Later Mughals v1.c8.s5.1

v1.c8.s5.1

The Court now started from Lahor on its return to Dihli. Jahandar Shah left the banks of the Ravi on the 25th Rabi I. 1124 H. (May 1st, 1712); he entered Dihli on the 18th Jamadi I. (June 22nd, 1712).† During the march a rumour was heard that Farrukh-siyar, the second son of the late Azim-ush-shan, had left Bengal and arrived at Patna with the intention of contesting the new Emperor's right to the throne. Jahandar Shah treated the idea as ridiculous, saying that any one of the faujdars would be sufficient to defeat such a feeble foe. Still, as a precaution, the eldest Prince, Azz-ud-din, was placed at the head of some troops and sent to Agra, there to watch the course of events. A large sum of money, said to be nine krors of Rupees, was disbursed to him on the 15th Jamadi II. (19th July, 1712), for this purpose. His force is estimated by Khafi Khan at 50,000 men. As he was young and inexperienced, and had shown not only signs of discontent at his father's conduct, but also dislike of Lal Kunwar, he was not trusted with the real command. He was placed under the tutelage of two men (1) Khwaja Husain Khan Dauran, brother-in-law of Kokaltash Khan,* and (2) Lutfullah Khan Sadiq, the Prince's own diwan. These appointments were made in opposition to the advice of Zulfiqar Khan, Kokaltash Khan taking the whole responsibility. Neither of the men had any experience of war, Khan Dauran had never been in a battle, and as the event proved, no more incompetent leaders could have been selected. As has been wisely said, Jahandar Shah forgot the maxim, 'Place no man at the head of an army, unless he has been in many a battle.'†