Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

Storia do Mogor 65: OF THE KING SHAHJAHAN, FIFTH KING OF HINDUSTAN AND TENTH OF THE RACE OF TAIMUR-I-LANG

Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 65

Language
English

Contents

OF THE KING SHAHJAHAN, FIFTH KING OF HINDUSTAN AND TENTH OF THE RACE OF TAIMUR-I-LANG

65.1.1

The first thing undertaken by Shahjahan was, by the utmost efforts, to attempt the capture of his fugitive brother, Bulaqi. But, in spite of all he did, he could not overtake him : he (Bulaqi) fled until he entered the kingdom of Persia, where he ended his life in destitution. This is why he was not included in the number of the kings, nor was he ever accorded that title. Finding that he could not seize his brother Bulaqi, Shahjahan sent out another force to the city of Lahor, where there were two sons of that prince. Express orders were given that whereever they were found they should be walled up forthwith. They were in the hall where King Jahangir gave audience, and were busy writing. Without showing them any mercy, Shahjahan's emissaries built up the door, leaving them inside, and up to this day it remains bricked up. It is a custom with these kings and lords that after their death the chamber where they die is walled up and never opened any more.

65.1.2

Finding himself undisputed King of Hindustan, Shahjahan was compelled to make war against the Portuguese of Hugli, for this was demanded by Taj Mahal, from whom the Portuguese [121] had carried off two slave girls (ante, I., 116). He sent against them the general Qasim Khan, who, when he arrived close to Hugli, made an arrangement with the Portuguese. These paid a large sum of money, whereupon he (Qasim Khan) retired the distance of a day's journey, but again advanced towards Hugli, with the excuse that the king had ordered him to take the place. They defended themselves as long as they could, but, unable to continue longer, they surrendered. Qasim Khan seized by lot five thousand souls, among them some Augustinian and Jesuit fathers. It seemed as if God desired to chastise the Portuguese of Hugli, seeing that they were unable to escape with their ships by way of the river Ganges, on the banks of which the town referred to stands.

65.1.3

The water in the river had fallen, and the boats lay stranded, a thing that had never happened before or since. I have no desire to record in this place the arrogance displayed by these same Portuguese, of whom I will write somewhat elsewhere (III., 192). Qasim Khan carried off the prisoners to court, and God willed that before they arrived there the queen, Taj Mahal should die. Shahjahan gave orders for the construction of her mausoleum opposite the royal palace at Agrah with great expenditure. It is in two stories, in the lower being deposited the body of his beloved wife. No one may see this sepulchre, for it is in the charge of women and eunuchs. There cannot be the least doubt that if the Portuguese had reached the court in the lifetime of Taj Mahal she would have ordered the whole of them to be cut into pieces after great tortures, for thus had she sworn when they did her the injury. All the same they did not escape a sufficient amount of suffering; some abjured their faith, either from fear of torture and of death or through the desire of recovering their wives, who had been distributed by Shahjahan among his officers. Others, the most beautiful among them, were kept for the royal palace. Of some of these I shall have something to say further on (II., 24).

65.1.4

The fathers were more tenacious in holding to the Christian faith, saying that they adored a Master who could preserve them, nor for anything that Shahjahan might do would they become renegades. There were also a few others — laymen — who held fast to their faith, but were released through the petitions of some persons at court, chiefly of an Armenian, who was a great favourite, or through the money paid by a Venetian, my compatriot, called Hieronomo Veroneo, a man ransomed by the Portuguese. These released prisoners lived in the city of Agrah, and until this day there are some of their descendants. After the death of his beloved queen Taj Mahal, Shahjahan selected in Hindustan the city of Dihli in order to build there a new city as his capital, and thereby perpetuate his memory, the climate at that spot being healthy. He used the ruins of ancient Dihli and Toquilabad (Tughlaqabad) for building this new Dihli, to which [122] he gave the name of Shahjahanabad—that is to say, 'Built by Shahjahan.' He expended large sums in the construction of this city, and in the foundations he ordered several decapitated criminals to be placed as a sign of sacrifice. The said city is on the bank of the river Jamnah, in a large plain of great circumference, and it is in the shape of an imperfect half-moon. It has twelve gates, and ancient Dihli forms a suburb, as also do several other villages.

65.1.5

The walls of the city are built one half of brick and the rest of stone. At every hundred paces is a strengthening bastion, but on these there is no artillery. The chief gates are the one leading to Agrah and the one leading to Lahor. Within the city are large and well-built bazars, where are sold things of every kind. The chief bazars are those that correspond with the streets leading to the fortress, and end with the two above-named gates. There are also in Dihli fine palaces for the nobles; a great number of the other houses have thatched roofs, but are highly decorated and commodious inside. The city on the eastern side, along which the river Jamnah flows, has no wall. In one corner of the city, on the northern side, is the royal fortress, facing to the east. In front of it, between it and the river, is left a sufficient space for the elephant fights. The king sits at a window to look on, as likewise the women, but they are behind gratings. Thence also the king beholds the parades held on the same space, of the omaraos (umara, grandees), rajahs, and nobles. Beneath the royal balconies there is, night and day, a mad elephant kept, out of ostentation.

