Later Mughals v1.c8.s12.19

v1.c8.s12.19

During the 28th Shawwal the distant attack was kept up and even rendered more severe. Early the next morning, the 29th, was fixed for the final assault. But during the night between the 28th and the 29th Shawwal (28th Nov. 1712), Khwaja Husain Khan Dauran, and Lutfullah Khan took counsel together, and to their timid minds no other idea presented itself except flight. That seemed to them the only way out of the difficulty. The Prince refused to move, and remonstrated in these terms: 'O Nawab! thou art like an uncle to me, and yet givest me advice to flee! How strange this is; for I have never heard until now that any one of Taimur's House has fled without a battle. We are in sight of the enemy: we ought not to retreat without a fight.' Khan Dauran, finding that his proposal was rejected, prepared forged letters, bearing the seals of Imtiyaz Mahal (i.e., Lal Kunwar) and Kokaltash Khan, to the effect that the Emperor was dead, that they had kept the body and allowed no one to know the truth; thus, if the Prince came quickly, he would secure the throne. This device had the desired effect.