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Travels in India (Ball) 52 - **Language:** English ### CHAPTER IV Concerning the flight of DArA ShAh to the Kingdoms of Sind and GujarAt ; of his second battle with Aurangzeb ; of his capture and death. ### [52.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.52.1) DArA ShAh having carried off in haste, on the advice of his father, some of the gold and silver which was in the fortress of Agra, and having retired to the Kingdom of Lahore, hoped to be able to place on foot, in a short time, a second army, in order to attack Aurangzeb, his brother. His most faithful servants and friends had always accompanied him in his misfortune, and his eldest son Suliman Sheko was with Raja Rup in the territories of his Kingdom in order to raise troops, having with him five millions of rupees (5,000,000), which amount to seven million five hundred thousand (7,500,000) livres of our money, in order to attract soldiers more rapidly. But this large sum made Raja Rup’s eyes open, and he seized it for himself by a base and infamous act of treason. Suliman Sheko fearing he would go further and seize his person also, withdrew promptly to the Kingdom of Srinagar, under the protection of Raja Nakti Rani, who, by a still blacker act of treason, delivered him over to Aurangzeb some time afterwards. ### [52.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.52.2) Dara Shah, having had notice of the treason of Raja Rup, and seeing all his friends abandoning him to join the side of Aurangzeb, left Lahore in order to retire into the Kingdom of Sind. Before leaving the fortress he ordered all the gold, silver, and jewels which were in the treasury to be embarked on the river in the care of a strong escort, in order to send them to Bukkur, which is in the middle of the river Indus, where he took possession of a fort. He left there, as governor and guardian of his wealth, a eunuch who was faithful to him, and six thousand soldiers, and all the munitions necessary to sustain a siege, after which he went to Sind, where he left many large cannons. He then went into the country of the King of Kachnagana, who made him magnificent promises which proved of no effect; next he entered the Kingdom of Gujarat, where he was received by the people with great acclamation as the legitimate King and heir of Shah Jahan. He issued his commands in all the cities, and especially in Surat, where he established a Governor; but the Governor of the fortress, who had been appointed by Murad Baksh and was a Raja, would not submit to Dara Shah. He protested that he would not give over charge of the place into the hands of anyone except on the express order of Murād Bakhsh; and as he continued firm in this resolve, he was allowed to remain peaceably in the fortress, without, on his part, causing any trouble to the Governor of the town. ### [52.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.52.3) In the meantime, Dārā Shāh got news at Ahmadābād that Jeswant Singh, one of the most powerful Rājās in all India, had detached himself from Aurangzeb, and wished to join him. He was even invited by this Rājā to advance with his army, which was not large, and did not exceed 30,000 men when he arrived at Ahmadābād. Dārā Shāh, confiding in his promise, followed his counsel, and went to Ajmīr, the appointed rendezvous, where he hoped to find him. But Jeswant Singh, who had been won by the arguments of the Rājā Jai Singh, who was more powerful than he, and was wholly devoted to the interests of Aurangzeb, did not come to Ajmīr on the day he had promised, and only got there at the last moment, when it was for the purpose of betraying this poor Prince. The armies of the two brothers being opposed to one another, the combat commenced, and the battle lasted for three days; but during the course of the engagement Jeswant Singh, with manifest treachery, passed over to the side of Aurangzeb, which being seen by Dārā Shāh’s soldiers, they lost courage and took to flight. There had been much bloodshed on both sides; Shāh Nawāz Khān, father-in-law of Aurangzeb, remained on the field, and there were on both sides 8000 or 9000 men slain, without counting the wounded, the number of whom was still greater. ### [52.