The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c15.3

v4.c15.3

The first difficulty with which Akbar and his guardian were called upon to deal was caused by the misconduct of Shāh Abu-’l-Ma‘ālī, a noble of his father’s court and a dangerous fanatic, whose pretensions, based on favours shown to him by Humāyūn, were obnoxious not only to the dignity of the courtiers but to the majesty of the throne. Resenting a fancied slight he at first refused to attend the young emperor’s court and when he deigned to appear thrust himself forward into a place to which he had no claim and behaved with such gross disregard of propriety that it was necessary to arrest him. Bairam Khān believed him to be actively disloyal and advocated his immediate execution, but Akbar was loth to sully his hands, on the threshold of his reign, with the blood of one of his father’s old servants, and the offender was sent to Lahore, where he was imprisoned.