A History of the Mahrattas v1.c11.94

v1.c11.94

¹ There is a good deal of confusion in the dates of the reign of Aurungzebe, owing to its commencement having been frequently reckoned from 1659. Khafee Khan is, in consequence, sometimes thrown out one or two years. Aurungzebe appears to have begun by reckoning his reign from the date of his victory over Dara, to have subsequently ascended the throne in the following year, and then changed the date, which he again altered, by reverting to the former date, at some later and unknown period. [Aurangzeb went through an informal ceremony of enthronement, equivalent to the coronation in European monarchies, on July 21, 1658. After the final defeat of his brothers he re-entered Delhi, and was enthroned for the second time in June 1659. His name was then read in the Khutbah, or ‘bidding prayer,’ and coins were issued with his superscription. (O.H.I., pp. 410, 422–3.) For the chronology of Aurangzeb’s reign, see Professor Sarkar’s History of Aurangzib.]