65.1.6

The fortress is encircled by walls of large red stones, and it has a bridge of some twelve arches, by which access is obtained to the fortress of Sellemguer (Salimgarh), situated on an island made by the river Jamnah. It was built by the king Selem Xa Patany (Salim Shah, Pathan). The royal fortress has two gates leading into the city, there being a large open space in the midst. Shahjahan planted two large gardens, one on the north side, the other on the south side, and for the reason that the river Jamnah does not rise high enough to permit of its irrigating these gardens, Shahjahan, at great expense and labour, constructed a deep canal from a river adjacent to the city of Serend (Sihrind), one hundred leagues from Dihli. This canal flows into the fortress and fills the water-channels, into which Shahjahan ordered some beautiful fish to be thrown with gold rings in their heads, each ring having one ruby and two seed-pearls. This watercourse circulates through all the fortress, except the side towards the river Jamnah. Opposite to the fortress, on the west side, is the royal mosque, where the king goes once every week to say his prayers.

65.1.7

Shahjahan fancied that just as he had easily taken the town of Hugli from the Portuguese, so in like manner he would be able to take from them everything they had in Hindustan. Therefore he ordered his son Aurangzeb, then fourteen or fifteen years of age, to march against Damao (Daman) and take it from the Portuguese. But these fought valiantly, and since the fortress possessed good walls, Aurangzeb could not reduce it. After an investment of three months he (Aurangzeb) was forced to retire after losing a considerable number of men. Finding that the Portuguese defended themselves bravely, and that he could do nothing against them, Aurangzeb sent a message to Luis de Mello de Sampayo, known as 'The Snorer,' who was then governor of the fortress, that it was easy for everybody to snore behind walls. Angered by this message, Luis de Mello sent back word that on the next day but one, about noon-time, he would come forth into the open field, and as a sign that he was there in person he would lift his hat. He issued from the fort, and Aurangzeb's men charged him and killed him. The Portuguese returned to the fortress to defend it. Shahjahan sent this son against Daman because he knew him to be brave and fearless. It was for this reason that he afterwards ordered him to go against the kingdom of Balq (Balkh). Aurangzeb invaded the territories of the said realm until he encountered the enemy's army in the field.

65.1.8

These being the stronger gained the battle, and Aurangzeb was very nearly taken prisoner. Without fail would this have happened had not Mir Baba, his foster-brother, come speedily to his assistance. Still, although this prince (Aurangzeb) was held to be bold and valiant, he was capable of great dissimulation and hypocrisy; pretending to be an ascetic, he slept while in the field on a mat of straw that he had himself woven. He stitched caps with his own hands and sent them out for sale, saying that he lived upon what he made by them. He ate food that cost little, such as radishes, lentils, barley, and such-like vegetables and cereals ; he gave alms publicly, and also let it be known that he underwent severe penances and fasting ; he allowed himself to be found in prayer or reading the Quran ; went out frequently with his chaplet in his hand ; and on all occasions called on the name of God as if he made no account of the things of this world. All the same, under cover of these pretences, he led in secret a jolly life of it, and his intercourse was with certain holy men [124] addicted to sorcery, who instructed him how to dissimulate and to bring over to his side as many friends as he could with witchcraft and soft speeches.

65.2.1

One day Shahjahan marched on a campaign to recover the fortress of Candar (Qandahar), which Alimerda Can ('Ali Mardan Khan), the Persian, had voluntarily surrendered, when he rebelled against his own king. Xaabas (Shah 'Abbas) retook it in the following way: A goat had escaped from its herd, and the goat-herd pursued in order to catch it. The goat, by one leap after another, got upon a high hill, and thence, following a route full of rocks, arrived inside the fortress. The goat-herd also entered it by the same way, and came out again without anyone knowing of his being there. When he got back, he went off to make a report at the court of Shah 'Abbas. With the goat-herd as guide, a sufficient number of soldiers started for Qandahar, and taking the hidden path above referred to, they made a secret entrance into the place ; during the night they decapitated the sentries, and got possession of the fortress. Although Shahjahan made three attempts to retake this fortress, he was not able to do anything. One day, on the march already referred to, a mendicant came up to him (Shahjahan), and the king intended to give him something ; but Aurangzeb told him not to do so, because the mendicant had a considerable sum of money tied round his waist, and in this Aurangzeb showed himself to be a true prophet.

65.2.2

The king ordered the mendicant to be searched, and in his girdle they found forty rupees of gold. He (Shahjahan) said to his son : ' If what you did and said was not a plot, you are a saint.' Aurangzeb, seeing that his father had begun to place faith in his pretences, made believe to intensify his abstinence, simply to deceive his father, so that his rank might be increased. It was found out afterwards that the mendicant had been tutored by him (Aurangzeb) ; in spite of this, all the simple-minded people took him for a saint. But his father, who knew well the nature of this son, and also recollected the words of the faqir with the apples, gave little credit to all this show of holiness. It was for this reason that he did not increase the low rank that he had first given him. To his other sons he gave many tokens of paternal affection — above all, to the eldest son, Dara. Envious of this preference, Aurangzeb sought means of injuring his brother Dara, to whom he had a great antipathy.

