Later Mughals v1.c9.s15.4

v1.c9.s15.4

The quarrel which had broken out in the first weeks of the reign was patched up in the manner already recounted. But no thorough reconciliation had been effected; nor, considering the character of Farrukh-siyar, was any such reconciliation to be expected. The Sayyid brothers could never be certain from day to day that some new plot was not being hatched for their destruction. The Rajputana campaign was the means of unmasking one of these schemes. Secret letters had been, as we have already mentioned, despatched to Rajah Ajit Singh, urging him to strenuous resistance, and inviting him, if he could, to make away with Husain Ali Khan. These letters came into Husain Ali Khan's possession and through them he acquired proof of Farrukh-siyar's double-faced dealings. There are two stories of the manner in which this happened. One, told by Warid, is that when Rajah Ajit Singh was hard-pressed and saw no other way out of the danger, he sent in the original letters for the perusal of the Sayyid. Husain Ali Khan at once entered into negotiations for a peace, in order that he might return to Court without delay to defend his own and his brother's interests. The other version is, that the Rajah made the letters over to his daughter when she started for Court, and that either on the journey or after her arrival at Dihli, when staying in the mansion of the Sayyid, the documents were in some way got at and their contents ascertained. In the interval of Husain Ali Khan's absence, Qutb-ul-mulk had found the greatest difficulty in maintaining his position at Court. All the power was in the hands of Mir Jumla. Every day messages came from Farrukh-siyar, couched in various forms, but all urging him to resign the office of Wazir. Qutb-ul-mulk now wrote letters to his brother enjoining him to return to Dihli with all possible speed. In response to these calls, Husain Ali Khan, as we have seen, reached the capital again on the 5th Rajab 1126 H. (16th July, 1714).*