Travels in India (Tavernier) 49: BOOK II
Travels in India (Ball) 49
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BOOK II
49.1
Shah JahAn had six children, four sons and two daughters. The eldest of the sons was called Dara ShAh; the second Sultan ShujA; the third Aurangzeb, who reigns at present; and the last MurAd Baksh. The eldest of the two daughters was called Begum Sahib, and the younger RoushenArA Begum. All these names, in the language of the country, mean titles of honour, as the wise, the brave, the accomplished, etc.; and we practise nearly the same in Europe by the (use of the) surnames which we give to our Princes, of just, bold, and affable, with this difference only, that these surnames are not given at birth, but after certain proof has been shown (of the possession) of the virtues which merit that their memories should pass to posterity under such fine names. ShAh JahAn loved his four sons equally well, and had established them as Governors or Viceroys of four of his most considerable Provinces, or, if you prefer it, his four principal Kingdoms. DArA ShAh, the eldest, remained near the person of the King in the Kingdom of Delhi, and had the Government of Sindi, where he placed a lieutenant in his absence; Sultan ShujA had for his district the Kingdom of Bengal; Aurangzeb was sent to the Kingdom of Deccan; and MurAd Baksh to that of GujarAt. But much as ShAh JahAn sought to give equal contentment to his four sons, their ambition was not satisfied by this allotment, and it overthrew all the projects that the good father had made to preserve peace between his children.
49.2
ShAh JahAn being then sick, and having retired into the women’s quarter without showing himself for many days, the rumour spread that he was dead, and that DArA Shah concealed his death in order to arrange his affairs and secure for himself the whole of the Empire. It is certain that the King, believing that he was about to die and was near his last hour, ordered Dara ShAh to assemble all the Omrahs or nobles of the Kingdom, and seat himself on the throne, which belonged to him, being the eldest of all the brothers. He also told him that if God prolonged his life for some days he desired to see him, before he died, in the peaceable possession of his Empire ; and this intention which he had for his eldest son was especially right, because he had observed for some time that the three other Princes manifested much less respect and affection for their father than DArA ShAh had. At this conversation which the King held with his son, DArA ShAh, who honoured him extremely and loved him tenderly, replied that he prayed to God for the life of his majesty, which he hoped would be long, and that while God preserved it he would never dream of mounting the throne, but would consider himself always happy in being his subject. Indeed, this Prince did not absent himself for a moment from the presence of his father, in order to be at hand to attend upon him during his sickness ; and, wishing to be present at all times, he slept at night close to the King’s bed on a carpet spread on the floor.
49.3
However, upon the false report of the death of ShAh JahAn, his three other sons straightway stirred themselves, and each laid claim to their father’s throne. MurAd Baksh, the youngest, who held the Government of the Province of GujarAt, immediately sent troops to lay siege to Surat, the largest and most frequented port in all India. The city, which was without protection, made no resistance, for it has only bad walls, which are open in many places; but the citadel, where the treasure was stored, was defended vigorously; and this young, ambitious Prince, who had need of money, used all his powers to become master of it. Shāhbāsh Khān, one of his eunuchs, was General of his army, an industrious and energetic man, who conducted the siege with all the skill of an old commander.
49.4
Finding that he was unable to carry the place by main force, he had two mines made by an European, who succeeded completely, and having fired the first on the 29th of December 1659, it brought down a large portion of the walls, which filled the moat, and caused great alarm to the besieged. But they quickly plucked up courage, and, although they were few in number, defended themselves bravely for the space of more than forty days, during which time they did much injury to the army of Murād Baksh, and slew many of his soldiers. Shāhbāsh Khān, irritated by this vigorous resistance, caused search to be made for the women and children, and also the relatives and friends of the artillerymen in the fortress, in order to place them in front of his soldiers during the attacks which he made; and he also sent one of the brothers of the Governor of the place to parley with him, and to make an advantageous offer to him, if he would deliver it up into his hands. But the Governor, a good servant of the King, not having received any certain tidings of his death, replied that he recognised no other master than ShAh JahAn, who had confided the place to him, which he would not relinquish but to the King himself, or to whoever he pleased to order ; that he honoured MurAd Baksh as Prince and son of the King his master, but not so much so as to hand the place over to him without receiving an express order to do so from the King.
49.5
The eunuch seeing the resolution of the Governor, made the most stringent threats to the besieged, swearing that he would kill all their relatives, their women, and their children, if they did not deliver themselves up to him on the following day. But the consideration of blood was without effect upon the besieged, and would not have had any ; and it was only the breach, which they could not defend on account of the smallness of their numbers, and the fear of the second mine, that at length obliged the Governor to give himself up with all the honourable conditions which he was able to demand ; these were faithfully kept by ShAhbAsh KhAn, who seized the treasure, which he carried off to AhmadAbAd, where MurAd Baksh was occupied in oppressing the people in order to raise money. The news of the capture of Surat having been conveyed to this Prince, he immediately had a throne prepared, and being seated upon it on the day appointed for the ceremony, proclaimed himself to be King, not only of GujarAt, but of all the Empire of ShAh JahAn, his father. At the same time he had money coined, and he despatched new Governors to all the towns. But as his throne is badly founded it will fall to the ground quickly ; and this Prince, the youngest of all, for having wished to usurp a sceptre which did not belong to him, will be confined in a close prison.