65.2.3

Shahjahan was anxious to prevent the occurrence of any trouble at court. He therefore ordered that only one prince should come each day to his presence. But Aurangzeb, pricked by envy and the desire of injuring his brother Dara, rode out on horseback, lance in hand. He waited until Dara should come out of the fortress. Then he spurred his horse in such a way that it struck his (Dara's) palanquin with its hindquarters, so that the litter nearly fell to the ground. Dara, thus insulted, made bitter complaints to his father. The father, seeing this want of harmony among his sons, and fearing some misfortune, separated them. He knew that Aurangzeb was in treaty with his brother Xaxuja (Shah Shuja') for the marriage of his son, Sultan Mahamud (Mahmud), with the latter's daughter when she arrived at a proper age. He therefore sent the prince Shah Shuja' to be lord over the kingdom of Bemgalla (Bengal), and Prince Aurangzeb to the city of Moltan (Multan), and Prince Moradbacx (Murad Bakhsh) to the kingdom of Guzurab (Gujarat) ; while he kept with himself the prince Dara, his eldest son, as being the most esteemed and loved.

65.2.4

Aurangzeb knew that his father put no faith in him, and did not love him. He therefore wrote to him (Shahjahan) letters in most humble terms, also making use, with great foresight, of his brother Dara. To the latter he wrote many letters, begging a thousand pardons for the affronts he had committed ; he said he had done them as one having no sense. He offered him the services of his family and of himself, if he would only have compassion upon him and his sons ; adding that he looked on him (Dara) as a father. Dara, who was of a genial character and compassionate nature, sent loving letters in reply. Then Aurangzeb, seeing matters well arranged, wrote to his eldest brother a letter in which he entreated him to obtain from their father leave to quit the city of Multan, where the climate did not agree with him and he was always ailing, and asked that he might be transferred to the Dacan (Dakhin).

65.2.5

The cunning man made this request because he saw that in the Dakhin he could establish his fortunes through the continual activity of the armies there, owing to the existence of the kingdoms of Vizapur (Bijapur) and Golconda (Gulkhandah), and because the lands of the Dakhin are very productive, abounding in supplies of food and various sorts of cloth, and contain many minerals. The petitions that Dara made to his father were so insistent that this favour was granted Aurangzeb ; he was withdrawn from Multan and ordered to the Dakhin. Shahjahan was unwilling to concede these requests; still, from Dara's importunities he granted what was asked. But he said to Dara : ' You are acting on behalf of a venomous snake, and you will have to suffer from its poison.' Aurangzeb went to the Dakhin, where his strength began to increase. Near to Doltabad (Daulatabad) he built a city that he called Aurangabad — that is to say, ' Built by Aurangzeb.' There he began to weave the web of his rebellion, including the destruction of his father and his brothers.

65.2.6

Before speaking of the wars waged by Shahjahan and of his downfall, it is necessary to say something of his disposition. Although warlike, as he showed by his rising against his father, he was at the same time fond of music and dancing to the same degree, more or less, as his father Jahangir. His usual diversion was to listen to various instruments, to verses and poetry ; and he was very fond of musicians, especially of one who was not only a graceful poet, but also a buffoon.

65.2.7

This musician was worried by the palace gate-keepers, who are exceedingly rude to anyone who requires entrance to court. They will not permit anyone's entrance or exit without some douceur, excepting the officials, to whom they can say nothing for fear of a beating. Every time that this musician came to court the gate-keepers made him wait a long time, until he either gave them or promised them something. Anxious to rid himself of such hindrances, he composed some verses, and arrived to recite them in the presence of the king. The gate-keepers did not fail to display their accustomed insolence, detaining him until he had promised to give them all that was bestowed on him this time by the king. He went in and recited in such fine style and with such graceful behaviour that the king was much delighted, and ordered for him a reward of one thousand rupees. The singer transmuted his joy into tears, raising his hands to heaven, weeping and beating his breast to show his sorrow at such a present. He said to the king with many bows that he prayed him as a favour to order him in place of the thousand rupees to receive one thousand stripes. Shahjahan smiled, and asked why he made such a request.

65.2.8

He replied that he had promised to the gate-keepers all that he should acquire, or his majesty should make a gift of to him during the day. Thus, since they were rude, not allowing him to enter or go out without his taking out his purse and giving something, he was willing to transfer to them the thousand stripes, or even more if the king so wished. The king laughed heartily, and to satisfy him sent an order to serve out the thousand stripes to the twenty-five gate-keepers then on duty. The gate-keepers complained ; but the poet made his excuses, saying he had only kept his promise. The gate-keepers got the thousand blows, while he carried off the thousand rupees, and, in addition, a horse of which the king made him a gift. The horse they gave him was gone in the loins. He tied a bundle round the neck of this horse, and when the king came out he mounted it, and showed off its paces before him. The king asked him why he had tied on the bundle; it hindered the horse in his paces. He answered that it was there to equalize the weights, thus giving a hint that the horse was gone in the back. Shahjahan was delighted, and ordered them to give him another horse. From that day forth the gate-keepers were very respectful to this musician, so that they might not get any more beatings.

