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HISTORY
OF THE
MOGUL DYNASTY
iif
FROM ITS FOUNDATION BY TAMERLANE, IN THE YEAR
1399,
TO THE
ACCESSION OF AURENGZEBE, IN THE YEAR 1657.
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OP
FATHER FRANCOIS CATROU,
Of the Society of Jesus ;
iFotmU^D on tj^e iW^emoit^ o! ^btgnor iWanoucj^t, a Venetian,
Forty-Eight Years Physician in the Service of the Imperial Family, at the Court of Delhi
and Agra.
ACCOMPANIED \^ITH
A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COURT AND HARAM. MILITARY
STRENGTH, RESOURCES, POLITY AND CHARACTER OF THE
MOGUL GOVERNMENT, AT THE EPOCH, WHEN THE GLORY
OF THIS DYNASTY WAS IN ITS ZENITH.
iJLontion :
PUBLISHED BY J. M. RICHARDSON, 23, CORNHILL^,
AND SOLD BY ALL BOOKSELLERS-
1826.
i
%.
• ♦
/M..
HENRY morse: STEPHEMS
ADDRESS
OF THE
TRANSLATOR.
THE volume^ published at the Hague in the year
1708, containing the history here offered to the public^
had many years been in the possession of the translator,
and under go7ie frequent perusal, before he began to
entertain the design of transfusing the contents into his
native language. Commenced^ at fist, as an amuse-
ment for the employment of his hours of leisure ; as
the translation progressed, and the interest of the
narrative developed itself he became impr^essed ivith
the idea, that an historical work, founded on such,
apparently, authentic and valuable materials, merited
to be introduced to the notice of the jmblic. Inde-
pendent of the great variety and interest of the
incidents ; a chief feature, and it may be said, excel-
lence of the narrative consists, in an animated and
faithfid delineation of the human character, as dis-
A
512240
vi TRANSLATOR'S ADDRESS.
played in the conduct and deportment of the prominent
actors, which are introduced throughout its pages.
The translator has endeavoured to render his
author strict justicCy hy a faithful adherence to the
genuine sense of his text ; and hy declining the
exercise of a discretion , which might Iwve led him,
either to engraft any foreign matter upon, or to abridge
the narrative. He has left it to his readers to make
the commeyits their good sense will suggest, upon
such passages, as may he ccdcidated to stagger their
confidence in the truth of the facts related, A
charge of credulity will, perhaps, in some 2^laces, be
thought to attach to the author ; or, at least, to those
persons, from whom he has taken his incidents : but a
liberality may, nevertheless, be due, wheiever these
relations appear supported hy Protestant testimony,
though they should have proceeded from members of a
communion to 7vhich Protestants are opposed. The
fad, which possesses the most extraordiiiary character,
relates to an occurrence, reputed to have taken place in
the vicinity of LaJior, nearly at the close of the reign
of tlie Emperor Akebar. The translator felt an
inclination to omit altogether this passage, from its,
apparently, very extravagant nature ; hut a little re-
flexion induced him to abide by his first determination,
TRANSLATOR'S ADDRESS. , VU
namely, to give a faithful and ungarhlcd translation
of his authors history. The transactions^ in which
the missionaries of the Romish church sustain a con-
sjncuous part, he could not hut regard as worthy of
being preserved, on account of the interest they excite,
and the very singidar nature of the occurrences to
which they led j as well as their tendency to shew the
intercourse which subsisted, at that era, between the
great men of Indostan and Europeans, and the private
sentiments and Masses of the Mogid princes.
The rise and fall of states and dynasties, so fertile
in events of the most influential character, as operating
on the interests and passions of mankindy ivill ever
afford themes of the most impressive nature, and such
as are calculated to awaken ijuhlic curiosity ; it is pre-
sumed, that the history, which the translator now
submits to the public, will be found the very reverse of
tedious or dull; but, teeming with instructive, curious,
and entertaining matter, A relation so complete, of the
military, iDolitical, and domestic history of a dynasty
of sovereigns, ruling an empire of such vast extent, for
the space of three hundred years, is scarcely, perhaps,
to be found extant, apart from the sphere of European
history, A work so curious, and, it is jjresumed, ge-
nerally interesting, may, perhaps, be thought worthy
A 2
VIII TRANSLATOR'S ADDRESS.
tJie notice of that class of the public, particularly y^
which may he disposed (from the interest it takes in
Indian affairs, or a partiality for research and in-
formation upon the political history of India,) to
encourage the exertions of the humble translator, to
contribute to the histoiical notices, which have been
attempted to be furnished to the public, upon the topics
of Indian government and policy.
The translator, without pledging himself to a con-
tinuation of the History of the Mogul Dynasty in
India y to its later period ; a dynasty^ which is gene-
rally understood to have attained its zenith in the
reign of Aurengzebe (with whose accession to the
empire this volume closes), and to have gradually
declined in power and celebrity foin that epoch (con-
tingent as such an undertaking must necessarily be, on
finding the requisite materials), presumes, nevertheless,
to say, that should the present volume meet with a
favourable reception, he shall feel encouraged to ascer-
tain how far the attempt may be practicable.
THE
AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
IF my good fortune had not enabled me to overcome
all the difficulties of the undertaking, the idea of giving to
the Public a General History of the Mogul Empire, never
would have once entered my imagination. The necessity
of making researches for materials in so distant a climatC;,
for the purpose of obtaining an acquaintance with the
history of the race of sovereigns which governs at the
present day in Indostan, would have deterred me from the
design. It was impossible^ besides, to have avoided
reflecting, how little the people of Europe feel interested
in the lives of princes, whose rule is unconnected with our
politics. Moreover, the lives of many eminent persons,
illuminating our own sphere, remain enveloped in obscurity,
from the neglect of records, or the want of curiosity in the
. Public. By a strange perversion of the imagination, or
from a false pride, we affect to class, as barbarous, those
nations, whose education differs from our own; how, then,
could I think it meet to travel to the Indies in search of
JC AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
heroes, and men of note? So many prejudices, and so>
many discouragements, would have made me abjure a work,
which I have just happily completed ; or, rather, the idea
of attempting it would never have suggested itself to me.
Chance, then, has embarked me in an undertaking,
which I should never have embraced through choice or
inclination. A 'person, of well known integrity, who has
exercised in the Indies the first employments in our
Colonies, placed in my hands a Portuguese Manuscript,,
the work of M. Manouchi, a Venetian. T read it over, at
first, with that common curiosity with which we are accus-
tomed to peruse the adventures of the traveller; but I
found that it contained something more than a narrative of
mere journeyings. It seemed to me, that something better
than a simple description of a strange country might be
extracted from the Manuscript. I found that the Chro-
nicles of the Mogul Empire had been communicated to
M. Manouchi; that he had caused them to be translated
into the Portuguese Tongue ; and that they were inserted
in the work which I held in my hands.
On contemplating so valuablf* a document, my reflexions
ultimately determined me to found a work on the memoir
I had before me. I considered, that a General History of
a Great Empire, from its foundation, was a work which
would be valued by Men of Letters ; that the History of
the Mogul Dynasty was wanting to universal history ; that
some traits of it had appeared in all the languages of
Europe, and had been greeted with the public approbation ;
author's preface. xi
that after all, the diversity which is perceivable between
the manners of the Orientals and our own might awaken
the curiosity of the Public ; that the heroes of Asia would
have their attractions, if pourtrayed in their natural
colours ; and that the taste of the Public might be gratified
by a change in the costume of heroes, who had hitherto
been offered to them after the European fashion only, and
prejudices ; that the history of a distant country is as
susceptible of ornament as that of our own ; that it has
beauties which are peculiarly and properly its own ; that
the human passions, which are the soul of great events, are
the same in Asia as in Europe ; that the people of France
might acquire instruction from the example of Indian
virtues, as did formerly the people of Greece from the
models of genuine integrity and true generosity furnished
them by the Scythians ; lastly, that the example of Pad-
mani would not be a less impressive lesson of conjugal
fidelity, than was to the Athenians, the constancy of the
heroes of Toxaris, of the most exalted friendship.
I had no reason, besides, to doubt the existence, in the
archives of the Mogul Empire, of an exact Chronicle, in
which the principal events were narrated at length. It is
from memoirs drawn from the Chronicle, that Jean Laet
has composed his notice of the Mogul States. He speaks
of it in the following terms : — Nosfragmentum eBelgico,
quodgeniiino illiiis RegniChronico, expressum credimus,
libere vertimus,
I had, moreover, the most convincing evidence attain-
xii AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
able in such matters, of the veracity of the Mogul Chro-
nicle, of which I possessed a translation in the Portuguese
Tongue. M. Manouchi assures us that he has caused it to
be translated, with great care, from the originals, lodged in
the palace, written in the Persian language. The Venetian
does not appear to have been sparing of expense, that he
might be enabled to transmit to Europe exact documents
of the empire in which he resides. He has procured
portraits to be painted, at a great charge, by the artists
of the haram, of the Emperors and the eminent men of the
Mogul Empire. The fear of rendering a first edition too
costly has prevented my furnishing the Public with
impressions.
The Author of the Manuscript is not one of those
traders of Europe, obliged, by his commercial interests, to
undertake a rapid progress through particular districts^ or
to take up his residence in the sea ports of Indostan, at a
distance from the capital. M. Manouchi is a physician,
whose profession has for a long time attached him to the
service of the Emperors. Having resided at the court
forty years, and from the nature of his employment been
admitted, with a familiarity denied to others, into the
recesses of the haram, it can by no means be considered
as extraordinary, that he should have procured valuable
memoirs, and been introduced to an acquaintance with the
genuine Chronicle of the Empire. In comparing this docu-
ment with the European writers, who have treated of the
Mogul Empire, I have been the more convinced of its
AUTHOR'S PREFACE. Xlll
authenticity, from having found that the best informed
speak conformably to his Chronicle.
A better account than M. Manouchi's, of the two last
reignS;, it is evident cannot be expected. He came to the
Indies in the reign of Cha- Jaham, and attached himself to
the person and fortunes of Dara^ the eldest son of the
Emperor. He was present at all the battles fought by
• this young sultan, Avhich terminated in the destruction of
his hopes of empire, and finally in the death of that unfortu-
nate prince. If he is found at variance, at times, with that
judicious writer. Monsieur Bernier, who has given us a
history of the revolution which placed Aurengzebe on the
throne, it is because the Venetian has written his account
subsequent to that of the Frenchman, and has had an
opportunity of verifying on the spot certain events, which
M. Bernier has advanced on the faith of popular belief.
I have experienced another advantage, in taking M.
Manouchi for my guide. Notwithstanding his having
written in that dialect of the Portuguese Tongue, which is
spoken in the Indies, and which is not the most pure ;
although he often blends with it Italian phraseology, and
French turns of expression; in the stile of his narrative
there is an indescribable fire and elevation of the imagi-
nation, which sustains and aids an historian who has to
labour on the materials of his furnishing. It is true, that
I have not always rigidly followed him. I have not unfre-
quently assumed a privilege, which is not unjustifiable.
xiv AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
when our discretion is to be exercised upon the memoirs of
others. I have even collected from other quarters materials
in aid of the brevity of the Chronicle. Sometimes it
is a French or an English writer, sometimes an Italian, but
more frequently they are Portuguese or Dutch writers,
whom I have consulted. I have not entirely neglected the
writings of travellers, but I have made a cautious use of
their assistance. However, after glancing at the pro-
ductions of others, I have always returned to the Chronicle,
as the basis and support of this history. I would even
make no difficulty of attributing the entire work to M.
Manouchi, and of inscribing it with his name only, if I
could be persuaded of his entire approbation of that acces-
sary matter, which I have taken from other writers, and
have engrafted upon his manuscript.
The Oriental Library of Mons. D'Herbelot has been
of great assistance to me, in explaining and amplifying
whatever the brevity of the Chronicle had left obscure.
Maffei, Tossi, Texeira, Pietro Delia Valle, Thomas Rhoe,
Jean de Laet, Messieurs. Bernier and Tavernier, are the
principal sources whence I have drawn the matter, in wliich
the Chronicle appeared to me to be defective. I have con-
sulted in Paris with persons of ability, who have long
resided in the Mogul States. Another, Mons. Landes,
(not the person of that name from whom I received the
Portuguese Manuscript) who has had a considerable share
in the work of Mons. Tavernier, has had the kindness to
AUTHOR'S PREFACE. XV
communicate to me the results of his experience and
acquaintance with the Empire^, the history of which I have
written^ and in which he long resided.
The treasure, which M. Manouchi has transmitted us
from the Indies, is not entirely exhausted. His Manuscript
contains, besides, independently of the relation of his own
adventures, almost a complete history of the reigning
Emperor. In the volume which I give to the Public, I
have been content with placing Aurengzebe upon the
throne. Nevertheless, I have entitled the work, ^' A
General History of the Mogul Empire." May it not be
allowed, that the history of a nation is complete, when it
has been carried to the epoch of the accession of the reign-
ing sovereign. Should this Work find favor with the
Public, I shall continue the life of Aurengzebe, of which I
have the memoirs in a prepared state. The Public will,
probably, be gratified, in having presented to their view the
oldest sovereign in the world, with the most refined policy,
reforming and extending an empire, to the throne of which
he attained by the instrumentality of intrigue and dissi-
mulation.
If I should be accused of having furnished a simple
Abridgment of the Life and Conquests of the First Founder
of the Mogul Empire, my reason for taking this course, is,
that I might avoid giving to the Public a repetition of what
has been already written. Tamerlane is almost as well
known in France, as our heroes of Europe. I have, there-
fore, in tracing his history, entered into a detail only of the
XVI AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
events of the life of this conqueror which are found in no
other place than in the Mogul Chronicle. I have confined
myself to a description of the exploits of Tamerlane in the
Indies, and the species of rule, which he established in
that country, after his conquests. This is a point of
history which had never been hitherto communicated, and
which has the strongest bearing on the subject of which I
had to treat. It will afford me pleasure, should the curiosity,
which is commonly inspired by the history of foreign
empires, occasion the one that I now introduce to the
Public, to be sought after as the agreeable occupation of a
leisure hour ; and have the effect of causing those pernicious
books, the reading of which has a tendency to corrupt the
heart, to be thrown aside.
CONTENTS
TAMERLANE,
FIRST EMPEROR.
PAOE.
His Birth 1
Is chosen King of the Shepherds 3
Makes War upon his neighbours 5
Seizes upon the Throne of Samarcand , 7
Tamerlane compared with Alexander 7
His first expedition to India ► 9
His Conquests in Persia.,. 9
His Conquest of Indostan 11
Establishment of the Mogul Empire 14
Defeat of Bajazet 16
Death of Tamerlane 19
MIRACHA,
SECOND EMPEROR.
Succeeds his Father in a part of his Dominions 20
Establishes the Seat of his Empire at Herat 20
Maintains the Sovereignty of his Father in Indostan .' 21
Is slain by the King of Caschar 22
ABOUCHAID,
THIRD EMPEROR.
The beginning of his Reign 23
Is driven from his Throne 23
The Throne occupied by his Brother 24
Recovers his Crown 24
Makes amends by his Valour for his former Indolence 25
• • «
XVllI CONTENTS.
M PAGE.
Enters India with an Army to exact the Tributes imposed by Ta-
merlane 20
Takes possession of Saraarcand 30
Defeats the young Ibrahim 31
Distributes his Dominions among liis Children 33
Is defeated and beheaded bv Usum Cassam 36
S E C-0 M O R,
FOUKTH EMPEROR.
His peaceable Character 39
Reigns at Samarcand 39
His Death 40
B A B A R,
FIFTH EMPEROR.
Is driven from Samarcand by an Usbec Prince 42
Retires to Cabul 43
Resolves to establish himself in the Indies 45
Disguises himself to acquire a knowledge of the manners of the
Indians 45
Makes War upon an Indian King, and defeats him 52
Establishes Laws in Indostan, after having subjected it 54
Dies 58
AMAYUM,
SIXTH EMPEROR.
Is dethroned by a Patan Prince 60
Retires to Persia 61
Returns to India, and re-establishes himself upon the Throne 66
His Death 70
AKEBAR,
SEVENTH EMPEROR.
His birth in Persia 70
Establishes himself firmly upon the Throne , • 3
CONTENTS. XiX
,^ PAGE.
Adds the Kingdom of Guzurat to his Empire 75
Undertakes the Conquest of the Kingdom of the Decan 77
Builds the City of Agra 82
Besieges Chitor, in order to carry off the Princess Padmaiii 85
Punishes his Son Jehan Guir for his revolt 99
Causes some Jesuit Missionaries to arrive at his Coui t 104
Becomes the founder of a new Religion 119
The Missionaries leave him 121
Recalls them 121
Loses his second Son 132
His Death 131
JEHAN GUIR,
EIGHTH EMPEROR.
His partiality for the Christian Religion ] 37
His debauchery 138
Marries Nur-Mahal 113
The inlluence of the Sultaness over her Husband 145
She causes her daughter to marry into the Imperial Family 148
Mahobet-Cham makes himself Master of the Person of the Emperor 151
The eldest Son of Jehan Guir is strangled in Prison 157
The Emperor's familiar manners with his People 158
Revolt of his third Son 163
Defeat of his Son 164
Peace being established, resigns himself to the enjoyment of repose 178
Dies 178
CHA-JAHAM,
NINTH EMPEROR.
Seats himself upon the Throne by Intrigue 179
Condition of the Empire at his Accession 182
Makes War upon the Portuguese 185
Builds a new City 187
His love of justice, and able administration of it 192
Becomes addicted to avarice 196
Sends three of his Sons in quality of Viceroy into the Provinces 202
Character of the Princes and Princesses his Children 197
Confides to Prince Dara the exercise of his Authority 202
XX CONTENTS.
PAUl;,
Aurengzebe, his third Son, governs with wisdom the Kingdom of the
Decan 204
The enterprise of Aurengzebe against the Kingdom of Golconda 207
€ha-Jaham Is attacked with a Malady 212
The second of his Sons takes up arms, to secure to himself possession
of the Empire 212
Defeat of his Son Cha-Chuia 215
Aurengzebe and Moradbax, the two younger Sons of Cha-Jaham,
confederate in order to get possession of the Throne . . . . 21G
Cha-Jaham proposes to advance in person to encounter the two Rebel
Princes 223
Sends an Army, which is defeated upon the banks of the River Ugen 224
Dara takes the Field, to give battle to his two Brothers 229
Defeat of Dara 233
Cha-Jaham is kept in Captivity by his two rebellious Sons 246
Aurengzebe and Moradbax divide between them the Revenues of the
Empire 248
Aurengzebe causes himself to be proclaimed Emperor 264
Causes his elder Brother to be beheaded 269
Obliges the second of his brothers to seek an Asylum in the Kingdom
of Arracan 272
Puts to death the youngest of his Brothers, and reigns in tranquillity
in the place of his Father 275
ERRATA.
Page 53, last line, for he established court, read established his court.
134, line 25, yor supported, >vrt(/ surmounted.
229, line 11, for where, read were.
— - 251, line 30, for made a profession, read made profession.
> I »
■> ■) 1 1 » > ,
HISTORY OF THE
MOGUL DYNASTY
IN INDIA.
TAMERLANE,
FIRST EMPEROR.
His Birth. Is chosen King of the Shepherds. Makes War upon his Neigh'
hours. Seizes upon the Throne of Samarcand. Tamerlane compared with
Alexander. His first Expedition to India. His Conquests in Persia.
His Conquest of Indostan. Establishment of the Mogul Empire. Defeat
of Bajazet. Death of Tamerlane.
A. COMPLETE relation of the life and exploits of this prince,
born in a country which was the ultima Thule of the con-
quests of Alexander ; of a prince who made the ebbing tide of
victory to return nearly to the very land whence Alexander had
entered upon his career, would require a volume of unusual
dimensions. Tamerlank, or Timnrlenk, is a name com-
pounded of two Tartar words. Timur signifies iron. This
hero was thus called from living constantly amidst the din
of arms. Lenk means halting, and this prince was born
with a defect in one of his legs. The place of his nativity
was Casch, a town in a province of Tartary, known to
Europeans as Transoxiana, on account of its situation on
the other side of the river Oxus, but called at the present
day, Abiamu, by the Orientals. The Chronicle has signa-
lised the birth of this conqueror, by a fable to be found no
where but in its own records, and which is worthy of a
B
■; !i •'■.".[ ' HISTORY OP THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
place among those tales only, with which the Asiatics never
fail to embellish the origin of their princes.
The mother of Tamerlane, before her marriage, ap-
peared suddenly pregnant. The father of the young prin-
cess took an alarm ; he broke out into invectives against
his daughter, and was on the point of avenging the dishonor
done to his family, by shedding the blood of his guilty
child, when the young princess, throwing herself at the
feet of her father, discovered to him the origin of an event,
which had caused even her own astonishment. A sunbeam
pierced through a cleft, which had been left in one of the
windows of her apartment, and winding itself around her,
seemed to clothe her as it were with a garment of light,
and affectionately to caress her. " Such," said the princess
to her father, " is the origin alone of that event, which has
so justly exasperated you." The father was convinced,
upon inspection, of the truth of so extraordinary a circum-
stance, and conjectured that a son who was indebted to the
earth's great luminary for his birth, would surpass all his
ancestors in glory.
It is probable, that a story so little worthy of belief,
and which seems to have been transplanted from the mother
of Gengiskan to the mother of Tiraur, had its origin in the
name borne by the father of Tamerlane. He was called
Targay, which signifies " the source of light," and was a
nobleman of distinguished reputation at the court of Hous-
sain, at that time sovereign of all Turquestan, and of the
province of Transoxiana, which was dependant upon it.
Tamerlane was related to the king, and was descended
from a Mogul stock. This word " Mogul," in its original
signification, is not the name of a country, or of an empire,
but of a family, which was almost always upon the throne
in the more southern regions of Tartary. From this family
Tamerlane derived his origin. In the person of Gengiskan,
TAMERLANE. 3
his ancestors had already given to Asia one of its most
celebrated captains. This illustrious Mogul subjected all
those extensive countries, which at the present day are
comprehended under the name of the Two Tartaries, and
having carried his arms victoriously into the heart of China,
established in that country an empire, which was inherited
by his posterity.
Houssain, one of the descendants of Gengiskan, reigned
over the Southern Tartars at the time of the birth of Tamer-
lane, which happened in the year 736 of the Hegira, an-
swering to the year 1335 of the Christian epoch. Though
a scion of the royal race of the Moguls, he was educated
at a distance from courts and cities, and agreeably to the
customs of his country, was employed in his youth in taking
care of his father's flocks. From his earliest years he gave
indications of an intrepid spirit ; and the ascendancy he
obtained over the young shepherds of the neighbourhood,
evinced that he was born for command. The children of
the vicinity deferred to him the superiority, and elected him
for their judge. In the contests which took place respecting
the right of pasturage, they addressed themselves to Tamer-
lane, and his decisions were certain of execution without
appeal. A camel, which had strayed from its companions,
was found in the pastures, which the young subjects of the
captain elect assumed as belonging to them by the award
of Tamerlane. Not being able to decide whether they
should keep it or send it back, they enquired of their oracle,
young Tamerlane, who thus adjudged the case. " If the
camel entered your pastures from a level country, it is in-
cumbent upon you to let him return to the herd from which
he strayed; but if he came from a hilly country, and it is
probable he may not be able to rejoin his companions with-
out being exposed to be devoured by wild beasts, it will be
proper to retain him." Thus the most extensive monarchy
B 2
4 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
ever known originated in the play of children. The young
shepherds grew up, and the influence acquired over them
by Tamerlane increased with the years of his subjects.
Some instances of sovereignty which he exercised ren-
dered him formidable to his followers. He was informed
that a wolf had carried off a sheep. Tamerlane gave di-
rections that the shepherd should be punished for his neg-
ligence. A little while afterwards, one of his subjects was
detected in stealing cattle : the young king had him impaled.
This act of justice revealed to the leader of the shepherds
the secret of his strength, and inspired him with the desire
of attempting conquests. The parents of the deceased
thought that Tamerlane had carried to an unjustifiable
extent the power delegated to him by the young shepherds,
and took arms against the judge and the ministers of his
cruelty. The inhabitants of two villages, or rather two
families, encamped in the neighbouring pasturages, united
to avenge a death, not indeed unmerited, but directed by
an authority they did not recognize. Tamerlane led to
the battle his young warriors, and by the discomfiture of
the two families, his followers served their first apprentice-
ship to victory. The report of the valour and ability of
Tamerlane soon rallied around him the boldest youths of
the country. They arrived in crowds to range themselves
in the number of his subjects, and they prided themselves
on maintaining towards him the same fidelity which would
be due to the most legitimate prince.
As the lands of his family were not sufficient for the
pasture of so many flocks, or for the extension of the liber-
ties of so many shepherds, it became necessary to acquire
new. Sultan Mahmoud was the nearest neighbour. They
decided to make him the first object of their attack, and
determined to carry the war into the heart of his country.
TAMERLANE. 5
and to surprise his capital, which served as a place of
retreat for all the younp^ shepherds of his province.
Young shepherds, without experience in war, led by a
chief of years equally immature, presented themselves
before the city, and were soon obliged to raise the siege.
The army of Tamerlane w as dissipated, and he was obliged
to return begging his way, on foot, and without attendants.
In passing a village he endeavoured to procure a supply of
food. An old woman, who knew him, received him into
her cottage, and served to the prince of the shepherds some
hot rice, in rather a narrow dish. Tamerlane, pressed
with hunger, took the rice from the centre of the dish, and
eating with too great precipitation, burnt his mouth. The
old woman, laughing, addressed him thus : " Be advised,
my lord, from this accident to begin with the sides rather
than in the centre ; and that we expose ourselves to danger
and misfortune, by carrying war with too great eagerness
into the heart of a country, without having first possessed
ourselves of the extremities."
This was a lesson never forgotten by Tamerlane, and
which he constantly practised in all his subsequent expedi-
tions. He never left any thing behind which might incom-
mode him in his march, distress his retreat, or embarrass
him in his conquests. This check, almost the only one he
ever experienced, did not discourage him. His dispersed
adherents, who had escaped by different routes, again
rallied around him. They continued the same devotedness
to their chief, and he affected in his misfortune a greater
deg;r€e of haughtiness, and more severity, than prior to his
disgrace. The usurpation of Tamerlane extended itself by
degrees over the neighbouring lands ; and the king of the
shepherds, by constantly gaining ground, at last found him-
self sufficiently near the scene of his former failure, to justify
a second attempt. Tamerlane made himself master of the
6 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
city, and by its capture beheld himself in a condition to
spread the terror of his arms to a distance.
The audacity of the shepherds, and of their chief, created
alarm at the court of Houssain, who claimed the supremacy
of the Canton of the Tartars, in which Tamerlane had
usurped a species of sovereignty. Houssain deemed it
requisite to put a stop, by force of arms, to the progress of
the young conqueror. The defeat of Mahmoud had justly
rendered Tamerlane an object of jealousy. Houssain was
persuaded, that with a small number of disciplined and
experienced troops, he might easily defeat a handful of raw
young shepherds, without experience in war. Never did
two armies engage upon more unequal terms, as regarded
the quality of their arms. The troops of the king, clothed
in resplendent steel, were armed with the bow and the
cimetar. Although the Tartars were at this time familiar
with the use of fire-arms, the musquet appears not to have
been yet applied to the purposes of war, but to have been
used only for field sports. On the side of Tamerlane were
displayed only long pikes, and a kind of javelin, used by
the Tartarian shepherds in defending their flocks. But,
on the other hand, his subjects were all in the flower of their
age, in that season of youth, which possesses a vigour
capable of maintaining a lengthened action without any
sense of fatigue, and a fervour of courage, which rushes
into danger unapprehensive of consequences. Their attach-
ment besides to a chief chosen for their leader from his
very infancy, and the confidence inspired by his late victory,
increased their boldness. The native sagacity of Tamerlane,
who seemed a warrior by inspiration, supplied the want of
experience. The battle was fought; the squadrons of
young shepherds, bristling with long pointed pikes, were
impenetrable. Tamerlane, who fought at the head of his
TAMERLANE. 7
followers^ performed prodigies of valour. Finally, Hous-
sain lost both his life and his crown.
From this time Tamerlane became sensible that with
the cavalry he had formed, it would be easy to subdue all
Asia. The shepherds, his subjects, had selected from their
studs the most active of their horses, trained them to war,
and used them, while yet young, to exercise in squadrons.
Their skill as horsemen, and the habit of attending to the
cure of their horses when diseased, was in the sequel of
great service to these new conquerors, in the strange
regions whither they carried their arms.
Tamerlane, in consequence of his victory, entered
Samarcand without resistance. The capital of the kingdom
of Houssain opened its gates, and a prince of the Mogul
stock was beheld, without regret, on a throne, which had
been filled by his ancestors. Tamerlane estabUshed in this
city the seat of the vast empire, which he acquired by his
victories, and preserved by his wisdom. Samarcand be-
came the depot of all the wealth of Asia ; of the spoils of
Indostan, Persia, Syria, and Egypt ; countries which the
conqueror either ravaged, or brought into subjection.
The capture of Samarcand may be regarded as the
commencement of the reign of Tamerlane. It happened,
according to the Chronicle, in the year 771 of the Hegira,
and of the Christian era 1370, when Tamerlane was thirty-
five years of age. Certain it is, that the Tartarian con-
queror commenced his career of victory at an age when
Alexander had brought his to a close ; but, the Macedonian
monarch possessed advantages from birth to which the
other was a stranger. Alexander was born heir to a king-
dom ; Tamerlane acquired one by his ability. The first
inherited, the other gave himself subjects. The Macedonian
found disciplined phalanxes prepared for service, the Tartar
formed himself to discipline his squadrons. The homage
8 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
and attachment of his subjects were the consequence of
legitimate succession in the one ; in the other, of a superior
mind, and that ascendancy over other men, which is the
gift of nature alone. Without the advantage of having had
an Aristotle for his preceptor, Tamerlane had all the virtues
without the vices of Alexander. He was temperate, chaste,
moderate, attached to the duties of his religion ; and, not-
withstanding the assertions of one of his enemies, who has
written his history, not too cruel for a conqueror.
The new king, continuing to pursue the plan of conquest
which he had traced out, began by subjecting the people in
the vicinity of Samarcand. The enterprising chiefs, who
have at different times quitted the frozen regions of the
north with their followers, have commonly effected an esta-
blishment in the more wealthy and inviting climates of the
Souw. It was therefore on the side of the Indies that the
torrent first poured its overwhelming tide. Tamerlane
found, on the banks of the Indies, a people of a very dif*
ferent faith from his own. The Tartars, of his time, were
in general disciples of Mahomet. He followed himself the
religion of Gengiskan, which had been preserved in the
family of the Moguls. He adored the eternal God, invi-
sible, infinite, and almighty, without distinction of nature
or persons, one only in unity. He observed the law of
nature, contained in eight precepts, which are nearly the
same with those of the Decalogue. He contemned the
reveries of the Alcoran, and was equally the enemy of idola-
ters and of Mussulmen. To the law of Jesus Christ he had
no aversion. The wife of Gengiskan is said to have pro-
fessed the Christian faith, and that she had inspired her
children with a respect for that religion. Thus, ambition,
and a zeal for the extermination of idolatry, engaged
Tamerlane to make war upon the Indian nations.