49.6
Prince Dārā Shāh was anxious to succour Surat, but it was impossible for him (to do so), for not only was he occupied in assisting the King, his father, during his sickness, but he had to watch his second brother, Sultān Shujā, who was much more powerful than Murād Baksh, and caused him far more trouble. He was already advanced into the Kingdom of Lahore, and had entirely subjected that of Bengal. All that Dārā Shāh was able to do was to despatch with speed his eldest son, Sulimān Sheko, with a powerful army against Sultān Shujā. In short, this young Prince defied his uncle, and having driven him into the Province of Bengal, the frontiers of which he secured by strong garrisons, returned to Dārā Shāh his father. In the meantime Murād Baksh, recognised as King in the Kingdom of Gujarāt, carried all his thoughts towards the Empire of India, to the destruction of his brothers, and to the establishment of his throne either in Agra or Jahānābād. Meanwhile, Aurangzeb, as ambitious and more cunning than his brothers, let them expend their first fire, and concealed his designs from them, which he will spring upon them, however, before long to their great injury. He feigned to have no pretension to the Empire, as though he had renounced the world, and led the life of a Dervish, or solitary devotee.
49.7
In order to play this part with greater success he communicated to his younger brother, Murad Baksh, that he perceived that he was desirous of reigning, and wished to aid him in his object, and that the throne being his desert on account of his bravery, he would aid him with his armies and money to vanquish DArA ShAh, who was an obstacle in the way. This young Prince, having little judgment, and being blinded by the prospect of his good fortune, was only too ready to believe Aurangzeb, and having joined forces with him, agreed to advance with him on Agra to take possession of it. DArA ShAh came to meet them, and the battle was commenced, as unfortunately for him as it was auspiciously for the two brothers. This Prince, trusting too much to the principal officers in his army, contrary to the advice of the General who commanded, who was his Prime Minister, and was faithful to him, believed himself to be able to secure a victory by attacking his brothers first, without giving them time to rest. The first shock was rough and bloody, and Murad Baksh, full of fire and courage, fighting like a lion, received five arrows in his body, and the elephant upon which he was mounted was covered with them. Victory tending to the side of DArA Shah, Aurangzeb retired ; but quickly turned his face when he saw coming to his aid the traitors in DArA Shah’s army, who had basely abandoned him after he had lost his best officers and their General.
49.8
Immediately Aurangzeb took courage, and returning to the combat with DArA Shah, the latter Prince, seeing that he was betrayed, and had no longer anything to hope from the few people remaining with him, immediately beat his retreat, and returned to Agra, where the King his father was, who had already begun to amend. He advised his son to withdraw into the fortress at Delhi, and carry with him the treasure which was in Agra; this he did without loss of time, being accompanied by his most faithful attendants. Thus the victory was complete on the side of Aurangzeb and Murad Bakhsh, who before the end of the battle, being weakened by the loss of blood, had retired to his tent to have his wounds dressed. It was easy for Aurangzeb to gain over these traitors, not only on account of the enormous treasure which he had acquired, but because the Indians are ever inconstant and ungrateful. Moreover, the chiefs are generally fugitives from Persia, people of no birth and of little heart, who attach themselves to those who give most.
49.9
Shaista Khan, son of Asaf Khan, who had betrayed the King Bolaki, as I shall relate, in order to obtain the throne for Shah Jahan, his brother-in-law; Shaista Khan, I say, uncle of these four Princes whose mother was his own sister, ranged himself on Aurangzeb’s side, with the greater number of the principal officers of Dara Shah and of Murad Bakhsh, who abandoned their masters. Murad Bakhsh at last began to realise the mistake he had made in having trusted Aurangzeb, who, seeing himself favoured by fortune, lost no time in carrying out his plans. Murad Baksh, who with reason entertained doubts as to his brother, sent to him to demand half the treasure which had been seized, in order that he might retire into Gujarat, and Aurangzeb, by way of reply, assured him that he desired to aid him in ascending the throne, and that on that account he wished to consult with him; Murad Baksh, finding his wounds somewhat better, went to see Aurangzeb his brother, who received him well and praised his courage, which merited, he said, the first Empire in the world.
49.10
The young Prince allowed himself to be charmed by these soft words; but his eunuch, Shahbaz Khan, who had acquired for him the best part of the Kingdom of Gujarat, tried to excite his distrust, and make him realise the trap which had been set for him. But when Murad Baksh wished to profit by the advice of his eunuch it was then too late, as Aurangzeb had already taken his measures to ruin him. He invited Murad Baksh to a feast, and the more he excused himself the more he was pressed to come. The young Prince, unable to refuse any longer, resolved to go so that he might conceal his mistrust, although fearing that the day was to be the last of his life, and that some deadly poison had been prepared for him. He was mistaken, however, for Aurangzeb did not then aim at his life, contenting himself with securing his person; so, in place of aiding him to ascend the throne, as he promised, he sent him under safe custody to the fortress of Gwalior, to give him time to be cured of his wounds, and to take his own in order to accomplish his designs.