65.3.1

Another thing happened to one of these gate-keepers. Shahjahan, who thought highly of the man, ordered him on a campaign, after having by gifts and favours raised him to the position of a great noble. This favourite met with great success, and was sent for to court to receive further rewards. All the nobles went out to meet him except the physician, who would neither go out to greet him nor visit him afterwards. The officer was aggrieved, and went in person to see the physician. The latter, making no account of the other's person, sent out word that he might come in. The physician remained seated, and appeared to be writing. The general entered, and the physician in a soft voice said he might take a seat, but showed him no other mark of civility, and pretended to go on writing. The newly-risen great man waited to see whether the physician would show him any sign of politeness, this being the only object for which he had paid this visit; but finding that the physician never stirred, neither paid any heed to him, he begged leave to depart. The physician, in the same soft tones, continuing his occupation, gave him permission to go away without any token of kindness.

65.3.2

The general went off at once to complain to Shahjahan, exaggerating the slight done to him by the physician, and the latter fell under the king's displeasure through the disrespect he had shown to the general. The physician replied: 'Your majesty may create many generals of that sort, but you cannot make any man similar to me, for it has cost me forty years to acquire the knowledge that I possess, and there is a great difference between us.' The reason of this affront became known afterwards. It was that when the general was a door-keeper he put many difficulties in the way of the physician. Thus was the proverb verified: 'What you do you get' [Tit for tat]. Not only was Shahjahan fond of music; he was also eager to have at his court all sorts of wrestlers. These are men of great strength, who frequently contended in his presence. And he also ordered boxing matches. But his ordinary amusement was tiger-hunting, for which he kept ferocious buffaloes with very long horns. These fought with each other or with tigers; they are very [128] brave animals, and skilful in the sport above referred to.

65.3.3

When the king desires to go out hunting, the huntsmen are warned. These men see to the finding of the tigers, and send out into the jungle asses, cows, sheep, and goats to prevent the tigers changing their haunts. The king goes out on his tallest elephant, and the other princes likewise on elephants acquainted with the requirements of this sort of fight. They sit in uncovered howdahs, each one with his matchlock. Then they encircle the jungle with high nets, leaving only one opening, through which the king and the huntsmen enter. Around the net, on the outside, stand a number of soldiers, who cannot wound the tiger when it comes near the net, nor can the tiger injure them, for in no manner can it break the net and get out. The order in which the king moves is as follows: In front go the buffaloes, sometimes more than one hundred in number, all in a row. On each one is mounted a man with his legs guarded by leather, and having a broadsword in one hand and holding with the other the reins, which are passed through the buffalo's nostrils. Behind them comes the king on an elephant, and after the king the princes and the men in highest favour.

65.3.4

When they get into the jungle where the tigers are, the buffaloes advance slowly in the formation of a half-moon, until the tigers are in sight. After locating the tigers by sight and smell a circle is formed, leaving them in the centre. In this way the tigers, finding themselves caught, search for an exit. Unable to get away, each one makes its spring in the direction that it sees best. When this spring takes place the man who is mounted on top jumps off with agility, and the buffaloes seize the tigers on their horns with great dexterity, and, shaking their heads tear them to pieces. If any one of the tigers escapes the horns, or refuses to stir from its place, the king fires his gun and kills it, or gives an order to kill it.

65.3.5

Sometimes they go out to these hunts without taking any buffaloes, but riding on elephants, as I have before said. This way of hunting has much more risk for the hunters. Once it happened to King Shahjahan that a badly wounded tiger bounded up and hung on with its claws fixed in the elephant's head. The elephant-driver fell to the ground from fright. The king, seeing himself in this urgent danger, clubbed his matchlock and hit the tiger with it on the head. But the tiger did not let go, and the elephant, finding he could not make use of his trunk, ran furiously till he found a tree, against which he crushed the tiger. It was on this account that Shajahan gave orders for the head of the elephants to be protected in future down to the end of the trunk with a covering of thick leather, studded with sharp nails. In addition to the huntsmen, there is always an official present whose business it is to take possession of the tiger's whiskers ; and therefore, as soon as the tiger is dead, they put on his head a leather bag, coming down as far as the neck. Having tied the bag, the official attaches to it [129] his seal. After this the tiger is carried in front of the entrance to the royal tents, when the official appears who has charge of the poisons, and removes the whiskers, which are employed as a venom.

65.3.6

All the world knows that the Mahomedans, following the example of their master, Muhammad, are very licentious ; wherefore there are men among them, some more and some less, chiefly the nobles and the kings, who do not content themselves with a few wives, but seek for every method of gratifying themselves in this particular. It may be asserted that Shahjahan was not superior to others in this respect, for, not contenting himself with the women that he had in his palaces, he forfeited the respect of the nobles at his court by intrigues with their wives, whereby he came to his ruin and his death. The chief of these women, one that he thought a great deal of, was the wife of Jafarcan (Ja'far Khan), and from the love he bore her he wished to take her husband's life, but she saved him by praying that he might be sent as governor to Patana (Patnah), as was done. In the same way he had an acquaintance with the wife of Calican (Khalil Khan) for some time, and this man took his revenge in the battle fought by Dara against Aurangzeb, as I shall relate further on (I. 192). Here it seems appropriate to state how the spies reported to Shahjahan that the wife of Khalilullah Khan wore shoes worth three millions of rupees, owing to the numerous precious stones with which the said shoes were garnished.

