Later Mughals v1.c7.s4: Sec. 4.—The Division of the Spoil.
Later Mughals v1.c7.s4
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Sec. 4.—The Division of the Spoil.
v1.c7.s4.1
The three Princes ordered the drums to beat for a victory, they sent congratulations to each other, and returned to their quarters with loud rejoicings. The plunderers were meanwhile busy and, with the exception of the treasure and the women's tents, which were protected by a girdle of cannon, the whole contents of that great camp were carried off and hardly a trace of it was left. Such persons as escaped from it were stopped and relieved of their belongings by the men attached to Jahandar Shah's artillery, whose camp was at the Shalimar garden. Horses and camels without number and much property fell into these men's hands. Jahandar Shah's troops speedily surrounded and took possession of the carts laden with treasure, of the cannon, and of the household of Azim-ush-shan. Thus the painfully collected wealth of that Prince, the fruit of years of meanness, became in a moment the prey of his adversary. [Kamwar, 109-110.]
v1.c7.s4.2
∗ Dastur-ul-insha, 20,—Kamwar Khan, 109, says that Azim-ush-shan's corpse was brought in, and speaks (138) of its being sent by Farrukh-siyar to Aurangabad for burial; Yahya Khan, 117b also says it was found in the river and brought in; but I prefer the account in Amin-ud-din's letters, as given in the Dastur-ul-insha. I believe these letters to be genuine, and they were evidently so considered by Ghulam Husain Khan, who used them in writing his Siyar-ul-mutakherin, see Briggs, 29. Warid, 63, states that the elephant was brought in, but many believed that Azim-ush-shan escaped alive, since his body had not been found. When Warid wrote, nineteen years afterwards, the Prince had never been heard of. Others asserted that Rajah Raj Singh, styled Raj Bahadur, had carried off the corpse to his own country, i.e., Kishangarh (Mhd. Qasim, 51).
v1.c7.s4.3
The claims of Azim-ush-shan, whom judicious observers had considered the destined successor to the throne, being thus finally disposed of, the agents of the two younger Princes attended Zulfiqar Khan for several days in succession with a request for a division of the booty and the realm, according to the compact that had been entered into. But Zulfiqar Khan, his pride raised above all bounds by such a victory over his most powerful opponent, had forgotten all his oaths and promises. Furthermore, it was clear to everybody that just as two swords cannot be got into one scabbard, there cannot be two kings in one kingdom.* Each day witnessed the invention of new excuses.† His hope was that the two Princes having no money, their armies, largely composed of mere mercenaries, would during this prolonged delay disperse of themselves. One day he paid a visit to Prince Rafi-ush-shan and made to him the usual evasive promises. Another day he visited Jahan Shah. Rustam Dil Khan, who had been released from prison shortly before Bahadur Shah's death, had from the first taken the side of Jahan Shah. He and Mukhlis Khan Harisi now said to the Prince that this man (Zulfiqar Khan) was the root of all the troubles, if he were disposed of, the rest would be easy. Jahan Shah refused his consent, repeating the line, ‘When God the Beneficent is our friend, what can our enemy do?’‡ Moreover, Zulfiqar Khan's obsequious manners in his presence led him to believe that the man was at heart his friend. One of Jahan Shah's chief men gave Zulfiqar Khan a hint and he hastened his departure, asking as a pretext that an officer might be sent with him to take over the Prince's share of the treasure and military stores. The Prince, only too delighted at the prospect, gave him his dismissal at once. As he left he said to the two nobles above-named, ‘You have done your best for your master, but if he does not accept, it is because fate so decrees and not through your fault.' When he reached his quarters, he gave a flat denial to the officer who had accompanied him, and sent off both money and *matériel* to Jahandar Shah.*
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∗ Do shamsher dar yak ghilaf o do Padshah dar yak mulk budan muhal ast, Yahya Khan, 117b. † The Dutchmen, who take Jahandar Shah's side throughout, put the blame on Prince Jahan Shah's greediness, in claiming one-half instead of one-third of the confiscated property—Valentyn, iv. 293. ‡ Dushman cheh kunad, chun Mihrban bashad dost.
v1.c7.s4.5
During this interval Rafi-ush-shan, through his conduct to Hakim-ul-mulk, had cooled the zeal of any nobles who might have assisted him. Hakim-ul-mulk had received from him a promise of being his chief minister, and was deep in his confidence. But by chance there fell into the Prince's hands letters from the Hakim to Zulfiqar Khan, giving full details of all the Prince's intentions and plans. These letters had, it seems, been passing daily. Hakim-ul-mulk was sent for and so severely treated that he was carried away to his quarters half dead. [Yahya, 118*a*.]