A History of the Mahrattas v1.c12.14

v1.c12.14

The government of Beejapoor was distracted and weakened by a treacherous, factious nobility, and Ali Adil Shah’s youth was ill-calculated to control them. As soon as Aurungzebe retired, when they might have sent an army to crush Sivajee’s formidable rebellion, their time was occupied in plotting the ruin of each other. Khan Mohummud, the prime minister, who had betrayed the cause of his king, was justly condemned, but, instead of being tried in any regular manner, he was invited to court under promise of protection, attacked by a band of assassins at the gate of the city, torn down from the elephant on which he sat, and put to death in the most barbarous manner.