65.3.7

When Khalilullah Khan came to audience, the angry king scolded him, saying that if his wife wore shoes of such great value, it was a sign that he had great wealth, the greater part of it got by theft, and therefore the first thing was for him to render an account of what he had embezzled. He (Khalilullah Khan) stood speechless, and could make no answer. But one of his friends who was present obtained permission from the king to reply on behalf of Khalilullah Khan. He said there was nothing for his majesty to complain of, for the whole wealth of Khalilullah Khan was in those shoes, because his wife was in the habit every day of shoe-beating him on the face, and gave him thus all the riches that she had. On hearing this Shahjahan sank his head, and laughing to himself, said : 'It is a sufficient punishment to have in your house an angry wife.' All those who were present also began to smile at such an act of friendship. Khalilullah Khan left the audience in shame, quarrelling with his friend about the affront done to him in the king's presence by giving such an answer. His friend retorted that he had [130] no room for complaint, rather was he under a heavy obligation, for if he had not come to his aid the king would have ordered his execution. Khalilullah Khan let the matter pass, and he lived the rest of his life under this disrepute. Some authors assert that Khalilullah Khan was beaten with shoes in the audience of Dara.

65.3.8

I know of a certainty that this is not so, because never again would Khalilullah Khan have left his house, nor would anyone have had respect for him, nor would he have been captain-general of the king's cavalry, as he was. If they write thus, they record tales got from the common people, and not from those at court.

65.4.1

Shahjahan did not spare the wife of his brother-in-law, Xaahisn Can (Shaistah Khan), though it was by a trick, for she would not consent. The procuress in this affair was Begom Saeb (Begam Sahib), the daughter of Shahjahan, who, in complaisance to her father, invited the said woman to a feast, at the end of which Shahjahan violated her. This lady was so much affected that, going to her house, she would neither eat nor change her clothes, and in this manner ended her life in grief. Shaistah Khan dissembled, hoping to have his revenge in due time, as will be seen farther on (I. 176). The intimacy of Shahjahan with the wives of Ja'far Khan and Khalilullah Khan was so notorious that when they went to court the mendicants called out in loud voices to Ja'far Khan's wife : 'O Breakfast of Shahjahan ! remember us !' And when the wife of Khalilullah Khan went by they shouted : 'O Luncheon of Shahjahan! succour us!' The women heard, and, without taking it as an insult, ordered alms to be given.

65.4.2

For the greater satisfaction of his lusts Shahjahan ordered the erection of a large hall, twenty cubits long and eight cubits wide, adorned throughout with great mirrors. The gold alone cost fifteen millions of rupees, not including the enamel work and precious stones, of which no account was kept. On the ceiling of the said hall, between one mirror and another, were strips of gold richly ornamented with jewels. At the corners of the mirrors hung great clusters of pearls, and the walls were of jasper stone. All this expenditure was made so that he might obscenely observe himself and his favourite women. It would seem as if the only thing Shahjahan cared for was the search for women to serve his pleasures. For this end he established a fair at his court, which lasted eight days every year. No one was allowed to enter except women [131] of all ranks — that is to say, great and small, rich and poor, but all handsome. Each one brought what merchandise she could. But the best piece of goods she could produce was her own body. Their only object was that the king might fall in love with them; thus honourable women would not go to the place. In those eight days the king visited the stalls twice every day, seated on a small throne carried by several Tartar women, surrounded by several matrons, who walked with their sticks of enamelled gold in their hands, and many eunuchs, all brokers for the subsequent bargaining; there were also a set of women musicians.

65.4.3

Shahjahan moves past with his attention fixed, and seeing any seller that attracted his fancy, he goes up to the stall, and making a polite speech, selects some of the things, and orders whatever she asks for them to be paid to her. Then the king gives an agreed-on signal, and having passed on, the matrons, well versed in these matters, take care that they get her; and in due time she is produced in the royal presence. Many of them come out of the palace very rich and satisfied, while others continue to dwell there with the dignity of concubines. These eight days were observed in the palace with great festivity, dancing, music, acting, and other amusements. The fortress remained shut, with no man inside but the king. Once out of curiosity the women were counted as they came out, and there were more than thirty thousand.

65.4.4

It is impossible to explain satisfactorily the passion that Shahjahan had in this direction. Not satisfied with so many inventions for his inordinate desires, he also permitted great liberty to public women, of whom the greater number were dancers and singers. All of them paid taxes to the king. Among them is one caste called Cancheny (Kanchani), who were under obligation to attend twice a week at court, for which they received pay, and to perform at a special place which the king had assigned to them. This class is more esteemed than others, by reason of their great beauty. When they go to court, to the number of more than five hundred, they all ride in highly embellished vehicles, and are clothed in rich raiment. All of them appear and dance in the royal presence. Once the king fell in love with one of them, retained her in his palace, and gave her the title of concubine. Some of the nobles said to the king that a woman of that rank was unworthy of being placed in the royal palace. Xaaiahan (Shahjahan) replied : ' Matei nee her dtican que baxat '—that is to say, ' A good article may be [132] from any shop.'

65.4.5

One time when these women (the Kanchanis) were at the court, Khalilullah Khan, who was the officer on guard, attempted to dally with one of them. Upon this account the king flew into a rage and wanted to issue an order for his execution for having had the temerity to forget his respect to the royal abode. But on the petition of Ja'far Khan's wife, the culprit was pardoned. Ordinarily the dancing women dance in the principal open places in the city, beginning at six o'clock in the evening and going on till nine, lighted by many torches, and from this dancing they earn a good deal of money.

