Later Mughals v1.c9.s7: Sec. 7.—Itimad-Ud-Daulah Muhammad Amin Khan Bahadur Nusrat Jang.

v1.c9.s7.1

Muhammad Amin Khan was a native of Samarqand in the kingdom of Bukhara. His grandfather, Alam Shaikh, a learned man and a descendant of the Shaikh Shahab-ud-din Quraishi, Tarmani, Sadiqi, of Sahrward, had two sons, Khwaja Abid and Mir Baha-ud-din. The elder son came to India and was the father of Ghazi-ud-din Khan Firuz Jang; the second son, Mir Baha-ud-din, Muhammad Amin's father, entered the employ of the ruler of Bukhara, and was by him executed on suspicion of complicity with his rebellious son. This event happened about the year 1098 H. (1686-7), when Mir Muhammad Amin must have been about twenty-five years of age. He escaped to India and was favourably received by Alamgir, then in the Dakhin, by whom he was sent to serve with his cousin, Firuz Jang. In the forty-second year, 1109-10 H., 1697-8, when Alamgir was anxious to find in the Turanis a counterpoise to Asad Khan, the Wazir, and his son, Zulfiqar Khan, Muhammad Amin Khan was brought to Court and made Sadar, or head of the charitable and religious endowments. In 1115-16 H., 1704-5, and again in 1116-17 H., his rank was raised in reward for military services, and in the very last year of Alamgir's reign (1118 H.), after defeating the Mahrattas, he received the special addition of Chin Bahadur to his other titles. Although the Turanis had not shown any great zeal for his rival, Azam Shah, still Bahadur Shah did not receive them into the same favour as before. Muhammad Amin Khan was sent to Muradabad as faujdar; but towards the end of the reign, he was brought back to head-quarters, and took a leading part in the campaign against the Sikhs. When Jahandar Shah decided to march against Farrukh-siyar, Muhammad Amin Khan was recalled from Sarhind. He was present in Jahandar Shah's ranks at Agra, but as we have related, took no serious part in the fighting. This betrayal was now rewarded by his appointment to be second Bakhshi of the Empire. At this time he was about fifty-two years of age, and since the death of Firuz Jang in 1122 H., 1710-11, he had become the acknowledged leader of the Turani soldiery, his cousin, Chin Qilich Khan (Nizam-ul-mulk), son of Firuz Jang, being about ten years his junior. [M. U. i. 346.]