[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Storia do Mogor](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci) › [Storia do Mogor (Irvine)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine) › 65.35 # Storia do Mogor 65.35 Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 65.35 - **Language:** English ### [65.35.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.65.35.1) Meanwhile Aurangzeb drew nearer to Shah Shuja', who was in strength at a little village called Coiva (Kajwah), which is pleasingly situated near a number of palm-trees, as I have more than once seen. He had taken possession of a large artificial lake (tanque) in a great plain, having crossed the river Ganges. The place is one hundred leagues from Agrah. Aurangzeb came up, leaving his baggage on the other side of a little stream, and delivered his attack on Prince Shah Shuja'. The latter was well entrenched, and had efficient and well-posted artillery, commanded by Mirzaiany (Mirza Jam), many of the gunners being Europeans. They resisted valorously the fierce attack of Aurangzeb, and in spite of his superior strength in men he was unable to win the day ; he could not even make the other side quit their ground, as he had hoped. He was forced to retire several times in disorder. He was so much perplexed that he could not hit upon any course to take, the more so that Shah Shuja' declined to come out and venture himself in the open ; nor would he evacuate his position. All he attempted was to defend himself. Aurangzeb was aware that he could not make any long delay by reason of the great heat then prevailing, and he knew that of a certainty he would be forced to retire and seek shelter in Agrah to save his army from severe hardships. Then Shah Shuja' would certainly pursue. ### [65.35.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.65.35.2) Aurangzeb saw his evil case very clearly, and thus was more urgent than ever, giving Shah Shuja' not a moment's rest. Propitious Fate decreed that at this time the long-looked-for Mir Jumlah should arrive from the fortress of Doltabad (Daulatabad), whereby he greatly served him on this most critical occasion of which I speak. One day Aurangzeb came forth from his tent seated in his sedan-chair, and took his way to the battle-field to renew the attack on Shah-Shuja'. Then came Rajah Jaswant Singh from his tent and met him, and after the usual obeisances, came close and took hold of the chair \[228\] with one hand, and with a disturbed face walked alongside Aurangzeb for some steps, making inquiries about the post appointed for him to occupy on that day. ### [65.35.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.65.35.3) Aurangzeb, who was delighted to remove the rajah to some distance, not liking the action he had adopted, and suspecting him of some treachery, ordered him to take charge of the rear-guard. Thereupon the rajah mounted his horse and went off energetically. Aurangzeb remarked : ' Great are the courage and boldness of this rajah ; I like him not.' Then came trustworthy reports of how the rajah was colluding with Shah Shuja', and, having attacked the rear-guard, was plundering the baggage and all the treasure kept there. This report caused great dismay to Aurangzeb, and furthermore he feared that the army, suspecting that letters had passed \[between Shah Shuja' and Jai Singh\], should lose heart and disband. As a fact, many did take to flight, and scattered in all directions. Aurangzeb continued to conceal his opinion, hoping to find out the exact intentions of the rajah, and whether he would content himself with the plunder. ### [65.35.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.65.35.4) Then they came to tell him that the rajah had taken to flight towards Agrah, carrying with him all the treasure and anything else he could seize. Mir Jumlah, who that same day had arrived, counselled Aurangzeb at this juncture to reanimate his men by ordering them to slay and plunder all the Hindus to be found. This was carried out. The slaughter lasted for an hour or more, and it put his men into heart, not a soul having resisted them. Mir Jumlah also advised the writing forthwith of a short letter to Alaberdican (Allahwirdi Khan), then the chief adviser of Shah Shuja', in which it was written : ' Allahwirdi Khan ! — If this day you wish to make me King of Hindustan, it suffices to induce Shah Shuja' to get down from his elephant during the battle, and I pledge you my word to reward you and all your family, who are on my side. I have the strongest hope that you will not fail me. — AURANGZEB.' \[229\] ### [65.35.