Storia do Mogor 65.1
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 65.1
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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.