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.52.4) DArA Shah having no other resources, and fortune having been against him in all his enterprises, in order not to fall into the hands of his enemies, took flight with his wives, some of his children, and his most faithful followers, in a pitiable conveyance. As he approached AhmadAbAd, Monsieur Bernier, a French physician, who was on his way to Agra to visit the Court of the Great Mogul, and who is well known to all the world as much by his personal merit as by the charming accounts of his travels, was of great assistance to one of the wives of this Prince who was attacked with erysipelas in one leg. DarA Shah, having learnt that an accomplished European physician was at hand, sent immediately for him, and Monsieur Bernier went to his tent, where he saw this lady and examined into her ailment, for which he gave a remedy and quick relief. This poor Prince being much pleased with Monsieur Bernier, strongly pressed him to remain in his service, and he might have accepted the offer if DarA Shah had not received news the same night that the Governor whom he had left at AhmadabAd had refused to allow his quartermaster to enter the town, and had declared for Aurangzeb. This compelled DarA ShAh to decamp quickly in the darkness of the night, and take the road to Sind, fearing some new treachery, which he could not defend himself from in the unhappy condition in which he found himself. ### [52.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.52.5) Dara Shah arrived in Sind, intending to pass into Persia, where Shah Abbas II awaited him with a magnificent outfit, being resolved to aid him with men and money. But this Prince being unwilling to entrust himself to the sea, and fearing that its uncertainty would submit him to some new reverse of fortune, believed that by going by land he would secure greater safety to himself and his women and children. However, he deceived himself, for when passing through the country of the Pathans, on the road to Kandahar, he was again shamefully betrayed by one of the chieftains of the country named Juin Khan, who had been an officer of the King his father, and who, having been condemned to death for his crimes, by the mouth of the King, and sentenced to be thrown under the feet of an elephant, obtained forgiveness through the intercession of Dara Shah, to whom, therefore, he owed his life. ### [52.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.52.6) To augment his affliction Dara Shah, before reaching the house of Juin Khan, received by a foot messenger the sad intelligence of the death of that one of his wives whom he loved most, and who had accompanied him always during his misfortunes. He learnt that she had died of heat and thirst, not being able to find a drop of water in the country to assuage her thirst. The Prince was so affected by this news that he fell as though he were dead, and when, by the assistance of those who were with him, he came to himself, in the excess of his grief he rent his garments; this is a custom of great antiquity in the East, as David himself rent his at the news of the death of Absalom, his son. This unhappy Prince had always appeared to be unmoved on all the occasions of his evil fortune, but this one grief overwhelmed him, and he refused all the consolation offered by his friends. He clad himself in garments appropriate to his affliction, and in place of a sesse or turban wrapped round his head a piece of coarse cloth. It was in this miserable costume that he entered the house of the traitor Juin Khan, where, having laid himself down on a camp-bed to rest, a new subject of grief appeared on his awakening. Juin Khan on attempting to seize Sepehr Sheko, the second son of DArA ShAh, the young Prince, though but a child, resisted the traitor with courage, and having taken up his bow and arrow laid three men low on the ground. ### [52.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.52.7) But being alone he was unable to resist the number of traitors, who secured the doors of the house, and did not allow any one of those who might have aided him to enter. DArA ShAh, having been awakened by the noise which these cruel satellites made when seizing this little Prince, saw before his eyes his son, whom they brought in with his hands tied behind his back. The unhappy father, unable to doubt any longer the black treason of his host, could not restrain himself from launching these words against the traitor Juin KhAn: “Finish, finish” said he, “ungrateful and infamous wretch that thou art, finish that which thou hast commenced; we are the victims of evil fortune and the unjust passion of Aurangzeb, but remember that I do not merit death except for having saved thy life, and remember that a Prince of the royal blood never had his hands tied behind his back.” Juin KhAn being to some extent moved by these words, ordered the little Prince to be released, and merely placed guards over Dara Shah and his son. At the same time he sent an express to Raja Jeswant Singh and to Abdulla Khan to give them tidings that he had captured Dara Shah and his followers. On receipt of this intelligence they hastened to take part in the spoliation of the Prince, but they could not arrive so quickly but that Juin Khan had had time to seize Dara Shah’s most precious possessions, and he also treated his wives and children with the greatest barbarity. ### [52.