Later Mughals v1.c9.s35: Sec. 37.—The Sayyids Take Possession of the Palace.
Later Mughals v1.c9.s35
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Sec. 37.—The Sayyids Take Possession of the Palace.
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On the 8th Rabi II. 1131 H., (27th February, 1719), early in the morning, Qutb-ul-mulk entered the palace with his own relations and dependants, Najm-ud-din Ali Khan, Ghairat Khan and others, followed by Rajah Ajit Singh, Maharao Bhim Singh Hada, and Rajah Gaj Singh Narwari. The imperial artillerymen and the matchlockmen on guard were removed from the bastions and battlements, and evacuated the palace. Not a single soul was left in attendance on the Emperor, except Itiqad Khan, Zafar Khan and two or three eunuchs. The Wazir took up his position in the house known as the pesh-khana of the late Jafar Khan,[*] which had been lately vacated by Samsam-ud-daulah; while the three Rajahs were sent to occupy the office-rooms of the revenue (diwani) and of the chamberlain's (Khan-saman) departments. The keys of the privy council chamber (Diwan-i-khas), of the sleeping room, and of the Hall of Justice were sent for; and the doors of the palace and the gates of the fort were confided to men trusted by the Sayyids; troops were hidden in the antechambers (jilau-khana) and the palace was guarded on all sides.[†]
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† Khafi Khan, 807; Kamwar Khan, 192; Mirza Muhammad, 452.
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About midday, leaving Saif-ud-din Ali Khan in charge of his baggage, Husain Ali Khan entered the city at the head of 30,000 or 40,000 horsemen and a well equipped artillery, bringing with him the supposed Prince, seated on an elephant in a canopied howda, and heralds running before him proclaiming his titles. Husain Ali Khan proceeded to the mansion known as the Barahdari of the late Amir-ul-umara, Shaista Khan,[‡]
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∗ Khush-hal Chand, 413b, states that Qutb-ul-mulk went to the Haiyat Bagh. This is more usually called the Haiyat Bakhsh. It was a garden occupying the north-west corner of the Lal Qila or palace, (see Carr Stephens, 6. 216, plan). The Jafar Khan here referred to is, no doubt, the man who died in 1080 H. (1669-1670). He was the son-in-law of Asaf Khan, see M. U. i. 151, 531; ii. 729.
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‡ Shaista Khan, maternal uncle of Alamgir Aurangzeb, died at Agra in the middle of 1105 H. (1695), (M. U. ii. 709 and T-i-Muhammadi). His house stood on the edge of the Shah-nahr or canal, opposite the Lahor Gate of the palace, (Muhammad Qasim, 236).
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which had been granted to him early in Farrukh-siyar's reign. The Mahratta horsemen drew up at the gates of the palace and in the adjoining lanes of the city. Outside the palace, during the whole of that day, not a soul had the remotest suspicion of any hostile movements. The first inkling of any fresh disagreement was obtained between sunset and evening prayer-time. Itiqad Khan was seen to come out of the Diwan-i-khas, his limbs trembling from fright, scramble into the first palanquin he could find, and make off to his house. Soon afterwards, Karm Chand, an agent employed at the Court, wrote to those outside that all the Sayyids' demands had been complied with, including the degradation of Itiqad Khan to the rank that he had held in Alamgir's reign. This news at once spread agitation and anxiety throughout the city. All night long Qutb-ul-mulk and Maharajah Ajit Singh remained in the palace, and Husain Ali Khan in his own mansion.*
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What had happened within the palace must now be told. After much discussion Qutb-ul-mulk, at a time between midday and afternoon prayer, presented himself before the Emperor. Qutb-ul-mulk at once repudiated Farrukh-siyar's proferred compromise, by which Itiqad Khan and his other friends were to act as the deputies of the Sayyids and their nominees. From the first, Qutb-ul-mulk had objected to the appointment as nazir of the harem of any one not a eunuch. Itiqad Khan was removed from that office, which was made over to a eunuch, Mahaldar Khan. Next, the Wazir expatiated on the base return given for his and his brother's services, bringing up again the secret instructions to Daud Khan, and similar letters sent to Rajah Sahu Mahratta and others, all of which the Sayyids had in their possession. The Emperor's repeated appeals: "Why does not my brother, the Amir-ul-umara, bring to me the supposititious Prince," passed entirely unheeded. In the course of this conversation Farrukh-siyar lost his temper and was overcome with anger; both sides were thus led to the use of abusive language and harsh expressions, things being said which had better been left unsaid. In his rage Farrukh-siyar shouted: "If I am a true son of Azim-ush-shan and a real descendant of the Lord of the Conjunctions (i.e., Taimur), I will impose retribution for these uncalled-for deeds and this unmeasured audacity. I will have the lands of the Barha ploughed by asses, and mice thrust into the trousers of their women."