Later Mughals v2.c14.s1: Sec. 25.—New Appointments Upon Muhammad Shah's Return to Dihli.
Later Mughals v2.c14.s1
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Sec. 25.—New Appointments Upon Muhammad Shah's Return to Dihli.
v2.c14.s1.1
On the 16th Nov. 1720 Muhammad Shah moved from Biluchpur and encamped near Rahimpur. Thence on the 17th he went to Chhainsa, on the 18th to Talpat, and on the 19th to Talab Kishn Das. The 20th was spent in a visit to the Qutb and to the shrine of Nasir-ud-din Oudhi, the Emperor passing the night in his tents close to Moth ki Masjid, and on the 21st he prayed at the shrine of Nizam-ud-din Auliya. A formal entry was made into the capital on the next day, the 22nd, by way of the Ajmeri Gate. On the 24th Rajah Jai Singh's approach from Amber was announced; and the Wazir was deputed to meet and escort him. [Kamwar 242, K. K. 934.]
v2.c14.s1.2
On the 25th November a grand audience was held in the diwan-i-khas. Rajah Jai Singh was introduced by the Wazir, he laid his offering before the throne and received the usual gifts. Itimad-ud-daulah, as appanages to his office of Wazir, received the Government of Multan and the faujdarship of Muradabad. Day after day presentations continued. On the 26th came Abdus-samad Khan from Lahor with his son Zakariya Khan. Jafar Khan Nasiri sent his congratulations and presents from Bengal, through his representative at Court (wakil). Ghazi-ud-din Khan, who had retired again into private life, was sent for through Haidar Quli Khan; and Shapur Khan, brother of Sayyid Husain Ali Khan's assassin, was elevated to the high rank of 4000 (2000 horse), with other gifts. Among other nobles who were promoted or received new titles were Lutf-ullah Khan Panipati (lately arrived at Court from exile at his home), Haidar Quli Khan, Zafar Khan, and Nusrat Yar Khan Barha. [Kamwar 244, K. K. 935.]
v2.c14.s1.3
Few changes were made among the provincial governors. The chief were as follows: Muizz-ud-daulah Haidar Quli Khan Nasir Jang was posted to Ahmadabad; Kashmir was given to Zakariya Khan, son of Abdus-samad Khan; Muhammad Khan Bangash now received the reward for his desertion of Abdullah Khan by appointment to the Government of Allahabad, and Saadat Khan faujdar of Biana, who had been party to the plot to assassinate Sayyid Husain Ali Khan, received the Government of Agra as his reward. [Ibid.]
Abolition of the Poll-Tax (Jaziya).
v2.c14.s1.t1.1
The jaziya or poll-tax had always been felt by the Hindus as an oppression; and at this time owing to the unsettled state of public affairs grain was very dear. The Hindu traders seeing their opportunity agreed on a remonstrance against the tax, and with one accord shut up their shops. Rajah Jai Singh Sawai then took the matter in hand and laid their case before the Emperor. He pointed out that the Hindus were the ancient inhabitants of the country, that His Majesty was Emperor of Hind, that men of both religions were equally loyal. Indeed it might be said that the Hindus were more so, as they depended upon the Emperor for protection from his fellow-religionists. When Abdullah Khan's rebellion had broken out, he, Jai Singh, had called on all the Hindus to pray for Mumammad Shah's success. If their prayers should be heard, he had bound himself to ask first of all for the abolition of the poll-tax. Rajah Girdhar Bahadur, governor of Oudh, added his entreaties, reminding the Emperor how his uncle Chabela Ram had obtained the same favour from the late Farrukh-siyar after his triumph over Jahandar Shah. Yielding to these appeals, the Emperor abolished the poll-tax permanently, although it is said to have yielded four krors of Rupees from the whole of the kingdom. After an abortive attempt at its revival made by Nizam-ul-mulk in 1723 and a merely nominal re-institution in Rajab 1137 (March—April 1725) which was never carried out, we hear nothing more of the levy in India of this oppressive tax. [Shiu Das 64b; K. K. 936, 948; Warid 6, 7.]