The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c20.153

v4.c20.153

Farrukh-siyar’s next idea was to raise up some of the older nobles of Aurangzīb’s time as a counterpoise to the Sayyid brothers. ‘Ināyat-ullah Kashmīrī, who had been disgraced at the beginning of the reign, now received the rank of 4000 and was made imperial revenue minister (April, 1717). He tried to purge the administration of the abuses that had recently crept into it and to restore the regulations and discipline of Aurangzīb’s time. He reimposed the poll-tax¹ and proposed to reduce or resume the assignments which officials had continued to secure in excess of their legal dues or by fraud. He thus raised a host of enemies in that corrupt court, especially in Ratan Chand, the trusted man of business of the minister, and his friends and underlings. Ratan Chand used to lease the collection of revenue to the highest bidder, instead of dealing with the cultivators directly by servants of the state, and the result of this vicious system was rack-renting and the ruin of agriculture. Sayyid ‘Abdullah, instigated by his evil genius Ratan Chand, refused to give up the practice of leasing out the collection; he also shielded revenue officers who had misappropriated public money. These facts as well as Farrukh-siyar’s policy of restoring the older men to office embittered the relations between the emperor and his minister. Muhammad Murād, a glib-tongued Kashmīrī officer of the court, wormed himself into the emperor’s favour and secretly proposed many plans for destroying the Sayyids. The credulous Farrukh-siyar believed in this man’s capacity and courage, gave him the rank of 7000, and appointed him superintendent of the imperial harem with the title of I‘tiqād Khān (May, 1718), lavishing money and gifts on him. But the Kashmīrī braggart, knowing his own incapacity, suggested Sarbuland Khān as the instrument best fitted to overthrow the minister. This noble was summoned to court and promoted to the rank of 7000, with the title of Mubāriz-ul-Mulk (July, 1718), but learning that Farrukh-siyar intended to appoint Muhammad Murād as minister he drew back from the conspiracy and resigned his post.