* Qutb-ul-mulk grew furious, and venting his wrath in disrespectful words, left the *Diwan-i-khas* for the guard-room (*peshkhana*) of the *Diwan-i-ala*, and turned out seven hundred of Itiqad Khan's horsemen who were still on guard at the Khizri, or water-gate of the palace, and the rest of Ajit Singh's men. He saw now that if they were to save themselves, extremities must be resorted to, for as Sadi has said: "When a snake touches the foot of the villager, he withdraws it and breaks the snake's head with a stone." As soon as the minister had left his presence, Farrukh-siyar turned upon Itiqad Khan and poured out on him angry abuse and reproach. We are told that Itiqad Khan had ventured to object to delivering the keys of the gate to the Sayyids. This aroused Farrukh-siyar's anger, and turning to him he exclaimed: "O wretched man! all this calamity has come on me by reason of you. This moment, when I am a prisoner in their hands, you choose as the time for giving contrary advice." The Emperor ordered him to be turned out of the palace. Itiqad Khan, seeing that things had assumed for him a different complexion, hurried away to his own dwelling, as already stated.†
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∗ Khafi Khan, 807, Kamraj, Ibratnama, 66a, Shiu Das, 25a.
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† Kamraj, 66*a*; Khafi Khan, 807; Yahya, 124*b*; Qasim, 237.
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Farrukh-siyar now began to cool, and addressing Zafar Khan said "Bring back Abdullah Khan by any means you can; I will do all that he demands." Zafar Khan replied: "The opportunity has been lost: the only thing is for your Majesty to go to him in person." Farrukh-siyar refused. Then full of mingled rage and fear, he quitted the window of the privy audience chamber and entered the female apartments. The queens and the concubines crowded round him, the Turki and Habshi women were told off to guard the doors, and the night was passed "in supplication and lamentation before the throne of the Eternal." Qutb-ul-mulk had turned Zafar Khan out of the fort, and placed his own sentries to guard the privy audience chamber or *Diwan-khana*. One of the most curious incidents in this confused drama, was a despairing attempt by Farrukh-siyar to secure the aid of Ajit Singh. He wrote: "The east side of the palace, towards the Jamuna, is not guarded; if you can, despatch there some of your men, so that I may get out and make off somewhere or another." He gave this note to a eunuch, who thrust it into his pocket, and succeeding by a thousand wiles in eluding the vigilance of the guards, placed it in the Rajah's hand. The Rajah replied that the proper time had gone by, what could he do now? Some even say that he sent on the original letter to Abdullah Khan. The Wazir called at once for Chura Jat, to whom was assigned a post on the river bank below the octagonal bastion of the fort. On every roof sat the Sayyids' men with loaded wall-pieces ready to fire. In short, "such close guarding was carried out and such care taken, that not even the gentle breeze could find a way into or out of the fort." In every lane and street of the city the outcry was heard that the Emperor had been deposed. No food was eaten, no repose taken; the night passed in fear and expectation. The more sanguine believed that in the morning Rajah Jai Singh would march in from Sarai Sahil in the one direction, and Sarbuland Khan from Sarai Mihr-Parwar in the other; and by their united forces would rescue Farrukh-siyar out of his enemies' hands, and replace him on the throne.*
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∗ *Ibratnama*, Kamraj, 66*a*. Yoking donkeys in a plough and driving them over the ruins of a captured fort was a well-known practice. See Elliot Supp. Gloss. under Gadhe ka hal, or donkey plough. The practice was known to the Tamils in early times, see Dr. G. N. Pope's article in *R. A. S. Journal*, April, 1899, p. 252: "Asses are yoked to plough up the soil with spears, while worthless plants are sown on the foundations. Thus rages the conquering king."