65.4.6

Although Shahjahan delighted in well-made women, he also required them to have good sense. Therefore, at different times, by different questions, he tested the understanding of every one of them. But it was a strange thing that happened to him with four servant women in his palace, who bore the names of the four quarters of the world. He rose at midnight to try the good judgment of these four, and going into the room of each one, asked her if dawn were near. The first replied ' No,' giving as her reason that she still had the taste of betel in her mouth. The second also gave a negative answer, because the light of the candle in her room was still bright, whereas when dawn was approaching it no longer burnt so clearly. The third said that it was still a long time to daybreak, the reason being that when daylight was coming on the pearls that she wore felt cold, whereas at that hour this was not so. The fourth, a woman from the kingdom of Kashmir, where it is the habit of the women to speak freely, told Shahjahan that the day would not be here so very soon, for when it was near she felt the call to relieve her necessities, and at that moment her bowels gave her no such warning. With these answers Shahjahan retired, and when the next day arose, he gave to the first the office of looking after the betel that he ate; to the second charge of the royal lamps; to the third the care of the pearls and jewels; to the fourth, the supervision of the cleanliness of the royal retiring place.

65.4.7

The lasciviousness of Shahjahan did not interfere with his care to govern his kingdom most perfectly. He upheld the maxim of his father [133] that true justice must be enforced, rewarding the meritorious and punishing the guilty. He kept his eye on his officials, punishing them rigorously when they fell short in their duty. This was the reason that he kept at his court an official with several baskets full of poisonous snakes. He would order that in his presence they should be made to bite any official who had failed to administer justice, leaving the culprit lying in his presence till the breath left him. Thus he did, as I saw, to the cotual (Kotwal) called Mahomed Said (Muhammad Sa'id), who is the magistrate. This man did not decide uprightly, and took bribes. Therefore an order was given that he should be bitten in one hand in his (Shahjahan's) presence by a cobra capello, the most poisonous snake on earth. The official in charge of the snakes was asked how long the man could live. The official replied that he could not live more than an hour. The king remained seated until the Kotwal expired. He then ordered that the body should lie two days in front of his court-house. Others who had deserved death were ordered to be thrown to mad elephants, who tore them to pieces.

65.4.8

Fear of this punishment was the cause of a cazi's (qazi's) action. A youth who had demanded justice against a relation paid to this qazi twenty thousand rupees for a favourable decision of his claim. The relation had been entrusted by the plaintiff's father with all his wealth, his son being then an infant. The defendant in turn paid thirty thousand rupees to obtain an unjust decree. The qazi went off to the king and reported that he had been paid thirty thousand rupees to give an unjust decree. The king, having been informed of the truth, forced the relation to pay to the youth the whole sum claimed, and ordered the thirty thousand rupees to be placed in the royal treasury. The qazi appropriated the twenty thousand rupees, and retained at the same time the reputation of a just judge.

65.5.1

If perchance any commander fled from battle, or did not do his duty, he was severely punished, both in his own person and that of his wives and daughters, the king directing rats to be placed in the latter's trousers, simply to disgrace and frighten them, and as a warning to other officials to do their duty with care. Before Shahjahan sent his son Moradbux (Murad Bakhsh) to be Viceroy of Guzurate (Gujarat), the previous governor was Nacir Can (Nasir Khan). This man tyrannized over the people greatly, collecting extraordinary contributions and behaving harshly. As the merchants of that region were unable to obtain access to the king's audience to make their complaints, they bribed secretly some actors to represent their grievances in [134] detail before the king. Among the actors were mingled also some of the traders, who were to appear in the play and make petition to the court to be given redress, on showing that they had brought sufficient money. They reported to the king that some strange actors had arrived, and wished to give a representation of a novel kind.

65.5.2

Being a lover of such amusements, he gave permission for their entry. Then they played a piece which showed the misgovernment existing in the kingdom of Gujarat. The king was in astonishment at the wrongs represented, and said : ' Can there be a man in the world to do such wrongful acts ?' All the veritable merchants, but pretended actors, prostrated themselves on the ground before the king, and said to him : ' Let it be known to your majesty that everything we represented for your amusement is actually done by the governor. Disbursing our money, we tried in vain to lay before your majesty our complaints, therefore we have invented this device.' The king made inquiries, and finding that everything was true, he issued orders that the governor should be carried a prisoner to the fortress called Rotasgar (Ruhtas-garh), which is near Patana (Patnah), in the region of Bemgalla (Bengal), there to remain for the rest of his life. It is a rule that he who enters the said fortress ends his life there in misery on insufficient food. The king ordered all the governor's goods to be confiscated, whereby he was deprived of much ill-gotten wealth.

