Later Mughals v1.c6.s4: Sec. 4.—Prince Muhammad Azim (Second Son of Muhammad Muazzam) Reaches Agra.
Later Mughals v1.c6.s4
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Sec. 4.—Prince Muhammad Azim (Second Son of Muhammad Muazzam) Reaches Agra.
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As we have already stated Alamgir, a short time before his death, influenced by suspicion instilled into him by Azam Shah, recalled his grandson, Muhammad Azim, from the Government of the province of Bihar. In compliance with this order that Prince took with him treasure remitted from Bengal and started from Azimabad Patna, intending apparently to make his way to the Dakhin through Agra. The more direct road was possibly unsafe, at any rate it was seldom used by the Muhammadan generals, who usually went from Hindustan to the Dakhin either from Agra through Gwaliyar or from Dihli through Ajmer. The Prince was at Shahzadpur [sarkar Korah] in the Ganges-Jamuna Duab when he heard of his grandfather's death. By the advice of Agha Muhammad Said Baz Khan (brother of Daler Khan) and others, he enlisted more troops and advanced as quickly as possible in the direction of Agra at the head of more than 20,000 horse. At Itawah Khair-Andesh Khan presented himself with treasure and artillery. [K. K. 576, Kamwar 9, Jangnama, Kamraj 17.]
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∗ Kamraj, *f.* 84; Iradat 16; Khush-hal Chand, 367*a*.
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Muhammad Azim called upon Mukhtar Khan, the subahdar of Agra, to come out of the city and present himself. Mukhtar Khan, being father-in-law to Bidar Bakht, Azam Shah's eldest son, was naturally a strong partisan of the opposite party. The only hostile step, however, that he took was to prevent a bridge being thrown across the Jamuna ; but the river being fordable in many places, this did not avail him anything, and Muhammad Azim with his army and baggage crossed in safety. After this feeble defence Mukhtar Khan lost his presence of mind and became afraid to do anything. The Prince sent Baz Khan and other officers into the city to arrest him, at the same time confiscating all his treasures, elephants, horses and goods. In the end Mukhtar Khan came over to Bahadur Shah's side and was presented through Baz Khan [Kamraj 17, Jangnama.]
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Baqi Khan Qul, commandant of the Agra fort, was also summoned to surrender, to open the gates of the fort and to make over its contents to the men deputed for that purpose. Baqi Khan, who like Mukhtar Khan was favourable to Azam Shah, invented the excuse that the rival claimant had not yet arrived in person, and until this happened he could not make over the fort to any one. Moreover, up to this time the prospects of Azam Shah were commonly held to be far better than those of his brother, Muhammad Muazzam. Baqi Khan's refusal incensed Prince Muhammad Azim who erected batteries in the grove lying below the mansion known as Dara Shukoh's, on the top of the Jama Masjid and over the triple gate (*tripoliya*) of the city, intending to frighten the garrison by a cannonade and the discharge of rockets. On his side Baqi Khan pointed his guns and posted his musketmen ready for resistance. His first shot struck the three-domed building in the marketplace (*chauk*) and destroyed its domes, the second killed many men and fell on the gate of the mosque, the third reached the mansion of Dara Shukoh and knocked down a wall in one of its rooms. Several of Muhammad Azim's men were killed, and he then desisted from any further attack on the fort. A truce of twenty days was agreed on and Muhammad Azim awaited his father's arrival, his force having swollen now to 40,000 men. [Kamwar 9 ; Kamraj 18 ; K. K. 576 ; Qasim 6-7 ; Jangnama ; Khush-hal Chand 368 *b*.]
Bidar Bakht Advances to the Chambal
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Prince Muhammad Azim, as already stated, immediately on entering Agra sent forward a body of troops under Muhtashim Khan to protect the fords on the Chambal river forty miles south of that place. After reaching Dholpur Muhtashim Khan established batteries on the river bank on the north side of the stream and prepared to fight. He also called upon Jan Nisar Khan (Khwaja Mukarram) Bahadur-Shahi, the *faujdar* of Gwaliyar, to march and join him. At this time, Bidar Bakht had advanced beyond Gwaliyar and was one march from the Chambal. His camp was fixed at Nurabad. [Dil. 163.]
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Bidar Bakht* now resolved to cross the Chambal and attack Muhtashim Khan. Zulfiqar Khan, a more experienced soldier, was opposed to this course. The resulting quarrel between the Prince and his chief general is told in the most lively fashion in the pages of Iradat Khan. The trivial causes from which such disputes arise, the way in which mere suspicion is fanned into certainty by crafty advisers, the great man's petulance and childishness, the sudden changes of temper—all is painted to the very life. In the end Bidar Bakht obtained his own way and crossed the river by the ford through unguarded passages. Upon this Muhtashim Khan and his troops abandoned their artillery and fled during the night to Agra, glad to save their lives. The movement having succeeded Zulfiqar Khan made his peace and was received again into favour. Bidar Bakht would have liked to push on to Agra, but formal orders were now received to halt at Dholpur, until Azam should arrive there in person, when he would distribute the commands and arrange the various stations to be taken by the different bodies of troops. We must now leave Azam Shah and turn to the movements of his elder brother, Muhammad Muazzam. [Kamraj 17-19, Iradat 20-26, Dil. 163.]
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∗ When Bidar Bakht was encamped at Palaichah, six *kos* from Narwar, Zulfiqar Khan and his reinforcements had come up with him. [Dil. 163a] Nurabad, 16 m. north of Gwaliyar and 20 m. south of the Chambal. [Indian Atlas, sheet 51 N.E.]