TAMERLANE, Q
Cabul, one of the most northern of the cities of India;,
situated between Persia, Tartary, and the river Indus^
gives its name to a kingdom called Cabulestan. The king
of this region, the most exposed to the incursions of
Tamerlane, experienced the entire shock of the firs't war^,
which this conquerer undertook against a foreign state.
Cabulestan was delivered up to pillage, was ravaged, and
made tributary to the Tartar. The circumstances which
suddenly diverted the storm, and caused it to fall upon
Persia are not known ; but it is certain that Tamerlane
without having passed the river Indus, transferred the
march of his victories, which had commenced their career
on the side of the east, to the west.
Different writers have described the progress of the
Tartar Prince in his conquests of Persia and Syria, The
capture and destruction of Herat rendered him master of
Korasan. The kingdom of Georgia submitted to his
dominion, on the reduction of the city of Nichabour. The
conquest of Persia was a task of greater difficulty ; Tamer-
lane was two years occupied in accomplishing this enterprise.
At last, having made himself master of Shiraz, the Persians
offered no further resistance, and were brought into complete
subjection, as much through the influence of the conciliatory
policy of their conqueror, as by the strength of his arms.
Thence he directed his victorious progress towards those
distant northern regions, where the sun is seen for forty
successive days never to dip beneath the horizon. The
Imans, who followed the army, dispensed the soldiers on
this occasion from the duty of the evening prayer; as
between the rising and the setting of the sun, they remarked,
there was no longer any visible distinction.
In this expedition Tamerlane made himself master of
the two Tartaries ; but the attraction of the climate, and a
sedition which broke out in Persia, occasioned him quickly
10 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
to return to that country. Bagdat yet preserved some
semblance to the ancient Babylon. It was the capital of
a country^ of which Sultan Ben-Avis, himself a Mogul and
of the race of Gengiskan. had taken possession. Tamerlane
attacked him in his new acquisition^, drove him from Bagdat,
and compelled him to repass the Tigris, and to fly for
refuge to the Sultan of Egypt.
The Indies, the first country assailed by his arms, in
the meantime had been allowed to recover itself, and to
take measures to guard against the future attacks of its
ravager. The enslaved condition of the kingdom of Cabul,
gave all the nations which inhabited the country on the other
side the Indus just reason to apprehend a similar fate.
The Rajas who ruled these provinces, and had partitioned
among themselves the different states of this rich country,
had made great preparations to withstand the conqueror
if he should again direct his enterprises on the side of
India. Their fears were not without just grounds, nor
were their preparations void of utility. The revolt of Cabul
recalled from Syria the Tartar army, and diverted the whole
strength of the conqueror to the side of Indostan, who
availed himself of the opportunity now afforded him, to
complete the subjection of a country, in which his posterity
still reign, and where by the establishment of the Mogul
Empire, the name of his family will be perpetuated.
The return of Tamerlane to India is noted in the Chro-
nicle for the year 800 of the Hegira, or 1399 of the Christian
era. Tamerlane was then sixty-four years of age. It is
this epoch to which the origin of the Empire, whose history
is about to be recorded, ought to be ascribed.
The destruction of Cabul only served as a means of
enabling Tamerlane to penetrate to the centre of those
beautiful regions, still known as Indostan, but which are
gradually losing that distinctive appellation, and will pro-
TAMERLANE. 11
bably be known in a short time no longer under any other
than that of Mogulstan, or the States of the Mogul. These
regions, situated between the Indus and the Ganges, are
watered by an infinite number of rivers and canals, which
nature or art have formed for the transport of the immense
riches collected on their bosom.
The Indus on their western side, flows from north to
south, and discharges itself into the Indian Ocean. The
Ganges having its source from the north in nearly as high
a latitude as the Indus, enters the Gulph of Bengal on the
south. All the country included between these two rivers was
subdued by Tamerlane. This hero found in India a braver
and more obstinate resistance than in all the rest of Asia.
A new Porus obliged the new Alexander to encounter in the
same regions dangers worthy of his great mind. Rana was
an idolatrous Prince, whose country was situated nearly
in the centre of Indostan. Tamerlane addressed to him
one of those menacing letters, an expedient, by which he
had often succeeded in effecting the submission of kingdoms
and provinces, without being obliged to have recourse to
the shedding of blood. He threatened him with his vengeance
unless he acknowledged himself his tributary and his vassal.
The young prince treated the threats of the Tartar with
contempt, and replied only by marching to attack him at
the head of a formidable army. This army was more
numerous than that of Tamerlane, the troops of Rana being
entirely composed of those Rajepoot soldiers who are
esteemed in India as almost invincible.
All Indostan seemed to have taken arms to combat with
Tamerlane. The cavalry in the army of Rana was computed
to number more than one hundred thousand horsemen. Ta-
merlane at the utmost had only twelve thousand horse, but
the Tartars whom he led to the fight were experienced troops,
and the confidence they reposed in their chief, joined to their
12 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
familiarity witli victory, elevated their liopes. When the two
armies came in sight, the principal Tartar chiefs, alarmed
at the multitude of their enemies, began to think of retiring.
Have we not already, they said to one another, served long
enough this rash cripple, to whom the late combat has
added to his lameness the privation of a hand. Is Tamerlane
not satisfied that our bodies should be starred and mutilated
like his own ; does he also desire that we should sacrifice
our lives in a climate so opposite to that of our native
regions ; a climate in which the intolerable heat will destroy
all who may escape the poisoned arrows of the Indians.
Language so seditious repeated through all the ranks
of the army, had made the Tartars resolve to abandon
India, and leave Rana in unmolested possession of his
power and independence, Tamerlane, during these tumul-
tuary proceedings, was reposing in his tent, undisturbed
by any fears, confiding in the valour and experience of
his soldiers, and not at all alarmed at the multitude of
his enemies ; when he was apprised of the design enter-
tained by his troops of renouncing the enterprise of the
Indies. As he had not been used to appease seditions, and
perhaps doubted himself of his ability to succeed in a
conflict against an innumerable host, supported only by a
small number of intimidated soldiers, he thought only of
retreating. The tents were already furled, and the baggage
had began to move, when a muleteer of the army presented
himself to the king, and prostrating himself before him,
thus addressed him — " Wj have beheld you, my lord,
hitherto victorious over all the kings who entered the lists
against you, and give laws to Persia and to Syria. After
having subjected the country which gave you birth, you
have chosen, among the vanquished, the means of extending
your power over the rest of the universe — The Tartars
have hitherto been fearless of their enemies, having you for
TAAIEP.LANE. M
ilieir leader, and now the chief himself sanctions the
timidity of his soldiers. — Go on, continue to fly before a
tumultuary army of badly armed and undisciplined Indians.
You may peradventure escape with your life, but the
profit and the glory of the conquests which awaited you will
be lost for ever." These words, pronounced with an air of
enthusiasm, by a man employed in the meanest duties of the
army, seemed to have the character of inspiration. Each
regarded the other, and sought in the countenance of his
comrade a disavowal of their common fears. Tamerlane,
who perhaps had himself instructed the muleteer to play
his part in this scene, availed himself of the conjuncture to
restore confidence to his troops. — The order of battle was
formed, they presented themselves before the enemy, and
the following stratagem was made use of by Tamerlane,
that he might engage, with less danger, an army, whose
numbers threatened to invelope him on every side. He
placed in his rear a defile, where it v/as impossible to form
an extended front, and stationed some of his best troops at
the entrance. Feigning terror, as soon as the enemy com-
menced the assault, his Tartars took to flight. The cavalry,
with a swiftness of which the Tartarian horse alone are
capable, sheltered itself in the rear of a mountain, where it
lay concealed from the enemy. The Indians pursued the
fugitives at full speed, and passed the defile, where their
first squadrons experienced little resistance. As soon as
one half of their army had gained the plain, the enemy who
had fled turned about, and attacking the Indian cavalry,
whose horses were exhausted in the pursuit, with their
cimetars, made a most dreadful havoc of the foe. This
victory made Tamerlane master of Indostan. Rana was
obliged to accept peace upon the best terms he could obtain
from the conqueror. The Indian was compelled to pay
every year a heavy tribute. Tartar governors were placed
14 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
in the principal fortresses of Indostan, and especially at
Delhi, the metropolis of India, which then acknowledged
for its sovereign a Patan prince, in religion a Mahometan.
From this time, the Rajas adopted a policy, which they
have ever since maintained with unwearied consistency ;
never attacking their adversaries, but contented with acting
on the defensive, they defend their possessions with obstinate
perseverance against the encroachments of the Mahometans.
Tamerlane returned victorious to Samarcand, laden with
the spoils of India, having laid the foundation of an empire,
which of all his conquests, has alone remained subject to
his posterity.
The remainder of the exploits of Tamerlane have no
further connexion with this history, than as they may serve
to exhibit a true picture of thefounder of the Mogul dynasty.
Ambition would not allow the conqueror to enjoy in repose
the fruit of his enterprise. At an age when the decay of bodily
vigour ordinarily entails a relaxation of the energies of the
mind, Tamerlane went forth from Samarcand in all the
strength and vivacity of youth. Sultan Ben-avis was the
first victim of his resentment. This Mogul, whom Tamer-
lane had formerly vanquished and driven from Bagdat, had
been able to re-establish himself in his dominions, by the
assistance he had received from Egypt. He even extended
his incursions into Persian Irae, the government of which
Tamerlane had conferred on his son Miracha. This was
provocation sufficient to make the conqueror resolve on
exacting reparation from a prince whom he had formerly
vanquished. Sultan Ben-Avis was driven from Persia, and
obliged to take refuge in Natolia, at the court of Bajazet.
Tamerlane, after making himself master of Damascus, took
and pillaged Bagdat. On every side he spread terror,
wherever he appeared nations submitted to him. The
Sultan of Egypt himself, who had been the first to protect
TAMERLANE. 15
Ben-Avis, respected the power of Tamerlane, and com-
manded prayers to be put up for this conqueror in all the
mosques of Egypt.
Bajazet alone had not as yet experienced the valour of
the Tartar, and seemed to defy him. He had even dared to
commit spoil on some princes of Caramania who were
allies of Tamerlane. The reputation of Bajazet increased
every day with his conquests. — The defeat of Sigismond,
king of Hungary, and of the duke of Nevers accompanied
by the flower of the nobility of France, near Nicopolis, in
Bulgaria, had emboldened the Ottoman to attempt the siege
of Constantinople. He had already compelled the Emperor
Emanuel to cede to the Mahometans a suburb of the city ;
to allow mosques to be erected there, as well as the residence
of a Mussulman judge ; and finally, he succeeded in obtaining
a recognition, by the Sultan of Egypt, of the title he had
assumed of Sultan of Roum, or of the Greek and Roman
empire. These magnificent titles, especially that of Dderim
or the Thunderbolt, assumed by Bajazet ; the recent victories
and audacity of this prince, as well as compassion for the
Emperor Emanuel^ drew upon the Ottoman all the vengeance
of Tamerlane. The Tartar could not endure a rival con-
queror in Asia. He therefore turned his arms against
Bajazet, and marched to combat a Mussulman, whose sect
he hated, in aid of a Christian prince^ whose religion he
respected.
The whole Tartar army marched with the greatest
alacrity against Bajazet^ and already viewed the spoil of
this Sultan as the richest booty, which they ever conveyed
within the walls of Samarcand. Tamerlane alone during
the march appeared silent and thoughtful. Some attributed
his apparent melancholy to the temperament induced by
advanced years, which is disposed to irratibility and over
anxiety; others imputed it to his apprehensions for the
16 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
result of an enterprise^ undertaken against a prince covered
with laurels; and against troops accustomed to victory.
One of his captains took the liberty to ask Tamerlane, in a
circle of his principal officers^, the cause of this apparent
disquietude. — ^' If I appear thoughtful/' he replied, " it is
through a state of indecision in vi^hich I am placed, from which
it will be difficult for you to emancipate me — I am reflecting
whether I shall be able to find among j^ou, a man of sufficient
capacity to support the \y eight of the diadem to the conquest
of which we are marching, and of sustaining with dignity
the vacant throne ofBajazet.'' A reply so full of confidence
gave renewed courage to the Tartars. Some cities were
secured by way of protecting their retreat in the event of
a check ; and the two armies met in that fine plain which
extends between Ancyra and Mount Stella, the very spot
where Pompey formerly defeated Mithridates.
Tamerlane had forseen that the Mussulmen would have
the advantage in a close combat, the sabre being as for-
midable a weapon in the hands of the Ottomans, as was
the bow in those of the Tartars ; and that by engaging at
a certain distance without allowing the enemy to approach
too near, a greater carnage would be made of their anta-
gonists, while his own troops would be less exposed to
suffer. He had, therefore, directed his followers to approach
within bowshot only of the Mussulman squadrons, and to
take to flight immediately after discharging their arrows,
that they might return to the charge when they had refitted
their bows. In effect, the first attack of the Tartars was
lively and terrible. The air was darkened with arrows,
and the earth in an instant strewed with dead bodies. The
Ottomans pursued the Tartars with the sabre, and whenever
they were able to come in contact with a squadron, they
were sure to throw it into disorder ; with the force of their
blows penetrating and dispersing it : but a shower of
TAMERLANE. 17
arrows would again fall upon the Ottomans, and enable the
Tartars to recover the ground they had lost. The chiefs
in the meanwhile^ gave their orders with all the ability which
was peculiar to the two greatest captains in Asia. Bajazet
fought in the manner of the Romans, Tamerlane after the
fashion of the Parthians.
Victory remained for a long time suspended between
the two armies ; it declared at last in favor of Tamerlane.
A body of Tartar auxiliaries, which Bajazet had taken into
his service, and had joined his army by the way of Russia,
began to murmur at being obliged to fight against their
countrymen, and at the prospect of the victory being
snatciied fr<>m the greatest man their nation could ever
boast — they deserted Bajazet and went over to Tamerlane.
Victory then no longer hesitated; complete disorder took
possession of the Ottoman army. The Tartar cavalry
attacked the flying enemy with the sabre, a weapon of
which they had made no use in the heat of the action. A
long pursuit took place. Bajazet was unable to escape
the fleetness of the Tartar horse, and fell into the hands of
the conqueror. The Ottoman experienced in his misfortunes
the kindness and humanity of the Tartar. Tamerlane never
exulted over his fallen foe. Every day a tent was ordered
to be set up for his accommodation immediately adjacent
to that of Tamerlane, who entertained him at his own table,
treating him with the greatest distinction, and procuring
him every diversion calculated to sooth his mind, and make
him forget his disgrace. Such a deportment towards him
by no means agrees with the story of the iron cage, in which
Bajazet is reported to have been exposed by the order of
Tamerlane. It is an ornament, of which I would not
willingly deprive history, if I believed there were just
grounds for giving credence to it ; but as some of the best
historians make no mention of it, and the Mogul Chronicle
c
18 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
is altogether silent concerning it;, I am induced to believe
the story of the cage an agreeable fiction invented by the
GreekS;, who were the enemies of Bajazet. It would seem,
that they had a pleasure in representing the captivity of this
unfortunate prince as attended with circumstances the most
gratifying to their vindictive feelings.
The death of Bajazet, who, according to the Chronicle,
took poison, either through disgust of life, or from the appre-
hension of being exposed in triumph by his conqueror, was
quickly succeeded by that of Tamerlane. The Mogul
Chronicle varies in the account it gives of the circumstances
from that given by the different historians of Europe. I
do not pretend to pronounce whether it is more or less
meeting credence than theirs ; it is at least a contrariety
in history with which the reader ought to be made acquainted.
It is no longer then at Otrar, at the moment he was on the
point of leading his army against Kathay and China, that
Tamerlane expired, neither is it at Samarcand, surrounded
by his family. It is in India, and at Cabul, when preparing
to penetrate into Indostan, and push his conquests in that
vast empire to the shores of the ocean.
'^ Tamerlane," says the Chronicle, " had forbidden on
pain of death, those sanguinary combats of squadron against
squadron, an exercise to which his bravest soldiers had
been accustomed. It was a point of discipline, which he had
so much the more at heart, as his army suffered greater loss
by this species of mock engagements^ than they did through
disease, or in conflicts with the enemy. In spite of this prohibi-
tion, Miracha, third son of Tamerlane, disobeyed the injunc-
tions of his father and his commander. He put himself at the
head of a troop of Tartars, and engaged another troop with so
much fury, that a small number only on both sides survived
the combat. This act of disobedience irritated Tamerlane
to such a degree, that he became incapable of consolation.
TAMERLANE. 19
Twice he gave orders that his son should be put to death,
and as often repented, and retracted the order. Distracted
between his zeal for discipline, and his paternal affection
for Miracha ; these two passions so preyed upon his mind,
that he fell sick. His great age, mortification, anxiety of
mind, a fever, and the heat of the climate, all contributed to
make his case desperate. It was then that he excluded
every one from his presence with the exception of an Iman>
who was well acquainted with his sentiments upon matters
of faith. He was exhorted according to the principles of
Deism, a fatal poison, which corrupts the hearts of all the
princes of Asia. He was affected by the exhortations of the
Mahometan doctor. Full of confidence in the mercy of
God, and of fear of his justice, he expired at the age of
sixty-six years, in confessing the unity of one God. A
prince unhappy in having believed that he could attain to
God without the mediation of Jesus Christ, who is the only
way and the life. It becomes us to adore the decrees of
Heaven in regard to a hero, who knew the Christian religion;*
who loved it, who always protected it, but who never pro-
fessed it. The Mogul Chronicle assigns to him only six
years, nine months, and twenty-two days of reign ; doubtless,
computing the term of its duration from the date of his last
conquests in Indostan. Tamerlane died in the year of the
Hegira 806, and of the Christian era, 1405. He was, it
is said, buried at CabuL
c 2
20
M I R A C H A,
SECOND EMPEROR.
Succeeds his Father in a part of his dominions. Establishes the seat of his
Empire at Herat, Maintains the Sovereignty of his Father in Inodstan.
Is Slain by the King of Cascar.
ifjLlRACHA, who was the cause of the death of Tamer-
lane, his father, succeeded him in the empire of India.
In the distribution of the kingdoms made by the conqueror
to his children, Persian Irac, Cabulestan, and India fell to
the lot of Miracha. It often happens that the sons of a
powerful monarch are indolent in their dispositions, and
devoted to sensual pleasures, and that the heirs of a con-
queror become in their turn the prey to some more enterprising
adventurer. This was not strictly true as it respected
Miracha. If he did not improve the conquests made by
his father, or indeed preserve entire the inheritance he
derived from him, it was less the consequence of a degene-
racy in valour than through an abandonment of fortune, which
seemed weary of having so long and so constantly favoured
his father. In the lifetime of Tamerlane, Miracha, who had
the government of Persia, was almost always at war, and
for the most part unfortunately. Sultan Ben- Avis was very
near forcing him to take refuge in Tartary ; had not the
father arrived to the assistance of the son, this fine portion
of the conquests of Tamerlane would have been irrecoverably
lost.
After the death of Tamerlane, Miracha made choice for
his residence of eastern Persia, in preference to India; this
country being situated in a more temperate climate than
Indostan. In fixing his ordinary residence at Herat, he
MIRACHA. 21
placed himself in the centre of his states. The power,
besides, of the Moguls was not yet sufficiently strong in the
Indies, to justify hazarding the establishment of his court
in that country. Tamerlane had indeed possessed himself
of the strongest fortresses of Indostan, had placed in them
trusty governors, and exacted heavy tribute from all the
Rajas ; but his authority was maintained in India by the
terror of his name alone. Miracha, who was less feared
than his father, had great difficulty in levying at Cabul, and
throughout Indostan, the tributes which Tamerlane had
imposed on those countries. He shewed himself every
year at the head of a formidable army, with the view of
overawing the Indians, and enforcing payment of the tributes ;
maintaining by these means an appearance of sovereignty
and dominion.
All the Rajas were not equally submissive to the son of
their vanquisher. The king of Cascar took arms against
Miracha, and the evil genius which constantly persecuted
the son of Tamerlane, delivered him into the hands of the
Indian king. He w as made prisoner in a combat ; but the
conqueror made a generous use of his victory. He restored
his captive to liberty on the sole condition of the kingdom
of Cascar being for the future exempted from tribute.
Miracha, who had as often as seven times experienced
fortune adverse to his arms in his wars with this prince, was
at last so fortunate as to defeat and take him prisoner in
his turn. The Tartar proved that he had less humanity
and generosity than the Indian. So far from giving liberty
to his prisoner, with the greatness of soul and disinterested-
ness which had been displayed towards himself; on the
contrary, he kept him prisoner, and put out his eyes.
Ingratitude of so deep a dye was punished by the very
individual who had been the subject of it. The Raja,
notwithstanding the deprivation of his sight, was able to
22 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
destroy Miracha by transfixing his breast with a poisoned
arrow. — He made use of the follow^ing artifice.
The Tartars have always had the reputation of being
superior in archery and in darting the javelin, to all other
nations. The Tartar soldiery were daily accustomed to
the exercise of shooting at a mark. Miracha himself excelled
in this kind of diversion, and as he fancied himself unrivalled^
he w^as astonished to learn that the Raja of Cascar^, blind
as he was, could hit a mark with the greatest precision,
provided he heard a sound to proceed from the spot, at
which it was necessary to take aim. The story, of this
surprising skill of the Raja, appeared to the king quite
fabulous. He therefore commanded that his prisoner should
be brought into his presence, being surrounded at the time
by all the officers of his court. A bow and an'ows were
placed in his hands, and he was ordered to suspend drawing
the bow till the word commanding him to do so should be
given. The Raja assuming in his misfortunes an air of
haughtiness which became him; ^'^ I shall not obey,'' he
said, " in this place, any one but my conqueror; no other
person has a right to command me. As soon as I hear the
king's voice commanding me to let fly the arrow, I shall obey
his mandate." Having thus spoken, he placed himself in an
attitude to obey the prince, as soon as he should give the
word. Miracha then raising his voice, ordered him to let
fly the arrow at the spot whence his voice proceeded. At
these words, the Raja obeyed; the bow was drawn, and
the arrow entered the body of Miracha. He was carried
oft' expiring, and the Raja was hewn in pieces by Miracha's
guards. The king of Cascar, in relinquishing a painful
existence, had at least the barbarous consolation of having
punished an ingrate. Miracha died in the year of the
Hegira 852, and of the Christian era 1451. He reigned
forty-six years, and left the kingdom to his son Abouchaid.
23
ABOUCHAID,
THIRD EMPEROR.
Th^ beginning of his reign. Is driven from his Throne. The Throne occupied
by his Brother. Recovers his Crown. Makes amends by his Valour for his
former Indolence. Enters India with an Army to exact the Tribtdes imposed
by Tamerlane. Takes possession of Samareand. Defeats the young Ibrahim.
Distributes his Dominions among his Children. Is defeated and beheaded
by Usum Cassan,
jL AMERLANE had acquired the esteem of his subjects
by his superior meritj and Miracha gained their affection
by the mildness of a government which cultivated the arts
of peace, Abouchaid, in the first years of his reign, was
alike wanting in merit and humanity. He passed at Herat
a life of slothful ease in the pleasures of the haram, and
appeared to be of a disposition equally remote from the
clemency of his father, and the valour of his grandfather.
He held no further correspondence with his people than
such as served to answer the purposes of extortion, and the
indulgence of his cruelty. This conduct made him detested,
and his apparent want of talent inspired his subjects with
a contempt for him. They resolved to be delivered from
the tyrant and to put him to death. Abouchaid was not
ignorant of the designs which were plotting against him.
Sensible of his inability to escape from the fury of the
people, or the treason of the nobles, he embraced a design
worthy of his inclinations. He put on the habit of a
Faquir, a class of religious penitents, who live on alms,
and go from town to town, imposing on the credulity of
the people by an appearance of austerity. Abouchaid thus
disguised went from province to province, attended by two
confidants only^ who were the companions of his wander-
ings*
24 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
The people in the mean while placed on the throne, in the
room of Abouchaid, one of his brothers, flattering them-
selves with the hopes of better treatment from a king who
owed his crown to their choice. They found however to
their cost, that the second son of Miracha was of a dispo-
sition yet more barbarous than the elder. The new king,
in the severities he exercised upon his subjects, did not
judge it requisite to excuse his conduct with a colour of
administering justice. The blood of his subjects flowed,
from the dictates of an arbitrary will and a nat*irally san-
guinary disposition. All ranks were equally persecuted ;
the rich and the poor, nobles and slaves, were put to death
amidst excruciating torments.
So many cruelties made the people regret the loss of
Abouchaid, the younger brother having become a greater
object of their detestation than ever the elder had been, not-
withstanding their former experience of his natural ferocity.
A search was made for the fugitive monarch, and a conspi-
racy was entered into, to reinstate him on the throne from
which he had been driven. So much diligence was used,
that he was at last discovered among the prodigious
multitude of Faquirs, who Avander from place to place in
India. Abouchaid resumed the crown, and after his new
elevation, applied himself seriously to render himself
worthy of it. He had been taught by adversity the use of
moderation in his good fortune.
The beginning of the new reign was as agreeable to the
people as the government which it supplanted had been
intolerable. Abouchaid treated with indulgence those who
had forced him into exile. My people, he said, are suf-
ficiently punished for their revolt by the persecution they
suffered from the tyrant they had chosen to rule them.
The only cruelty he exercised was upon his brother, who
had usurped his power, whom he ordered to be beheaded.
ABOUCHAID. 25
By this act he revenged his own injuries^, as well as those
of his subjects, who had suffered by the cruelties and
usurpation of the tyrant. It is from the example of
Abouchaid that the Mogul Emperors derived the practice
of massacreing their brothers ; we shall find in the sequel
of this history but too many instances of such melancholy
catastrophes.
Abouchaid repaired his passed indolence, and the recent
crime of the murder of his brother, by a conduct full of
valour. Ulubeg, his cousin-german, also a grandson of
Tamerlane, was but an indifferent father. Through jealousy
of the preference given by Ulubeg to his younger brother,
his eldest son, Abdalatif, had 'quitted Samarcand. This
Ulubeg reigned in Southern Tartary, having succeeded
his father Schahrokh. In the division of the empire of
Tamerlane, the provinces on the other side of the Oxus
had fallen to the lot of this eldest son of the conqueror, to
whom Ulubeg was indebted for his birth. Abdalatif, after
having taken arms against his father, had retired to Herat,
and placed himself under the protection of Abouchaid.
The opportunity which this circumstance afforded Abouchaid
of quitting thtit state of inaction in which he had so long
languished, and of recovering the esteem of his people by
acts of valour, was not neglected by him. He furnished
aid to Abdalatif, and placed himself at the head of an army,
with which he marched in person to Samarcand, carrying
war into the country from which he derived his origin,
against the head of his family. Ulubeg was at this time
occupied at a distance from Samarcand, in a war with some
of the neighbouring states. Abdalaziz, the brother of
Abdalatif, and the object of his jealousy, commanded in
the city in the absence of his father. The young Tartar
made a defence worthy of a descendant of Tamerlane.
Princes of the Mogul blood were then beheld armed against
26 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
each other, contending for glory and their private interests.
Abdalatif, the eldest son of Ulubeg, was indignant at the
preference his father gave to his younger brother. Abou-
chaid, eager to efface by the glory of his arms the sharne
of his past inactivity, maintained the rights of an elder
brother, whose just claims it was sought to frustrate.
Abdalaziz combated at the same time for his country, the
rights of his father, and a kingdom which he hoped to
inherit, to the exclusion of his elder brother. The siege
was long and bloody ; but in the end, Abouchaid made
himself master of Samarcand ; placed the presumptive heir
upon a throne, which would have been lawfully his after the
death of his father, and returned to Herat covered with
laurels. Abdalatif pushed too far the advantages which
the taking of Samarcand had given him over his father.
He marched against Ulubeg, engaged him in battle near
Balk, gave him a total defeat, and deprived of life him
to whom he was indebted for it. This unfortunate prince
enjoyed but a short time the fruit of his crime ; he perished
after a reign of a few months ; Abdalaziz having been put
to death by him, the kingdom of Samarcand was inherited
by his third brother, Abdalla.
Abouchaid, in the mean time, enjoyed quietly at Herat
the reputation he had acquired by the capture of Samar-
cand. Full of the confidence which victory inspires, he
imagined, that by shewing himself in the Indies like his
predecessors at the head of a gallant army, he should be
able to levy the tributes which Tamerlane had imposed on
the Rajas. He found the authority of the Moguls greatly
enfeebled in Indostan. The contempt which he had drawn
upon himself at Herat, during the first years of his reign,
had spread to India. The Tartar governors, whom his
predecessors had appointed over the principal fortresses of
Indostan, had almost all thrown off their allegiance, and
ABOUCHAID. 27
erected themselves into so many petty sovereigns. Abou-
chaid repressed their insolence on his arrival, exacted from
the idolatrous Rajas the tributes which were his due, and
succeeded in re-establishing in India a dominion equal ta
that of his predecessors.
A great change had apparently taken place in the cha-
racter of Abouchaid, and the virtues he now displayed
seemed to have supplanted the vices which disgraced his
early years. His natural disposition, nevertheless, remained
the same, as was at times but too apparent. His two
associates, who had attached themselves to his fortunes^,
and had followed him in the habit of Faquirs, trusted to
experience a return of gratitude proportioned to their
services, and their fidelity. They presented themselves to
their sovereign, at a moment when he was distributing in
the Indies the governments of which he had deprived many
of his Tartar officers, whose fidelity he suspected; and
solicited employment as a reward for the proofs they had
given of attachment to their master. Nothing could be
more equitable than to confer on affectionate servants
those benefits which had been forfeited by rebels. But
the ungrateful Abouchaid spurned the persons who had
made him their debtor by their services. He commanded
them to leave his presence, and release him from a sight
which was offensive to him. They did not however take
their departure without a remonstrance. " By what means
have we offended you, my lord ?" resumed the two ancient
servants of the monarch : " we attached ourselves to your
fortunes at a season when they were the most adverse to you;
we were the companions of your wanderings, we assisted
you with our counsel, and we have partaken with you the
severities of an austere and laborious ministry." It is for
that very cause, replied Abouchaid, with a manifestation
of rage which terrified the two applicants ; it is because
28 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
your claims upon my gratitude are greater than I can ever
repay. It is a reflection I can never bear, that I have sub-
jects to whom I am so deeply indebted ; and your presence
only serves to accuse me, without ceasing, of the crime of
ingratitude. Begone for ever from my presence ; never
shall your names be enrolled among those of the ofiicers of
my crown.
