Travels in India (Tavernier) 53.3

53.3

Aurangzeb did not consider his throne assured nor his Empire well established so long as Sultan ShujA, his brother, was engaged in raising a powerful army in Bengal with the design of setting ShAh JahAn at liberty. He thought that it behoved him to anticipate him, and sent considerable forces against him under the command of Sultan Muhammad, his eldest son, to whom he gave as lieutenant the Mir Jumla, one of the greatest captains who had ever migrated from Persia to India. His good judgment and courage would have caused him to be revered by posterity if he had only been faithful to the Princes whom he served. But he first betrayed the King of Golconda, with whom he made his fortune, and afterwards ShAh JahAn, under whose protection he maintained it at so high a pitch that there was scarcely another noble in the whole of India more powerful or richer than he was. Moreover, he was both feared and beloved by the army, and he understood the art of war perfectly as it is carried on in this country. Having then abandoned the interests of ShAh JahAn, he attached himself to the side of Aurangzeb, and if Sultan ShujA had not had opposed to him so brave and able a commander he would, no doubt, have given more trouble to his brother, and possibly might have conquered him.