Later Mughals v2.c14.s12: Sec. 37.—Nizam-Ul-Mulk Ceases to Struggle.
Later Mughals v2.c14.s12
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Sec. 37.—Nizam-Ul-Mulk Ceases to Struggle.
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After this digression let us return to the position of Nizam-ul-mulk as chief minister. During this time Qamar-ud-din Khan, although so nearly related to the minister, stood aloof ; partly, it is said, by reason of his excessive indulgence in drinking, which disabled him from taking any effective part in public business. The seven thousand Mughals under his command thus remained neutral. Public business was dealt with as if it were a child's toy ; "revenue business was disposed of by the heads of the army, and night watchmen decided cases instead of the Qazi." The Emperor was immersed in pleasure, the nobles drunk with envy, the servants of the State starving. The secret jealousy among the nobles round the Emperor sometimes showed itself openly. Muzaffar Khan, brother of Samsam-ud-daulah, was one of the Emperor's boon companions. Opposed to him and his brother were the bosom friends Burhan-ul-mulk Saadat Khan and Nawab Roshan-ud-daulah. Among Muzaffar Khan's officials was a Persian from Naishapur, the native place of Saadat Khan. This man's accounts fell into disorder and the money was not paid. One day in open audience Saadat Khan asked Muzaffar Khan to release the man on his security. Muzaffar Khan gave a sharp answer. Saadat Khan somewhat disconcerted persisted in his offer. The other man grew still hotter and placed his hand on the hilt of the sword of state then in his charge. Saadat Khan made as if to strike him on the head with the fan he was holding. Roshan-ud-daulah remonstrated, and the officials dragged them apart. Issuing from the hall Muzaffar Khan ordered his matchlockmen and gunners to make ready. Roshan-ud-daulah, however, with the Emperor's permission sent for ten thousand Afghans in his employ and prevented the outbreak. Next morning Samsam-ud-daulah made complaint to Muhammad Shah and declared his intention of attacking Burhan-ul-mulk. He made many boasts of what he would do to Roshan-ud-daulah, and that before a hair of Burhan-ul-mulk's head was touched they would need to kill him and fifty thousand Afghans. As Samsam-ud-daulah persisted, Muhammad Bangash at the request of Roshan-ud-daulah joined the latter's troops and artillery. Qamar-ud-din Khan then intervened and advised Samsam-ud-daulah to desist. But the two disputants were sent away from Court for a time, Saadat Khan to Oudh and Muzaffar Khan to Ajmer. By the beginning of 1136 H. (October 1723) matters seemed to have reached a crisis, and as an open sign of his discontent the Wazir ceased to appear at Court. He sent in his resignation; but being prudent and slow in coming to decisive action, he took no further steps, though he had already, it was believed, formed the project of returning to the Dakhin. Each side thought this solution would be of favourable result to its interests. The Emperor's friends thought that, if Nizam-ul-mulk were conciliated and allowed to leave the Court, they could easily destroy him. On the other hand Nizam-ul-mulk, who had been sounded as to relinquishing the Dakhin in favour nominally of the infant Prince lately born, felt that his position there could not be long maintained unless he was present himself, although he could hardly tell the Emperor that he considered the Dakhin his own and it ought to be left with him, he having gained it by the strength of his own right arm. Messages were interchanged, a truce was entered into, and on the 31st October 1723 Nizam-ul-mulk reappeared at the imperial audience. [Siyar, i. 267; Ghulam Ali's Muqad, 45b-49a; Ahwal 184a-185b; Khush-hal 1042a.]
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A little more than a month after this apparent reconciliation, Nizam-ul-mulk made the pretext that in the cold season his health suffered from the climate of Dihli, and asked for leave to proceed on a hunting excursion to his jagirs in Sambhal and Muradabad. His audience of leave-taking was given on the 17th December 1723, and on the 22nd he crossed the Jamuna and encamped near the river bank. Here the Emperor paid him a visit, and he lingered in the vicinity in the hope of some terms being arranged through the good offices of the Rajah Gujar Mal Saksena, diwan of the Khalsa. [Kamwar 267, K. K. 949, Ghulam Ali 49a, Khush-hal 1043a, Ahwal 184a.]
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There was still a chance that Muhammad Shah might be induced to alter his tactics, and he was approached in the interests of Nizam-ul-mulk by one of the eunuchs, Khoja Munis. Rajah Gujar Mal also urged the same views upon the Emperor, and seemed likely to succeed. These hopes were dashed to the ground by the sudden death of the Rajah on the 26th December 1723. He had prepared a written statement of the Wazir's demands and hoped to obtain on it the signature of the Emperor. The chief proposition was that the rule of farming out the taxes, introduced in Farrukh-siyar's reign by the "baniya" that is, Ratan Chand, should be entirely abolished. As he was reading out his paper to the Emperor in the audience-hall, he was suddenly seized with a fit. Qamar-ud-din Khan threw the shawl from his own shoulders over him, he was carried to his palki and taken home. He died as soon as he reached his house. When Nizam-ul-mulk heard of this event, after some words of praise of the deceased, he gave up all further thought of negotiations and started on his journey to Muradabad. His eldest son Ghazi-ud-din Khan was made deputy-Wazir on the 6th January 1724. [Khush-hal 1043a.]
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On the 12th Feb. Nizam-ul-mulk was reported to be at Anupshahar with the intention of marching to Agra. The pretext of his being still a friend of the Court was kept up by the despatch of presents to him through his agent at Dihli on the 18th Feb., and he sent to Court many lengthy petitions to the effect that he would return straight to Dihli from Agra. Then he submitted a report that as the Mahrattas had invaded Malwa and Gujarat, provinces under his and his son's charge, he must march southwards to expel them. He was then at Soron on the Ganges, whence passing through Jalesar and Agra by rapid marching he reached Narwar and then Ujjain in Malwa. It was not till his army had passed Dholpur, south of Agra, crossed the Chambal and gone on to Gwalior that the common soldiers knew their ultimate destination; but a few had suspected it from the first as the Wazir had adopted the precaution of bringing the whole of his family with him when he left Dihli. [Ahwal 185a.] Before his arrival at Ujjain the Mahrattas had recrossed the Narmada river. He then went into Dost Muhammad Khan's country and camped at Sihor near Sironj. But these pretences were soon abandoned, and Nizam-ul-mulk made all haste for the Dakhin. He arrived at Burhanpur in Khandesh during Ramzan (May-June) and at Aurangabad, the Dakhin capital, by the month of Zul Qada (July-August, 1724.) [Kamwar 268; K. K. 949-952; Burhan 169a; M. U. iii. 739.]