The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c16.183

v4.c16.183

On 14 October, 1603, the Hindu festival of the Dasahra, Salīm was again ordered to lead an expedition against the Rānā, and did not now venture on open disobedience, but loitered at Fathpur Sīkrī and, after a time, wrote to Akbar, complaining that his force was both insufficient and ill-equipped with artillery, and begging for permission to return to Allahābād in order that he might supply its deficiencies. Akbar probably knew that he had never intended to accept banishment to Rājputāna with an arduous task to perform, but complied with his request rather than provoke him again to open rebellion, and he withdrew, well pleased, to Allahābād, drinking freely by the way. Reports of his behaviour at Allahābād gave Akbar much pain. He had become so hardened a toper that pure wine had lost its savour and efficacy for him, and required the addition of opium. His first wife, the sister of Mān Singh and mother of Khusrav, had earlier in the year committed suicide in consequence of his ill-treatment of her, and Mān Singh was for this reason completely alienated from him, and had been occupied since parting from him in restoring order in Bengal and Orissa in the interests of Khusrav, of whose claim to succeed his grandfather he had become a warm advocate.