Later Mughals v1.c9.s22.1

v1.c9.s22.1

With his usual changeableness, Farrukh-siyar now chose a new favourite, on whose exertions he founded great expectations. This man's rise is usually accounted for in the following way. The Emperor had lately planned to send Muhammad Amin Khan to take the place of Rajah Jai Singh Sawai, as governor of Malwa, with the object of barring, if necessary, Husain Ali Khan's return from the Dakhin to Dihli. Azim-ullah Khan, Nasir-ullah Khan, and other nobles were placed under his orders. As was usually the case, the new governor spent a great deal of time in preparation, and showed no great readiness to start. Farrukh-siyar betrayed his impatience at this delay, and Muhammad Murad Khan, then the third Mir Tuzak or chamberlain, offered to induce Muhammad Amin Khan to begin his march. The man was loud-voiced and foul-mouthed, as most Kashmiris are reputed to be; but at first his violent language failed in effect. He returned to the Emperor with bitter complaints, and on his advice, Farrukh-siyar ventured to dismiss Muhammad Amin Khan from his office of second Bakhshi, and appointed instead Islam Khan (son of the late Asaf Khan, son of Mir Abdus-salam Islam Khan, Wazir to Shah Jahan), Fidai Khan (son of Salabat Khan deceased), being promoted to Islam Khan’s office of first Mir Tuzak. Muhammad Murad himself replaced Fidai Khan as second Mir Tuzak, with a rise of 500 in rank, making him 3,000 zat.* The result of these measures was that Muhammad Amin Khan began his march for Malwa. Farrukh-siyar, himself the most cowardly of men, looked on this feat as heroic, and Muhammad Murad became at once in his eyes the right man for a desperate undertaking. Possibly there is some truth in the above story, as accounting for Muhammad Murad’s exaltation, for the time of his rise and of Muhammad Amin Khan’s departure coincide almost exactly.†