Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c38.s2.10

v3.c38.s2.10

So, the Emperor put a price on the succession to the post of Najaf Khan. Afrāsiyāb thoughtlessly promised him five lakhs and secured the appointment. The inevitable trouble came when he was called upon to keep his word. For the property and treasure accumulated by Najaf Khan a squabble immediately broke out among Afrāsiyāb Khan, Khadija Sultān (who later supported Shafi) and the Emperor. Shah Alam durst not apply the law of escheat to his deceased Mir Bakhshi's legacy, and he therefore asked instead for a heavy sum of first fruits from the new Mir Bakhshi as well as the surrender of the Crownlands to royal agents. Afrāsiyāb, while basking in Mirza Najaf's favour and enjoying in popular report the title of his adopted son, had managed his master's estates and treasury without ever being called to account. Najaf Khan had been too busy with war and Court management to look after his own private affairs; when he needed any money he used to take the amount from Afrāsiyāb without caring to inquire how much was left. Thus, at his death Afrāsiyāb was reported to have appropriated all his wealth amounting to thirty lakhs of Rupees, besides his horses, elephants &c.