[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) › 65.4 # Storia do Mogor 65.4 Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 65.4 - **Language:** English ### [65.4.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.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](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.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](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.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](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.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](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.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](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.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](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.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](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.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. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.65.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.65.4) · Pramāṇa