This record of ingratitude on the part of Abouchaid has
become proverbial among the Moguls ; M. Manouchi had
seen it in the Mogul Chronicle, but he received one day a
confirmation of it from one of the officers of the sultaness,
the mother of Aurengzebe, when M. Manouchi was express-
ing his surprise at the little generosity of the princes
whom he served in his capacity of their physician. Such,
the officer replied, is the character of the Moguls ; they
bestow upon you a thousand caresses when they have
occasion for your services, and give as many proofs of
ingratitude, when they are no longer wanted. They are
indeed the true heirs of Abouchaid.
The king did not resign himself to his pleasures, or to
the enjoyment of repose, upon his return from his expe-
dition into India. He had already experienced too severely
the dangerous results of a life of indolence, to be disposed
to resign himself to the enervating delights of his haram.
The possession of Samarcand was the immediate object of
his ambition, to which he had paved the way by his first
successes, and to which point he now purposed to conduct
a new army. Abdalla still reigned in that capital, and
filled a throne for which his two elder brothers had long
contended. The Chronicle does not explain the motives
which influenced Abouchaid to make war upon a prince of
his blood. The grandsons of Tamerlane, doubtless, resembled
their progenitor, and had few scruples in regard to the
equity of their enterprises, provided they were successful.
ABOUCHAID. 29
Uzbec-Khan, who afterwards gave his name to a Tartar
dynasty, known at the present day as that of the Uzbecs,
was grandson of the famous Houssain, whom Tamerlane
in his early years had deprived both of life and empire.
This prince governed at this time a very small kingdom in
Western Tartary, on the banks of the Caspian Sea.
Abouchaid formed an alliance with the successor of Hous-
sain, that he might be able to wrest, with his assistance,
the sceptre from a Mogul prince, his near relation. Sarnar-
cand was then besieged a second time, but Uzbec-Khan
and Abouchaid were repulsed with loss. The first retired
into Bokhara, where he passed the winter, and the other
took up his quarters in the neighbourhood of Samarcand,
till the return of spring. On the opening of the campaign,
Abouchaid on one side, and Uzbec-Khan on the other,
advanced again to Samarcand. Abdalla did not judge it
proper to wait for the enemy in his capital, as the pre-
ceding year." He took the field, and marched with his
troops to encounter the two confederate monarchs. The
combat was sanguinary on both sides : Tartars were seen
fighting against Tartars, and the descendants of Tamerlane
armed for their mutual destruction. Abouchaid, who com-
manded the wing of his army opposed to that in which
Abdalla fought, Avas at first routed, but that illustrious
chief Uzbec-Khan, whose name has been perpetuated by
his victories, and by the great empire of which he w as the
founder, fell with so much impetuosity upon Abdalla, that
he lost both the victory and his life. Samarcand received
the two conquerors, and the hihabitants of that great city
beheld within their walls the grandsons of two kings, who
had both reigned over them. Uzbec-Khan represented the
rights of Houssain, who had been di'iven from the throne
by Tamerlane ; and Abouchaid had on his side the rights
of Tamerlane, whose descendants had reigned over them
30 HISTORY OP THE MOGUt DYNASTY.
from the days of Houssaiii. Abouchaid, apprehensive lest
the people of Samarcand might hesitate in their choice of
a ruler between him and Uzbec-Khan, made use of a
stratagem to get himself acknowledged as sole master.
Causing his army to march in by the eastern gate^, he
hastened in a disguised habit to the western gate, by which
the troops of Uzbec-Khan were to be introduced, and
ordered it to be shut against his allies ; making a merit
afterwards of suffering their chief, who had imprudently
entered the city before his army, to retire and rejoin his
troops. Thus Abouchaid remained in sole possession of
the famous capital, to which Tamerlane brought every year
the spoils of the nations he had subdued.
Whilst Abouchaid was occupied in the conquest of
Samarcand, and in establishing his authority in that city,
he was dispossessed of his own capital, the city of Herat.
Ibrahim Mirza, a young prince of great beauty, had in-
spired a princess of the Mogul race, whom Abouchaid had
compelled to reside in his haram in a state of celibacy, with
a passion for him. Some authors pretend she was the
sister, others the cousin of Abouchaid. The princess, who,
in the absence of the king, found herself under less restraint
than usual, procured Ibrahim easy access to the haram,
gained him the affection of the eunuchs, and caused him to
be proclaimed king in Herat. The new sultan was the son
of Alaeddoulet, who possessed the sovereignty of some pro-
vinces in the vicinity of Persian Irac. Having obtained
assistance from his father, and persuaded the people of
Korasan, of which Herat was the capital, to revolt, he made
preparations to maintain possession, by force of arms, of a
crown which he had received from the hands of his princess.
He trusted that he should be able to oppose, with success,
the army of Abouchaid on its return from Samarcand; and
waited for the king in a camp, well supplied with provisionsf.
ABOUCHAID. 31
resolved to give him battle before he could reach Herat.
Abouchaid was never exposed to greater peril. His sol-
diers, after the fatigues of a long march, stood in need of
repose, while those of Ibrahim were fresh, occupied advan-
tageous posts, and were drawn up in order of battle. A
considerable part of the army of Abouchaid was yet at a
distance, when he appeared in the presence of Ibrahim, ac-
companied by some of his squadrons. He beheld the enemy
in a large plain, situated between the cities of Sarkas and
Merou. Abouchaid was too near to have it in his power
to avoid an engagement, and already Ibrahim, superior in
number, had began to surround the army of the king ; when
the remainder of his troops arrived. Ibrahim, who made
war from motives which have the greatest sway over the
human heart, attacked with fury, and fought valiantly;
but he was too young to be able to contend with the expe-
rience of Abouchaid. At the first shock the tumultuary
army of Ibrahim was put to the rout, and the young prince
fled towards Damegan, mora distressed at the prospect of
the fate which awaited the young princess, than for his own
misfortune. In eifect, the news of the flight of Ibrahim
was no sooner made known at Herat, and conveyed to
the haram, than every one gave himself up for lost. They
were sensible of the severity of Abouchaid from the melan-
choly experience of former days. The women, and the
eunuchs of the palace, thought proper to anticipate the
justice of the conqueror. Some destroyed themselves by
poison, others with the sword : but the young sultaness,
with superior resolution, had the courage to put to death
her little son, whom she yet suckled, the sole fruit of her
intercourse with Ibrahim, by forcing into its throat a piece
of gold, and producing strangulation. After which, taking-^
poison, which she had preserved sometime in a ring, she
instantly expired. It was thus that the rebels exercised
32 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTV.
upon themselves the vengeance due to their crime, sparing
their conqueror the odium of putting them to death.
Abouchaid having returned in triumph to his capitalj,
the city of Herat, made a merit of pardoning several of
the guilty who had been wanting in the courage to execute
justice upon themselves. By this act of clemency, the
prince gained the affection of his people, and entirely
effaced the stain of his former cruelty. He made some
further conquests upon his neighbours, who were nearly
all of Mogul race, and descended from the sons of Tamer-
lane. He took Asterabad, the capital city of Mazanderan,
from Sultan Houssain, and vanquished in battle Sultan
Khalil, Prince of Segestan, obliging him to return into his
own country with a ruined army. Finally, having restored
tranquilJity in Herat, and in all Korasan, he returned to
Samarcand, vv^hich seems to have been bis favorite conquest.
The son of Abdalatif, Sultan Gioughi, appeared to
Abouchaid ungrateful for the assistance which he had for-
merly granted to his father. This young prince preserved
a secret intelligence in Samarcand, and laid claim to a king-
dom, of which he insisted his family had been deprived,
under the pretext of rendering them assistance. Availing
himself of the absence of Abouchaid, he advanced often to
the gates of Samarcand, made inroads into the provinces of
Transoxiana, and ravaged the open country. The audacity
of Gioughi obliged Abouchaid to hasten, by some months,
his march towards Tartary ; but he had scarcely passed the
river Gihon, when, seized with alarm, Gioughi retired to
Skarokhia, which he fortified, and there waited the attack
of his enemy. The young prince defended the fortress with
courage, but was at last obliged to surrender at discretion;
and as an act of grace on the part of his conqueror, was
condemned to a perpetual captivity. The life of Abouchaid
seemed to be a continual progress from Herat to Samar-
ABOUCHAID. 33
cand, and from Samarcand to Herat. About this time a
religious ceremony recalled him to the capital of Korasan.
The Imans had long pressed the king to give orders for the
circumcision of his children. Abouchaid had;, by different
wiveS;, eleven sons, and they were nearly now all of an age
Capable of being placed in posts of honor and authority.
Reverence for his religion had hitherto prevented his placing
them at the head of his troops^, till such time as they had
received the mark of true Mussulmen. It was in Herat
that the ceremony of the circumcision of the princes was
kept, accompanied by feasts, dances, the combat of
elephants, and other rejoicings, which are practised on such
extraordinary occasions. What enhanced the value of the
ceremony to the sons of Abouchaid, was, their being pro-
claimed sultans ; and the father distributing to his children
the government of the kingdoms which belonged to his
empire, either by inheritance or conquest. The Chronicle
does not explain the particular territory apportioned to each
prince. It is however certain that Samarcand and Southern
Tartary fell to the lot of Sec-Omor, fifth son of Abouchaid,
from whom the Mogul Emperors, who now reign in Indos-
tan, are descended.
Doubtless, Abouchaid ought to have been satisfied with
terminating in repose the remainder of a life which had
been so much occupied in warlike enterprise. The fault of
this prince was always to deal in extremes. He gave him-
self up, during the early years of his reign, which ought to
have been a season of action, to repose ; and in his old age
h^ abandoned himself to wars, which he should have
shunned. That which he undertook against Usum Cassan
was both rash, and unfortunate. I trust that the recital will
be the more agreeable to the reader, as he will thereby learn
the origin of the Dynasty which rules, at the present day,
the empire of Persia.
D
34 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
Miracha, the son of Tamerlane, to whom, in the distri-
bution of the states of his father, the province of Persian
Irac had fallen, did not long enjoy entire his extensive
dominions. Different princes despoiled the son of the best
part of the conquests of his father, and forced him to be
content with the kingdoms of Sindy, Segestan, Cabul, and
Korasan, of which Herat was the capital. He preserved
also the species of sovereignty which the posterity of
Tamerlane have always enjoyed in the Indies. To these
remains of the vast empire which had been acquired by
Tamerlane, Abouchaid joined the conquest of Transoxiana
and Samarcand. The extensive kingdom he had thus
acquired ought to have satisfied his ambition, but the
natural restlessness of the Tartars, when they have entered
upon a successful career, prompted Abouchaid to renounce
a repose in which he might safely have indulged. He
sighed incessantly for the possession of Western Persia,
that beautiful portion of the conquests of his grandfather.
Two Turkish princes, at this time, divided the territory
between them ; Hassan Beg, known in Europe by the name
of Usum Cassan, of the family of the white sheep ; and
Gehan-Schah, of the family of the black sheep. These two
sultans had formerly been the principal chiefs of the army
of Ben-Avis, whom Tamerlane had expelled from Bagdat.
Ben-Avis had divided his troops into two bodies, of which
one, commanded by Cara-Muhammed, carried in their
ensigns a white sheep ; and the other, commanded by Cara-
Joseph, carried in his a black sheep. After the death
of Tamerlane, and of Ben Avis, the princes, who descended
from the chiefs of these two families, took possession of the
best provinces of Southern Persia ; and, as it often happens
to ambitious conquerors, they quarrelled, made war upon
each other, and seized upon the fruits of each others spoil.
Usum Cassan, not contented with Mesopotamia, of which
ABOUCHAID. 35
he had dispossessed one of the successors of Tamerlane,
turned his arms agajnst Gehan-Schah. Georgia and Gur-
gestan were subject to this sultan. Usum Cassan coveted
these fine provinces, and was besides instigated by that
jealousy, which from the earliest times had existed between
the families of the white and of the black sheep. The two
Turcomans gave battle to each other, and Usum Cassan,
who remained victor, slew, in the heat of the action, Gehan-
Schab, and the eldest of his sons. There only remamed of
the family of the black sheep, Hassan Ali, who with the
wreck of his father's army had recourse to the protection of
Abouchaid. The Mogul was stimulated by various consi-
derations to make war on the Turcoman. Compassion for
a young prince despoiled of his inheritance, hatred to the
vanquisher of the successors of Tamerlane, but especially
by his desire for the conquest of Persia, and for rendering
his empire equal to that of his grandfather. Such were the
motives which determined him to march towards the west
with those gallant troops, which had been so often victorious
in the north. Abouchaid accordingly entered the provinces
of Aderbigiam and Fars, without encountering any resist-
ance
All Persia was in a state of alarm at beholding the
grandson of Tamerlane marching in the steps of his grand-
father, and inundating extensive countries with still more
numerous armies. Usum Cassan especially, terrified at the
approach of so formidable an enemy, was desirous of depre-
cating the storm, by making the most humble submissions.
He dispatched ambassadors to the Tartar prince, offering
to restore to the family of the black sheep the conquered
territory, and to relinquish to Abouchaid all the country
between Korasan. and the Caspian Sea. It was in vain ;
the haughty Mogul insisted upon harder conditions. He
required that the Turcoman should deliver himself into his
D 2
36 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
hands, unci become guarantee in his own person for the
fulfihnent of his engagements. The gallant Turcoman was
indignant at these propositions, and determined to reject
them ; but not being in a condition to make head against
the swarms of Indians and Tartars which accompanied
Abouchaid, he supplied by art his want of force. Avoiding
the risque of coming to blows, he intrenched himself between
lakes, and inaccessible mountains ; whence harrassing
continually the enemy with small detachments, he cut oft'
his provisions, and left the incredible multitude of his foes to
waste itself in inaction, and perish for want. Abouchaid then
became too late sensible, that it is often dangerous to refuse
peace to an enemy who solicits it at the price of great sacri-
fices. The haughty Mogul, constrained to attempt a retreat,
which had the character of a flight, was taken by the son of
Usum Cassan. Being brought into the tent of the Turcoman,
he affected, in the presence of the victor, a haughty
demeanor; reproaching Usum Cassan that he had not dared
to encounter him in fair and open combat in the field. This
behaviour exasperated the sultan, who had received him
at first with humanity, and was inclined to treat him with
generosity. This unseasonable pride was fatal to Abou-
chaid ; he was beheaded in the year 1469. The victor
carried his resentment still further ; he ordered the eyes of
the three eldest sons of Abouchaid, who had been taken with
their father, to be seared with a hot iron. It was thus that
Usum Cassan found himself master of all Persia, to the
frontiers of India. Happy, had he known how to enjoy
the fruit of his victories !
The fate of Abouchaid might have taught Usum Cassan,
that to cultivate the arts of peace would be the best policy
of conquerors in their old age. At a very advanced age he
engaged in a distant war in Natolia, and was defeated by
Mahomet the Second. His children even did not reign after
ABOUCHAID. 37
him in Persia^, and the family of the white sheep did not long
vSurvive that of the rival colour. Ismail Sophi, profiting by
the defeat of Usum Cassan, possessed himself of the spoil
too much neglected by Mahomet the Second. Thus the
family of Ali, son-in-law to Mahomet, from whom Ismail
was descended, mounted the throne of Persia, whose poste-
rity still enjoy it, and retain the title of Sophi.
The children of Abouchaid availed themselves of the
misfortunes of Usum Cassan, to recover some part of their
father's inheritance.
Abouchaid reigned eighteen years; a prince unhappy
in the beginning, and in the close of his reign; but always
fortunate when he merited it by his conduct. He suffered
equally by indulging in indolence, and in too much action.
At a time it became him to be enterprising, he resigned him-
self to ease ; and he engaged in perilous undertakings,
when he might have enjoyed an honorable repose. The
Chronicle complains, that he left to his successors two bad
examples ; that of putting to death his brothers, and acting
the ingrate io his most faithful servants.
It is not altogether certain, that Abouchaid was the
son of Miracha, or that he was his immediate successor,
and the grandson of Tamerlane. The great seal of the
Mogul emperors, places among the number of sovereigns
a Mirza Sultan Mahamed, between Miracha and Abou-
chaid. Some authors represent this Mahamed as the
father of Abouchaid. However, the Mogul Chronicle,
and the best historians, are agreed that Abouchaid
succeeded immediately to his father Miracha. In order to
reconcile these contradictory statements^ it may be
surmised, that Mahamed, whose name is engraved on
the imperial seal, was the brother of Abouchaid, whom the
people raised to the throne at the time of the flight of this
monarch. The word Mirza, which is a title bestowed on
38 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
princes of an inferior rank only, is some evidence that
Mahamed's pretensions as sovereign were of a doubtful
character. However;, granting even that he was the father
of Abouchaid, and actually reigned before him, he was
doubtless a prince of so little merit, that history has
deemed the mere record of his name the only notice to
which it is ejititled.
39
SEC-OMOR; OR, SCEICK-OMAR.
FOURTH EMPEROR.
His peaceable Character. Reigns at Samarcand. His Death.
J. HE sons of Abouchaid, during the lifetime of their father,
had already commanded as governors in the provinces, of
which it was intended they should one day possess the
st)vereignty. Sec-Omor had for his inheritance the pro-
vince of Maveranahar, known in Europe as Transoxiana.
It may be concluded also, that he retained the dominion
which Abouchaid had established in the Indies^ either as
part of his inheritance, or by possessing himself of it after
the death of his three elder brothers, who perished in
Persia, in the defeat of their father. Never was a Tartar
prince of a more tranquil character than Sec-Omor. Con-
tent with the kingdom assigned him by Providence, he
never by his ambition gave disturbance to his neighbours,
or tormented his subjects with tributes and laborious
enterprises.
The Tartars, notwithstanding their natural restlessness,
soon acquired a taste for the sweets of a tranquil life, which
they seem at this period to have required. Tamerlane and
his sons had much thinned the country of inhabitants by
their warlike enterprises, and by the colonies which they
had established. Their cities had become desart, and their
lands were left without culture. Sec-Omor seemed destined
by Providence to repair, by a long peace, all the evils which
the Tartars had suffered in making war.
Samarcand was the capital of the states of Sec-Omor.
It is situated in a pleasant territory, watered by a large
40 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
river, which, after gently meandering through the neigh-
bouring plains, passes through the centre of the city, and
making a circle round it, fills the channel of the fosse which
surrounds and protects it. It has been said, that Alexander
the Great built Samarcand, and gave his name to it-
Tamerlane took a pleasure in enriching and adorning it ;
and he rendered it one of the largest and most opulent
cities in Asia. Its air is pure and temperate, and the vast
plain, which encircles it, is varied with meadows and cultir
vated grounds. It is still called Sogd, a word which may
sanction the belief, that this part of Southern Tartary \Yas
the ancient Sogdiana, a country which the writers of the
life of Alexander have so much extolled.
It was in this charming country, and in this agreeable
residence, that Sec-Omor enjoyed tranquilly the fruit of
the labours, and of the conquests of his predecessors. His
sole occupation consisted in re-establishing in its purity
throughout his states the Mahometan law. Tamerlane
always entertained an aversion to the Alcoran, and professed
a species of Deism, exempt from the superstitions of the
east. Sec-Omor applied himself, especially, to the study of
the Mahometan law, to which he was scrupulously attached.
He caused its precepts to be carefully observed, and
suffered the Imans to have rather too much influence over
him. The Tartar princes, his neighbours, respected the
mildness of his character, and never troubled his repose.
He lived till the year 1493, having reigned twenty-four
years. The Chronicle gives the following account of the
manner of his death : —
'^ Almost the only diversion in which this good prince
indulged was that of rearing pigeons, and teaching them to
engage in certain combats. Two dove houses had been
constructed in his haram, at the two extremities of a terrace,
upon which the king was accustomed to assemble these
SEO-OMOR. 41
birds, who gathered about him at the least signal. At
times the king made use of a long cane, to which was
attached a sort of standard, composed of white satin. All
the pigeons of one of the dove houses would collect around
the flag, and accompany the monarch, who led them to the
attack of the opposite dove house. These animals, not-
withstanding their natural mildness, would defend fiercely
their possessions against the irruption of the assailants.
Sometimes the besieged quitted their retreat, and gave
battle in the open air. The king encouraged them by his
voice and gestures, fluttering the standard to inspire them
with greater rage, and induce them to come to a closer
engagement. One day that Sec-Omor was enjoying this
harmless diversion, having his attention fixed on a flock of
pigeons, which he was animating to the combat, he did not
observe a place where the parapet of the terrace had given
way. He fell from a considerable height to the ground,
and died two days afterwards from the injuries he received.
This prince had nothing of the impetuosity which cha-
racterized the Tartars. He was reproached with a rather
too great indolence of temper, which appeared in him the
more particular, as he was surrounded on all sides by
princes of a warlike character."
42
B A B A R,
FIFTH EMPEROR,
Is driven from Samarcand by an Ushec Prince. Retires to Cabul Resolves t^
establish himself in the Indies. Disguises himself to acquire a knowledge of
the Manners of the Indians. Makes War upon an Indian King and defeats
him. Establishes Laws in Indostan^ after having subjected it. Dies.
JL HE repose, in which Sec-Omor had indulged his
subjects, was fatal to Babar, his son and successor. The
courage of his Tartars was enervated by a long peace, and
their experience of the sweets of a tranquil life had ren-
dered them inadequate to the maintenance of a conflict
with their neighbours. In the person of Schaibekkan they
had a formidable enemy. He was an ambitious and enter-
prising prince, who had not yet forgotten the treachery
which had been practised by Abouchaid towards his father,
Uzbec-Khan. He called to mind the ingratitude with which
his father had been driven from the city of Samarcand,
after the co-operation of his arms had been obtained for its
reduction. The gallant Uzbec, animated by ambition and
revenge, entered Transoxiana, ravaged all the provinces
of Andecan, and presented himself before Samarcand.
Schaibek found no longer in the Tartars he attacked those
gallant Moguls whom the preceding kings had always led
to victory. Babar, especially, educated in habits of effe-
minacy and indolence, had imbibed the quiet spirit of his
father, Sec-Omor. Terrified at the approach of Schaibek,
and abandoned by his timorous subjects, he retired with a
few attendants to Gazna, a city of Tartary, the nearest to
the Indian frontier. Thus, by a disposition of Providence,
BABAR* 43
the victory of Schaibek, and the flight of Babar, were the
means of establishing two of the greatest monarchies of
the world. The Uzbecs took possession of Samarcand,
which has ever since been the capital of their empire^, and
Babar, compelled to flight, carried into India the Mogul
domination, which subsists to the present day.
The fugitive sultan did not long remain at Gazna. He
was obliged to retire from one city to another, and
eventually to seek an asylum in Cabul. This capital of a
kingdom of the same name, was governed at the time by
one of those Tartar officers whom Abouchaid had placed in
authority in the Indian provinces, and who remained faith-
ful to the princes of the Mogul race, and especially to the
son of Sec-Omor. This faithful subject received his
sovereign with honour, assisted him with his counsel, and
assembling an army chiefly composed of Tartars scattered
throughout Cabulestan, he placed Babar in a situation to
sustain with honour the dignity of his predecessors.
Courage is sometimes inspired by adversity. Babar
found virtue revive in his breast, after the loss of his king-
dom. Like his grandfather, Abouchaid, he redeemed by
his valour the time he had wasted in inactivity. He placed
himself at the head of his new army. It was natural that
his inclination should lead him in the direction of Samar-
cand, and that he should seek to recover possession of his
former kingdom. Ranguildas, which was the name of the
governor of Cabul, (immortalised by his fidelity to his
sovereign) did not enter into the views of Babar, and
spoke to him to the following effect : — " I do not pretend,
my lord, to restrain your inclinations, or to resist the just
resentment which you entertain against the usurper. Nothing
can be more reasonable than to make war upon him who
has despoiled you of your dominions ; and I am ready to
sacrifice my life to aid you in recovering possession of
44 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY*
them. But^ when I cast my eyes, first towards the norths
whence you come, and next towards the south, which
offers so noble a career, I confess that I feel inclined to
advise you to neglect your ancient domain, for the more
profitable and inviting prospect which a new dominion
offers. No, my lord, your ability to measure your strength
with that of Schaibek is by no means evident. The Tartar,
who has seized your crown is grown, old in the career of
arms, and his Usbecs are troops which have taken the place,
at the present day, of those invincible soldiers whom
Tamerlane formerly disciplined in Tartary. Let us listen
no longer, my lord, to the seducing language of passion.
To be revenged upon an usurper is sweet, but it is dangerous
to attack him with unequal forces. India, on the contrary,
offers to your valour a more easy prey. The domination
of your predecessors was never completely established in
that country, and your own is in a tottering state. Hasten
to secure to yourself the finest empire in the universe.
Establish beyond the river Indus a power only sketched by
your ancestors. Go and fix your court in the centre of
Indostan, and learn how much the delicious climes of India
are to be preferred to the snows of Tartary. All things
concur to attract your attention to the south ; the Provi-
dence which has led you to Cabul, and placed you on the
road to Indostan ; the interests of the religion you profess ;
God and Mahomet engage you to war against the
idolatry of the Indians. Consider the facility of the enter-
prise. The governors of your own nation, whom your
fathers have placed in the fortresses of the Indians, will
unite their forces with your's, and your army will gather
strength every step which you take in Indostan. When
we shall have made an essay of victory under your com-
mand, we will follow the path you may lead, even to the
walls of Samarcand, where you wish to conduct us. It
BABAR. 45
will then be time enough to despoil the Tartar, and make
war upon the Usbecs."
A discourse so reasonable determined the prince, who
had good sense, to prefer an almost certain victory to an
uncertain revenge. He, in consequence, turned his atten-
tion to the side of the Indus, and formed the resolution to
undertake the conquest of Indostan. Before entering upon
so glorious an enterprise, Babar, desirous to attain, in his
own person, an acquaintance with the manners, resources,
and the mode of conducting military enterprises, of those
who were likely to become his antagonists, assumed the
habit of a Joguy, a kind of penitent, who is occupied chiefly
in making pilgrimages in India to those spots which are
particularly consecrated by the devotion of the people.
Babar, then, disguised as a pilgrim, and accompanied by
Ranguildas, entered India, visited all the fortresses occu-
pied by the Tartars, and made himself acquainted with the
conduct, and the character of his governors. At last he
arrived at Delhi, the strongest of the places which had sub-
mitted to Tamerlane, and the most distant of all those which
the Moguls at that time occupied in India. It will, in this
place, then, be proper to explain the state in which he found
that fine region, which was soon to become the theatre of
his glory.
India, in the year 1501, when Babar entered the country, '
was peopled by four distinct races of inhabitants. First,
the descendants of the Hindoos, the original inhabitants ;
secondly, the Patans ; thirdly, the Parsees ; and fourthly,
and last, the Tartars, or, as they were usually denominated,
the Moguls.
If we are to credit the most learned Bramins of the
country, the ancient inhabitants of India were a colony of
Egyptians, which is corroborated by the fact, that the
manners, customs, and religion of ancient Egypt subsist at
46 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTV.
the present day in India, nearly in the same state in which
they are described by Herodotus. It is besides certain that
there has always be6n an intercourse of commerce between
the Indians and the Egyptians, and that the Metempsychosis
which Pythagoras learnt in Egypt, makes still a part of the
religion of the Indians. These ancient Egyptians, who
came to take up their habitation between the Indus and the
Ganges, brought with them, doubtless, the knowledge of
the true God. They maintained his worship for some time,
and preserve it to this day, at least in certain families, who
adore only the Lord of Heaven and Earth in temples, in
which idols have never been erected. However, to speak
more generally, the greater part of the nation soon adopted
false divinities, and paid them a profane worship. These
corruptions became introduced in the following manner.
The Indians persuaded themselves that the Lord of Heaven
exercised his care over mankind, without its being necessary
to implore his protection by prayer. With respect to the
demon, they judged that this malignant and jealous spirit
should be appeased by offerings. It was thus that they
divided their worship between the Sovereign of Heaven
and the demon. They represented not the Sovereign of
the Universe under figures ; but the demon they represented
under the most hideous forms. They painted him under the
form of tigers, elephants, lions, or serpents, and often
indeed they blended all these animals in one, in order to
make a representation of him of the greatest possible
hideousness.
The religion of the Indians was for a long time confined
to the knowledge of God, and the worship of the demon,
without any intermixture. In the sequel they blended with
it the worship of Brama, a legislator meriting the veneration
of the whole nation, by the good order and admirable
policy which he established throughout India. Some
BABAR. 47
Brahmins pretend that he came from Europe, and give him
a name much resembling that of Pythagoras. If the histo-^
rians of India are, indeed, to be credited, the works of that
philosopher may be found at the present day in the hands
of the learned of the country. It is more probable, how-
ever, both that Pythagoras never made a voyage to India,
and that the laws of Brama are more ancient than that phi-
losopher.
This legislator separated the people into four casts, or
principal tribes. The first is that of the Brachmans, or
Bramins. This cast is the most noble, and has alone the
privilege of giving to the nation those persons who are to
be set apart for the services of religion, and the office of
judges, or of teachers. The second tribe is that of the
Rajepoots, which is solely military, their destination being
to defend the state, or to extend its limits. The third are
the Banians, whose occupation is limited to trade, the
employment of artisans, and the sale of their wares either
retail or in gross. The fourth class is that of the artisans,
which is divided into several other casts, according to their
different occupations ; one cast not being allowed to marry
into that of another. A labourer, for example, a goldsmith,
or a weaver, never instructs his son in any other business
than his own, and will never marry his children to one of a
different trade.
Brama, who was the founder of this species of republic,
instituted general laws for all the tribes, and other laws
which are applicable to each in particular. The Brahmins
are under an obligation to live in great austerity. It is a
crime for them to eat fish, birds, four-footed animals, or
even any sort of vegetables with a red tinge, which resem-
bles a blood colour. They are prohibited from having
more than one wife at a time, and their wives are forbidden
from entering again into the marriage state after the death
48 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
of their husbands. They are permitted to burn themselves
on the same funeral pile, on which the bodies of their hus-
bands are consumed. Brama instituted this law to put a
stop to a crime which had become too common. The wives,
often weary of their husbands^ destroyed them secretly by
poison. The device of Brama was to render it honorable
for women to burn themselves on the bodies of their hus-
bands, or to subject themselves to a perpetual widowhood
after their death. Hence, the care and the aifection of the
wives for those to whom heaven has united them; their life
or their liberty being irrevocably attached to the life of
their husbands. It is a crime for a Brahmin to have inter-
course with an Indian of an inferior cast, to eat with him, or
even to allow himself to be touched by him. They are all
under the obligation of passing their lives in the study of
the law, in the contemplation of the heavens, in ministering
in the temples, in burning perfumes, and making sacrifices.
The Rajepoots are not obliged to submit to austerities
so severe. Being destined for the services of war, the
legislator has not required at their hands abstinence so
rigorous. It would be criminal in them to slay animals,
but they are permitted to eat the flesh of them when they
find them killed. Brama did not exact from them a rigid
adherence to one wife. The race of warriors, he said,
which is so perishable through the perils and fatigues to
which it is exposed, cannot be rendered too prolific.