65.5.3

But still more terrible was the penalty inflicted on two forgers in the year one thousand six hundred and fifty-four (correctly 1656), I being then at the court of Dara. It happened that a youth wanted to marry a certain woman. She refused ; whereupon he had recourse to a lawsuit. He said that after the woman had promised to marry him, and he had consumed with her all that he had, she refused to keep her word. The judge ordered inquiry to be made from the woman. She replied that the whole was false ; neither had she given him her word, nor did she wish to marry. The judge asked the youth if he had any witnesses to the promise. He answered that his witnesses were the marks she bore on her body, the whole of which he described. He had learnt these marks from an old woman who was on familiar terms with the defendant, braiding her hair and bathing her body. Eunuchs and women were sent in order to examine the body of the woman, and the conclusion was that the youth had detailed the marks with accuracy. Thereupon the judge decreed that the woman must marry the complainant.

65.5.4

The woman petitioned the judge for a delay of several months, after which she would marry the youth; and the latter agreed to this proposal. The woman knew that no one except the old woman could give information of the marks on her body, for she was a chaste woman, living a retired life. After the lapse of a month, more or less, she issued from her house, followed by two sturdy slave-girls, and made for the dwelling of the youth. The latter was then ill. Entering the house, she seized him by the throat and shouted that now she had caught the thief who had robbed her. Thus saying, she carried him off by force to the judge and accused him of theft. Her story was that the night before, when sleeping with her, he had stolen a valuable bracelet like the one then on her arm. The youth swore it was not true, never had he known such a woman; and it being a total falsehood, he demanded justice for the false accusation.

65.5.5

Then the woman asked for justice to be done her in respect of the false claim the man had made a month before. At that time, expressing a desire to marry her, he had sworn that he had lived a long time in her house, and that she had promised to marry him. As a proof of his truthfulness he had called in eunuchs and women to examine her body, and had thus dishonoured her. The eunuchs and the women were summoned, and they testified that she was the very woman to whom they had gone to examine the marks on her body. She appeared before the king and made her complaint. The youth was asked by what channel he had learnt the marks on this woman's body. He then gave the name of the old woman, who had suggested to him this method of effecting his purpose. Shahjahan praised the astuteness of the woman, and gave orders for the old woman and the youth to be buried in the ground up to the waist, after which they were shot to death by arrows, and their dead bodies left lying there for twenty-four hours.

65.5.6

Another case occurred in the kingdom of Kabul, when Mahabat Khan was governor. It was that of a woman of that kingdom called Dariacatu (Daryae Khatun), who dwelt in the city, and had slave-women who solicited the travelling merchants of Osbeque (Uzbak) race. As Mahomedans are very facile about entering into marriage, and seeing this woman was very rich and had much goods, they would agree to marry her. There were nineteen men who had thus become her husbands. After a little time had passed, she used to take the new husband to her villages to collect the rents. The man, delighted at the thought of acquiring more wealth, left the city with a light heart. She took them all into the lands of the Pathans, where she sold them to her acquaintances. The muscles near the heel were severed, so that they could not run away. She then returned to the city. When they reported [136] the matter to the governor, she was seized. The governor, when fully informed of the facts, thought the case such an extraordinary one that he submitted it to the king. He ordered the woman to be torn to pieces by the dogs, which in that region are very handsome and savage. The Pathans keep them to protect their herds from wolves.

65.5.7

Not only did Shahjahan do justice against those guilty of great crimes : he also dealt with the nobles whenever he found an opportunity, in order to terrorize the rest. His object was to make the governing of his kingdom easier, so that he might pass his time with his women and be free of vexations. Thus it happened that one day, going out to hunt, there came before him a servant complaining that for months his master had not paid him, and he was in great distress. On hearing the complaint, the king, without advancing a single step, ordered the man's master to be brought, whereupon he presented himself. He acknowledged the wrong done to the servant. The king ordered the gentleman to dismount, and the servant to get upon the horse of his master, while the master should remain running in front, in the servant's place, where he (Shahjahan) could see him. This continued until the master, unable to run any longer, fell to the ground, whereupon the king said to him : 'I do not fail to pay you, because you serve me ; it is equally just that you should pay those who serve you.'

65.5.8

Equally terrifying was the sentence passed on one of his slaves. For just as he was liberal in giving rewards, he was equally exacting of obedience. Shahjahan had among his slaves one that he was very fond of, called Saadet Can (Sa'adat Khan) — that is to say, 'Efficacious.' He had an income of fifty thousand rupees, and was lord over two thousand horse. He was in charge of the betel consumed by the king, and to him was given one of the Portuguese women who had been taken prisoners at Ugulim (Hugli). The king saw several times that Sa'adat Khan gave away betel to the nobles at court. Shahjahan enjoined him not to give betel to anyone, and to remember this order. Sa'adat Khan, paying little heed to such an order, and relying on the love the king bore him, distributed the betel secretly. One day it so happened, unluckily for him, that the king saw him give betel to a noble [137] of the court. But he dissembled. At the end of the audience Shahjahan went into the garden, and without compunction ordered him to be beaten to death in his own presence. He said: 'This is what those deserve who do not obey the king's orders,' whereat the nobles trembled, and served him in fear.

