History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v1.c12.62

v1.c12.62

Murshid Quli Khan[†] was a native of Khurasan who had migrated to India in the train of Ali Mardan Khan, the fugitive Persian governor of Qandahar. He "combined the valour of a soldier with the administrative capacity of a civil servant." As Paymaster of Aurangzib's army in Balkh he had displayed ability, and when Aurangzib came to the Deccan again, Murshid Quli accompanied him as *diwan* of Balaghat. The Emperor highly commended him to the Prince as his adviser in revenue matters. The Prince, too, valued him as highly, and soon afterwards secured for him the title of Khan or Lord. Three years later Painghat was added to his charge, and he became *diwan* of the entire Deccan (28th January, 1656). But it was in Balaghat that he began his revenue reforms and first achieved success for his new system.