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.65.35.5) Noticing the disorder in the ranks of Aurangzeb when the rajah fell upon his rear-guard, Shah Shuja', without giving a chance for re-forming or collecting the scattered people, although it was getting late for an onset, felt that he was master of the situation, and moved out against Aurangzeb in order to seize this favourable moment. Displaying great energy and valour, he speedily routed the vanguard, which he threw into a state of terror, and advancing, attacked Aurangzeb himself, who stood fast seated on his elephant. The elephant-driver was killed by an arrow, thus forcing Aurangzeb to assume himself the control of the elephant. The arrows fell like rain upon the elephant, which, finding itself encircled and in pain, beat a retreat. Aurangzeb was all this time a target for Shah Shuja's arrows. Owing to this great extremity, it came to the point of his putting one foot out of the howdah, as if he wished to get down, and yet was unable to decide what was best to do in the midst of all that confusion and uproar. He hardly seemed to know where he was. Mir Jumlah, who was quite near, doing his duty as a good leader (and from him nothing else could be expected), when he noticed Aurangzeb's movement, shouted in a loud voice : ' Kaem ! kaem! ' (Qa,im ! qd,im!) — that is to say, ' Stand fast ! stand fast !' Dara lost the empire by getting off his elephant. He called out : ' Kaem ! kaem !' (Qdtim! qci,im !) in reliance on the note sent to AllahwirdI Khan. ### [65.35.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.65.35.6) Already Aurangzeb was in the last extremity, abandoned by all, fearful of capture, and Fortune seemed to have deserted him. He thought he could never escape from his enemy's hands. But such was his lucky star, that he stopped upon his elephant and endured the severe assault. He remembered the battle he had fought against Dara at Samugarh, and believed that by sitting patiently on his elephant he would conquer. AllahwirdI Khan, when he received the note from Aurangzeb, went off to Shah Shuja' \[230\] and resorted to the same tactics as Khalilullah Khan used with Dara, calling out to him : ' Congratulations to my sovereign on the victory the Most High has given your majesty ! All that is left to do is to take the coward Aurangzeb before he can escape. Why do we delay thus? Let us advance with more speed ; and to do this, let your majesty descend from your elephant and mount on horseback, and in a single charge we can seize our prey.' Here we can see how eagerly Fortune favoured Aurangzeb. For by this time the prince Shah Shuja' had won the day, and Aurangzeb was without hope and utterly lost. She changed the hands they held, so that Aurangzeb came out the winner, and Shah Shuja' the loser. ### [65.35.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.65.35.7) All this came to pass, notwithstanding Shah Shuja' knew what had happened to his brother Dara, who by quitting his elephant became a lost man. In spite of this, he followed the advice of Allahwirdi Khan, left his elephant, got upon his horse, and started for an attack on Aurangzeb. But the evil-minded traitor, Allahwirdi Khan, in place of going on with his prince, turned back, and, displaying great terror, began to ask everybody anxiously what had become of Shah Shuja'; he could not be seen on his elephant. All the army looked in that direction, and not perceiving him, fell into confusion and dismay. They imagined that he must be dead, and they began to take to flight — above all, the division of Shah Shuja'; this was just as it had happened to Dara. Thus Shah Shuja', finding that there was no longer any hope, was forced hurriedly to join the fugitives. Meanwhile Aurangzeb sat unmoved on his elephant, with no more than five hundred horsemen round him. Perceiving that Sultan Shah Shuja' was no longer on \[231\] his elephant, he advanced with vigour to the attack, beating his drums to make it appear as if the victory was already his. By this manoeuvre he increased the hesitation of Shah Shuja's army, which, losing hope entirely, took to flight. ### [65.35.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.65.35.8) Shah Shuja' retreated upon the city of Ilavas (Allahabad). On the day that he arrived at his quarters, he took measures against Allahwirdi Khan. The latter with the greatest assurance, as if he had done some great deed or benefit on his prince's behalf, stayed with the defeated army. He was put in chains and brought into the presence of Shah Shuja'. Recognising too late the treason committed, in great anger and without putting a single question, Shah Shuja' deprived him of life by a spear-thrust from his own hand (a chastisement well earned by this ungrateful traitor). God purposed, by taking the life of this clever traitor, to give to vassals a lesson of fidelity. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.65.35](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.65.35) · Pramāṇa