force to meet the bier, pleading that such was the custom. Sultan Bulaqi, who had no suspicion of the fraud, but, on the contrary, in his joy regaled himself with music, dancing, and wine, gave the permission to go and make whatever preparations he might please. He had no idea that he had only a few moments more to reign.
64.5
Asaf Khan left the city, and coming to the bier, found the prince Khurram alive and well, and put him on an elephant kept ready for the purpose. Thus they entered into the city with all their cavalry, raising a rebellion against Bulaqi, beating the royal drums, marching with drawn swords in their hands, and shouting : 'Long live King Shahjahan!' It was thus that he entitled himself from this time forth — it means 'King of the World.' Bulaqi was amazed at the prince's thus returning to life, and all of a sudden becoming master of his (Bulaqi's) forces. Since there remained no other method of saving his life, he took to flight, and thus escaped from his brother's wrath.