History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c64.s6.1

v4.c64.s6.1

Prince Muhammad Akbar, the fourth son of Aurangzib, had crowned himself Emperor (1st Jan. 1681), issued a manifesto deposing his father, and advanced on Ajmir to defeat and capture him; but the pretender's army had melted away and he had been driven to take to flight from the neighbourhood of Ajmir (16th January),—as we have seen in Chapter 37. After being long pursued by his father's forces through Rajputana, Akbar at last crossed the Narmada near Akbarpur (9th May) under the guidance of the faithful Durgadas Rathor and made his way to Maharashtra. Two days later he wrote to Shambhuji begging asylum with him, but being unable to wait for a reply he pushed on through Khandesh and Baglana, writing again to Shambhuji. About the third week of May, Khan-i-Jahan heard of the Prince's coming and set out at night from Aurangabad northwards, evidently in the direction of Burhanpur. On the way he learnt from a letter of the faujdar of Baglana that Akbar had taken the route to Nasik. The Khan immediately swerved to the west and marched to Nasik only to find out that Akbar had passed that town one day before him. The Prince entered Konkan by a pass near Trimbak. On crossing the Mughal frontier he was welcomed by several high officers of Shambhuji and conducted with honour to Pali (1st June.)*