New History of the Marathas v2.c24.34

v2.c24.34

On hearing of Aurangzeb’s death his second surviving son Azam Shah hastily returned to Ahmadnagar and performed the funeral rites. Next, on 5th March, he proclaimed himself Emperor and at once started with all his father’s camp for the north, to put down his elder brother Shah Alam who was coming from Lahore to contest the throne. Shahu had no choice but to accompany Azam Shah. His mother and party numbered about two hundred. He had long formed a friendship with the generalissimo Zulfiqar Khan who looked upon the Mughal Deccan as his future charge. After reaching Burhanpur Zulfiqar Khan presented Shahu to Azam Shah, pleaded his cause and begged that he might be released and sent back as a contrivance for keeping the Marathas divided by a domestic feud. Several Rajput princes of the camp were friendly to Shahu and urged the same course upon Azam Shah’s attention. Azam Shah honoured Shahu with gifts and dresses, but put off the actual release for one reason or another. His attention was focussed on the contest he was going to have with his brother, and he little cared for the feelings of a harmless mendicant that Shahu appeared to him to be. Leaving Burhanpur on 13th March, Azam Shah crossed the Narmada at the end of April and reached Sironj on 4th May.