Later Mughals v1.c8.s7.1

v1.c8.s7.1

Muhammad Farrukh-siyar, the second son of Azim-ush-shan, was born at Aurangabad in the Dakhin, on the 9th Ramzan 1094 H. (11th Sept. 1683); and was now in his thirty-first (lunar) year. In his infancy he was sent to Dihli, but brought back to the Dakhin in 1105 H. (Sept. 1693—August, 1694), in his tenth year; and after three years spent with his great-grandfather, Alamgir, he accompanied his father, Azim-ush-shan first to Agra and thence to Bengal. In the last year of his reign, Alamgir recalled his grandson, Azim-ush-shan, from Bengal, giving him orders to leave his eldest son, Muhammad Karim, in charge of Bihar and his second son, Farrukh-siyar, in Bengal. The young Prince passed some years at Dacca, then the capital of the Bengal province; but in the reign of Bahadur Shah (1707-1712), he moved to Murshidabad, where he occupied the palace in Lal Bagh. He subsequently moved to Raj Mahal, higher up and on the other side of the Ganges. Azim-ush-shan, anticipating a struggle for the throne at an early date, called on Farrukh-siyar to return to Court. Bengal had been made over to Izz-ud-daulah, Khan Alam (son of Khan Jahan Kokaltash Alamgiri). Farrukh-siyar was on the march and not far from Azimabad Patna, when on the 7th Safar 1124 H. (15th March 1712) he heard of Bahadur Shah's death, and on the 13th (21st March), without waiting for further information, he proclaimed his father's accession and caused coin to be stamped and the public prayer or khutba to be read in his name. He decided to march no further. Some say that astrologers, on whom he placed great reliance, had prophesied his accession to the throne at Patna and advised him not to leave it until that happy event had occurred. On the 29th Safar (6th April 1712) he heard of his father's defeat and death. For a little time the Prince contemplated suicide, but his friends dissuaded him, some counselling a retreat upon Bengal, others an advance into the Dakhin. One rumour which reached Dihli was that