Travels in India (Tavernier) 50.6

50.6

As he was all-powerful both in the army and in the Empire, he had already secured, in the interests of ShAh JahAn, the greater number of the officers and nobility of the Court ; and the better to conceal his game and to lull the suspicion of the young King, who understood these affairs but imperfectly, he spread the report that ShAh JahAn was dead, and that, having desired to be interred near JahAngir, his father, his body was to be brought to Agra. The stratagem was adroitly conducted. Asaf KhAn himself told the King of this pretended death, and assured him that etiquette required that his majesty should go out of Agra to meet the body, when it came within a league or two, such honour being rightly due to a Prince of the blood of the Moguls who was the brother of his father, and son of Jahangir. Accordingly Shah Jahan approached incognito, and when he was in sight of the army, near Agra, he got into a bier, where there was sufficient air for respiration. This bier having been carried into a tent, all the principal chiefs, who were in concert with Asaf Khan, came as though to do honour to the dead Prince, the young King, on his side, having left Agra to be present at the meeting. It was then that Asaf Khan saw that the time had arrived for the execution of his design ; he had the bier opened, and Shah Jahan raised himself and appeared standing before the eyes of all the army ;