Later Mughals v1.c9.s15.7

v1.c9.s15.7

Farrukh-siyar, a man of no wisdom, accepted this advice as the perfection of right reasoning, the acme of loyalty to his person. The two men selected to confront the Sayyids were Khan Dauran and Mir Jumla. They were both promoted to the rank of 7,000 horse: they were placed, the former at the head of 5,000 Wala-shahi, and the latter of 5,000 Mughal troopers. Many of their relations were pushed forward into high rank, and counting these men's troops, each of the two nobles had at his command over ten thousand men. Among the signs of this favouritism was the order passed on the 12th Shaban (2nd Sept., 1713), permitting Mir Jumla to entertain 6,000 horsemen, who were to be specially paid from the imperial treasury. These were raised by Amanat Khan, his adopted son, from Mughals born in India, and some seventy lakhs of Rupees for their pay were disbursed from the treasury, the rules as to descriptive rolls of the men and branding of the horses being set aside. No order was issued by Farrukh-siyar without the advice and approval of the above two men. In this exercise of authority Mir Jumla assumed the lead, till at length Qutb-ul-mulk was only the nominal, while he was the real Wazir. The two Sayyids bowed for the time to the Emperor's will, and made no opposition to these usurpations. At length, through the indiscretion of some palace servants, the Sayyids learnt of the plots against their life.* They ceased to appear in darbar and shut themselves up in their houses, taking every possible precaution against a surprise. The Emperor's desire to ruin them became a matter of public rumour, although, when appealed to, the nobles and confidants of the Emperor strenuously denied its truth. [M. M. 190, Kamwar 139.]