History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c62.s13: § 19. Dilir Khan is disgraced and recalled.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c62.s13
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§ 19. Dilir Khan is disgraced and recalled.
v4.c62.s13.1
Dilir Khan was utterly disgraced and his credit with the Emperor entirely gone. At last on 22nd or 23rd February he set out on his return journey, moving northwards along the east side of Bijapur, burning the villages on the route, seizing the population for ransom, and dismantling the outposts and redoubts he had built during his outward march. Crossing the Bhima near Dhulkhed, he re-entered the imperial territory, a general humbled, ruined and shorn of power and influence. (B.S. 512.)
v4.c62.s13.2
His officiating viceroyalty of the Deccan had ended in October 1678, when Shah Alam had arrived at Aurangabad to fill that office for the fourth time. The Prince continued in the Deccan till May, 1680. His supine administration was rendered more than usually barren of success by his constant opposition to his general, Dilir, and his only achievement was that he influenced the moribund Government of Bijapur (March 1680) to read the khutba and stamp coins in Aurangzib’s name. (M.A. 169, 192.)
v4.c62.s13.3
The Emperor was displeased at the failure of both his viceroy and general and issued an order (1 March), recalling them and appointing Khan-i-Jahan as subahdar of the Deccan for the second time. This general, on his return from his viceroyalty there (Oct. 1677) had fallen under the Emperor’s wrath and been deprived of his rank and title, and all his property had been confiscated to the State, on the ground of “tyranny in extorting tribute from the Deccan” and the suspicion of having falsely appropriated a portion of the money to himself. But on 23rd May 1678, he had been taken back into favour and restored to his former rank and title. (M.A. 168, 189; Dil. 156, 163; B.S. 452.)
v4.c62.s13.4
Khan-i-Jahan's second viceroyalty began at the end of May 1680 when he relieved Shah Alam at Aurangabad. (M.A. 193). That Prince and Dilir Khan hastened northwards to reinforce the Emperor in the war with the Rajputs which absorbed all the resources of the empire for the time being, so that Khan-i-Jahan could not look for any additional men or money till two years later, by which time Aurangib himself had arrived in the Deccan.
v4.c62.s13.5
CHAPTER XLIII