The Banians are the most rigid observers of the laws,
and the most scrupulous in abstaining from eating the flesh
of animals or fish. As they live in the cities, and are the
only class engaged in commerce, it is their duty, above the
rest, to give an example to strangers, and to artisans, of
whom they are the chiefs. Charity towards man and
animals has never been carried so far by any other tribe.
Besides the hospitals which they have built for the reception
BAB All. 49
of sick persons and for orphans, others have been founded
for cows, for monkeys, and for birds. The Banians would
be the most amiable of hiunan beings, if it were not for
those unsociable and rather ferocious manners engendered
by the fear of being defiled by intercourse with strangers.
Their propensity to trickery makes them rather dangerous
in commerce.
The artisans are exempt from the observance of the
more severe laws. As their employments are laborious,
Brama allows them the use of more solid and nourishing
aliments. This indulgence, however, is augmented or
decreased in proportion to the degree of labour the different
trades require. Those to whom the largest exemptions
are permitted, are esteemed the most ignoble. These laws
extend generally to the ancient people of India^ whatsoever
chief or raja they may be subject to.
However repugnant to reason the doctrines of Brama
may appear, the moral tendency of his institutions is less
questionable. He forbids adultery, and fornication. The
greatest of all crimes is that of shedding human blood, or
taking away the life of animals, whom they believe inha-
bited by a human soul. Lying and theft were proscribed
society. Cows were to be nourished with care, never used
for food, but protected and revered as the mothers of men.
This is more a political, than a religious institution. Oxen
are of all animals the most useful in India. They are used
in carriages for travelling, and for the conveyance of the
productions of the soil ; supplying for those purposes the
place of horses.
The kings are always taken from the cast of the
Rajepoots. Never has a Banian or an Artisan been known
to mount the throne ; these are casts which are despised by
the Brahmins. The kings treat their subjects with haugh-
tiness, and oppress them with tributes. As the love of
.E
5p HISTORY OP THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
indolence keeps them almost always shut up within the
walls of their Haram, it is seldom they are inspired with
the ambition of making conquests. A disposition^, besides;,
naturally soft and effeminate^, is little calculated to produce
jrallant soldiers. Such Vv as the state of the native Indians,
when visited by Babar.
The Patans are a Mahometan people, who were esta-
blished in India more than four hundred years before the
conquest by Tamerlane. It is probable, that this colony
came from Arabia, and after traversing the Indian ocean,
was at first seated on the southern coast of Indostan ; that
the city was founded by them still called Musulipatam^ and
that penetrating from thence into the interior, they finally
became possessed of the city of Delhi, where they ruled at the
time of Tamerlane's invasion of India, to whom the place
submitted. The Moguls are therefore not the first nation,
which introduced Mahometanism into India.
The Parsees are another people scattered more parti-
cularly throughout the maritime parts of Indostan. They
are most probably the remains of those ancient idolaters of
Persia, who were constrained to leave their country, when
the Mahometans, by the increase of their power and
influence, would have compelled them to forsake their
idolatry, and embrace the law of Mahomet. This unfortu-
nate people preferred abandoning their native soil, to the
obligation of submitting to a new faith. The Parsees
acknowledge one God, and worship the sun, and fire. They
suppose a certain something divine in this element; they
make offerings, and immolate victims to it. They give the
greatest attention to preserve a perpetuity of the ignition
on their altars. If by accident it is suffered to expire, it is
considered a crime, from which they can only be absolved
by the ministers of their religion. They, in consequence,
visit them, acknowledge their offence, and after a severe^
HABAK 51
admonition from the priest, Ihey take away witli them a
brand from his fire/ which tliey bring home in triumph, to
the sound of trumpets and hautboys. There are no people
in the world more tractable than the Parsees. As they are
all poor^ and scattered throughout the country, they are
regarded wdth contempt by the state.
As for the Moguls, their origin is traced no higher than
the epoch of the arrival of Tamerlane in India. This con-
queror established them in the principal fortresses which he
had subjected to his power. The whole duty of these
governors w^as originally confined to the exacting, from the
Rajas of the country, the tributes which they had submitted
to pay to the successors of Tamerlane.
Babar, in his disguise, visited these different nations-
made himself acquainted with tlieir manners, and formed
his plan of concjuest on the result of his personal observation.
The kingdom of Delhi, especially, appeared to him the
portion of India most worthy of his labours, and the
easiest to bring into subjection. Sultan Amwixa, who at
this time was in possession of Delhi, was the most powerful
prince in Indostan. He was the thirty-first king of the
race of those brave Patans, who had established themselves
in India by force of arms. It was then resolved to enter
upon the conquest of the new empire, by first attacking
this monarch.
Babar, having returned to Cabul with his faithful Ran-
guildas, adopted the most prudent measures to ensure the
success of the great enterprise he meditated. He instructed,
in the first place, the Mogul officers w^ho commanded in
Delhi, to observe the motions and the preparations of
Amwixa, and to give him advice of all his proceedings.
Some time after, he summoned the Patan monarch to relin-
quish the title and character of sovereign over a country,
the whole of which was a dependancy of the Mogul empire.
52 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
He added, that Tamerlane, one of his ancestors, had con-
quered it for his posterity. Amwixa replied with spirit —
that a tributary monarch did not forfeit his rank among
sovereigns — that the love of peace had alone influenced him
to submit to a symbol of dependance which it became him
long since to have renounced to a feeble usurper — ^that since
his rank as a monarch was disputed, he, in his turn, refused
to pay to a foreign invader, who had been driven from his
own dominions, a tribute to which he was no longer entitled.
So haughty a reply brought down upon the Patan the
whole vengeance of the Mogul. He ordered his troops to
take their departure from Cabul, and proceed in the direc-
tion of Delhi. Amwixa did not think it necessary to stand
upon the defensive, and to oppose walls to the impetuosity
of Babar; his courage prompted him to take the field, and
to encounter the attack of an enemy, of whose means of
annoyance he had little dread. The army of Amwixa was
indeed formidable in respect to numbers. It was composed
of Mahometan Patans, and idolatrous Indians. The natives
of the country were accustomed to the quiet domination of
the Patan princes, and feared the power of the Moguls,
whose severity, and avarice they had experienced. Amwixa
commenced the war by taking possession of the citadel of
Delhi, occupied by the Tartars, and immediately went to
meet Babar, who was advancing by forced marches to
engage him in battle. The principal strength of Amwixa
consisted iu his elephants, which abound in the vicinity of
Delhi. The two rivals met in a plain, where the Patan
appeared to have the advantage over his enemy. His
elephants had sufficient room to extend themselves, and his
innumerable army seemed capable of surrounding with ease
the weaker force of Babar. The Mogul prince had learnt
from the example of Tamerlane, to regard with little appre-.
hension the most numerous armies, when accompanied by a
BABAR. 53
few faithful and warlike troops. He gave battle, and came
off triumphant. The Tartar troops, led by Babar, attacked,
with so much impetuosity the innumerable multitude of
Indians, badly armed, that they gave way on the first assault,
and fell back upon the elephants, putting them in disorder,
as well as the Patau troops, who fled without its being
possible to rally them. Fear made them take their flight
towards the north, and seek refuge in the mountains, where
they fixed their abode ; and in the fastnesses of which they
still exist : sometimes tributary, and in a state of subjection
to the Mogul empire ; and at others, in a state of re])ellion
and hostility. In this first engagement, Amwixa lost both
life, and crown ; and Babar beheld himself master of an
empire more considerable than the one he had lost.
The victor no wentered the capital of his new kingdom ; and
took possession of the palace, and the treasures of Amwixa.
Delhi was then a considerable city, situated in a fertile plain,
almost at the source of the Gemna. This river, after flowing
through a considerable territory, takes a sei'pentine course
round Agra, and at last disembogues itself in the Oanges,
near Eleabas. At this time there was no city in all India
where there was to be found a greater number of the
remains of antiquity, or more illustrious monuments, than
at Delhi. It is probable, that it was formerly the capital,
or at least one of the principal cities, of the kingdom of
Porus, and, that the celebrated battle, which terminated in
the defeat of that hero by Alexander, was fought near
Delhi. A column is still to be seen, erected in the time of
Alexander, with the remains of an inscription in unknown
characters.
The kingdom of Delhi had belonged to princes descended
from Porus. It is said, that Rana, who was defeated by
Tamerlane, traced his origin to that prince. In the year
1085, sultan Alaudin, the first Patan king, he estabhshed
54 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
court at Delhi, and his posterity continued to reign till the
year 1519, when Babar made himself master of it.
The first care of the new king was to establish his
authority over the people, which he effected partly by inti-
midation, and partly by conciliation. The counsels of the
virtuous Ranguildas did not a little contribute to reconcile
them to the conqueror. The native Indians, naturally
effeminate, and born to servitude, easily accustomed them-
selves to the yoke. The Patans, weakened by the defeat
of their king, and by the desertion of the bravest part of
the nation, which had taken refuge in the mountains,
submitted quietly to the government of a prince of their
own religion. Thus the Tartars took possession of all the
posts, and of all the dignities of the empire.
Babar conceived the plan of a government entirely new.
He established laws, at his own pleasure, in a country which
was his by conquest. All the Mogul emperors, his successors,
follow ed in the same path ; they became the fundamental
laws of the kingdom, and are regarded as the work of the
good Ranguildas.
The Mogul has the sole propriety of all the lands of
the empire. They descend not from father to son ; but
they return to the sovereign upon the death of him to whom
the usufruct was granted. Thus the people are, properly
speaking, only the emperor's husbandmen.
The officers of the court are entirely dependant on the
generosity of their master; and as no one is by birth
possessed of riches, so none can be great but by the muni-
ficence of the prince.
The principal nobility, that is to say, the governors of
provinces, the first minister, and the secretary of state, are
called Omrhas, and hold the first rank in the state. The
idolatrous Rajas, or the Indian nobles, who ruled a small
state before the coBtquest of their country, have also at the
BABAR. 55
court the rank of Omhras. There is this distinction ; that
the children of Rajas succeed to their fathers in the species
of sovereignty which is preserved to them ; but that the
children of Mahometan Omhras lose every thing in losing
their fathers. The emperor is sole heir to all the officers
of his court.
The Man-Sebdars are Omhras of the second lank,
serving at court, and in the armies. They are gradually
promoted to the first dignities, according to their services,
and their fidelity.
Babardid not commit his laws to writing, either as they
respected proceedings, in civil or criminal causes. A written
law would have placed limits to that absolute authority,
which the emperor assumed over the wealth, and the lives
of his subjects. According to circumstances, without any
other rule of action than his own g6od sense, or his caprice,
the Mogul emperor decides causes, and pronounces sen-
tences of death, which are executed on the spot, under the
eyes of the prince. The guilty person is beheaded, or
trampled under the feet of elephants, trained to this
species of execution.
The emperor every day in a saloon gives audience to
his subjects generally. He listens to tlieir complaints,
adjudges their differences, and punishes the guilty. He
suffers no other pretext than extreme illness, to dispense
him from this duty. In smaller matters, he acts in concert
with a Casy, or judge of the people, and leaves the care of
the police to the Cotwall, who fills, at the same time, the
office of provost, and of civil judge.
A government, in which the authority of the prince was
so absolute, and so well maintained, without, nevertheless,
violating the ancient rights of the primitive inhabitants,
acquired Babar the love and veneration of the people.
66 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTV.
The submission to his rule was universal, and his states in
a short time became very flourishing.
The Tartars, the former subjects of Babar, arrived in
crowds from Samarcand, to enrich themselves under tlie
new monarch. Employments were given them at court.
It was then, that the Indians gave the name of Moguls
without distinction to all the Tartars, and transferred to the
nation generally, a name, which at first was peculiar to the
royal family. A great many Persians likewise came to
Delhi, to seek their fortune. The employments which were
conferred upon them at court attracted others; thus the
Mahometan rule soon became the most influential, and the
strangers occupied all the governments, and all the great
offices in the state. Finally, the Rajas, who, in the beginning
were from necessity treated with consideration, fell by
degrees into contempt, and the Mahometan became the
prevailing religion.
Laws so wisely conceived, and a domination so tranquil,
would have secured to Babar the admiration of his age, if
the ingratitude, natural to the Moguls, had not tarnished his
glory. The only instance of rigour, and injustice, which he
exercised, was towards the very author of his elevation.
Ranguildas, who had taught him both how to conquer, and
how to govern, was disgraced by his master, and in order
to escape death, condemned himself to exile. This great
man, disguised as a Faquir, retired to an obscure village.
The Chronicle reports, that after the departure of this
faithful minister, the kingdom fell into disorder. The
insurrections, and the scarcity which followed, afflicted the
people, and shook the throne of the new monarch. The
state appeared in danger of being subverted, unless recourse
was had to the counsels of the man, who had first laid its
foundations. The emperor became sensible of his fault, and
repented of having obliged so virtuous a subject to fly his
BABAR. 57
presence. He made several attempts to discover his retreat^
and at last^ it is said, made use of the following artifice to
bring him back to court :—
Babar issued a singular edict throughout his kingdom,
which commanded the inhabitants of the villages to bring
to Delhi their bazars, or market places. He wished to
ascertain what apology each village would furnish^ by way
of evading a compliance with an ordinance^, which it ap-
peared impossible to obey. He trusted^ that the village,
in which Ranguildas was concealed, would display som?
ingenuity in extricating itself from the dilemma ; and that
his minister would by this means be discovered. In effect,
Ranguildas, who passed, in a village at a distance from the
court, the life of a sage, and had acquired some reputation
in the place in which he resided, suggested to the inhabitants
an excuse, which ought doubtless to have contented the
emperor. " Go to Delhi," he said, " and presenting your-
selves to the king, speak to him in the following manner : —
* The bazar of the village, my lord, whence we come, is
ready to obey your orders ; there is only one diflficulty to
be removed, which is, that it is ignorant of the road to
Delhi. If your majesty will condescend to send the bazar
of your capital, to serve as a guide to ours, it will immedi-
ately commence its progress, in obedience to your mandate."
The emperor thought the reply of the peasants so ingenious,
that wishing to know the author, he commanded that he
should be brought into his presence. Ranguildas, in spite
of any resistance he could make, was thus conducted by
the peasants to the court of his master. Babar soon
caused him to forget, by his kindness, his former bad
treatment. He was restored to all his posts, and his
counsels reassumed all their influence.
Ruled by so wise a minister, the state soon recovered
its previous lustre. Abundance seemed to return with
58 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
RanguildaSj and peace was re-established after long dissen-
tions. It is true, that the kingdom of C a scar, which had
fallen by right of succession to Babar, in consequence of
the death of one of the descendants of Abouchaid,
was invaded by a descendant of one of the princes from
whom Tamerlane had usurped it. But Ranguildas judged
it unwise to embark his master in a perilous war, at
a distance from a country newly conquered. He relinquished
a doubtful, for a certain possession. It was in this spirit,
th^t Babar reigned peaceably, and obtained the reputation
of a wise prince, who had the talent to conquer a throne
^ more brilliant than the one he had lost. Babar died in the
year 1530. He reigned thirty years in India, five years at
Samarcand, and passed three years, partly in exile, and
partly in making a conquest of the kingdom of Delhi.
Fortune, which abandoned him in Tartary, favored him
always in Indostan ; but wisdom and justice accompanied
him throughout his career, never forsaking him, even in
his reverses.
59
AMAYUM; OR, HOMAYUM.
SIXTH ExMPEROR.
Js dtlhroned Inj a Patau Prime. Retires to Persia. Returns to India, and
re-establishes himself upon the Throne. His Death.
X HE great empire^ which Babar had conquered with so
much labour, had very nearly been lost by his son Amayuin.
The young king experienced, that a crown, newly acquired,
in preserved with difficulty. The authority of Babar, whilst
he lived, curbed the revolting spirit of the natives. But
the commencement of a new reign, in a monarchy of such
recent creation, furnished an opportunity for intrigue, and
the setting up of various pretensions. Cliira was a Patau
prince, of the race of those whom Babar had dethroned.
During the preceding reign he had been suffered to reside
at court, and was treated with distinction ; but the wise
policy of Ranguildas excluded from any office or part in
the government, a man of shrewd character, and of a race
which rendered him obnoxious to suspicion. Amayum, in
this respect, neglected the conduct of his father, and the
counsels of Ranguildas. He advanced Chira by degrees to
the highest honors ; confided to liim the guard of his person,
and the conduct of his armies. The power of Chira became
formidable to Amayum, who soon repented of having too
much aggrandised a subject, contrary to the dictates of
sound policy. In effect, the general, who found himself in
a condition to make use of the confidence, and munificence
of the prince, for his destruction, changed his name of Chira,
which signifies a young lion, to that of Chircha, the royal
or the king lion. Amayum made some attempts to repress
60 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
the insolence of a seditious subject. Chircha had always
the advantage of the king's troops. The city of Delhi
became the theatre of several combats. Every one took
the side which consorted with his inclination,, or interests.
The Patans and some Indian Rajas embraced the party of
Chircha. Amayum had scarcely any support but from his
Tartars, of whom he formed in haste an army, inconsiderable
in point of numbers. They were no longer those gallant
conquerors, of whom a small number had under Babar
brought into subjection a great kingdom, and put to flight
the largest armies. They were men already enervated by
their residence in India, prone through the heat of the
climate to indulgence, and the neglect of discipline. How-
ever, with this small force, Amayum took the field, no
longer daring to confide in the walls of his palace, where he
would have subjected himself to the risk of being starved
into a surrender. The countenance of the king displayed still
marks of the ancient valour of the Tartars ; but he was ill
seconded. A battle won gave empire to Babar, a battle
lost sent his son into exile. Amayum was defeated, and
escaped through the assistance only of some brave Persians,
who saved the life of the prince, and escorted him into
Persia; in which kingdom he took refuge. After a troubled
reign of eleven years, always disturbed by civil war,
Amayum was thus compelled to seek protection in a foreign
court, against a Patau king, who had re-possessed himself
of the rights of his nation.
As the Orientals are scrupulous observers of the flight
of birds, they drew a favorable augury from an incident
which occurred during the flight of Amayum. The fugitive
prince had laid himself down to sleep about mid-day, in an
open spot, and was exposed to the sun's rays. An eagle,
followed by its young ones, appeared over the head of the
king, and soaring in the air with extended wings, covered
AMAYUM. 6*1
the head of Amayum, defending him from the sun's heat,
and preventing his slumbers from being disturbed. So
favourable an omen restored courage to the king on his
awaking. The small number of courtiers, by whom he was
accompanied, predicted from this incident, that he would
once more reign in India, and with great glory.
Amayum, having arrived at the court of Persia, main-
tained his accustomed dignity, which he knew how to
support, even in misfortune. The king of Persia received
the Mogul in a garden, on his arrival. Either by chance, or
design, there was in the place of interview, a sopha so
small, that two persons were unable to be seated at the
same time. The Mogul was perplexed. Anger and morti-
fication appeared on his countenance ; but good sense came
to the aid of his mortified feelings. Amayum resumed at
once the sentiments which were suitable to his present
condition, and worthy of his great mind. He invited the
king of Persia to seat himself on the sopha, and placing
himself on the left hand of the Persian, (which is the place
of honor in the east), he rested himself on his bow-case,
which he placed on the ground. He avoided, by this means,
the disgrace, of appearing standing in the presence of a
king, whose assistance he came to implore. The Persian
was astonished at the presence of mind shewn by Amayum,
and felt a still stronger disposition to serve him. The
conversation of the two kings consisted chiefly in expressions
of condolence, on the part of the Persian, and of thanks
and protestations of gratitude, on the side of the Mogul.
The interview did not terminate in mere compliments ; the
king of Persia added to them good offices. He assigned
to the fugitive emperor a palace and officers, ordered him
to be served as a sovereign prince, supplied him with
amusements, and furnished his haram. He then exhorted
his guest to take patience, until a favorable opportunity
62 HJS'l'ORr OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
should occur to put him once more in possession of his
kingdom.
Chircha, on his side, omitted nothing which could conci-
liate the people, and render him worthy of the throne, of
which he had taken possession. Conveniences for facili-
tating commerce were much wanted in India. Halting
places were no where to be found, to give refreshment to
the merchant in his tedious travels. The usurper judged,
therefore, that it would be necessary, in order to encourage
merchants to trade in a country abounding in all sorts of
productions, to follow the example of Persia in building
caravanseras, or public inns, for the accommodation of tra-
vellers. Many were accordingly erected in the cities, and
at certain distances from each other, throughout the country.
Had no other advantage accrued to India from the usurpa-
tion of Chircha, this alone merits a confession of its useful-
ness. He did more than merely furnish a place of cover for
persons travelhng; he established a certain number of
domestics in each of the inns, whose duty it was to attend
gratuitously upon travellers, to prepare the beds, and to
take care of the furniture. He taxed, at a moderate sum,
the provisions required for the necessities of the traveller,
and his beast. In several of the caravanseras, baths and
stoves were constructed; and, in their vicinity, beautiful
avenues of trees were planted, to serve as an agreeable
recreation to the sojourners. The weary traveller was to
be lodged, and fed, at the king's expense. In imitation of
the example given by Chircha, many devout Mahometans
founded caravanseras in different places, upon the great
roads, leading to those cities, where a commercial inter-
course was particularly desirable. They were generally
erected near to a lake, or piece of water, to which small
mosques were added by the founders, destined, by the greater
parti as a place of burial for themselves and their families.
AMAYUM. , 63
In these public inns were commonly to be found those who
trafficked in jewels, stuft's, and cloths of different patterns,
players on instruments, male and female dancers, artisans
of every class ; but^ more especially, saddlers, shoers of
horses, and provincial quacks. How consolatory must
have been the reflection to the traveller, of having the
certain assurance of finding, at the termination of a toilsome
journey, an apartment, a couch, and refreshments free
from cost.
Chircha effected a reformation in the weights, and
measures of the country, which he brought to a fixed
standard. Before his time, the use of scales was unknown.
All commodities were sold by guess. Measures of an
uncertain character, such as that of a hand or an elbow
lengthy were alone in use. In consequence of these regu-
lations, mercantile operations were conducted with greater
facility, and more advantageously ; and merchants from all
quarters flocked to the Indies. Chircha was not less
attached to his religion, than to justice, and a desire of
enriching his subjects. He freighted every year a vessel
at his own expense ; and those of his subjects, who, from a
principle of devotion, desired to pay a visit to Mecca, were
conveyed thither at the charge of the monarch.
This love of peace, and regard to religion, did not prevent
Chircha from attending to those precautions which were
necessary for the maintenance of his power. He kept, in
a state of readiness, large armies, which he reviewed in the
plains of Delhi ; and, especially, a considerable corps of
artillery. He was himself so good a cannoneer, that he
could, at his pleasure, hit any mark at which he chose to
take aim. One day, amusing himself at this exercise, he
met with an accident which cost him his life. A piece of
ordnance, of extraordinary size, had been sent him from
Bengal, and, in attempting to make an essay of its capa-
64 HISTORY^ OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
city, the cannon, being too heavily charged, burst, and one
of the fragments striking him, he was killed instantaneously*
Chircha reigned nine years, and was interred in the centre
of a pleasant island, situated in a beautiful piece of water,
near to the city of Samahergam.
The death of Chircha gave birth to one of those extraor-
dinary revolutions, which commonly succeed to a reign
which has been an usurpation ; especially, when the usurper
dies without leaving children of an age capable of succeeding
him. The whole kingdom was in a flame, in consequence
of the diversity of interests, and the number of pretenders
to the crown. The Patau nobles flattered themselves with
the hopes of retaining possession of a sceptre which had
long remained in their nation. The Indian Rajas, on the
contrary, prepared to expel their ancient masters, and
re-conquer a throne of which they had been despoiled.
The number of rival candidates divided the forces of the
kingdom, and rendered its subjection the more easy.
In the mean while, Amayum continued to reside in Persia,
in that restless state of mind which was produced by
uncertainty with respect to the future, and an anxious
desire to remount a throne of which he had been despoiled.
He paid his court regularly to his benefactor, the King of
Persia, and endeavoured by promises to interest him in his
re-establishment. Whilst Amayum was sedulously occu-
pied in watching every opportunity, which might present
itself, for recovering his rights, he received the news of the
death of Chircha, and of the dissensions to which it had
given rise in the kingdom of Dellii. One of the chiefs of
the Faquirs, who travel the country under the pretext of
piety, thought it his duty to inform his former sovereign of
the distractions which prevailed in India, and to invite him
to return, and take possession of the government of his
former kingdom. He assured him that the people would
AMAYUM. G5
bestow the crown upon him on his arrival. He made him
acquainted with the character of the contending factions,
and the facility he would experience in destroying rivals,
weak through disunion. Chadaula, which was the name of
the Faquir, added, that the stars favored the enterprise,
and assured him, on the part of heaven, of a fortunate
issue.
Intelligence so favorable, and such useful counsel, were
not neglected. Amayuni had recourse to the King of
Persia, and solicited the aid of troops and money, to enable
him to re-conquer his kingdom, for which, in the event of
being successful, he should be indebted to him alone ; and
he engaged, in such case, to pay him tribute. He also
engaged to remunerate the king for the expenses he had
incurred on his account, by ceding to him the province of
Candahar, and the city of Sindy, which border upon Persia.
The Persian accepted the offers of the Mogul, and sup-
plied him with an army composed of some infantry and
of twelve thousand horse. This was a small force for the
atchievement of so great an enterprise ; but Amayum was
well assured, that so soon as he should make his appearance
in that country, he would be joined by his ancient subjects;^
and that his army would go on increasing in strength, in
prop ortion as he approached the city of Delhi. The Mogul
took then his leave of Persia. After mutual expressions of
regard at their final parting, the Sophi ventured to give him
some salutary counsel. He advised him, as soon as he
should have re-possessed himself of his kingdom, to encou-
rage the natural animosity, which had always subsisted
between the Patans and the Rajepoots, and insensibly to
crush the one by the instrumentality of the other. He
added, that to enable kings to reign in security, it was
necessary to maintain jealousies among subjects of a formi
dable and intractable character.
F
66 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
Loaded with the favors of the King of Persia, and
instructed by his wise counsels, Amayum entered India on
the side of Cabul. His army every day became more formi-
dable by the junction of the Mahometans and Indians,
whom interest, or fidelity attached to his new fortune.
Scarcely any opposition impeded the progress of the con-
queror ; and the recovery of all the provinces, which extend
from the frontiers of Persia to Labor, was effected at the
price of a few slight skirmishes. Labor itself threatened a
more powerful opposition. This was a considerable city,
considered in India as a second capital. It was surrounded
by good walls, and had a fortress built on a spot which
appeared inaccessible. The governor of this place, aPatan
by nation, hoped to profit by the divisions of the country,
and to secure to himself a species of sovereignty at Labor,
and in the province of Pangiab, or of the five rivers.
Amayum purposed to get possession of this city, (the siege
of which would have been attended with considerable diffi-
culty), if possible, by stratagem. With this view, he sent
forward, by a different road from that through which his
army was marching, one hundred resolute young Persians.
They were disguised as pilgrims carrying staffs, to assist
their weary steps ; and in this manner presented themselves
in the evening, without the gates of the citadel. Being
divided into several small bands, those, who were the first to
arrive, entered the place without difficulty ; but others,
which arrived at a late hour, found the gates closed. These
began to utter aloud their complaints, and to exclaim
against so little charity being shewn towards devout pil-
grims, who were just returning to their homes from Mecca.
They begged only a slight alms, and cover for a single night.
They added, that if so inconsiderable an aid were refused
them, the avenging Deity would know how to punish the
insensibility of the inhabitants. Aziscam, (which was the
A MA YUM. 67
name of tlie governor), heard tlieir complaints, and was
touched with compassion. He commanded, tliat the gates
should be opened to the poor travellers ; but his pity
increased, when he beheld this last band of wanderers habited
as Santons, who are a sort of Mahometan hermits. This
charity, which would, in Europe, doubtless, be deemed
injudicious, appears excusable in the Indies. The disguised
pilgrims, and false hermits, availed themselves of it to get
possession of Labor. Introduced into the palace of the
governor, they appeared with a mark of devotion on their
countenances, calculated to deceive the most penetrating
observer. They, then, drew their poignards from beneath
their vests, and attacking the governor and his garrison
with the desperate fury of men determined to sell their lives
dear, succeeded in making themselves masters of the
fortress, which they resolved to maintain till the arrival of
the army of the king should enable them to put it in pos-
session of the city. Amayum, advancing by forced marches,
took possession of Labor. He remained there no longer
than was necessary to enable him to place as governor
over it an officer on whose fidelity he could rely. He then
resumed his march towards Delhi. Every thing hostile
was subdued by the presence of the conqueror. Amayum
experienced but a feeble resistance from the Patans, or the
Rajas. A single battle, fought near Panipat, at the
distance of three leagues from Delhi, put to flight all the
forces of Indostan ; and secured to the successors of
Tamerlane the empire, of which they have continued in
possession to the present day.
The first care of Amayum, as soon as he had remounted
his throne, was to conciliate the minds of tlie people, and
to gain the affections of the Indian nobles ; as well as to
reward the Faquir Chadaula, who had first acquainted him
with the death of Chircha. The king assigned to him
F 2
68 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTT.
revenues to be possessed in his own right, and to descend
to his posterity, in contradiction to the laws of the kingdom.
The descendants of this illustrious Faquir are the only
Mahometans in the empire who possess a domain, over
which the sovereign has no control. The family of Cha-
daula, in consequence, holds the first rank in the Mogul
empire. The Faquir himself is, to this day, honored as a
saint. The people, and even the emperor, at times, pay a
visit to his sepulchre from a spirit of devotion. This trait
of gratitude, on the part of Amayum, is so extraordinary in
the history of the Mogul emperors, that it is recorded in
the Chronicle in the most pompous terms.
Amayum would certainly have merited the praises
bestowed on him, if he had kept liis word to the King of
Persia, which a regard to good faith, and a sense of grati-
tude for such essential aid as enabled him to recover his
kingdom, should have taught him sacredly to observe.
But, on the contrary, he, on this occasion, acted in direct
opposition to the principles of justice, and of honor. No
sooner had he remounted the throne, than the Mogul refused
to pay tribute to the King of Persia, or to surrender into
his hands the provinces of Candahar, and the city of Sindy.
How truly has it been observed, that good faith, or an
honorable observance of treaties, has seldom, if ever, been
known to exist among the Mahometan princes, of what-
soever nation or sect.
Amayum, subsequently, made as good a use of the
counsels of the King of Persia, which were to enable him to
rule with effect over his newly-recovered states, as he had
previously made of his troops, by which he had been enabled
te re-conquer them. He was always devising means for
humbling the Patans, and for the advancement of the
Indians. He gave particular encouragement to the native
race of warriors, the brave Rajepoots. He composed his
AMAYUM. f)9
army of this class of his subjects, promoted them to offices
and did not scruple to relax sometliing from Mahometan
austerity, mixing at times with the idolaters in their temples,
and assisting at their ceremonies. It is even said, that he
appeared every morning, before break of day, on a balcony,
where he waited the rising of the sun, that he might pay
his devotion to that splendid luminary. Whether this be
true or not, certain it is, that Amayum never passed for a
very rigid Mahometan.
