The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c20.141

v4.c20.141

In the morning after the battle, Farrukh-siyar enthroned himself (11 January, 1713) and marched to Āgra. Large numbers of nobles and officers came over to him every day. Sayyid ‘Abdullah was sent to Delhi in advance to take possession of the capital, and attach the property of all the partisans of Jahāndār Shāh. The poll-tax was abolished. A letter was received from Asad Khān offering submission on behalf of himself and his son Zu-’l-Fiqār and reporting that he had imprisoned Jahāndār. Being thus reassured, the new emperor left for Delhi, which he entered in triumph on 12 February. In the meantime ‘Abdullah had occupied Delhi and been welcomed by its chief men. He promised Asad Khān and Zu-’l-Fiqār to present them to the emperor and use his influence to save them from his anger. Many partisans of the old *régime* were arrested and their property seized for the state. Even Sabhā Chand, the revenue minister in charge of reserved lands and Zu-’l-Fiqār’s right-hand man, was cast into prison and his house confiscated, in spite of Zu-’l-Fiqār’s exertions on his behalf. Kind messages were sent by the new emperor to Zu-’l-Fiqār and his father. These two nobles were men of exceptional capacity and experience in civil administration and war; they were the last prominent survivors of the great age of Aurangzīb; and therefore if they were allied with the Sayyid brothers their power would be perpetuated by their unrivalled ability and reputation. Hence, Mīr Jumla,¹ the chief of the new men and personal favourites of Farrukh-siyar, plotted to clear his own path to power by destroying the old nobility. This party of selfish courtiers consisted of the intimate friends and personal attendants of the new emperor and their policy was to create an opposition to the Sayyid brothers. Their leaders were Mīr Jumla, who had gained young Farrukh-siyar’s confidence when judge of Dacca and Patna, and Khvāja ‘Āsim (surnamed Samsām-ud-Daula, Khān Daurān), an intimate playfellow of that prince in his boyhood. They first interposed between Sayyid ‘Abdullah and Asad Khān and persuaded the latter that it would be better for him to approach the emperor through his personal favourites than through the domineering minister. With false vows of safety and support, Taqarrub Khān, the emissary of this party, induced Asad and Zu-’l-Fiqār to go to the emperor’s camp with him. Farrukh-siyar, after giving them a deceptive welcome and even presenting jewels and robes of honour, sent Asad Khān away and treacherously captured Zu-’l-Fiqār, taunted him with his hostile acts towards ‘Azīm-ush-shān and his family (especially the murder of Muhammad Karīm, his younger son) and then had him strangled by Qalmaq slaves (13 February). His body was left exposed for a day. All the houses and property of Zu-’l-Fiqār and Asad were confiscated, their families were stripped of all and kept under guard. In this unhonoured and forlorn condition, Asad Khān lingered till his death at the age of eighty-eight (15 June, 1716).