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.52.8) The Raja and Abdulla Khan having arrived, they made Dara Shah and his son leave on an elephant, and his wives and children on others ; and with this equipage, very different from that with which they had before appeared at Jahanabad, they travelled thither, and entered it on the 9th of September. All the people hastened to witness this spectacle, desiring to see the Prince whom they had wished to have as King ; and Aurangzeb ordered him to be taken through the principal streets, and all the bazaars of Jahanabad, so that no one should entertain any doubt as to his capture, and as though he himself were glorified by the treachery he had shown towards his brother, to whom he allotted the fortress of Asser as a prison. But of all those who crowded to see this Prince, and were not ignorant of the fact that he was really their legitimate King, and even then desired to see him on the throne, there was not one who had the courage to aid him. There were only some generous soldiers who had served the Prince, who, as they had received many benefits, thought themselves bound on this occasion to give him some mark of their acknowledgment. Being unable to deliver their legitimate Prince from the hands of those who held him captive, they flung themselves with fury on the traitor Juin KhAn, who was indeed delivered from them for the moment, but in a short time afterwards suffered the penalty due to his crime, having been slain while traversing a forest when on his return to his own country. ### [52.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.52.9) However, Aurangzeb, being a good politician and extraordinary dissembler, caused it to be noised abroad that he had not ordered the seizure of the person of DArA ShAh, but only that he should be persuaded to depart out of the Kingdom. As DArA had been unwilling to do so, Juin KhAn had, without authority, unworthily seized his person, and instead of honouring the royal blood, had shamefully tied the hands of the young Prince, Sepehr Sheko, son of DArA ShAh, behind his back. That this criminal action, which was an offence against his Majesty, deserved a severe punishment, and that it had in part been avenged by the death of Juin KhAn and his accomplices. But this story which Aurangzeb ordered to be spread among the people was only for the purpose of deception ; for if he truly had such consideration for the royal blood and any love for his elder brother, he would not at the same time have ordered his head to be cut off, as was immediately done in the following manner. DArA ShAh, having left JahAnAbAd with his guards to go to the place of his imprisonment, when he had reached a pleasant spot where he thought he was to sleep, his tent in which he was to lose his head was prepared. After he had eaten, SAif KhAn, who had been in his service, came to announce to him the order for his death. Dara Shah, seeing him enter, welcomed him and said that he was rejoiced to see one of his most faithful servants. ### [52.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.52.10) Saif Khan replied that it was true that he had formerly been in his service, but that he was now the slave of Aurangzeb, who had commanded him to return with his head. “Am I to die then,” said Dara Shah. “It is the order of the King,” replied Saif Khan; “and I am here to carry it out.” Sepehr Sheko, who was sleeping in an antechamber of the tent, awakened by this conversation, endeavoured to seize some weapons which had been removed from him, and made an effort to aid his father, but was prevented by those who accompanied Saif Khan. Dara Shah also wished to resist, but perceiving it would be useless, merely asked time for prayer, which was granted. In the meantime Sepehr Sheko was drawn aside, and, whilst they amused him, a slave cut off Dara Shah’s head; and Saif Khan took it to Aurangzeb, who thought that by the blood and death of his brother he would establish his throne. After this bloody tragedy the afflicted Sepehr Sheko was conveyed to the fortress of Gwalior to keep company with his uncle, Murad Bakhsh. As for the wives and daughters of Dara Shah, they were given quarters in the harem of Aurangzeb, who, in order to fix himself firmly on the throne of the Moguls, now only thought of the destruction of his other brother, Sultan Shuja, who was in Bengal—where he was assembling forces in order to come to the release of the King his father, who still lived in the fortress at Agra, where Aurangzeb kept him a prisoner. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.52](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.52) · Pramāṇa