Later Mughals v1.c8.s18: Sec. 18.—Flight of Jahandar Shah to Dihli.
Later Mughals v1.c8.s18
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Sec. 18.—Flight of Jahandar Shah to Dihli.
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At the place where he had taken shelter, Jahandar Shah caused his beard and moustache to be shaved off, and changed his clothes. When the night was nearly spent he, Lal Kunwar, and Mhd. Mah (Azam Khan) mounted a small, two-wheeled bullock-carriage (bahal), covered by a canopy, such as women ride in, and started for Dihli. In the morning, about nine o’clock, they reached a village five miles or so west of Mathura. There they sent for food, and until it was found, lay down on the bare earth for a short sleep. They were soon again on their way, and munched as they went the dry bread for which they had begged. Three hours after nightfall on the second night, they reached a village near Sarai Hodal, and here they obtained a little grass for their cattle. Day had hardly risen ere they were again on the road. On the 16th Zul Hijja H. (13th Jan. 1713), after dark, they entered Talpat, a village thirteen miles from Dihli, which had been granted in perpetuity (al taghmah) by Jahandar Shah to Muhammad Mah, who had built there a house and mosque and planted a garden. His servants were still in possession, and thus they were in comparative safety. As they did not wish to enter Dihli in daylight, and they were worn out by continuous travelling, they went to sleep. At dusk they resumed their journey. Muhammad Mah advised his master to avoid Dihli and continue his flight to Multan, where he had friends. Jahandar Shah answered with idle talk. He still relied on Zulfiqar Khan’s oaths and insisted that he must once more see and speak to that nobleman. They reached Dihli in the night of the 18th Zul Hijja (15th Jan., 1713). Lal Kunwar went to her own house in charge of Muhammad Mah, while Jahandar Shah, still covered with the dust from his journey, repaired alone to the house of Asad Khan, Asaf-ud-daulah.*
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∗ Khafi Khan, ii. 724; Yahya Khan, 121a; Iradat Khan in Scott, II. Pt. iv., 94; B. M. No. 1690, fol. 161b, and Ahwal-ul-khawaqin, 57b.
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Zulfiqar Khan with Abdus-samad Khan had arrived at Dihli on the preceding day, the 17th (14th Jan. 1713), still at the head of a large and well-equipped force. The people of the city made certain that after an interview with his father, he would renew the struggle, erecting batteries outside the city. Zulfiqar Khan proceeded to his father’s house, but found him strongly opposed to further hostilities. He argued that if with 100,000 men, and all the great nobles, they had failed, they were not likely to succeed with disheartened troops. Nor was there any money left with which to pay any one. By collecting all the rascals and low fellows from the bazars, they might prolong the struggle for two or three days. But their efforts would be only like the final splutter of an expiring candle. [M. M. 153, Warid, 145.]
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Jahandar Shah, immediately on reaching Dihli went, as we have said, straight to the house of Asad Khan, in the hope of securing the renewed co-operation of Zulfiqar Khan. When his arrival, alone, without a single attendant, was announced, Zulfiqar Khan directed that he should not be admitted beyond the gate. The short delay was devoted to consultation with his father. The wily old man, regardless of the infamy of the act, saw that Jahandar Shah could be converted into a ransom for themselves. Fortune had turned its face away from the man, he had made himself odious by his acts and words. It were best to make him a prisoner. They could then use this act as a means for reconciliation with Farrukh-siyar. Asad Khan had long held the highest office in the State, and five years before had been very gently treated by Bahadur Shah. As is not altogether unusual with the old, he had come to believe that he was indispensable, that no Government could be carried on without him. He imagined that Farrukh-siyar, surrounded as he was by new and comparatively untried advisers, would only be too glad to secure the services of two such experienced persons as himself and his son. If not employed at Court, Zulfiqar Khan was still sure to obtain the government of a province, or at any rate, would be allowed to retain his rank and titles. [M. M. 154, Ijad 110a.]
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∗ Mirza Muhammad, 153, 154; Ijad, 108b to 111a; Khafi Khan, ii. 725. Mathura is 35 m. from Agra, Thornton, 656; Sarai Hodal, Indian Atlas, sheet No. 50, 32 m. n.w. of Mathura; Talpat, Elliot, Supp. Glossary, 340, 13 m. south of Dihli, Indian Atlas, sheet No. 49 S. E.
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Zulfiqar Khan, whose judgment rarely erred, did not share his father's opinion. He wished to carry off Jahandar Shah to Multan, or even to Kabul, and there collect an army; or he could take him to the Dakhin, where Daud Khan with all his troops was at their sole disposal. Nay, even if Jahandar Shah were abandoned to his fate, why should he not hasten to the Dakhin himself, where without much exertion he could found an independent principality. Anything was better than submission to Farrukh-siyar—who was there who knew not of his enmity with the late Azim-ush-shan? Was not the alliance of the three Princes his work? Furthermore, was it right for them to deliver to an enemy a man who had taken refuge at their house? His father replied that, when Bahadur Shah died, every noble took one side or another, and they happened to join that of Jahandar Shah. What crime had they thereby committed? Besides, if such a captive were made over by them to Farrukh-siyar, what could he do but receive them into favour. Doubtless it was opposed to the rules of friendship to deliver up Jahandar Shah. But everybody detested him; if they espoused his cause, not a soul would join them; and they would only risk their own heads along with his. Let them rather seek in him an instrument for saving their own lives and property. Zulfiqar Khan after some time yielded a reluctant consent. They sent out to Jahandar Shah misleading messages of friendship, and on the pretence of his taking repose, inveigled him into a small detached building, round which they drew some tent-screens, and thus made him a prisoner. A joint letter was then despatched by father and son to Farrukh-siyar, claiming recognition for the signal service that they had just performed.*
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Having thus decided on their course of action, Asad Khan thought it advisable to eject Ahl-ullah Khan (Saifullah) from the fort, to the charge of which he had been appointed when Jahandar Shah started for Agra. He was replaced by Muhammad Yar Khan, who had been subahdar of Dihli and commandant of the fort from the time of Alamgir. Information had reached the partisans of Farrukh-siyar that Jahandar Shah was hiding in Asad Khan’s house. These men assembled and demanded with threats that the fugitive should be delivered up. By daybreak there was a large crowd, and it looked as if an insurrection would break out. Then to appease the rioters, Jahandar Shah was sent a prisoner to the fort, and at his earnest entreaty, Lal Kunwar was allowed to join him. On seeing her, he is said to have exclaimed joyfully, ‘Let the past be forgotten, and in all things let us praise the Lord!’ A few days afterwards, on the 23rd Zul Hijja by Abdullah Khan’s orders, harshness was carried to the point of placing the fallen Emperor’s feet in fetters. Already, on the 22nd Zul Hijja (19th January, 1713), before any of the victorious Prince’s officers had appeared in Dihli, the khutba was read at the Jama Masjid, or great mosque, in the name of the new Emperor, Farrukh-siyar.*
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∗ M. Mhd, 155. Yahya Khan, 121a, who had a personal grudge against the Sayyid brothers, puts Zulfiqar Khan’s objection on the ground that the Sayyids were in power, and that they had no tenderness or good feeling for them (Asad Khan and his son). He could not tell how they would act towards him and his father.