It was in views of policy such as these, that the king
educated his son Akebar. The lot of this young prince
was involved, for a time, in obscurity. The sultaness, his
mother, had been disgraced on false suspicion. I shall,
relate the account as given by the Chronicle. The Portu-
guese writers, not having had the opportunity of becoming
acquainted with this document, have given a false colouring
to the adventures of the queen, and the birth of the son.
At the time, when Amayum was forced to quit Delhi,
Chircha made himself master of the palace, the treasures
and the haram of the fugitive monarch. The queen became,
with the rest of his women, the captive of the conqueror.
Although she was possessed of a beauty, which might have
captivated his fortunate rival, Chircha, who was a truly
great prince, and more a man of honor than comports Avitli
the law of Maiiomet, treated the queen with distinction and
respect. He did more. As soon as he knew that she was
with child, he released her from captivity, and sent her to
her husband in Persia. The suspicions of the Mogul were
the cause of great unhappiness to the queen. Amayum
was fully persuaded that an enemy, who had dethroned him,
would not scruple to assail the honor of his wife. The
princess, repulsed by her husband on solitary conjecture,
claimed the protection of the Sultaness of Persia, and made
Chircha acquainted with the bad treatment she sufl'ered.
70 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
from the jealous alai-ms of Amayum. " I am/' she wrote
to him, " an unfortunate princess^ of whose entire inno-
cence you are not ignorant ; it is incumbent upon you to
bear testimony to my purity." The Patan, touched with
the affliction of the queen, wrote to the Mogul in her favor ;
rendered testimony to her virtue, and swore upon the
Alcoran, that never had the fidelity of the sultaness suffered
the slightest taint. Upon receiving such unequivocal evi-
dence of her virtue, Amayum's former affection for the
princess revived; he recalled her to his j^alace, and she
became from that time his chief consolation in his exile.
To crown his felicity, the prince Akebar was born, a most
lovely infant, in whose features were distinctly to be traced a
marked resemblance to his father Amayum. This son was
the object of the tenderest cares of the king, after his
return to the Indies.
However, Amayum, still in the heighth of his prospe-
rity, calling to mind the precariousness of human existence ;
although in the meridian of life, and in excellent health,
applied himself to the preparing of a mausoleum for the
interment of his remains. All the Mahometan nobles in
India are inclined to this species of devotion. The expense
they lavish on such monuments, and the revenues with
which they endow them, are scarcely credible. A provision
is made for a certain number of Moulas, (doctors of the
Mahometan law), who pray continually for the soul of the
deceased, and read the Alcoran by the side of the
sepulchre.
Whilst Amayum was engaged in constructing a work
so agreeable to Mahometan piety, an accident befel him,
which occasioned his death. He had caused the plan of
the mausoleum, in which his ashes were to repose, to be
marked out without the gates of Delhi, at the termination
of a large bridge of twelve arches. The work was already
AMAYUM. 71
far advanced, and the walls were raised to a level with the
key stone of the arch. The king, carrying in his hand a
measuring rod, was mounted on the wall, and was Avalking
round the edifice, on its cornice, which was very wide,
when the rod on which he rested broke in his hand. The
king fell with the pieces of the rod, and having rolled for a
while on the entablature, to which the architect had given a
slope for the purpose of carrying off the waters, he fell to
the ground, was dashed to pieces, and found his death on
the very spot intended for the place of his burial. This fine
monument of the piety of Amayum was afterwards finished,
and his body was interred in it. The sepulchre is still to be
seen, ornamented on the inside with the most beautiful
marbles, and on the outside surmounted with a magnificent
dome, the gilding of which, in a country where the sun
shines with a lustre unknown in Europe, is almost too daz-
zling for the sight. An establishment of Moulas have the
charge of keeping the edifice in repair ; they scatter conti-
nually fresh flowers upon the grave, taking care to cover it
with a magnificent cloth of gold brocade.
Amayum lived only two years, nine months, and fourteen
days, after the recovery of his kingdom, and twenty-two
years from his first accession to it. He died in the year
1552.
72
A K E B A R,
SEVENTH EaiPEROR.
His birth in Persia. Establishes himself firmly upon the Throne. Adds the
Kingdom of Guzzerat to his Empire. UndeHakcs the Conquest of the King-
dom of the Decan. Builds the City of Agra. Besieges Chitor in order io
carry off the Princess Padmani. Punishes his Son lehan Guir for his
revolt. Causes some Jesuit Missionaries to arrive at his Court. Becomes
the Founder of anew Religion, The Missionaries leave him. Recalls them^
Loses his second Son. His Death.
-i. HE successor of Amayum was the true heir of the
ability, and valour of Tamerlane. All the good qualities
of the Mogul princes seemed to be re-united in the person of
this prince, with scarcely any of the alloy of those defects,
which occasion the people of Europe to look upon them as
barbarians. A prince has rarely been known possessed of
more natural sagacity, or a more comprehensive mind ; of
a nobler or more valiant nature, and, at the same time, so
tender, so compassionate, and so sensible to obUgation.
In a word, Akebar was equally a great king, and a truly
honest man. The historians of Europe have done justice
to his merit. His glory has been celebrated in their works ;
but I am able to aver, that they have merely furnished a
sketch of the transactions of this celebrated reign. It will
be here attempted, with the assistance of the Mogul Chro-
nicle, to trace with fidelity the life of this illustrious prince.
The transactions, which will be related, will all have been
extracted from the most approved historians, and docu-
ments of the country. At times, some use will be made of
the historians of Europe, when tliey are found in accord-
ance with these original records.
The political edifice, constructed by Akebar, was built
/
A K KB A 11. 73
Upon tlie foundations laid by his father. He was convinced,
that it would not be possible to reign in security without
crushing the power of the Patans, a nation which had
exceedingly multiplied in India. Such as derived their
origin from the Tartars were too few in nundjer to be
capable of making head against the incredible multitude of
this people, who had been seated in the country four hundred
years. He, therefore, resolved to retain in his service
those Persian soldiers, whom Aniayum had brought with
him to India, and of whose assistance he had availed hini-
self to establish and to maintain himself on the throne. In
order to attach them the more to the country, and to his
service, he encouraged them to form matrimonial alliances
at Delhi. Thus it happens, that the greater number of
those who are called, in Indostan, the fair men, and some-
times Moguls, is rather composed of the descendarits of
Persians, than of Tartars. It is not till the third genera-
tion, that their complexion changes, together with their
native vigour, and courage. In course of time, they become
sallow, and effeminate.
Akebar, besidesthePersians, of whose valour he availed
himself to sustain his power, attached also to his service
those brave Rajepoots, who are the flower of the Indians.
They were of great use to the Mogul in extending his
dominion. The idolatrous Rajas no longer felt any repug-
nance to acknowledge him as their superior lord. From
all parts they collected around his person, and became his
principal courtiers. Akebar no longer experienced any
difficulty in levying the tributes, the exaction of which had
always been attended with so much trouble to his prede-
cessors. A policy which he employed to fix the Indians in
his interests, was, to receive into the number of his wives
their daughters, and to contract in marriage with the
Rajas princesses of the Mogul blood. By means of these
74 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
Maliometan women, he embroiled the Rajas in perpetual
jars among one another. They had been taught in the
haram, in which they were educated, to divert the hostile
designs of their future spouses from the Mogul, and direct
them towards the Rajas their neighbours. " Your laws,"
they said to their husbands, " allow you to make war only
with the Rajepoots, a people to whose cast you owe your
origin ; to them only the spirit of rivalry should be con-
fined." It was by language of this nature, that Akebar
sowed discord between the native chiefs ; through their
divisions, Akebar was enabled to reign unmolested, and to
pursue his conquests. If these idolatrous princes had
considered their own strength, and had combined together
against the Mahometan Patans and Tartars, who sought
to destroy each other, they might, doubtless, have expelled
them the country, and have emancipated themselves from
the yoke of foreigners.
When Akebar entered upon his reign, the kingdom of
Delhi was much confined on its southern frontier. Some
kingdoms of Western India, beyond the river Indus, were
in the power of the Moguls. On the side of Persia, Can-
dahar, Cabul, Moultan, the Pangiab and Delhi, of which
provinces Akebar was master, composed a considerable
empire. The southern part of Indostan, which remained
unsubjected, at the present day, forms the chief source of
that immense wealth, which renders the Mogul the richest
and most powerful monarch in the universe. Although
the river Indus partly held its course through the states
possessed by Akebar, still, not being possessed of a sea
port, his empire was unable to enjoy the advantages of a
free commerce ; its operations being much shackled, in
consequence of their being restricted to land-carriage.
Akebar, therefore, undertook to push his conquests to the
Southern Ocean, to a great distance beyond the lands.
AKEBAR. 75
which had been rendered tributary l)y Tamerlane. The
subjection of the kingdom of Guzzerat was the first enter-
prize undertaken by the young monarch.
Guzzerat is one of the most fertile countries of India,
and the best situated for commerce. It extends from the
river Tai:)te on the east^, on which is situated the city of
Surat, to the mouth of the river Indus on the West. This
coast, abounding in all kinds of wealth, was at this time
frequented by a concourse of all the nations of Europe, and
Asia. The Portuguese had been long established upon the
coast, and had made some conquests.
Sultan Bahadur, or Badur, reigned in Guzzerat. He
was a descendant of one of those Mahometan adventurers,
who, having originally emigrated from Arabia with the
Patans, had, with views of participating in the wealth of
the country, taken up their abode in India, and from being
at first only simple traders, availed themselves afterwards
of the weakness and effeminacy of the Indian kings to
acquire sovereignties on the southern coast of India. Badur
had been engaged in a series of hostilities witii the Portu-
guese, who had recently dispossessed him of the city of
Diu, situated in the vicinity of Surat and Cambaye. How-
ever, when the Mogul advanced towards the kingdom of
Guzzerat, Badur and the Portuguese joined their forces,
in order to arrest the progress of the conqueror. The
viceroy of Goa, and his council in the Indies, considered
that it would be bad policy to remain idle spectators, and
suffer the Mogul emperor to extend his dominion through-
out the maritime coast of Indostan : and that his power,
already become so formidable in the northern parts of
India, unless resisted, might eventually prove fatal to their
interests. With these views, they furnished assistance to
Badur. This prince marched to encounter Akebar, with
an army composed of Indians and Portuguese. The Mogul,
76 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
then, became vsensible, how necessary it was for a king to
command his armies in India in person, that he might be
able by his presence to inspire the weak and timid with
confidence, and by his example engage them to bear cheer-
fully those duties and fatigues, v/hich the heat of the
climate renders almost insupportable. The sight of the
Portuguese, whose reputation and valour had spread to
Delhi, discouraged the troops of Akebar. They had very
nearly abandoned the enterprize. Akebar had caused his
army to precede him, and followed it by easy journeys.
He was at the distance of forty leagues, when the news
reached him, that his enterprize was on the point of miscar-
rying, through the terror which had seized his troops.
Their imagination represented the Portuguese as men
dropped from the skies, or risen from the bosom of the
ocean. They were, especially, terrified at their floating
machines, (the name by which their vessels of war were
known at Delhi), unaware of their utter uselessness in a
battle on land. Akebar made so much haste, that his
sudden presence restored confidence to his army. He put
himself at the head of his troops, and falling with rapidity
upon his enemies, he taught his followers that the Portu-
guese were by no means invincible. In effect, the army of
Badur was completely routed. The Indians then, who
fought under his orders, abandoned their chief. Badur
fled ; his children fell into the hands of the conqueror, and
were by his orders put to death. This single victory gave
the Mogul entire possession of the rich kingdom of Guzzerat.
All the cities opened their gates to the conqueror ; the
places occupied by the Portuguese, on the coast, alone
remained unassailed. They were fortified agreeably to the
tactics of Europe, and the Mogul was not yet acquainted
with the art of laying siege to places according to scientific
rules.
AKEBAR. 77
The kingdom of the Decan experienced the same fate
as that of Guzzerat. The young conqueror reduced it
under his yoke. Brampour, Acer, Amadanagar, and
Doltubad are the chief cities of this kingdom. The two
first obeyed a JVTahometan prince, named Mostafa. The
flattery of his subjects liad given him the title of Melee, or
King, although the state which he ruled was but a province
of very limited extent. Amadanagar and its territory were
subject to the Princess Cande, who took the title of Queen,
or Bibi. Ambar possessed the lordship of Doltabad, which
he ruled despotically. These two princes, and the princess,
who divided between them the sovereignty of the Decan,
forgot their former animosities, made a league against
Akebar, and assembled an army of forty thousand horse to
combat the common enemy. Mostafa, a prince as saga-
cious as brave, commanded in chief the army; Ambar
commanded one of the wings ; and the Princess Cande,
animated with a courage superior to her sex, led the other
wing, entirely composed of her own subjects. It was not
difficult for the Mogul emperor, at the head of a victorious
army, to put to the rout a tumultuary force, composed of
the troops of three confederate powers, too often found to
be inefficient in action ; but the besieging them, separately,
in their cities, was a task of greater difficulty. The citadel
of Acer made the most resistance. Mostafa, who defended
it in person, performed all that could be expected from the
skill of a great captain. A more powerful artillery had
never been known in Indostan. Some ancient culverins in
the fortress of Acer, of a most formidable construction,
were particularly admired ; for, long before the use of
powder and cannon was known in Europe, these destructive
inventions had been discovered in India. The troops of
Akebar suffered incredible fatigue from the frequent sorties
made by the troops of 3Iostafa. Oppressed by the labours
78 HISTORY or THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
of a long siege, and by the heats, which, in this southern
latitude, are almost insupportable in the month of May,
they were upon the point of relinquishing the siege, when
they received intelligence from deserters that water
began to fail in the citadel. The renewed hope of a
successful issue put an end to their discouragement.
Akebar pressed the place more closely ; Mostafa, distressed
by the want of water, and perceiving that the rainy season
was yet at a distance, despaired of being able to fill his
cisterns. Under this apprehension, he resolved to abandon,
secretly, and alone, a fortress, which it w as no longer in his
power to defend, and to endeavour to reach Brampour,
that he might be enabled, by fortifying himself in that
place, to defend what remained of his state. He, then,
quitted the place by night, unattended, taking an unfre-
quented road, but fell, notwithstanding, into the hands of the
scouts of the army. Mostafa was by no means disconcerted
when brought into the presence of the emperor ; he dis-
played a presence of mind which never forsook him in the
greatest dangers. The Mogul demanded who he was, and
if he expected any favor at his hands. "I am king Mostafa, ''
replied the prisoner, " who have come out of the place you
are besieging, for the express purpose of seeking to obtain
from my enemy the counsel and assistance, of which I stand
in need, in my difficulties. It will not become so great a
prince as you are, to refuse a salutary counsel to one who
has need of it ; or to give such as will be pernicious to him.
The place, which T defend, begins to suffer from a scarcity
of water. What does it become me to do, that I may be
enabled to escape that state of servitude, with which I am
menaced ?" Akebar was surprised at the discourse of
Mostafa ; and as he piqued himself upon a generous bearing,
he made him an answer, which was both obliging, and
advantageous to Mostafa. " You are free," he replied," to
AKEBAR. 79
return to the citadel^ which you have so ably defended.
Should heaven be disposed in your favor, and will your
preservation, you will be furnished abundantly with water,
when your occasions require it." Akebar did not suspect
the good fortune, which providence prepared for his enemy.
Although the rainy season seldom commences in India
before the middle of June, when it lasts generally three
months, almost without intermission, it now preceded the
usual period of its opening. On the following night it
rained so abundantly, that the cisterns of Acer were filled.
Akebar, who had lost the opportunity of atchieving a
conquest, through a principle of generosity alone, changed
the siege into a blockade ; and marched with his army to
the attack of Brampour. As this city was not defended
by Mostafa in person, it was soon surrendered to the
besiegers. The taking of the capital, was soon followed
by the surrender of Acer. Mostafa, yielding to his unhappy
fate, capitulated. He accepted a command in the army of
his conquerer, and held for a while, at the court of the
Mogul, the rank conceded to the Indian Rajas. The
princess Cande did not display less spirit in the defence of
the city of Amadanagar. Unappalled by the formidable
army of Akebar, she beheld with perfect composure the
Mogul, returned conqueror of Mostafa, surround, and lay
siege to the capital of her dominions. Akebar was detained
more than two months at the foot of her ramparts. Obliged
at last to yield to the perseverance of the besiegers, she
conceived a singular mode of taking revenge on her enemy.
All the gold and silver of which she was possessed, the
princess caused to be melted, and made into bullets, on
which were engraved in the characters of the country, words,
expressive of maledictions against the usurper. With
these some culverins where loaded, capable of carrying
ball to the distance of a league, and the bullets were fired
80 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
into the copses and lesser woods, by which the place is on
every side environed. The princess at last capitulated, after
having scattered all the riches of which she purposed to
disappoint her conqueror. The princess soon repented of
her rage. At the sight of her vanquisher, she ceased to be
liis enemy. Akebar placed her among the number of his
wives, and she was treated as his queen, or rather, perhaps,
she was considered for along time, as his favourite Sultana.
Some of these bullets of gold and silver are occasionally
found,even at the present day, in the vicinity of Amadanagar.
It is but a short time since, that a peasant discovered one
of gold, weighing eight pounds. It was seen by M.
Manouchy, who was much gratified with reading the
inscription.
Ambar did not think proper to confine himself within
the walls of Doltubad, but made haste to succour the
besieged princess. His army was composed of fifty
thousand men, he, having made a levy of nearly all his
subjects, throughout his states, capable of bearing arms.
But his troops were all native Indians, destitute of courage,
and wretchedly armed. Akebar went out to give them battle,
and surprised them while marching without order, resembling
more a multitude of men, who were upon a journey, than
soldiers, who were marching to battle. A confused troop
of cowardly Indians was defeated with little difficulty. The
Mogul, who lost not a single man of his army, killed the
greater part of the fugitives, and dispersed the remainder.
Ambar was found at more than three leagues distance from the
field of battle, pierced with many wounds. He had, doubtless,
found liis death at the hands of his own soldiers ; for it was
afterwards discovered, that he had not been present in the
combat, and that he had always kept himself at a conside-
rable distance from the heat of the action. The Mogul,
become thus master of the kingdom of the Decan, beheld
AKEBAR. 81
nearly all tlie southern coast of Indostan subject to his
-empire.
The subjection of two kingdoms established the autho-
rity of Akebar throughout the Indies. The terror of his
name, alone, kept the Rajas to their allegiance^ or drew them
into the service of the Mogul. Confiding ni the greatness
of his power, he hazarded the ruin of the city of Delhi,
the ancient residence of the Patan sovereigns, and the
capital of Indostan, The particular motive, which induced
Akebar to overturn the finest city of his states, has never been
clearly ascertained, but the prevailing opinion throughout
the empire attributed alone to the ambition of immortalising
his name, the resolution he took of founding anew Imperial
city. The pretext he assigned for abandoning Delhi, was a
vow, which he had made to build a mosque in honor of
Mahomet, in order to obtain from heaven a son, who might
be the heir to his empire. Adjacent to the mosque, the
Emperor built a magnificent palace, in which he fixed his
residence. The courtiers soon were eagerly occupied in
erecting their houses in the vicinity of the new palace ; so
that in a short time, there was a sufficient number of
buildings to compose a moderately-sized city. The place
kept its ancient name of Fetipour. The glory of this new
establishment was of short duration. In a little time it
w as discovered, that the air was unwholesome, and that
the waters occasioned diseases. The king himself con-
demned his bad choice, abandoned Fetipour, and returned
to the banks of the river Genma, to erect a new city in the
neiirhbourhood of Delhi. The ruins of the ancient served
for the construction of the new capital. For sometime this
place was also the residence of the prince ; but Akebar w as
fond of change. He selected the city of Agra, at that time
an inconsideiable place, whither to transport his throne
and his court.
G
82 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
Agra^ at the present day the ordinary residence of the
Mogul emperors, is situated in a spacious plain, upon
the banks of the same river which passes by Delhi. It
extends itself upon the banks of the Gemna, in the
form of a crescent. At one of its extremities, the Imperial
palace, and the mansions of the principal nobility are
erected. The city in length is about nine Italian miles, but
is much less in breadth. It was not, indeed, in the time of
Akebar, surrounded with walls, but a large trench, into
which the water of the river had been introduced, environed
it on all sides. In a short time, the inhabitants were esti-
mated to amount to six hundred and sixty thousand persons,
including all sexes and ages, without taking into the account
strangers, whom the convenience of caravanseras, and the
facilities which it afforded for trade, attracted thither from
all the countries of Asia.
The palace of the emperor, which serves for a citadel
to the city of Agra, may pass for one of the finest in the
world, whether considered with respect to its situation, its
structure, or its riches. It is situated upon an eminence,
and its walls, raised twenty-five cubits from the ground,
are constructed of a kind of red free stone, which resembles
marble. The masonry is incomparable ; this magnificent
edifice has the appearance of one single mass, it being
impossible to discern the parts where the stones unite. The
view of the structure from the river is particularly fine.
The windows and balconies, disposed with much symmetry,
are very ornamental. It is thence, the emperor views the
combat of elephants, upon a strand, which extends from
the palace to the river. Upon the opposite bank of the
river, a second city is descried, equal in length to the first,
but not quite so wide ; this is the quarter of the banianS;^
or merchants. The trafliie carried on here is immense.
AREEAR. 8:^
Akebar considered the city of Agra, of wliicli he was
the founder, as the brightest monument of his glory ; and
was desirous that it shoukl bear his name. In his lifetime,
it was called Akerabad, or, the city of Akebar. After his
death, when the people were no longer constrained to
flatter the vanity of the monarch, Akerabad resumed its
ancient appellation of Agra, which it still retains.
The emperor's warlike propensities were not forgotten
amidst these peaceable occupations. An Indian prince in
his neighbourhood, of the race of the famous Rana, w ho
yielded formerly to the arms of Tamerlane, and who
Ijreserved still a species of independence, was particularly
obnoxious to him. This chief was named like his ancestor
Rana, and boasted his origin from the ancient Porus.
The states of Rana were only twelve days' journey from
Delhi, and the capital of his country was called Chitor.
This was more a place of strength, than a busy or populous
town. It is situated on a lofty mountain, insulated on all
sides, in the centre of a spacious plain. The summit of the
mountain, on which the city is built, is a perfect level. The
circumference may be about a league and a half, and the
breadth, in some places, half a league. At the foot of the
mountain, flow the tranquil waters of the Nug, a river of
considerable depth, and pretty w ide. A brook of the finest
water has its source in the city, and after meandering for
a while, and forming several natural cascades on the edge
of the mountain, its waters are precipitated into the
river. Within the circuit of the fortress are contained
fine fields planted with rice, and irrigated by the w aters
of the brook. A sufficient quantity of provisions is
raised to supply a moderate garrison. A place which is
so difficult of access, and deficient neither in provisions
nor water, is considered in India as impregnable. Akebar,
nevertheless, undertook the conquest of Chitor. The
G 2
84 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
passion of the young emperor for the Princess Padmani,
wife to Rana, the sovereign of Chitor^ enabled him, it is
said, to overcome difficulties, Avhich would otherwise have
appeared insurmountable. Before engaging in so difficult
an undertaking, Akebar caused to be announced to the
Raja, by his ambassadors, that his enterprise was not one
merely of ambition ; that the Indian might preserve his
states from the misfortunes with which they were menaced,
by resigning the most charming princess of all the east, to
the most powerful emperor of the universe. A proposition
of this kind in India is not so revolting to the mind as it is
in Europe ; repudiation is permitted by the laws. Rana,
however, was too strongly attached to Padmani to deliver
her up to his rival. He, therefore, on receiving these
propositions, took counsel only from his courage, and the
tears of his wife. "Is it possible," said the virtuous princess,
'' that you can abandon me to a tyrant I abhor. Do we not
possess in Chitor the means of successfully resisting the
forces of the enemy, and of extinguishing his passion, by
the tediousness of a fruitless siege. Let the worst come ;
if it be necessary to forfeit life, I shall leave it without
regret, provided I suffer not the calamity of surviving you."
Language so affecting made Rana resolve rather to risk
the result of an honourable war, than to submit to a dis-
graceful peace. He replied to the ambassador of Akebar,
that he would counsel his master not to present himself
before Chitor; that should his passion be stronger than his
reason, Akebar would find in the person of Rana a true
Rajepoot, able to maintain his rights, and incapable of
betraying his fidelity to Padmani. The emperor was
astonished at so bold an answer. He was not accustomed
to experience opposition to his desires, and to find himself
thwarted in his j^leasures. He then assembled, with the
greatest celerity, those victorious troops, which had already
AKEBAR. 85
subjected to his dominion two kingdoms. Rana, on his
side, was no less diligent ; and made preparations to sustain
a long siege in Chitor. He endeavoured, by liis ambas-
sadors, to arouse from their indolence the Rajas, his neigh-
bours. He insinuated to tliem, tliat througli their neglect
and inactivity, they would suiler themselves to be tyrannised
over by a Mahometan ; that the Moguls v/ere a race of
men recently arrived in Indostan^ and were powerful only
through the divisions, which prevailed among the Indians ;
that if the princes, who were the worshippers of Brama,
would unite to oppose the Mahometan sectaries, the
destruction of this people would be easily accomplished.
Jamal and Tata, the Rajas of two provinces in the neigh-
bourhood of Chitor, joined their troops to those of Rana,
and came to wage war in person against Akebar. They
presented themselves in the field at the head of their army ;
but the Mogul, who advanced with the utmost rapidity
towards Chitor, easily dispersed their forces. The two
Rrijas had no other resource, than to retreat into the strong
places of their provinces, and to wait the attack of an enemy,
whose strength in the field they were unable to resist.
Never had there appeared in Indostan a finer or more
numerous army, than was this of the Mogul. Akebar spared
no expence, that he might appear before Chitor in all the
splendour of liis glory. His pavillions displayed riches not
easily imagined in Europe. Gold shone resplendent in
every part. He was flattered, equally, with the hopes of
fascinating and dazzling the princess by so great a display
of magnificence, and of intimidating Rana by the prodigious
multitude of his forces. Akebar had to experience the
ascendancy of virtue and valour over the most flattering
projects, and their superiority to circumstances the most
calculated to inspire apprehension. Tlie gallant Indians
beheld without emotion, from the summit of their mountain.
86 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
the magnificence, and the prodigious extent of the camp
of their enemies. In the beginning of the siege, the Mogul
made war in the cliaracter of a passionate lover. Arrows,
it is said, were discharged into the city, to which the
emperor had affixed letters for Padmani. The princess
was by no means moved by them. Akebar pressed, then,
the siege as a man in despair ; he caused the place to be
assailed by a furious artillery ; but his cannon, which were
levelled at the fortifications from the lower grounds, had
very little effect. The Indians, from the heighth of their
walls, insulted the Mahometans, reproaching them with
their want of courage, although they were stimulated to
the fight by more than one passion. A Portuguese
historian says, that the siege of Troy was renewed in the
siege of Chitor. He adds, that it lasted twelve years, and
that the duration of the war allowed time for Padmani to
lose her bloom, whilst these extraordinary efforts were
making to get possession of her person. This is an exag-
geration, and is at variance with the account given by the
Mogul Chronicle. The siege lasted at the utmost not more
than two years, and was terminated only by an event, of a
very singular nature. It is not intended to vouch for the
truth of the narrative.
It is said, that Akebar, wearied by so obstinate a
resistance, affected an inclination to relinquish the siege of
Chitor ; and that he wrote to Rana a letter, expressed in
terms of great civility, but, at the same time, of a very
artful nature. He paid the Raja many compliments on
his valour ; but before relinquishing an enterprize, which he
could not, he said, abandon without a portion of humiliation
and disgrace, he requested that Rana would grant him two
favours. — The first was, that he might be permitted to see
the princeas ; and the second, that he might be allowed
to enter Chitor, and have the satisfaction of viewing the
AKEBAR. 87
I
only place in the world capable of rcsisliiig his arms.
The Raja granted, willingly, the second of his requests,
and refused him the first. He would allow the Mogul
to enter Chitor with a suit of fifty attendants, bul
he did not engage to permit him to see Padmani. Akebar
accepted the offer of the Raja; and, after receiving
hostages for the security of his person, he entered Chitor,
with a suite yet fewer than the number which had been
stipulated. The emperor received, at the hands of Rana,
all the respect, and distinction, which was due to his rank.
The entertainment, which was given in his palace, by Rana,
to the emperor, was served up after the Indian manner.
The conversation was obliging on both sides ; but Akebar,
who was eloquent and persuasive, knew how to lead Rana
to go beyond the strict letter of his engagement. As soon
as he perceived the Indian somewhat warmed by the fumes
of the entertainment, he solicited him, earnestly, to allow
Padmani to make her appearance, though it were but for
an instant. The Raja gave his consent ; but there was the
greatest difficulty in bringing the princess to a compliance.
At last, out of complaisance to her husband, she just
shewed herself, and instantaneously disappeared. The indis-
cretion of Rana cost him dear. The sight of the princess
added fuel to the passion of Akebar ; but he had sufhcient
command over himself, to conceal his emotion. He made
Rana believe, that he was resolved on raising the siege of a
place, which had caused him but too many losses. He even
had the skill to avoid interweaving, in his discourse, more
than cold and formal praises of Padmani. Rana, deceived
by appearances, treated his most cruel enemy with the
greatest confidence. He both received, and returned pre-
sents. Akebar gave the prince a cimeter, studded with
diamonds; and Rana presented the emperor with some
jewels of value. However, the time for their separating
y
88 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNAST V.
was now approaching. Akebar took his leave, and pro-
ceeded towards the gate of the fortress, followed only hy
his suite, composed of forty attendants, and accompanied,
out of courtesy, by Rana. During their progress, Akebar
renewed the most obliging protestations. Having, at last,
reached the gate of the city, the Mogul, apparently in testi-
mony of his regard, threw around the neck of Rana one
of those large pearl necklaces, with which the rnen, as well
as the women, adorn themselves in India. He had used
the precaution of having them strung on a cord of some
strength. Assisted by this collar of pearls, he forced the
Raja through the gate; whilst his forty resolute followers
02)posed any movement, which might be attempted by the
guard, for the rescue of their prince. The Indian was
compelled to mount on horseback ; and the party, after
sustaining some discharges of musquetry from the ramparts,
at last succeeded in conducting Rana into the Mogul's
camp.
The noise, in the meanwhile, occasioned by the struggle
at the gate of the city, threw all Cliitor into consternation.
An alarm was spread, that the enemy had taken possession
of the place. Indeed, if the Mogul had been provided with
an armed force to sustain the enterprise, the Indians, in
their present terror, might have been easily subdued.
