The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c20.158

v4.c20.158

In the meantime, Sayyid ‘Abdullah, the minister, had given up visiting the emperor in anger at his perfidy. But in December Farrukh-siyar made an abject surrender to him, even exchanging turbans with the minister. He next tried to conciliate, with his minister’s mediation, Ajīt Singh, Sarbuland Khān, Jay Singh Sawāi and some other grandees. He lavished honours upon the Sayyid brothers, raising them to the command of 8000 each, and made new appointments at the minister’s dictation. Muhammad Amīn Khān, who had come away from his province of Mālwā, was dismissed by the emperor (20 January, 1719), and then made terms with the minister in self-defence. On 7 February ‘Abdullah visited Nizām-ul-Mulk and seemingly conciliated him. At the near approach of Sayyid Husain ‘Alī, Farrukh-siyar was in mortal fear lest he should be deposed and the alleged grandson of Aurangzīb crowned in his stead. He humbled himself in every possible way and granted all the demands of the Sayyids. At their first interview (23 February) he placed his turban on Husain ‘Alī’s head. But spies reported conspiracies formed by the emperor and his personal attendants to attack Husain ‘Alī when off his guard in the imperial presence, and he decided to end such manœuvres once for all.