Later Mughals v1.c8.s2: Sec. 2.—Executions and Imprisonments.
Later Mughals v1.c8.s2
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Sec. 2.—Executions and Imprisonments.
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The troops of the deceased Princes, on being refused further employment, dispersed in all directions, some thousands of them marching eastwards to Bihar and Bengal under Mir Ishaq,† (son of Amir Khan deceased), Khwaja Muzaffar, Khwaja Fakhr-ud-din, Khwaja Lutfullah and others. But all of the defeated party were not so lucky as to be thought beneath notice. Mahabat Khan, son of Munim Khan, the late Wazir, Hamid-ud-din Khan Alamgiri, Sarafraz Khan Bahadur-Shahi, Rahman Yar Khan, Ihtimam Khan, Amin-ud-din Khan Sambhali, and some others, were sent to Dihli as prisoners and their property confiscated.
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† Mir Ishaq is the man afterwards famous as Amir Khan, Umdat-ul-mulk, assassinated the 23rd Zul Hijja 1159 H. (5th January, 1747), Masir-ul-umara, ii. 839.
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Some of the prisoners did not even escape with their lives. Rustam Dil Khan, Mukhlis Khan, and Jani Khan, who had been prominent among the followers of Jahan Shah, were ordered out for execution. Jani Khan was spared on the intercession of Prince Azz-ud-din. It seems that when that Prince was a prisoner in the hands of the above-named men, as already related, word came to them that Jahan Shah was dead. Rustam Dil Khan exclaimed 'What was fated to be has happened; and what is to be will without fail come to pass! Let us slay Azz-ud-din and avenge the blood of Jahan Shah'. Jani Khan objected that such an act would be useless, and it would be better for them to take steps for their own safety. Accordingly the Prince was released, and he now repaid the kindness then done to him. On the other hand, Rustam Dil Khan's offences were many. He had urged Jahan Shah to seize and kill Zulfiqar Khan; he had used abusive language to Jahandar Shah in the battle-field and made every effort to take his life; worst of all, when retreating from the field, he had overtaken Lal Kunwar, then fleeing for safety to Lahor, and had swept her and her retinue roughly out of his path. If Zabardast Khan had not come to her aid, there is no knowing to what indignities Lal Kunwar might not have been exposed, for Rustam Dil Khan was about to undo the tassel of pearls hanging from the sash (izar-band) of her trousers, when she was rescued from his hands.
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∗ Warid, 79; Mhd. Qasim Lahori, 63; Kamwar Khan, 117; and B. M. No. 1690.
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What crime Mukhlis Khan had committed is not so clear. Some say that he was an object of dislike to Kokaltash Khan, and it is possible that Zulfiqar Khan may have borne him a grudge for the advice given to Jahan Khan to seize that noble. The traitor Lutfullah Khan Mughal, who deserted Rafi-ush-shan in the battle-field, is also supposed to have persuaded Jahandar Shah that his brothers would never have resisted him, if it had not been for the urgency of Rustam Dil Khan and Mukhlis Khan. The Dutch diary, which is coloured by a desire to favour Jahandar Shah, accuses both men of having entered the late Emperor's harem, where they plundered and violated some of the women.*
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Rustam Dil Khan bore to the last his character for reckless bravery. When he was brought before Zulfiqar Khan, the Wazir smiled and said to him; 'In spite of all your cleverness, what dirt have you not ended in eating!' Rustam Dil Khan laughed and retorted: 'You and I ate the same dirt out of the same tray, it agreed with you and not with me.' Zulfiqar Khan had no answer to give, but hung down his head. As the executioner cut off one limb after another, Rustam Dil Khan continued to comment freely on Jahandar Shah, Zulfiqar Khan and Kokaltash Khan, and even to the end he never flinched. As soon as breath had left the body, his mangled limbs and the headless trunk of Mukhlis Khan were hung to the wayside trees. The confiscated property of Rustam Dil Khan, said to have amounted in value to twelve lakhs of Rupees, was granted to Abdus-samad Khan. [Warid 85, Nur. 71.]
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∗ Warid, 83; Mhd. Qasim Lahori, 62; Yahya Khan, 118b (as to Jani Khan); Siyar-ul-mutakherin, i. 33; Briggs, 42; Valentyn, iv. 294. Anon. Fragment B. M. Or. 3613, fol. 16a.