Rumour, which always magnifies an evil, brought to the
hearing of Padmani the intelligence of a sudden irruption
of the enemy. She was also told, that her husband had
disappeared in the confusion. The noble-minded princess
did not suffer herself to be subdued by so unlooked-for a
calamity. She mounted on horseback, and with lance in
hand, appeared at the head of her troops, prepared to
vanquish or perish. It was only on the spot, where the
scene transpired, that she was made acquainted with the
treachery of Akebar, and the carrying oif of Rana.
AKEBAR 89
Sensible that she was the cause of the misfortune of her
husband, Padniani exerted all her energies to control her
agonising emotions. ^' He is dead!" she exclaimed, with
an heroic spirit ; " that beloved husband, whom my fatal
attachment has destroyed ! Let us no longer think of
recovering him by a dishonourable treaty ; but let us
revenge him, by beholding perish around us the authors of
his death." Having thus spoken, without shedding tears,
although she was penetrated with the liveliest grief, she
made the round of the ramparts, administered every where
her orders, encouraged the soldiers, and gave animation
to the chiefs. She shewed herself, indeed, as much supe-
rior to men in spirit, and in courage, as she surpassed the
rest of her sex in beauty.
Akebar already flattered himself with soon becoming
master of the fortress. He caused it to be announced to
the besieged, that if they did not deliver up the place, as
well as the princess, he should begin by cutting oft" the head
of Rana ; and that he w ould complete his revenge by sack-
ing the city, and massacreing the inhabitants. The noble
Amazon replied, that her husband having fallen into the
hands of a treacherous enemy, she could not doubt but he
was already dead ; yet, that there still renuiined a sufficient
number of brave Rajepoots among her people, to revenge
their sovereign. As for herself, she would exert all the
authority which heaven had given her over her subjects, to
raise up enemies to the Moguls still more formidable than
Rana. Further, that the principal chiefs of her army had
sworn sooner to lose their lives than to surrender the
place.
Akebar was not unacquainted with the constancy of the
Rajepoots in their resolutions. He, therefore, came to the
determination of raising the siege, and endeavouring to
obtain the princess by the means of negociation. An
90 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
ambassador carried to Padmani presents of great value,
accompanied with letters, expressive of the intenseness of
his passion. Akebar represented to the princess, that she
had given sufficient proofs of the fidelity due to a husband ;
that it was now time to make some sacrifice to the power of
a great monarch, and to her ow^n interest ; that her affection
for Rana could not be better demonstrated, than in pro-
curing the liberty of her captive husband : and that in
withdrawing Rana from captivity, she would become the
most powerful queen in the world. She was shewn even
letters, which had been extorted from the captive prince,
by Avhich he exhorted her to become happy, in restoring
him to libert}-. The heroine comprehended, that this con-
sent of Rana was forced ; and, that her glory, besides,
was interested in remaining faithful to her husband. She
considered, however, that she was justified in dissembling,
and in trying to deceive a perfidious enemy, who had got
possession of the person of her husband by surprise and
deceit. She, therefore, gave the Mogul to understand,
that she began to change her sentiments, and that ambition
had shaken her resolutions : that were it not for an oath,
which held her indispensably bound to Rana, she should
rejoice to become the sultaness of the Mogul ; but, that she
had vowed to her first husband by his gods, that she would
never be another's, without having his consent granted
expressly from his own mouth. That she left the choice to
the emperor, to give permission to Rana to come into
Chitor, or to allow Padmani to visit her husband in the place
of his captivity, and obtain from him a personal declaration
of repudiation. Akebar did not hesitate to prefer the
latter alternative. He gave his consent, that the queen
should come with a large escort, and visit her husband.
The place, where Rana was confined, was a fortress in
the vicinity of Agra. It is impossible to describe the impa-
\KEBAR. 91
ti6nce shewn by Akebar, to behold in his capital a princess,
for whose sake he had incurred so much expense, and run
so many hazards. Couriers were incessantly employed to
invite her not to delay her departure. Every day the
Mogul sent to her presents of jewels, fruits, and that species
of nosegay, of a mysterious character, made use of in the
East to express, by the disposition of the flowers, the
sentiments of the heart. The princess caused equipages to
be got ready, with the utmost celerity, for her journey.
Palanquins were prepared, of the greatest magnificence.
In India, the palanquins are a species of sedan, in which
persons of quality cause themselves to be conveyed upon
he shoulders of ten or twelve slaves. They are sufficiently
long to allow of lying at full length, as in a litter. Those of
the men are uncovered, and those in which women are
carried, are closed, and are more spacious than those of
the men. Four persons may be accommodated with con-
venience, so that slaves to the number of twenty are some-
times employed in carrying those of the princesses.
In the two palanquins, Padmani caused eight of the
bravest of her subjects to be seated, and commanded theui
to maintain the strictest silence during their progress. As
for herself, having seen the palanquins take their departure,
accompanied by an escort, she remained at Chitor. The
project was executed with so much secresy, that every
person in the city w^as deceived. Tears were shed at the
pretended departure of the princess. The people, in
crowds, accompanied the escort through the gates,
imagining they were taking a last leave of the princess.
In the meanwhile, Padmani, preserving the strictest retire-
ment in her palace, rejoiced in the affection displayed by
her subjects.
The emperor no sooner heard that the Indian princess
had set out for Agra, than he s^nt various persons to com-
92 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
pliment her. The chief eunuch of the princess, who con*
ducted the intrigue, and who was shut up in the palanquin,
which they imagined contained the princess, gave answers
in her name. Among other communications, he gave
notice to the emperor under the name of Padmani ; that if
she were obstructed on her route, or prevented from pro-
ceeding direct to her husband without passing through
the capital, or, if she were interrupted even in her conference
with Rana ; she was determined to pierce herself with a
poignard, which she had brought on purpose with her, and
which she held always in her hand, to be prepared against
a surprise. Akebar took great care not to make the slightest
opposition to the wishes of the princess. He gave her to
understand, that she would be at perfect liberty to see Rana,
to converse with him, and to take her last farewell.
In proportion as the palanquins approached the city,
the couriers became more frequent. They were found at
every village, and the eunuch continued, unintermittingly, to
give answers to the letters of Akebar. At the distance of
half a day's journey from Agra, about three or four leagues
from the fortress in which Rana was confined, they found
a magnificent equipage, which the emperor had forw arded
for the use of the princess. It was composed of elephants
of war, camels, and a numerous escort, which was destined
to accompany Padmani to the palace of the Mogul, and to
take the place of the Rajepoots of her guard, at the same
time that her husband, attended by the same suite which had
escorted thence the princess, took the road to Chitor. At
last, in the evening, they arrived at the place in which Rana
was prisoner. The two palanquins, and some officers of
the Indian escort, were alone permitted to enter the fortress.
These, having arms concealed under their vests, in con-
junction with the band of resolutes, w lio had been shut up
- in the palanquins, slew the governor, who was tlie first to
AKEBAR. 93
present himself to receive the princess. Having made
themselves afterwards masters of the guard, they made
haste to deliver Rana from his prison. He was mounted
on a horse of extraordinary lleetness, and as relays had
been prepared on tlie whole of his route, the Raja was
soon enabled to reach Chitor, and to testify to Padmani
the gratitude which was due to her as his liberatress.
Akebar, in the meanwhile, was Avaiting in a garden the
arrival of the princess, when he was informed that the
Raja had escaped; armed men, concealed in the palanquins,
having appeared instead of Padmani. In the first moment
of surprise, and irritation, Akebar ordered the man wlio
was the bearer of the intelligence to be beheaded ; but soon
recollecting himself, he was contented with banishing him
for ever from his presence. '' Let Rana be instantly pur-
sued," he exclaimed. But Rana had gained an advance,
which precluded the possibility of his being overtaken.
With respect to the Rajepoots, who had served as escort
to the palanquins ; after journeying nil night with the utmost
expedition, they found themselves, in the morning, in the
territory of a friendly Raja, allied to the Prince of Chitor,
and returned to their country in safety. No sooner was
Rana returned to his city, than he wrote taunting letters to
Akebar. He reproached him with his treachery, and rallied
him on the ill success of his enterprises. He challenged
him to make a second essay of the fortune of his arms by
besieging the citadel. He added, in conclusion, that after
having been vanquished, and overreached by a woman, he
might justly expect a more complete discomfiture from an
army of Rajepoots, who waited for him impatiently. Rana
did more than insult his enemy by letters. He erected a
column in the great square of Chitor, on which he had
engraved these words in the language of the country : —
^' Never more place confidence in the Moguls, of whose
faith you liave had bitter experience."
94 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
The conduct of Rana, and the contempt of Padmanf/
kindled a rage in the breast of Akebar^, which he could no
longer master. He assembled a second time his troops ;
he augmented his artillery ; he caused machines to be con-
structed ; finally, he gave such good directions for recom-
mencing the siege of Chitor^ that he deemed his success
infallible. In this confidence, he surrounded the place on
all sides ; he caused cavaliers to be raised, upon which he
planted his machines. The attack and defence w as destruc-
tive on both sides. It was no longer an enamoured monarch,
who spared the subjects of his princess ; it was a vindictive
prince, who revenged his personal injuries. The two chiefs
were continually occupied ; the one in pressing the siege,
the other in seeking to counteract the efforts of his rival.
Rana was almost contiri»ually on the ramparts, where he
encouraged his soldiers, and caused the breaches to be
repaired. Akebar, on his side, took his station often on
the cavaliers which he had constructed, and gave his orders
for forming the attacks. One day, that the emperor had
mounted on one of those terraces, whicli nearly equalled in
heighth the walls of Chitor, he perceived on the ramparts
an ofiicer of the enemy who was pacing slowly to and fro ;
he took aim at him with a carabine, which brought the
Raja to the ground. Akebar learnt, two days afterwards,
that the random shot, which he had tired, had caused the
death of his rival. The body of Rana was consumed on a
funeral pile, accompanied with every display of aifection,
and all the honors due to his rank and merit ; and the noble
Padmani, agreeably to the usage of the Rajepoot prin-
cesses, threw herself into the flames, and mixed her ashes
with those of her husband. Chitor continued to make
some resistance, but it became necessary, at last, to yield to
the valour and fortune of Akebar. — This history, which is
found, says M. Manouchi, both in the works of European
writers, and in those of the native historians of India, has
AKEBARi 95
the air of a romance. Nevertheless, apparently, there is.
nothing in it of the manner of those fables, which are so
common in the productions of the native writers. They
are almost all taken up with dialogues of apes, tales of
animals^ of the miracles of the gods of the country, and
similar matter, the whole entirely destitute of ])robability.
However, as the adventures of Akebar and Padmani are
not found in the Chronicle of the empire, the reader is at
liberty to place confidence in it to whatever extent he
pleases. The capture of Chitor, and the death of Rana,
are incontestible facts.
Akebar, after the fatigues of the siege of Chitor,
thought proper to allow himself some repose. The Mogul
emperors have always possessed the advantage in the
Indies, of having it in their power to make war, or taste
the sweets of peace, at their option. The Indians defend
themselves, sometimes, when they are attacked, but they are
never the aggressors. The emperor now employed his
leisure, in embellishing his city of Agra, completing the
building of his palace, and adorning his gardens. He
formed indeed, a chimerical enterprise. It is said, that he
entertained the idea of building a palace, to be entirely
constructed of brass. This would be the true mean, he
said, of obtaining a defence from the heats, which are very
inconvenient in the Indies. It is added, that he did not
abandon his design, until he found that materials could not
be procured in sufficient quantity to carry the project into
execution. He was more happy in the execution of another
scheme. From Agra to Labor, the distance is computed
to be one hundred and fifty leagues. Akebar caused the
whole road, from one city to the other, to be planted with
an alley of trees, which, for its length, and its perpetual
verdure, is the most beautiful, and the most extraordinary
nionument in the whole empire. It still subsists, and is a
96 HISTORY OP THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
convenience of incredible advantage to those who travel,
who are thereby enabled to take so long a journey, defended
always by the shade.
All the amusements of the emperor partook of a
martial character. He had retained from the Tartars, his
ancestors, a fondness for archery, and for the taming of
fiery steeds. The exercise, which he more especially
delighted in, was to mount on the war elephants, and to
serve as their conductor, whilst they engaged in combat.
This is a species of exercise so extremely dangerous, that
the wives of those, whose duty it becomes, tear their
vestments, and pluck the pendants from their ears, when
they behold their husbands expose themselves to these
kind of combats. Nevertheless, what to others was a
terrific occupation, served Akebar as an amusement. An
adventure is related of him, which displays the intrepidity
of the gallant Mogul. Some rebellious peasants had fled
for refuge to a city indifferently fortified, but of which it
was difficult to force the gates. Akebar gave orders to
employ the war elephants in breaking down the gates, and
forcing a passage into the place. The conductors of these
animals, which are trained to these kind of conflicts, failed
in resolution. The monarch was exasperated. Having
that day assumed the dress of a simple soldier, that he
might not be known in an inglorious war, undertaken
against peasants, he took the place of one of the conductors ;
mounting on the neck of the elephant, and guiding him
with an iron hook, he made the animal, with so much
address, go through the manoeuvres used on those occasions,
that the gate was burst open. This was a perilous attempt.'
Arrows were discharged at the elephant, and at him who
guided it, but the emperor escaped without injury. The
conductor of the second elephant, charmed with the valour
of the man whom he believed a simple soldier, demanded
AKEBAR. 97
of Akebar his name, tliat he ini<^ht, he said, report liis
bravery to the emperor. " I am called/' replied Akebar,
^'' the Smasher of" Gates, do not forget to bear a good testi-
mony in my favor." In ellect, his faithfid companion did
not fail the next morning, at the audience which the king
permits generally to all his subjects, to give a recital of
the valour and address of the man, named the Smaslicr of
Gates. The emperor, recollected at these words, what had
passed, and avowed himself. He then gave the reward,
which was due to his own intrepidity, to liiui who had
bonie his testimony to it. The man was presented with a
complete serpaon, that is, with a dress, a turban, and a
horse. His pay was augmented, and he was promoted to
a higher rank.
This war, against the rebellious peasants, gave Akebar
more trouble, than all his successes over the Rajas. These
unfortunate beings were intrenched in inaccessible forests,
whose paths were familiar to them, whence they issued in
bands, to burn or pillage the villages. Wheu surprised,
they fled to, and fortified themselves in the midst ol" ruined
habitations, and if compelled to defend themselves, they
discharged their pieces, when the enemy had approached
within half musquet shot distance. Their carabines were
then re-loaded by their wives ; they, afterwards, made use
in their defence, of the bow and the javelin. It was in the
reign of Akebar, that this war of the peasants began. It
may be said, that it is not yet terminated ; at the present
day, these unhappy wretches are beheaded, whenever they
are found in the villages carrying arms. Nothing is more
common than for travellers to find heads hung upon the
trees, or fixed upon poleS;, along the great roads. These
robbers are to be known by their shaven chins, and loiig
mustachios, which extend to the ears, and are dispersed
in all the hamlets which lie between Agra and Delhi.
H
98 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
The astrologers of the country pretend that the planet
Mars rules over this part of India. They say, that even
the waters, which are drank throughout the country, have
the quality of inspiring courage, and warlike inclinations.
Travellers have also remarked, in passing through this
province, that the bulls which are natives of it, though in
size small, have their horns more pointed than is common
to those animals, and that they contend together often with
a fury, which is rarely seen elsewhere.
Whilst thus occupied in purging his states from robbers,
Jehan Guir, the eldest son of the emperor, was entering
upon the state of manhood. This young prince had been
hitherto educated in the retirement of the haram, and, being
destitute of experience, appeared likely to become a prey
to the counsels of designing men. Some discontented
persons made use of the facility of Jehan Guir 's disposition,
to inspire him with an inclination to revolt. '' Sufficiently
long," they said to him, " has a father, jealous of your
glory, suffered you to languish in inaction. The first years
of a prince, destined to wear so many crowns, ought to be
employed in warlike enterprises. It is thus, that a people,
whom, by our birth, we are called one day to rule, are
impressed with a favorable opinion of our courage. Since
a father, envious of your acquiring distinction, deprives
you of all opportunity of combatting by his side, endeavour
to acquire renown in fighting against him. Whatever you
may undertake, to the injury of a tyrant, who holds in
captivity your rising valour, will be applauded by the great
officers of the crown. As for us, my lord, we are quite
prepared to second your designs. Akebar has reigned
sufficiently long for his own glory, and too long for the
happiness of his people. It is but just, that he should
yield his place to a young prince, whose duty it will be»
AKEBAH. 99
wlien on the throne, to exert himself to promote the
prosperity of his states."
Such pernicious discourse, ensnared the young Jehan
Guir into an open revolt; but the discontented were few in
number, and the authority of Akebar was too firmly esta-
blished, to be shaken by such means. Jehan Guir trusted,
that the good fortune of his father would pass over to his
side. He found that an aged and experienced monarch is
a dangerous antagonist for a young prince, who calculates
only on his courage. He was made prisoner, and was
suffered to languish some months, confined in a fortress,
under the constant apprehension of being ordered for
execution.
At last, the affection, which Akebar had for a son of
such great promise, subdued his resentment, and prevailed
against the strict demands of justice. But, the disobedience
of the prince did not escape without rliastisement. The
emperor taught his son, how much he merited punishment
for his revolt. The very day, that Akebar liberated Jehan
Guir from captivity, he carried him, on the pretext of
hunting, into the recesses of a forest. This was with the
intention of exhibiting to the guilty prince, a terrific spec-
tacle, which might serve to impress him with an abiding
lesson, of the respect and obedience due to a sovereign.
Akebar had here caused to be affixed, to the different
branches of a tree, the heads of a hundred of the principal
conspirators. Jehan Guir recognised them all, as being
those of his late friends and advisers, and was terrified at
the sight ; but he was yet more strongly affected, when his
father addressed him in these words : — " You have forgotten,
perfidious young man, that I am your father ; but I cannot
forget that you are my son. The vengeance, which I have
taken on your accomplices, instructs you sufficiently in
your own deserts. I give you back again the life, which I
n 2
100 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
first gave you at your birth, and of which you meditated
depriving me. However, notwithstanding my affection,
you will be unable to escape one punishment, which it is
incumbent uopn me to visit on your unnatural conduct* In
the Chronicles of the empire, it will be recorded : that
Jehan Guir was the first of the posterity of Tamerlane, to
conspire against the life of his father. See that you avoid
the infamy, of suffering to descend to posterity, the record
of a second crime, of the like guilt." The young prince
profited by advice, given under such affecting circumstances,
by so indulgent a parent. He repaired the errors of a
few months, by an affection and a duty, which ever after-
wards remained unshaken.
As a passion for enterprise had been the principal
cause of the revolt of Jehan Guir ; that he might not be
again tempted to acts of disobedience, from motives of
discontent, Akebar resolved to furnish him with an oppor-
tunity of displaying his valour. He entertained the design
of making war upon a powerful Raja, whose territories
interposed between his own states and the kingdom of
Bengal; a country, the conquest of which he meditated.
The name of this Raja was Carn. Akebar had kept his
intention so secret, that he had not confided it to a single
person. Nevertheless, a report, that the Raja's territories
were about to be attacked, was generally diffused through-
out Agra. The emperor was astonished, that his purpose
should have been so accurately divined, and wished to
ascertain the source whence the report originated. He
found, that a slave of the palace, whose business it was to
keep off the flies from the Sultan, whilst he slept, had
discovered the secret. Akebar wished to know the means
by which the slave had penetrated his intentions. The
slave made the following confession : — '^ During the time,
that you were sleeping, my lord, at mid-day, I observed
AKEBAR. 101
tliat you pointed witli your finger to the quarter, in which
the lands of Raja Carn are situated. You then assumed
the postures of a man, who combats with the bow and the
sabre. Lastly, you seized yourself by the beard, and
placed yourself in the attitude of a man, who seeks to
triumph over an enemy, by his humiliation in his presence.
As the Raja is the only person of rank among the Indians,
who wears his beard long, according to the fashion of the
Mahometans ; and, as I know his territory lies very con-
venient for you, I conjectured, that you were meditating,
even in your dreams, to make war upon the Raja Carn.
I at first mentioned it merely as a matter of conjecture ;
but, agreeably to the ordinary coui'se of popular rumours,
it came soon to be reported as an established fact." Akebar
acknowledged, that the slave had guessed shrewdly, and
justly ; and from that time, he would no more suifer his
person to be approached, during his hours of repose. As
his designs had now been made public, he no longer thought
of entrusting the execution of them to his son.
It was, however, in the power of the emperor, to have
given a direction to the valour of Jehan Guir, by employing
it in the north, on the other side of the river Indus. It has
been stated, that the Patans, who were defeated by Amayum,
had retired iuto inaccessible mountains. They had there
formed a species of little state, between Cabul and the
Tartars; and, issuing, at times, from their retreats, made
inroads upon the Mogul territory. This was an enemy, the
more to be dreaded, as he had a feasible right to the
kingdom of Delhi, of which he had been dispossessed only a
few years. Akebar gave orders for an army of eighty
thousand men, to march against them. All Cabulestan was
exhausted, to furnish troops for this expedition. Jehan
Guir desired passionately to have the command of them.
His father did not judge it i)roper, and the event proved.
102 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY^
that the caution of Akebar had been just and prudent.
The eighty thousand men, who entered the country of the
Patans, all perished by the sword, or from distress^, in this
warfare, undertaken amidst uncultivated and desert tracts.
The entire destruction of this nation was reserved for
another emperor.
The military enterprises which Akebar was continually
forming, obliged him to found a school for engineers. There
was no deficiency of artillery in the Indies. It may be said,
that from time immemorial, the Chinese, who doubtless
were, at one time, masters of Indostan, had in that country
cast pieces of ordnance, the antiquity of which cannot be
traced at the present day. Unfortunately, there were but
few persons in the Indies, who had the skill to work them,
with the same science and precision, which is practised in
Europe. Akebar entertained, therefore, the plan, of inviting
Europeans into his service, and of inducing them to settle
at Agra, by the prospect of great advantages. The English
had recently established themselves on the coast of Indostan,
and had acquired a great reputation for valour. In their sea
engagements, they had almost always the advantage of the
Portugese. It was from their new establishment at Surat,
where they began to carry on a very advantageous com-
merce, that Akebar procured English cannoneers, to serve
his artillery. One of these cannoneers had an extraordinary
reputation for ability among those of his nation : he was
noted, besides, for his inebriety. This man was much
disconcerted, when he found himself in a country, in which
wine shops are prohibited. He made use of the following
artifice, to procure the enjoyment of his favorite beverage.
One day, that the emperor wished to be a witness to his
skill ; at a moderate distance, on the opposite side of the
river, a large cloth had been fixed, at which the cannoneer
was ordered to take aim. The Englishman pointed his
AKEBAR. 103
gun so badly, that he did not even strike an object, so
extremely easy. The monarch was astonished, and made
him some reproaches. " My lord," replied the Englishman,
*' since I have been compelled to the disuse of wine, my
sight is grown so weak, that I can no longer discern an
object, however conspicuous, even at a moderate distance.
Wine is alone capable of restoring, sufficiently, my powers
of vision, to enable me to discover objects, agreeably to
my ordinary habits." There was no want of wine at the
palace. Akebar had always some for his own pleasures;,
and a certain quantity was given every day to the elephants.
A bottle was then brought, which the cannoneer emptied at
a single draught. Then causing the mark to be changed,
and another substituted, which was very little bigger than
the ball, which was to be fired, the Englishman hit it with
the greatest precision, and obtained the applauses of the
king. From that time, Akebar gave liberty to all his Euro-
pean cannoneers, to plant vineyards in the neighbourhood
of Agra. Some excellent wine is produced from these
plantations. The decree of the prince was inserted in the
Clironicle, in these words : — '" The Europeans are born in
the element of wine, as fish are produced in that of water ;
to prohibit them the use of it, is to deprive them of life."
This permission to cultivate the vine, which foreigners, in
the service of the Mogul, possess, is a great source of
profit to them. Wine, which is not conunori at Agra, is
dear, and the cultivator does not run the hazard of injury
from frost, as in Europe ; it is a certain harvest.
• It was not only English cannoneers, whom Akebar took
into his service ; he had procured, also, from Goa, artisans
of every description; lapidaries, enamellers, goldsmiths,
surgeons, and European practicioners in medicine. Akebar,
by their means, became acquainted with the Christian
religion, and entertained thoughts, at this time, of embracing
104 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
it. The viceroy of Goa, had sent Antony Criminal to ike
court of the Mogul, in the character of ambassador. He
was a truly Christian man, who did honor to his religion,
by the purity of his manners. The piety, the good faith,
and the irreproachable conduct of the Portuguese, made an
impression on the mind of Akebar. He formed his judg-
ment of Christians in general, from the demeanor of an
individual of that profession, and became persuaded, that
such perfect integrity, could be inspired only by the true
religion. The emperor wished to be informed of its pecu-
liar doctrines, which the ambassador only explained to him
in substance. He replied, " that it was the part of the
priests of his religion, to explain in detail, and to develope
its mysteries ; that two Jesuits, at that time employed in
the kingdom of Bengal, in the conversion of the Indians,
would think to render God service, should their instru-
mentality be required, to instruct the greatest monarch of
the east." This discourse induced the prince to procure
the visit of a missionary from Bengal. It is probable,
that he was a Jesuit, but this is not certain. It was through
this priest, that the emperor learnt to contemn the Alcoran,
and to esteem the gospel. That he might be able to
converse with him the oftener, and the more privately,
Akebar applied himself to acquire the Portuguese tongue,
in which he succeeded with a facility, which was surprising.
At the instigation of the missionary, the Mogul determined
to invite into his states, as many Jesuits as he could
procure. The letter which he addressed to them at Goa, is
as follows : —
" Akebar the Great, Emperor of the world, to the
venerable fathers of St. Paul. — I have sent to you, on my
behalf, Ebadola, with an interpreter, to testify to you the
affection, which I entertain towards you. He will request
you, in my name, to send to my court some of your fathers.
AKEBAR. 105
skilled in the knowledge of the sacred volumes, and able
to explain the deep mysteries of your religion. I have
equally a desire to learn its true merits, and to embrace it.
You may judge from this, that your fathers will be treated
honorably, and that every attention will be shewn to their
accommodation. Sutler them then to come, and let them be
assured, that they will have entire liberty to return to Goa,
should they at any 'time become dissatisfied with the
docility of their pupil. Further, that they may rely on my
protection."
The letter of the Mogul gave great pleasure to the
Jesuits of Goa. Every one prayed, that he might be
appointed to a mission, which promised to be so advantage-
ous to the spread of the faith. The lot fell on the Fathers
Rodolph Aqauviva, Antony Manserrat, and Francis Henric.
The first, who was appointed the superior, was son to the
Duke d'Atri, and nephew of Father Claude Aquaviva,
who became afterwards General of the Jesuits. Father
Rodolph had relinquished high expectations, and the strong
ties which bound him to his native land, that he might
consecrate his life to the service of the missions in the
Indies. The apostleship of the Mogul fell to his lot. It is
impossible to conceive the impatience with which Akebar
expected the missionaries at Fetipour. Naturally of an
ardent disposition, as soon as he knew of their having set
out, he informed himself, incessantly, of their progress,
while on their route.
The emperor received the fathers with as much kind-
ness, as he had shewn ardour, in inviting them to his court.
He passed the whole night in conversation with them ;
and, on the pretence of furnishing them with the means of
procuring necessaries, he offered them a pretty large sum
of money. The missionaries represented to the emperor,
the vow of poverty, which separated them from the interests
106 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
of this life. This was a strong hold, from which they never
aUowed themselves to be diverted, notwithstanding the
liberal disposition, and frequent pressing offers, of the
prince. A disinterestedness, which was so rare among
the ministers of the Mahometan religion, was calculated to
give a favourable impression of the superiority of that of
Jesus Christ. The fathers made their presents to the Mogul ;
these w^ere, a fine impression of the Bible, printed in four
languages ; and two pictures, one representing Jesus
Christ, and the other the Virgin Mary. Akebar took the
Bible, placed it upon his head, in sign of respect, kissed
the images, and made his children kiss them.
The visits, which the missionaries paid, subsequently,
to the emperor, did not terminate in mere compliments.
Akebar desired to know the grounds, which go to prove,
fundamentally, the falsehood of the Alcoran ; and the prin-
ciples which establish the truth of the gospel. Argu-
mentative contests were entered upon, every Saturday, at
the palace, with the Moulas. The Jesuits had brought
with them an Alcoran, from Goa. Father Henric, by birth
a Persian, served his companions as their interpreter.
His assistance was of the greatest advantage in refuting
the doctors of the Mahometan law. The fathers laid great
stress on the species of beatitude, which Mahomet promised,
in another life, to Mussulmen. They demonstrated the
infamy of the promises, which the impostor has made to
carnal men, to gain them over to his false doctrines, by
the hope of the full indulgence of their passions. The
emperor was convinced of the weakness of the Alcoran on
this point ; he contrasted the spirit of pride, and of sen-
suaUty, exhibited in the Alcoran, with the spirit of humility,
and of mortification, taught by the gospel. It is, he said,
in shedding their blood, that the Christains have extended
their faith throughout the earth ; and in shedding the blood
AKEBAR. 107
of otliers^ that Mahometanism has been cstabHshed in the
east. The emperor appeared to have been staggered by
these first impressions.
The fathers were always welcomed at the palace, with
the greatest demonstrations of regard ; but they were well
acquainted with the spirit of the Orientals. With them,
the heart is little responsible for the protestations they
make. In order, therefore, to bind Akebar to good faith.
Father Aquaviva had the boldness to address him, in the
following manner : — " Your Majesty cannot be ignorant,
of the conditions on which we abandoned an abundant
harvest, that we might come to announce to you Jesus Christ.
You have given us your assurance, that we shall be allowed
to return to the country we have quitted, in the event of
the seed of the word of life, preached at your court, proving
unfruitful. We are, then, emboldened to solicit your
Majesty to fix a season, when it may please your Majesty
to declare yourself, openly, as a servant of Mahomet, or
of Jesus Christ." The emperor was not disgusted at the
the freedom of the missionary. " So serious a change,'*
replied Akebar, '^ is in the hands of God. As for myself, I
shall never cease to implore his illumination and his aid."
So just a reply ought, one would imagine, to have
occasioned the conversion of the emperor to be regarded
as infallible. The fathers were not blinded by it. They
always apprehended, that dissinmlation and policy, so
natural to the Moguls, had the greatest share in the dis-
course of the Prince. Nevertheless, they received fresh,
and unabated testimonials of the favour of the court.
Akebar knew, that the house, inhabited by the fathers,
was inconvenient, and exposed them to be disturbed by
the noise of the people, that were constantly passing ; he,
therefore, gave them a lodging within the circuit of the
palace. Then, for the first time, was seen an altar set up to
108 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
Jesus Christ, in the heart of a Mahometan court. The
fathers had even the consolation to have disciples of the
royal family. The education of the second son of Akebar
was confided to Father Manserrat. He was equally
instructed in the sciences of Europe, and in the knowledge
of our sacred mysteries. Pahari, which was the name of
the young prince, was about thirteen years of age, at the
time he was placed under the care of the missionaries.
