Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c6.s6.28

v1.c6.s6.28

His former patron and later persecutor outlived him only twenty months. Amir Khān had never been remarkable for wisdom or self-control, and now unlimited sway over the Emperor's counsels without the public responsibility of any official duty completely turned his head. During the recent campaign against Ali Muhammad Ruhela there was a widespread public expectation that he would soon replace Qamruddin as wazir. In his insane pride, he acted as if he had already become his master's master and a king-making wazir like Sayyid Husain Ali. He began to press his advice and demands upon the Emperor with disrespectful vehemence and to treat the other nobles with contempt as no better than the rabble. Even personal friends and favourites of Muhammad Shāh, like Ishaq Khān II and his brothers, suffered public scorn at his hands. The worm turned at last. One day Muhammad Shāh’s devoted head eunuch Roz Afzun Khān (the Superintendent of the Palace) ventured to protest against some act or word of Amir Khān as discourteous to their master; immediately there was a scene at Court, the timid Emperor quailed before the torrent of Amir Khān’s rage and threats and yielded to his demand that Roz Afzun should be dismissed and a creature of Amir Khān appointed in his place. This change would have made the Emperor the helpless slave of Amir Khān. So, at his instigation Roz Afzun Khān set an aggrieved servant of Amir Khān to stab him to death, on his way to the select Audience, near the lattice-door of the Diwān-i-ām (25 December, 1746.)