65.6.1

The king handed over the whole of Sa'adat Khan's wealth to his wife, in spite of the rule made by Akbar that the king should confiscate all the goods left by anyone in his service. This Shahjahan did in order not to let it be hinted that he killed his slave to get possession of his wealth. This wife was a Christian, though she lived as a Moor (Mahomedan). When I was in the city of Agrah in the year one thousand six hundred and seventy-nine, I was sent for by the qazi, a great friend of mine, who told me privately that for love of me he did not interfere with the Jesuit fathers, then actually dwelling in the city. For he knew of a certainty that the said woman resorted in secret to the house of the Jesuits. Such a thing was strictly prohibited. He earnestly entreated me that so long as he was in power the woman should never go there again. If she did he might suffer great damage. I gave him my thanks, and advised the said woman, and the fathers were under an obligation to me. For Aurangzeb was very inimical to those who interfered with his religion. This was chiefly because Shahjahan had given an order to knock down the bell-tower of the fathers' church, out of the ill-will he bore them; still, for some reason or other, he accorded permission for the building of a smaller church, one without tower or bells.

65.6.2

To make still more clear how Shahjahan was anxious that justice should be administered in his realm, there are other interesting cases to be described. The first is that of a soldier who took wrongfully the slave-girl of a Hindu clerk. The latter brought a complaint before the courts. The soldier said the slave-girl was his, and so likewise said the girl herself, as she wanted to live with the soldier. The charge was transferred to the king's tribunal, and he ordered the slave-girl to be placed in his palace. When he wanted to write he directed the girl to pour a little water into the inkstand, and this she did most dexterously. This proved to the king that she was the slave of the scribe, and not of the soldier ; thus he decreed that the girl should be made over to the scribe, from whom she had learnt how to pour water into an inkpot. The soldier was expelled from the service and banished the country.

65.6.3

Another very interesting case happened at Dihli. At that place dwelt four merchants, who owned equal shares in the goods stored in a shop. The agreement was that each of them should attend there in turn for one day, and on his day each should provide the oil [138] required for the lamp and the food for a cat kept at the shop. He would also have to buy another cat if the old one happened to die. It came to pass that the cat broke its leg. The three other partners were called upon to pay their share of the expenses of the cure incurred by the one whose day it was when the cat's leg was broken. They refused to pay anything, contending that they were under no obligation to pay for curing the cat. While the cat was still under treatment with a rag tied round its leg, it was scratching itself near the lamp when the rag caught fire. The cat, finding itself in this danger, ran beneath the goods, whereby the total contents of the shop were burnt.

65.6.4

The three other merchants threw the blame upon the one that was doctoring the cat, and asserted that he was under an obligation to pay them for the whole of the damage caused. The case was taken into court, and the decree given was that he who was responsible for curing the cat must pay the losses of the others. The king was informed of the dispute, and reversed the decree, deciding that the three merchants should pay him who was responsible for the cure of the cat. He said that the broken leg could not walk, and that the three legs belonging to the three traders were those that had caused the fire ; therefore, they were bound to pay the man who was in charge of the cat. Reluctance through avarice to meet a small expense is many a time the cause of total ruin.

65.6.5

If Shahjahan was opposed to injustice, he also followed up thieves in a particularly rigorous manner, and never pardoned them. If their offence was a small one, for which they did not deserve death, he ordered them to be transferred to the other side of the river Indus, and exchanged for Pathan dogs. If it chanced that the thieves could not be caught, he forced the officials to pay. Thus did it happen in the year one thousand six hundred and forty-five at the port of Surat, when thieves robbed the Dutch factory at night. Although the loss was not great, the Dutch complained to the governor. He paid no attention to their complaint. They removed the best of what they had in their factory, loaded it on their ships, and blockaded the entrance to the river, allowing no one access or exit. They demanded from the governor a heavy penalty for having allowed them to be robbed within his jurisdiction. Shahjahan got notice of this affair, and he issued an order that the Dutch should be indemnified from his treasury, while the governor should be pestered and worried until he paid. On this occasion the Dutch made a profit of a thousand per cent., and up to this day it is the practice that whoever is in authority has to pay for loss by robbery.

65.6.6

Although the king was so feared by all, still there were a few who defied him when they had reason to be angry. I have already stated above (I. 95) that Akbar made a rule that no one was to sit in the presence of persons of the blood royal. It happened that a commander had failed in his duty, and Shahjahan called him into his presence, and after a severe talking to, turned him out of the service. The officer, regardless of his life, sat himself down boldly on the ground in the king's presence, saying : 'Now that I am no longer your vassal nor your servant, I can sit down.' Shahjahan was astonished at the officer's resoluteness, and restored him to his pay and position. Then the captain rose to his feet, as before, and he was sent to Jagarnate (Jagarnath) to fight certain rebels.

65.6.7

Something similar happened with the ambassador of the King of Golconda (Gulkhandah). He appeared to Shahjahan to be a man of great wisdom, and he resolved to try an experiment upon him at the public audience. He asked him if the King of Gulkhandah, his master, was the same height as one of his slaves, then actually present and brushing away the flies. The ambassador, understanding what was meant, lifted his eyes and looked at the slave, then spoke boldly to the king : 'My king is four fingers taller than your majesty.' The reply pleased Shahjahan very much, and he praised the ambassador as a loyal vassal and true subject of his king. He remitted three years' payment of the tribute received from the King of Gulkhandah. This tribute amounted to nine hundred thousand rupees. He also gave the ambassador a rich serpad (sarapa) and a handsome horse. I was actually present in the court when this conversation took place.

First 47 of 411 passages. Read on