His superior understanding, and the natural sweetness of
his disposition, occasioned them to be flattered with the
hope, of finding one day, in his person, a protector of the
Christian faith in the dominions of the Mogul ; but, the
natural inconstancy of the Indian character prevailed in
this young prince over the steadiness of the Tartar.
Akebar maintained always, in his heart, an indescribable
aversion for the eldest of his sons. The great object of
his affection was Paliari; in consequence, he spared no
pains in the cultivation of his mind. His aim was, to
enable him to assume, on the side of intellect, that supe-
riority of which he was deprived by the order of birth.
The emperor frequently came to visit the fathers during
the time they were occupied in the instruction of his
favorite son. The young prince, by chance, began, in the
presence of the emperor, to recite his lesson of the day in
these words : — " To the glory of Amighty God," — " add,
my son," said Akebar, " and of Jesus Christ, the true
Prophet." He entered, afterwards, into the chapel, which
the fathers had prepared in their apartment. He adored
the Saviour by prostrations ; then, seating himself upon
cushions, according to the custom of the country, he
entered upon a conversation with the missionaries, which
enabled him to unburthen his mind to them.
" You are not ignorant," he said, " of the profound
veneration, which I entertain for the religion in which you
AKEBAR 109
have instructed me. All things tend to inspire me with
favorable sentiments towards it. The miracles of the
Messiah, acknowledged even by the Alcoran ; the purity of
the morals inculcated by the gospel ; its establishment, by
the simple instrumentality of the preaching, and suffering,
of individuals ; are unconquerable impressions, which lead
me to the acknowledgment of Jesus Christ, as a prophet
sent from God. But, when you raise my thoughts high
above all, which appears founded in reason and nature, in
the person of the Messiah, T am bewildered in the sub-
limity of your mysteries. Explain to me," he added,
" the eternal generation of the word, in the bosom of Ms
father, and his miraculous incarnation, in time, and I
shall subsribe, without reserve, to all the articles, which
you propose for my belief."
The missionaries availed themselves of the principles,
of which the emperor appeared to be convinced, and drew
from them consequences, favorable to our mysteries,
which appear the most incomprehensible. " Jesus Christ,"
they said, " appears to you to have sufficiently proved his
mission, by miracles, acknowledged even by the Alcoran :
the sanctity of the morals, he inculcated, bear testimony
to the truth of his religion ; he is an approved Prophet.
He ought, then, to be believed on his own word. He
declares to us, that he was before Abraham. All the
monuments, which he has left us, tend to confirm the Trinity
of persons in God. Doubtless, the miracles, which you
believe, confirm the mysteries that he has revealed to us,
and which you cannot comprehend." The emperor felt the
force of this reasoning, broke up the conversation, with
tears in his eyes, and several times repeated — " Turn
Christian ! Renounce the religion of my fathers ! What
danger for an emperor ! What an undertaking for a man
no HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
educated in voluptuousness, and in the latitude allowed by
the Alcoran !"
However, as Akebar was perfectly convinced of the
falsehood of the books of Mahomet, he took a pleasure in
refuting the doctors of his religion. " If the books of Moses,"
he said to them, " as well as the book of Psalms, are in-
spired, as is confessed by Mahomet, why does he prohibit
our reading them ? It is said in the Alcoran, that the books
of the evangelists of Jesus Christ are true writings. Yet how
essentially are their respective doctrines opposed to each
other. Can the Almighty be inconsistent with himself,
when he speaks by the instrumentality, and by the voice of
Jesus ? In order to extricate myself from the embarrass-
ment in which I am placed, by the contradictions which I
find between the volumes which I ought to regard, if I am
to believe Mahomet equally as the word of God, ought I
not to reason thus ? It is agreed, on both sides, that the
books of the evangelists are holy and true. The Christians
deny that the Alcoran is the word of God. It will then be
wise to adopt the safest course, and to renounce the Alcoran,
which the Christians abhor, for the gospel, which the Maho-
metans acknowleige."
Notwithstanding his private sentiments were so favor-
able to Christianity, Akebar could not be prevailed upon to
embrace it. Liberty, however, was granted for the preach-
ing of it throughout his empire. He even consented that
our ceremonies should be practised in public, in all their
majesty ; and that the interment of a Portuguese should
take place attended by all the pomp of the Roman religion.
The cross was then carried, for the first time, in the streets
of Fetipour. Akebar felt much satisfaction at the triumph
which he had procured to the religion of Jesus Christ.
The evangelical seed, it may be said, had fallen upon the
AKEBAR. Ill
heart of the prince ; but it had been too long disposed to
voluptuousness to prove a fruitful soil. The ambition of a
doctor of the Mahometan law was very nearly contributing
more to bring about the conversion of the emperor, than all
the zeal by which the missionaries were actuated.
Abdul Fasil, whicli was the name of tlie Moula, was
persuaded, that he should succeed in gaining the favor of
the emperor by adopting sentiments conformable to that
prince's inclinations. He declared himself a convert to
the missionaries, and by that complaisance insinuated him-
self so far into the good graces of Akebar, that he drew
upon himself the jealousy of his contemporaries. He spoke
to him incessantly of Jesus Christ, and represented to him
the absurdities of the Alcoran, which he had studied from
his infancy. To induce him to change the religion of his
states, he made use of a strain of reasoning, wliicli he
knew would touch sensibly the heart of the prince. " The
authority of your predecessors," he said, '^ never attained
the heighth at which we behold it in your days. How
much greater will be the honor reflected on your memory,
in rendering your name illustrious to posterity, by a signal
display of the empire which you obtained over the minds
of your subjects, than it can be by any ascendancy which
you may have gained over your enemies. Speak the word,
my lord, and you will tind all Indostan renouncing their
ancient superstitions, and submitting to be guided by your
sentiments ; its people, through the veneration they enter-
tain towards you, will embrace them. Doubtless, it will
be for their interest, that one religion should ulone prevail
throughout your states. It is not possible that the Maho-
metan should become the prevailing religion ; the anti-
pathy, which the Indians have conceived for the Alcoran,
is hereditary. It is the religion of their conquerors, and
112 HISTORY OP THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
their aversion to it may be dated from the moment of their
being compelled to wear our chains. Make an experiment,
whether Christianity may not be so fortunate as to succeed
in taking sole possession of the human mind, and effectually
banish from the Indies Mahometanism, and the ancient
superstitions."
Akebar, at this time, felt himself disposed to found his
own glory, and the happiness of his country, by obeying
the convictions of his mind. He declared to the mission-
aries, that he was prepared to give a striking proof of his
sincerity, and of the esteem in which he held the gospel.
Matters were in this state, when the budding faith of tlie
prince was tried by adversity. The Patans, a refractory
nation, broke out into revolt. The brother of the emperor
took up arms in their cause, and stirred up all Cabulestan
against Akebar. It was then^ that the doctors of the Maho-
metan law exerted themselves to recover their influence
over the mind of the emperor. '' Heaven," they said,
" has permitted a prince, whom it has so greatly favored,
to be afflicted by so many domestic dissentions, only since
he has become estranged from the religion of Mussulmen.
Let him return to us, and tranquillity will be restored." The
emperor had, besides, fears, lest his eldest son should take
advantage of a conjuncture favorable to his ambitious views,
and acquire an influence with a people already disposed to
revolt. Thus, whether influenced by a regard for the
religion of his ancestors, or the fear of causing fresh insur-
rections, or through an abandonment of the divine aid,
which resists the proud, Akebar experienced his ardour
in favor of the Christian religion much abated. He shunned
the conversation of the fathers, and spoke no longer to
them with his usual familiarity ; or, if he still at times
listened to them, it was with an appearance of distraction.
AKEBAR. 113
which afflicted thern : in a public conference, he even
seemed, contrary to his usual custom, to take with some
vivacity the side of the Moulas.
The missionaries, it is true, might have employed, in
the conversion of the people, a zeal, which began to appear
fruitless at court. Akebar had removed every obstacle to
their preaching, by allowing his subjects to embrace the
gospel ; but, the fathers had experienced how difficult it is
to convert the Mahometans. It was hardly possible for
any thing less than the authority of the prince, or a revo-
lution in the state, to eradicate from their minds a religion,
which had been established only by violence. The function
of the missionaries was, therefore, restricted to a small
number of European Christians, whom the emperor had
taken into his service. The fathers became at last wearied
of the languishing state of their ministry at the court, and
in the city. The caprice of Akebar became insupportable ;
he seemed to have countenanced, for a season, the cause of
Christianity from a principle of curiosity only, or for the
amusement of hearing disputations on matters of religious
faith. They were on the verge of returning to Goa, when
they were prevented by Abdul Fasil.
" The emperor," he said, " beholds you with satis-
faction in his palace ; reasons of state only prevent him
from declaring himself openly in favor of a religion which
you have promulgated to him. I beheld him, yesterday^
place the gospel on his head with reverence, a respect
which he never paid to the Alcoran when presented to him.
Continue to persevere," he said, " and sutler time to ripen
an enterprise, in which your cares have already made such
progress." It is probable, that Abdul Fasil had imparted
to the emperor the purpose which the missionaries enter-
tained of quitting the states of the Mogul. At least, it is
certain^ that in appearance, they seemed to have recovered
I
114 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
the good graces of Akebar. He frequently visited them,
and he sometimes would converse with them on topics of
religion. At last, as a mark of his entire confidence, he
gave them directions to instruct likewise his eldest son in
the sciences of Europe.
Father Aquaviva did not allow himself to be so far
flattered by these appearances, as to consent to his evange-
lical fellow-labourers remaining inactive, whilst the rest of
the Indies was so ill supplied with missionaries. He had
written to his superiors, that a single missionary would
suffice to be present with the Mogul, to watch the moments
when the prince might be well disposed, and to attend to
the weal of the Christian strangers. In effect, the empe-
ror soon after frankly acknowledged, that the season,
which would be crowned by his conversion, was yet remote.
'^ I find myself," he said to the fathers, '' bound to Maho-
metanism by ties, which I am unable to break asunder.
The Moulas of the palace, and the sultaness my mother,
never cease to inveigh against the new religion which I
protect. I have an opposition still more difficult to sustain
with the women of my haram. From the apprehension of
being all discarded, as soon as Christianity shall have
reduced me to make choice of a single companion, they
spare no caresses, that they may tear from my heart the
religion of Jesus Christ. In a word," he added, " the
gospel is too pure, and my manners are too corrupt."
Father Aquaviva seized the opportunity, furnished
by the sincerity of this communication, to solicit from
Akebar permission to return to Goa. The emperor repented
quickly of his frankness. ^' Do you not perceive, my father,"
he said, " how much your presence is necessary to me ?
The chain, by which I am bound, has so powerful a spell,
that I need the hand of a master to dissolve its enchantments.
Can you resolve to abandon me at a moment when I stand
AKEBAR. 115
in the greatest need of your aid?" Father Rodolph was
unable to resist so affecting an appeal. He suffered the
two companions of his labours to take their departure.
Father Henric for Goa, and Father Manserrat for the city
of Agra, with the prince, his pupil. As for himself, he
continued to reside at Fetipour, that he might be near the
person of the Mogul.
It is not easy to decide, on which side the sufferings of
the father were greater ; whether those, which were the
consequence of the favor shewn him by the prince, or such
as arose from the distress, which the aberrations of Akebar
occasioned him in the sequel. The consideration in which
the missionary was held by the emperor excited the envy
of the court. His life was often in jeopardy. At last, the
hatred of his enemies had attained to such a heighth, that
the emperor was desirous he should accept of a guard for
the protection of his person. " No, my lord," the fatlier
replied, " an apostolic character is sufficiently defended
by the confidence which it is his duty to repose in God.
He ought rather to lay down his life, than reject that trust."
It was thus, that this zealous missionary already displayed
that courage, wiiich he manifested sometime afterwards, by
shedding his blood for the cause of the gospel in the island
of Salsette.
The life of Father Aquaviva was agreeable to his pro-
fessions. He was zealously occupied in his studies, whilst
the emperor remained at Fetipour, that he might be enabled
to refute the objections of the Moulas. The war, which
Akebar had to maintain against his brother on the banks
of the Indus, left Father Rodolph very solitary. It was
then, that the missionary profited, during an interval of
repose, by labouring more particularly for his own per-
fection. He employed almost the entire day, and the
greater part of the night, in prayer. The little repose, in
I 2
116 HISTORY OP THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
which he indulged, was taken stretched on the bfire ground;,
or lying on a mat. His repast was rice, baked in water.
His visits were confined to the necessitous ; and his auste-
rities surpassed, apparently, what nature was capable of
enduring. He was often found engaged in prayer, at sun-
rise, in the exact situation he had assumed at the setting of
the sun.
Akebar, in the meanwhile, triumphed over his enemies,
and compelled the rebellious Patans to seek refuge in their
mountains. His brother, often vanquished, was obliged
to submit to his conqueror. Elated by success, the emperor
was tempted to despise the humility of the cross ; and the
tumult and distractions of war had in part obliterated the
recollection of the satisfaction, which he had formerly expe-
rienced in listening to the conversation of Father Aqua-
viva, and receiving instruction in our mysteries. Akebar,
on his return, no longer appeared the same person in the
eyes of the missionary. It was easy to perceive, that the
chief object which the prince had in view, by inviting to his
court Jesuits from Goa, was, by their means, to establish an
intercourse of commerce with the Portuguese, and to gra-
tify his eager desire to become acquainted with the sciences
of Europe.
It may be said, that curiosity and a thirst for know-
ledge were the ruling passions of Akebar. His indulgence
of these propensities prompted him to a very singular expe-
dient. He was desirous to ascertain the language in which
children would express themselves, who had been kept in
ignorance of the articulate sounds of any known language.
The emperor had been informed, that the Hebrew was the
original language of the human race, and the one, which all,
who had not been taught any other, would naturally speak.
In order to secure a conviction on this point, he ordered
twelve children to be taken from the breast, and to be
AKEBAR J 17
closely confined in a castle, which was situated six leagues
from Agra. They had given to them, for nurses, twelve
women, who were dumb, with the addition of a man, who
was also dumb, to serve as porter. The porter was
forbidden, on pain of death, ever to open the gates of the
castle. When the children had attained the age of twelve
years, Akebar commanded that they should be brought
into his presence. He then assembled in his palace persons
skilled in various languages. A Jew, who was at Agra,
was appointed to the office of deciding, whether the lan-
guage to which they might give utterance, was Hebrew.
The capital furnished Arabians and Chaldeans in abundance.
The Indian philosophers, on their side, contended, that the
children would speak the Sanscrit, which is the dialect of
the learned of the country, and holds among them the same
place, as does the Latin among the learned iu Europe.
The ancient books of philosophy and the Indian theology
are written in this language. When these children appeared
before the emperor, to the surprise of every one, they
were found incapable of expressing themselves in any lan-
guage, or even of uttering any articulate sounds. They
had learnt, from the example of their nurses, to substitute
signs for articulate sounds. They used only certain ges-
tures to express their thoughts, and these were all the
means which they possessed of conveying their ideas, or a
sense of their wants. They were, indeed, so extremely shy,
and, at the same time, of an aspect and manners so uncouth
and uncultivated, that it required great labour and perse-
verance to bring them under any discipline, and to enable
them to acquire the proper use of their tongues, of which
they had previously almost entirely denied themselves the
exercise.
To ascertain the source of the Ganges was another
object of the curiosity of Akebar. This river, which has
118 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY,
its course in the eastern parts of Indostan, flows from
north to souths and in those places near to where it dis-
charges its waters into the ocean, in the kingdom of Ben»
gal, produces nearly the same effects as does the Nile in
Egypto At certain times of the year it overflows, in some
places, its banks ; and the sediment which it deposits on
the lands, fertilizes the soil, and produces abundant crops.
This is not the only point of resemblance, which this river
bears to the Nile. The idolaters of India pay it worship^
and consider its waters as able to absolve them of their
offences. Its source has always been a subject of dispute
among the Brahmins of the present day, as it was with
the Gymnosophists of former times. In the time of Akebar^
the ignorance respecting its source was as great, as was
that of the source of the Nile a century since. The emperor
contributed all the expenses necessary for ascertaining,
with some precision, the origin of a river, which brought so
much wealth to his states. He commissioned several per-
sons, and gave them instructions to proceed in the direction
of the banks of the Ganges, and by persevering therein, to
ascend ultimately to its fountain head. They were fur-
nished with provisions, horses, and money ; and with
letters of recommendation, to enable them to pass, without
molestation, through the various countries washed by the
Ganges, which were independent of the power of the
Mogul. Their route lay principally to the north ; and the
nearer they approached towards its source, tlie more the
channel of the river was found to diminish in breadth.
Uninhabited tracts of forest were traversed, through which
they were compelled to penetrate, by hewing their way,
and forming new routes. At last, they came to a lofty
mountain, which seemed to have been formed, by labour
and art, into the shape of a cow's head. Thence flow a
great abundance of waters. The deputies conceived they
AKEBAR. 119
had here found the original source of the Ganges, and
penetrated no further in quest of the object of their
researches. They returned, after encountering many, perils,
to make a report to the emperor of the result of their
labours. The relation of the deputies was inserted in the
Chronicle ; from which I have extracted it. It may be
said, that they added little to former discoveries. Long
before the time of Akebar, the persuasion was general in
the Indies, that the Ganges takes its source in a mountain,
whose shape bears a resemblance to a cow's head. It is
for this reason, they say, that these animals have been, for
so long a period, the object of the adoration of the Indians.
One of the principal grounds of hope, among them, of
happiness in a future life, consists in being able to yield up
their breath in the waters of the Ganges, in the act of
holding a cow by the tail. Since the time of Akebar,
further discoveries have been made ; and it has been ascer-
tained that the Ganges forms a cascade upon the mountain,
from which they supposed it to take its origin ; but that
its source is at a much greater distance, and far removed
thence into the interior parts of Great Tartary.
It is easy to conceive, that a prince, whose mind was
so eager for knowledge, should entertain novelties in matters
of religion. He had been brought up, by his father, in a
contempt of the laws of Mahomet; and had been con-
firmed in those sentiments by the missionaries. Outwardly,
he always made a profession of it. He called himself of
the sect of Ali, which the pretended true Mussulmen
regard as a heresy. He had not attached himself to this
sect, in preference to that of the Sonnis, who boast them-
selves to be the only orthodox sect, with the view of draw-
inir into his service a great number of Persians, a nation
which professes itself of the sect of Ali; but from the pride
of singularity, and a desire to be distinguished from the
120 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
common herd of his Mussulmen subjects in matters of
Faith. The Christianity, afterwards preached at court by
the Jesuits, had for him all the attractions of novelty. If
he refused to embrace it, from motives of policy, and an
unconquerable attachment to his pleasures ; he trusted, that
he might, at least, be able to construct a religion founded
on the different professions of faith in his states, which
would easily be adopted throughout his empire. " Maho-
met," he said, " was but a man, as I am, and much less
powerful. He framed a religion compounded of Judaism,
Christianity, and the suggestions of his own mind and fancy.
By this means, the pretended prophet has immortalized his
name, and great sovereigns have professed themselves his
disciples. It is equally for my interest, and my glory, to
become the head and the author of a new religion. The
people of my states," he said, " are a singular medley of
Mahometans, idolaters, and Christians. I will reunite
them all in one belief. The baptism of one, and the cir-
cumcision of the other, shall be blended with the worship
of Brama. I will preserve the metempsychosis, the plurality
of wives, and the worship of Jesus Christ. Uniting thus
together the things which the professors of each of those
religions hold most sacred, I shall form one only flock, of
which I shall myself be the shepherd."
Akebar entered upon the execution of this great enter-
prise, and took the name of Cha Geladin, which signifies,
" the powerful prince of the sovereign law."
Labor, an imperial city, in which the Mogul had a
palace, appeared to him well situated for the first promul-
gation of his new religion. The vicinity of the army,
which he had assembled in its neighbourhood, for the con-
quest which he was meditating of the kingdom of Cache-r
mire, was a circumstance not to be neglected by an inno^
vator in matters of religion. It was, then, at Labor, tha
AKEBAR. 121
he announced himself first tlie enemy of Mahometanism.
The mosques were shut up, or changed into stables, for the
accommodation of the court. The use of those lofty
turrets, called Alcorans, whence the Moulas are accustomed
to call the Mussulmen to prayers, was forbidden them.
The people were all exhorted to conform to the religion of
the prince. Akebar instituted laws, practised himself the
ceremonies, and invited all the officers of his court to give
their sanction to his new modes of worship. He adopted,
from the Pagan worship, the adoration of the sun, which
he practised three times a day ; at the rising of that luminary,
when it was at its meridian, and at its setting. He, on
certain occasions, paid honors to Jesus and Mary. He
carried, suspended from his neck, a relic, which he had
received from Father Aquaviva — an Agnus Dei, and an
image of the Virgin Mary. This was all he had borrowed
from the Christian religion. He reserved, for further con-
sideration, the adoption of the sacrament of baptism. He
allowed the circumcision of the Mahometans to be pre-
served ; and he recited, agreeably to the manner of Mus-
sulmen, the praises of God upon a species of large rosary.
He filled up the measure of his impiety, by wishing to be
himself adored as a god. Every morning he presented
himself upon a balcony, to the view of his people, who
prostrated themselves on his appearance. He received
their petitions, he heard their prayers, and caused to be
reported, among a credulous populace, that the requests
which they had addressed to him were miraculously ful-
filled.
Father Aquaviva was no longer able to support, patiently,
the affliction, which this change caused him, in a prince, of
whose conversion he had entertained strong hopes. No
ciioice now remained, but that of quilting the territory of
the Mogul, and returning to Goa. With tears in his eyes.
122 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
he appeared in the presence of the emperor, at Lahor.
" My lord/' he said to him, ^' the time for my departure is
arrived. It is no longer proper, that you should retain me
near your person ; neither is it allowable for me, to remain
at your court. You promised the missionaries, before
their departure from Goa, that you would suffer them to
return without opposition to the Portuguese territory,
whenever their labours could be no longer useful to your
states. It even seems, that they are become prejudicial to
them. You have made no other use, my lord, of our
instructions, and the knowledge of Christianity, which we
have been the means of imparting to you, than to profane
it, by blending with it idolatry and Mahometan impiety.
The scandal, of which you are the cause, recoils partly
upon me. It is to me, your people attribute the novelties,
which you have introduced into their worship. It becomes
me, by the most open disavowal, to acquit myself of a
conduct so censurable, and in which I have borne no part.
I cannot do this more effectually, than by abandoning the
Mogul territory, and impressing the whole empire, by my
voluntary departure, with a conviction, that the innovations,
which you have begun, have not resulted from my instruc-
tion or counsels. No, my lord, my eyes shall no longer
be offended by beholding you occupying the place of God,
and receiving an adoration, which belongs only to the
eternal. My prayers shall, nevertheless, be exerted, to
entreat that his judgments over you, may be suspended,
and that a season may be granted to your majesty, to
return to him."
Akebar was neither affected, nor offended, by the
language of Father Aquaviva. He was yet in that first
delirium of intoxication, which the incense of the people
was calculated to excite. He was well acquainted, besides,
with the zeal of the missionary, and accustomed to listen
AKEBAR. 123
to bis exhortations without emotion. Akebar had a sincere
aflection for Father Aquaviva ; all imaginable inducements
were, therefore, tried to retain him in his states. Father
Rodolph persisted in his resolve, and at last the emperor
gave his consent to his departure. At their separation,
the Mogul gave the father an interesting proof of his
regard. A Polonese slave, and a Muscovite slave, to whom
she was married, were in the service of the sultaness, the
mother of Akebar. The Polonese possessed particularly
the confidence of the princess, and it seemed hardly possible,
that the sultaness could be induced to part with her.
Nevertheless, Akebar, at the solicitation of Father Aqua-
viva, succeeded in obtaining of his mother the liberty of
the husband and wife, and two of their children. This
was all tlie wealth, which the missionary carried away with
him from the most opulent of all the countries of the earth.
He took the road to Goa with the spoils he had snatched from
an infidel country ; which he soon after again quitted, to
engage in new missions. In these services, he sacrificed
his life, in the year 1583, a few months after his departure
from the dominions of the Mogul.
Prosperity, as regards things temporal, may be some-
times considered as a mark of the displeasure of heaven.
Certain it is, that Akebar never enjoyed a greater portion
of success, than at the time, when he subjected religion
and decorum to the worst violations. After having caused
himself, at the head of the army, to be honoured as a God,
he led it to Cachemire. This fine kingdom submitted to
its conqueror, almost without resistance. The Mogul
became master of it without the sheddino; of blood. This
circumstance might have furnished to any otiier man^ a new
occasion of being elated, and of exalting himself above
measure. It was not thus with Akebar; possessed of a
solidity of understanding, he reflected deeply on the extra-
124 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
vagance of his aims. Remorse, besides^, agitated, and
would not suffer him to enjoy a moment's repose. He
opened his mind to Abdul-Fasil; not a single Jesuit had
remained in his states. He had been persuaded by Father
Manserrat, that it would be proper to send him, in the
character of his envoy, to the king of Spain, Don Philip,
who, in consequence of the death of the Cardinal Henry,
king of Portugal, was about to succeed to the entire
power and possessions of the Portuguese. Abdul-Fasil
was by nature supple and ambitious. He had acted agreeably
to the habits of courtiers, and in spite of his better under-
standing, he had paid adoration to the king, and declared
in favor of the new religion. He no sooner perceived, that
the emperor was disgusted with the impious project he had
formed, than he made an effort to bring him back to reason.
As the most efficacious remedy for the present distractions
of his mind, he counselled him to invite other missionaries,
in the place of the former.
An Armenian deacon, who happened at this time to be
at the court of the Mogul, was appointed to conduct a
negociation with the viceroy of Goa. He was charged as
bearer of a letter to the principal of the Jesuits ; of which
the contents are as follow : — " In the name of the Lord.
The most powerful and invincible emperor Akebar, salutes
the fathers of St. Paul, who have been admitted to the
grace of God ; who have tasted of the gift of the Holy
Spirit ; who are obedient to the laws of the Messiah ; and
who lead men to the knowledge of salvation. To you,
venerable fathers, who have separated yourselves from the
world, and who contemn riches and honors, I address
myself. I have examined with attention all the religions of
the earth. It, nevertheless, appears to me, that I am not
yet sufficiently instructed in the mysteries of the Christian
religion. It is by the aid of your fathers, whom I esteem.
AKEBAR. 125
and in whose discourse I take pleasure, that I desire to
attain to a more perfect knowledge. The Armenian,
Grimon, who will deliver you this letter, has assured me,
that I shall find among you, wise and able men, capable of
satisfying all my doubts. Come then, and here refute the
doctors of the Mahometan law ; and be assured, that I
shall rejoice in your successes. If the missionaries, you
may send me, should feel disposed to fix their abode in my
capital, they shall be furnished with a mansion, and privi-
leges superior even to those, which were granted to their
predecessors. Should they, at any time, prefer returning
to Goa, they will be at full liberty so to do, and I will
send them back with testimonies of my favor. This letter,
written at the time of the new moon, of the month of June."
The emperor sent with the letter, a pretty considerable
sum, to be distributed by the hands of the Armenian, to
the poor at Goa. He had been taught by the missionaries,
that offences were to be redeemed, and the favors of
heaven obtained by works of charity. The conversion of
Akebar appeared certain, if the heart could be judged from
outward evidences. He had risen superior to the chief
difficulty interposed to his conversion ; the indulgence of
the passions. All the women of his haram had been
dismissed : they were given in marriage to the nobles of
the court : and the emperor reserved for his society, only
a single female. The piety of the prince towards the holy
virgin was become public. On the day of the assumption
of the Virgin Mary, he had caused a throne to be erected,
on which the image of the virgin was placed ; the Mogul
and his children prostrated themselves before it, and all
the persons of his court, who, on this occasion, followed
the example given by the princes, received presents from
the emperor. Such were the results of the remorse with
which Akebar was continually agitated. Perhaps the blood
126 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
of Father Aquivava was heard in favor of the prince, and
obtained of heaven these gifts of grace, in aid of his
conversion.
Two missionaries took .their departure from Goa in the
year 1589, with that rejoicing of heart, which the prospect
of accomplishing a great enterprise for the glory of God,
is calculated to excite in men of Apostolic character. The
fathers were, Edward Leiton and Christophe Vega. Flat-
tered by the hope of finding a catechumen in Akebar,
disposed to receive the grace of regeneration ; they confi-
dently expected, that they should be v/itnesses to the
establishment of Christianity throughout the empire. The
emperor waited for them at Labor ; and received them in
the most honourable manner. He gave them permission,
immediately, to open a school for instructing the Indians
to read and write, in the Portuguese tongue. He often
visited the fathers, proposing to them the most specious
objections to our sacred mysteries, and appearing satisfied
with the answers he received. However, although he
apparently entertained no attachment to any particular
faith, which was opposed to the religion of Jesus CJirist ; a
secret pride, or rather, perhaps, reasons of policy, sus-
pended the effect of those dispositions, with which he had
been inspired from heaven. He admired our religion, yet
could not resolve to embrace it. The fathers had been too
sanguine in their expectation of the conversion of Akebar,
and now experienced a proportionate degree of discou-
ragement. Impatience is a fault, which too often attends
on disappointment, particularly when it is the result of an
overwrought and injudicious zeal. The two missionaries
had been instructed to withdraw from the Mogul states,
whenever they should be satisfied that their mission had
failed in its object. They relinquished, therefore, the
expectation of bringing the prince to a confession of the
AKEBAR. 127
Christian faitli^, and returned to Goa; reaping no other
fruit from the field of their labours, than the merit of tlieir
good intentions.
At Rome, the precipitation of the two missionaries, in
quitting the 3Iogul states, met with censure. Tlie general
of the Jesuits gave orders, that two other missionaries
should be sent to the emperor, able, according to the
counsel of St. Paul, to advance the work of God by
doctrine, and by patience. Father Jerome Xavier, nephew
to the apostle of the Indies, and Father Emanuel Pinnerc
were set apart for so important a ministry. The first was
superior of a convent of professed monks at Goa. He
liad long sighed for the appointment to the Mogul mission,
wliich he sought with the greater earnestness, as with a
feeble prospect of a successful issue, it would require
superior labours. He, then, set out for his destination,
under the protection, and with a zeal, equal to that of his
uncle, St. Francis Xavier; and, after encountering great
fatigues, the two fathers arrived at Labor. The emperor,
who had felt much displeased at the departure of their
predecessors, manifested great satisfaction at their arrival.
A lodging near the palace was assigned to them in a com-
modious situation, on the banks of the river. It was in a
place, which enabled the emperor's guard to hinder the
people from approaching to the annoyance of the fathers.
At the first audience, Akebar produced before the fathers,
the images of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. He pressed
them to his heart, and kissed them with afl'ection. The
fathers prostrated themselves before the image of the
Saviour. As children are naturally prone to imitate what
they see others do, a young Mogul, grandson of Akebar,
and the eldest son of the prince who was the presumptive
heir to the crown, bent his knees, and joined his hands,
after the example of the missionaries. The emperor.
128 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
overjoyed to see his grandson, at so early an age, enter
into his sentiments ; " My son," he said to him, " these
European pastors will henceforward be to you as parents.
Follow their example, and profit by their instructions.
Render yourself worthy by their assistance, of one day
ruling the extensive kingdoms, which I have conquered for
you."
It was no longer possible to doubt, but that Akebar
was in spirit and in belief a Christian. There remained
only one further effort to make, which was, to declare his
profession publicly, and to receive the mark of regeneration
in Jesus Christ. To judge of his heart, by the esteem
which he appeared to entertain for the fathers, the pre-
ference which he gave to their religion was evident. The
missionaries never approached his throne, without being
saluted by him with an inclination of the head. They
were, also, allowed to be seated in the European manner ;
a distinction never conceded by him to ambassadors, nor,
even to kings, who, at times, frequented his court. These
were, perhaps, but superficial evidences ; the emperor
furnished others more solid of his attachment to the Faith.
He was often present at the services, which the fathers
celebrated in their chapel ; he assisted at their prayers,
repeating them in a kneeling posture ; he also fixed on a
spot for the building of a church, and promised to defray
all the charges attending its construction. Nevertheless,
some vestiges of his former superstition would escape him
at intervals. He was pleased to hear his subjects, possessed
with a notion of his sanctity, address to him prayers,
which are proper only to the divinity. He listened also to
their petitions, and received their gifts. Heaven punished
the pride and impiety of the prince in a remarkable manner.
On Easter Sunday in the year 1597, Akebar, with his
sons, celebrated a festival in honour of the sun, in the
AKEBAR. ri<)
iniddle of a spacious plain, where he had caused pavilions
to be erected. The preparations were niagnilicent. Upon
an altar, raised in the form of a throne, was exposed a
representation of the day-star, fashioned of precious
stones, of a dazzling lustre. The day was serene, and on
every side was heard the tumult of the festal rejoicings,
when, suddenly, a thunderbolt fell from the skies. The
altar was overthrown ; the tent of the emperor was set on
fire ; and the conflagration communicated to the camp.
The damage sustained by the throne, alone, was estimated
at one hundred thousand ducats. The flames spread even
to the city, and reached the Imperial Palace, which was
almost wholly consumed. The immense treasures, which
had been collected by the Mogul, became a prey to the
flames. Melted gold and silver was seen flowing through the
streets of Labor. The emperor, subsequently, determined
on abandoning a place, where every thing tended to remind
liim of his impiety. He retired to the kingdom of Cache-
mire, and requested the Father Jerome Xavier to accom-
pany him.
In the meanwhile. Father Pinnero, who remained at
Labor, was usefully employed in the conversion of the
Mahometans, and the Idolaters. Akebar, wnth the view of
advancing his own reveries, had debased Mahometanism ;
and the missionary profited by the ancient religion's partial
degradation. The church of the Jesuits was frequented by
the deserters from the mosques! It was not judged proper,
however, at first, to administer baptism to any other than
the sick or the dying. The temper of the people of
Indostan was known to the Jesuits. A natural fickleness
of di.sposition is the sure concomitant of a native of the
Indies. It sometimes happened, that l)aptism, in giving
health to the soul, restored likewise to the sick the health
of the bod}^. Martyrs w»^re not wanting to this infant
K
130 H [STORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
church, A Mahometan mother solicited^ with earnestness,
that her son, yet at the breast, might be baptised. She
became, in consequence, the object of the scorn, and the
persecution, of her neighbours. The mother was deterred
from embracing the gospel, and had not the courage to
confess Jesus Christ for her son. Regret, for having
causetl him to receive the external, marks of Christianity,
induced her to poison her milk ; and to convey, by this
means, the seeds of death into the bosom of the infant.
The intercession of the little martyr was not unprofitable to
this infant church. The number of catechumen increased ;
and the fathers entertained sufficient confidence in their
virtue, to administer baptism to them.
The day of Pentecost, in the year 1599, was chosen
for the ceremony. It may be said, to have been magni-
ficent, considering the country in which it took place. The
Catechumen walked in procession through the streets of
Labor, where, an awning, formed of the branches of trees,
defended the spectators from the sun's rays. Tambours,
trumpets, and other instruments, according to the custom
of the Indies, preceded the Catechumen. They were received
by the missionary at the entrance of the church. He
made them children of Jesus Christ, in the sight of a
numerous people, attracted by the novelty of the spectacle.
Whilst water was sprinkling upon the heads of the
new converts, a girl, sixteen years of age, declared
her faith, in a manner which surprised every one. She
demanded, with a loud voice, that the same grace should
be conferred upon her which was granted to others.
'^•'Baptise m.e, too," she exclaimed ; " suffer me, likewise, to
be baptised." She repeated, so long, her importunities, that
she was easily distinguished from among the crowd. The
missionary explained to the young woman, that no one was
admitted to the sacrament, of which the ceremony was
AKEDAR. 131
tlien jyerforniing;, except persons well instructed in our
mysteries. ''I am instructed in them," she replied; '^I
have continually been present at your public ministerings,
though I have not openly declared myself." She was interro-
gated^ and found capable of being admitted into the number
of the faithful; regard was had to her fervour, and baptism
was administered to her. The grace, wliicli she received in
the sacrament, inspired her with courage. The young
Christian resisted the persecution of a Mahometan noble-
man, who desired to have her among the women of his
haram. He accused the missionary, before the judge, of
having baptised the Indian woman by force. The woman
gave a good account of her faith, and justified, satis-
factorily, the conduct of her spiritual father in Jesus Christ.
In fine, the same liberty to choose for herself a husband,
was left to the Indian woman, which slie had before exercised
in the choice of her religion. She was married to a
Christian, and her firmness was a triumph for the Ministers
of Jesus Christ. Such was the progress of Cliristianity at
Labor. Father Pinnero gatliered, with rejoicing, the har-
vest of the evangelical seed, which his predecessors had
sown, and watered with their tears.
In another quarter. Father Jerome Xavier profited, at
Cachemirc, from the reflexions and tlie inquietudes of the
the emperor. The mind of Akebar was still agitated at
times, by the recollection of the sudden, and almost mi-
raculous conflagration of his palace. He condemned his
own aberrations in matters of religion ; but could not
resolve on tlie absolute retraction of his first measures.
The emperor ap})cared to consider liimself engaged, in
honour, to support the sect, of wliicli he was tlie founder.
He blamed his own extravagance, in secret, and supported
it in public. God, by his afflictions, either took ven-
132 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
geance on the guilty monarch, or furnished him anew with
opportunities for his conversion.
Mostafa, formerly conquered, and despoiled of the
share he possessed of the kingdom of the Decan ; after
having resided some time, tranquilly, at the court of the
Mogul, had returned to his ancient dominions, had taken
up arms, and re-assumed the name of Melee, or King.
Those, who were dissatisfied with the reign of Akebar,
and, especially, the zealous Mahometans, took part with
the rebel. The emperor opposed to the rising revolt his
son Pahari, and caused him to take the name of Morad-
The whole empire clearly saw, by his putting arms into the
V hands of the second of his sons, whilst he kept the eldest
in obscurity, that he purposed to declare Morad his suc-
cessor. A victory, gained by the young prince, would
have secured to him the throne of the Moguls. It pleased
Providence to frustrate the views of Akebar, and to visit
him with a severe infliction, in a quarter where he was
most sensible. The Imperial army, and the rebel army
joined battle near Cambaia. The army of the young
Mogul was much superior in numbers ; but Mostafa was a
great commander. Every thing gave way to his valour.
A frightful carnage was made of the vanquished ; and the
young Morad was found, after the battle, among the
number of the slain.
On receiving the news of the death of his son, the
emperor was struck to the heart, by the blow with which
it had pleased Heaven to visit him. He acknowledged the
hand of the Almighty, and felt that it was his duty to sub-
scribe to his decrees. He no longer adored the sun, or
arrogated to himself the worship, which was due only to
God. Father Xavier aided by his discourses the impres-
sions which grace had efl^ected on the heart of the prince.
AKEBAR. 133
^11
The court now quitted Cacheinire, and took the road to
Labor; and after some stay at that city, continued its pro-
gress southward, until it arrived in the capital. It was at
Agra, that the emperor prepared that formidable army,
which lie proposed to conduct in person against the rebels.
Akebar, during the progress of the preparations, partook
of no other amusement than that of the chace. It was in
the solitude of the forests, that he sought to forget the
death of his favorite son. Having become thoughtful, and
melancholy, and being iiarrassed incessantly by that internal
monitor, conscience, the chace was the only amu>sement,
which suited his state of mind ; but in following this diver-
sion, he met with an adventure, which was, eventually,
the cause of his death.
One day, when the Mogul was hunting, in the environs
of Agra, he lost sight of his attendants, and being much
fatigued, sat himself down at the foot of a tree, which
afforded a welcome shade. Whilst he was trying to com-
pose himself to sleep, he saw approaching him, one of those
long caterpillars, of a flame colour, which are to be found
only in the Indies. He pierced it through with an arrow,
which he drew from his quiver. A little time afterwards,
an antelope made its appearance, within bow-shot. The
emperor took aim at it, with the same arrow with wliich
he had pierced the caterpillar. Notwithstanding the ante-
lope received the shaft in apart of its body, which was not
suscejitible of a mortal wounds the animal instantaneously
expired. The hunters of the prince, who opened the beast,
found the flesh black and corrupted, and all the dogs who
eat of it died immediately. The emperor knew, from this
circumstance, the extreme venom of the poison of the cater-
pillar. He commanded one of the officers of his suite, to
get it conveyed to his palace. It was, on this occasion,
that the emperor created the office of poisoner, an office
136 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
resembles him. Flesh was never served at his table. RicC;,
a preparation of milk, and some sweetmeats, comprised his
whole diet. He was fond of literature, and cultivated it.
His greatest pleasure was in conversing with strangers, and
informing himself of the manners, the customs, and the
religion of Europeans. With respect to the history of his
country, and, especially, that of his own reign, he caused
it to be written with care ; and had it read to him, agreeably
to the custom of Oriental sovereigns.
The buildings, which he caused to be constructed, and
the manner in which he adorned different parts of his
empire, will be never failing monuments of his glory. The
system, which he pursued, in making war, was to take
his enemy by surprise, whenever he had the opportunity ;
and when that failed, to contend with him valiantly. By
these means, lie succeeded in greatly extending his empire.
If the Portuguese, who were secretly the partisans of
Mostafa, had not arrested the progress of this Mogul, he
would probably ha<^e carried the glory of his arms asfa;- as
Cape Camorin. To conclude, he well merited the name of
Akebar, that is to say, peerless, which his people bestowed
upon him from the commencement of his reign.
J 37
JEHAN GUIR,
EIGHTH EMPEROR.
Ills parliulilij for the Christian Jiiiii>io7i. His Dehauchenj. Marries Ntif"
mahal. The injlucnce of the Sultaness over her Ititsbaud. She causes lier
Daughter to vuirry into the Imperial Family. Blahohet-Cham makes himself
Master of the Person of the Emperor. The eldest Son of Jelinn Guir is
strani^led in Prison. The Emperor's familiar manners with his People.
Revolt of his third Son. Defeat of his Son. Peace being established, he
resigns himself to the enjoyment of repose. Dies.
J-T is still a subject of dispute in the Indies ; whether
Cha Selini, that is, the pacilic prince, who took in the
sequel, the name of Jehan Guir, which means, the Sovereign
of the Universe, was a legitimate king, or an usurper.
Some historians pretend, that his father, Akebar, a few
days previous to his death, had declared him his successor
to the empire ; that he had placed the royal turban upon
his head, and had girded him with the sword of Amayum.
On the contrary, others write, that Jehan Guir, (for it is
by this name that we shall always speak of the successor
of Akebar), had been disinherited by his father as a rebel ;
and that the deceased emperor had appointed by his will,
sultan Cosrou, eldest son of Jehan Guir, to succeed him.
Whatever may be the truth in this matter, it is certain,
that these public rumours ail'orded a pretext to Cosrou for
revolting against his father.
The emperor, whose life is now about to be recorded,
possessed none of the good qualities of Akebar, witli the
exception of his good-will towards the Christians. He
was, nevertheless, without any of the dispositions, which are
the essentials of Christianity. He was Ji voluptuous prince.
138 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
who passed the greater part of his life in the pleasures of
the haram ; and who abandoned himself to a species of
sottishness, which was degrading to human nature. During
the lifetime of his father, Jehan Guir had the prudence
partly to conceal his vices ; but he no sooner found himself
in the possession of unlimited power, and at liberty to
indulge his propensities, than he set no bounds to his
irregularities. The religion of the Christians was agreeable
to him, chiefly, on account of the licence, which it affords,
for the use of wine, and the flesh of all kinds of animals.
This was the only view, which he took of it ; that spirit of
penitence, humility, charity, and temperance, which is the
soul of Christianity, was never a subject on which he
reflected. With prepossessions, founded on such impure
motives, did he declare himself openly in favor of the
Christians ; and violate, without scruple, the law of Maho-
met. He drank wine in the face of his whole court. The
fast, which the Mahometans observe, so scrupulously, for
an entire month, was the subject of his derision. He
invited to his table, the most conscientious observers of
the laws of their religion, and inveigled them into a com-
panionship in his excesses in wine, and in eating prohibited
meats. The Casi, and the Imans, who are the doctors of
Mahometan laAv, in vain admonished him, that the use of
certain meats was forbidden by the Alcoran. Fatigued
with their importunities, he enquired in what religion the
use of drinks and food of every species, without distinction,
was permitted. The reply was, in that of the Christian
religion alone. We must then, he rejoined, all turn Chris-
tians. Let there be taylors brought to us, to convert our
robes into close coats, and our turbans into hats. At these
words, the doctors trembled for their sect. Fear and
interest made them hold a less severe language. They all
declared, that the sovereign was not bound by the precepts
JEHAN GUIR. 139
of the Alcoran ; and that the monarch might, without
scruple, use whatever meats and drinks were most agreeable
to him.
This accommodating spirit, of the doctors, only served
in a greater degree to invite the contempt, and the hostility
of the emperor. He considered, that he was justified in
availing himself of the weakness of these false pastors, to
insult their religion. With this view, he caused small
statues of gold to be cast, with which he ornamented his
apartments ; and to increase their mortification, he com-
manded the figures of wild boars, an animal detested above
all others by the Mahometans, to be made in every sort of
attitude. A governor of Labor, named Amanet-Chan,
well disposed to our religion, told some Europeans, tliat he
had been present, when the Mahometan doctors gave theii'
decision in favor of the prince ; and that he knew the spot
where the statues of the wild boars had been buried by
them. He added, that whoever might obtain permission to
disinter so considerable a treasure, would find there a rich
booty.
It was more particularly^ during the night, that the king
gave himself up to intoxication, in the society of his friends.
All the Franks in Agra, that is, all Europeans of whatsoever
nation, were allowed free access to the palace. He continued
drinking in their company, till the return of day, and he aban-
doned himself, especially, to these midnight debaucheries^
at the season, which the Mahometans observe as a fast with
the most scrupulous exactness. When some of his nation
of rather rigid principles happened to be present at these
meetings, he compelled them to violate their fast, threatening
them in case of disobedience, with being abandoned to the
rage of two lions, who were kept always chained under the
windows of his apartment. One of his greatest pleasures,
was, putting to the test the constancy of the Persians newly
140 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
arrived at his court. He commonly carried in his girdle^
a stilC;, the point of which was particularly acute, with
which he pierced the ear of the new comer, at a moment
when he was quite unprepared for such a salutation. By
his outcries, or by his silence, that is to say, by the impa-
tience or the tranquil resolution which he manifested under
the infliction of pain, he formed his opinion of the courage
of the Persian ; and he measured his favors, by the result
of his experiment. In fact, the Mahometans were generally
obnoxious to Jehan Guir ; and it was his policy to induce
them to fly the court from disgust. In the disputes, which
the Jesuits had frequently with the Moulas, the prince,
consequently, always gave his voice in favor of the argu-
ments adduced by the former.
The historians of the Indies make mention of a singular
occurrence, which added much to the reputation of the
Christian religion, at the court of Jehan Guir. Our writers
of Europe attribute it to Father Rodolph Aquiviva, and
pretend that it took place in the reign of Akebar. The
circumstances attending this incident are related with some
trifling variations. In this place, the traditions of Asia
will be followed. Jehan Guir, one day, they say, assembled
in his palace the doctors of his own sect on one part, and
on the other Father Acosta. He commanded the missionary
to state to the 31ahometans his strongest objections to the
Alcoran. The Jesuit complied in a manner which gave
satisfaction to the emperor, and confounded the Moulas.
One among them, bolder than the rest, maintained, that the
bible was a spurious book, and that it carried no internal
evidence of truth. Father Joseph D'Acosta, then superior
of the company in Agra, made a singular proposal to this
celebrated Moula, who was esteemed in the Indies as the
head of the law. " Let a large Are be lighted," said the
father, *' and the chief of the Mahometan religion on one
JEHAN GUIR. 141
side enter it, bearing the Alcoran, whilst ontlie other side,
I will cast myself into it, holding in my hand the gospel.
It will then be seen, in whose favor heaven will declare,
whether for Jesus Christ or Mahomet." At these words,
the emperor cast his eyes upon the Mahometan, who
exhibited great symptoms of terror, lest the challenge
should be accepted. He took pity on the Moula, and
refrained exacting from him so severe a trial. As for the
Jesuit, they caused him to change his name; and the
emperor no longer called him by any other than that of
Father Ataxe, which means, the Fire Father.
If Jehan Guir was not permitted to be the witness of a
miracle, which Providence refused, perhaps, to the hard-
ness of his heart, and the corruption of his manners; it
was permitted him, at least, to be the spectator of another
occurrence sufficiently extraordinary. I should not relate
it, but for the warrant of an author; who has never yet
been reputed either as over credulous, or a visionary. A
certain mountebank had, they say, a monkey, possessing
extraordhiary sagacity in discovering things secreted.
The emperor, who had ordered the monkey to be brought
into his presence, concealed his ring in the vest of one of
his pages. The monkey singled out the page in the crowd,
and forced the ring from him. The following incident
likewise occurred. Jehan Guir caused to be written,
upon twelve separate billets, the names of the twelve prin-
cipal legislators ; of Moses, of Jesus Christ, of Mahomet,
of Brama ; finally, of all those who are honored in the
Indies. The billets were mixed in a vase, and tiie monkey
was commanded to draw the billet, which contained the
name of the legislator, who was the founder of the true
religion. The monkey obeyed, and drew that which had
the name of Jesus Christ. The emperor was astonished,
but he was not convinced. The event was attributed to
142 HISTORY OP THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
chance, or the address of the mountebank. Jehan Guir
then commanded, that the names of the legislators should
be written a second time, in that species of cipher, which
he used in giving instructions to his ambassadors. The
monkey selected again the name of Jesus Christ, drew it
from the vase, and kissed it. The astonishment Avas still
greater, after this second mark of sagacity ; but it was con-
verted into admiration, after the third prodigy. Tiie king
concealed the billet containing the name of Jesus Christ in the
hands of one of his courtiers, and mixed eleven only in the
vase. The monkey handled them all without drawing any
one of them. Advancing, then, towards the courtier, in
whose hands had been placed the billet containing the
name of Jesus Christ, he disentangled his fingers, and
seized upon the billet. We may think what we please on
the subject of this incident ; but that it actually took place,
says the Protestant author, from whom I have extracted
the relation, is a fact which will admit of no dispute.
Faith is the gift of heaven, and this was refused to
Jehan Guir. It was not, that this prince did not esteem
Christianity above all other religions ; but the knowledge,
which he had of it, served only to render him more criminal.
He suftered, indeed, two of his nephews to get instructed
in the Faith, and to embrace it. Some pretend, that his
motives, on this occasion, were of a political nature. He
purposed by this, they said, to secure a pretext for
destroying those young princes, at a convenient opportunity,
when he should have rendered them devotees to a religion,
different from his own. Others assert, that he was prompted
to it from licentious motives. He hoped, they say, to be
able to fill his haram with Portuguese women, as soon as
it should be believed at Goa, that he was well disposed to
Christianity. Whatever might be his motives, it is certain,
that Jehan Guir lived without religion, a great enemy to
JEHAN GUIR. 143
the Maliometans, and always, apparently, entertaining a
partiality for the Christian faith.
The .2jreat heats of Indostan obliged the emperor to quit
the residence of Agra. He considered that capital as the
work of his father. Tlie desire to erect a monument to his
glory, in his turn, made him give the preference to Lahor.
This is a city in a more northern situation than Agra ; its
site is more healthy, and the climate is more temperate.
Some historians say, that the fine avenue of trees, which
extends from Agra to Lahor, had been planted by Akebar ;
and others maintain that it was done by Jehan Guir. It
seems most probable, that the father began the work, and
that the son continued and completed it. With respect to
Lahor, it became, under Jehan Guir, the ordinary residence
of the court. This emperor extended it, and caused a
palace to be built, which has indeed nothing of the magni-
ficence of that of Agra ; but taken altogether, is more con-
venient, and more healthy. One day, when the king was
walking upon the terrace, which commands a view of the
river, he perceived a boat, navigated by six rowers. A
female, whose beauty struck him with surprise, was being
conveyed in the bark, under a canopy in the form of a
palanquin. It is probable, that it was without design, that
Nur-Mahal (which was the name of the lady) presented
herself to the view of the emperor ; but it is certain, that
the sight of her, on this occasion, made an impression upon
the prince which lasted all the remainder of his days.
Jehan Guir made himself acquainted with her name, and
place of abode. Presents were soon followed by the most
splendid ofters. But Nur-Mahal possessed a virtue, which
was proof against seduction. She caused the emperor to
be informed, that she had a husband ; that he had the
honor to be in the service of his majesty ; that he com-
manded five hundred men in a city on the frontier next to
144 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL JDYNASTY.
Bengal ; and that she trusted to preserve to her husband,
as long as he lived, the most inviolable fidelity. This reply
of the lady occasioned the emperor to adopt a cruel expe-
dient. He wrote to Chir-Afgam, (which was the name of
the husband) ordering him to go to the governor of the
province, and to take from him such orders as he had
transmitted him. He sent instructions, in the meantime,
to the governor, to put Chir-Afgam to death as soon as he
should present himself before him. The orders of the
prince were executed, but not without bloodshed. The
brave captain sold his life dear, and slew several of the
assassins, ere they were able to effect their sanguinary
purpose. Jelian Guir trusted, confidently, that after the
assassination of the husband, the widow would fall easily
into his toils.
He was astonished, when he found, in Nur-Mahal, all
the resistance which might be expected from an incensed
woman, prompted by the most lively resentment. Whether
this was artifice, or passion unfeigned, the widow spoke of
the emperor in terms only of contempt and hatred. From
the first year of her widowhood, she availed herself, never-
theless, of all the advantages of the freedom which she had
acquired by the death of her husband, to draw to her resi-
dence a large society. Jehan Guir, who was of a temper,
which disposed jiim to be familiar with his subjects, paid
his assiduities to her under a borrowed name : declaring,
in the sequel, his quality and his passion, he offered to
place her in his haram, and to adopt her as one of his wives.
The artful widow put on all the semblance of virtue, and
even marks of aversion, the more effectually to inflame the
passion of the emperor. At last, when she had succeeded
in placing him in the situation of not being able to deny her
any thing, she consented to enter his haram, on the follow-
ing conditions: First, that she should have ihe rank of
ji:han guir. 145
first queen ; secondly, tliat her father shoultl have the post
of Etmadoulet, or first minister ; and, tiiirdl\;, that her
brothers, as well as her other relations, should fill the first
places at court. The emperor consented to all her demands ;
and celebrated the arrival of the new queen, at the palace,
by a feast, which lasted eight days. The name of Nur-
Mahal seemed too common for the favorite queen ; it was
changed to that of Nur-Jaham, which signifies the Light of
the World.
The emperor suffered himself to be so much under the
influence of this new passion, that all others were supplanted
by it. Nevertheless, Nur-Jaham was a woman of low
rank. Born in Persia, she had followed her husband, at
that time a conductor of camels in the service of some
Armenian merchants. She arrived in the Indies in low
condition, with Chir Afgam, who subsequently^ obtained
promotion, and made some fortune in the armies of the
Mogul. If her birth was ignoble, her beauty and her under-
standing were not of the common order. In fine, it may be
said, that she was worthy of the empire to which fortune
had elevated her.
When she found herself in the palace, secure in the
possession of the heart of her husband, it was her first care
to procure the banishment, or even, perhaps, to rid her-
self of her rivals by poison. This was the general per-
suasion, when five queens, the most affectionately beloved
by Jehan Guir, were known to expire within the space of
one year. It is even said, that this ambitious woman
exerted her influence to the extent of obtaininsr the
emperor's permission, to coin money in her own name.
The impression, which she caused to be struck upon them,
represented the twelve signs of the zodiac. These coins
are found even at the present day in the Indies ; and some
of them have been distributed in Europe. Tt is, however;
L
146 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
certain, notwithstanding what maj^ be related by our tra-
vellers, that the famous gold and silver pieces, on which
the signs of the zodiac are seen, do not bear the name of
Nur-Jaham, but that of Jehan Guir. The sultaness may,
indeed, have caused them to be struck, but she had not
the temerity to cause her name to be engraved upon them.
There was nothing which excited more astonishment in
the Indies, than the empire which Nur-Jaham exercised
over the mind of Jehan Guir. She insensibly weaned the
emperor from his inordinate love of wine ; she put limits
to his excesses ; and obtained his promise, that he would
refrain from drinking more than nine goblets, at those
seasonS;, when he resigned himself to sociality and mirth.
This was often a subject of contest between the emperor
and the sultaness ; but the advantage always remained
with Nur-Jaham. Never woman exhibited more skill in
preserving her power over a heart of which she had once
taken possession. The indefatigable Persian found a
hundred modes of fixing her husband's attachment ; and
least he should break from her chain, she furnished him
incessantly with new pleasures, of which she partook.
The slight disputes, excited sometimes by subjects of little
importance, only served to re-animate their tenderness.
One day, that Jehan Guir happened to be recreating himself,
attended by the musicians and female dancers of his palace,
he exceeded the nine goblets, to which he had been
restricted by Nur-Jaham. The queen remonstrated, but
the emperor turned a deaf ear to her complaint, and carried
his indulgence to the extent of intoxication. The sultaness
availed herself, the next morning, of the condition to which
Jehan Guir had reduced himself the preceding evening.
She shut herself up in her apartment, and refused to make
her appearance as usual. Never was distress more lively,
than that of Jehan Guir. With the most anxious solicitude.
JEHAN GUfR. 147
he sought the sultaness, atid coukl take no rest, till he had
succeeded in appeasing her. The queen exacted from liinr
a humiliation not a little difficult for the pride of a Mogul
to submit to. She rejected all accommodation, until she
should behold him on his knees, soliciting her forgiveness
for his want of complaisance. The emperor, between the
claims of his rank, and the unworthy passion which
enslaved him, was a long time held in suspense. He availed
himself, at last, of the following expedient, by the advice
of one of those ancient governantes of the haram, who act
the part of guardians to the queens. One day, that tlie
sultaness was walking in the gardens of the palace,
defended by a parasol from the sun's rays, the emperor
joined her side, and sought the benefit of its protecting
shade. The ancient dame made Jehan Guir comprehend,
that he might place himself at the feet of the queen, and
participate of the shade, which was afforded to herself. It
was in this state of humiliation, which the emperor seemed
to have sought for his own accommodation, that he recon-
ciled himself to Nur-Jaham. He made vows of a blind
obedience, and was received again into favor.
The queen beheld, with dehght, the submissions of the
emperor ; and to testify her satisfaction, she gave a fete to
her spouse, which lasted eight days. None of the diver-
sions were forgotten, which are accustomed to be practised,
in this the most delightful country of the universe. One
day it was a magnificent repast. Another day, a comedy,
intermixed with that species of dance, in which actions are
represented by figures and attitudes. In these the Indians
excel. Some other time it was a concert, agreeably to the
taste in music, which prevails in the country. The ears of
Europeans are accustomed to it with difficulty, but, in the
course of time, they discover in it a peculiar harmony, and
a something of sublime, which is not to be found in
L 2
148 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
European concerts. Then, it was a display of fireworks,
in which they succeed better in tlie IndieS;, than with us.
One of the most remarkable spectacles appertained to a
small canal, the banks of which were ornamented with a
beautiful promenade. This canal Nur-Jaham had caused
to be entirely filled with rose water. The perfumed water
was used for a bath. Roses, which are extremely common
in the Indies, became, on this occasion, of an enormous
price. The magnificence of the sultaness occasioned a dis-
covery, which afforded great pleasure in a country, in which
perfumes are so highly esteemed. Whilst the emperor
was v/alking with Nur-Jaham, on the bank of the canal,
they perceived a crust, that had been formed, resembling-
moss, which floated on the surface of the water. In order
to take it off the water, and examine it, they waited till it
was near the brink. They, then, perceived, that it was a
substance derived from the roses, which had been baked,
and collected into a mass by the power of the sun's rays.
It appeared to the whole haram the most exquisite perfume,
which had ever been produced in the Indies. Attempts
were, afterwards, made to imitate by art, that which nature
alone had formed.
The influence of Nur-Jaham became more powerful
every day ; and, finally, attained such a heighth, that no
other was capable of competing with it. Relying securely
on her authority with her husband, her thoughts were now
entirely directed to the contracting of alliances, which
might mingle her blood with that of the emperors. The
sultaness had, by her first marriage, a daughter only ; by
Jehan Guir she had no children. It was the establishment
of this daughter, that brought dissention into the royal
family, and became the source of so many wars and revolts.
The emperor had four sons by different wives. The
eldest, born during the life-time of his grandfather, Akebar,
JEHAN GUIR. 149
was the Sultan Cosrou. The second was the Sultan Perviz,
a virtuous and pacific prince, who was sent to take charge
of the government of the kingdom of Bengal, which he
ruled a long time in so much tranquillity, that several his-
torians are even ignorant that such a person has existed.
The third was the Sultan Chorrom, a prince of great pro-
mise ; and who was able, in the sequel, to place himself
upon the throne, to the exclusion of his two elder brothers.
The fourth, and last, was Sultan Scheriar, a prince of little
courage, and of slender capacity. The object of Nur-
Jaham was to i^rocure the marriage of her daughter with
Sultan Cosrou, the heir presumptive to the empire ; but
this prince, who was of a haughty spirit, and indignant at
the ascendancy, which an obscure stranger had assumed
over the mind of his father, refused to dishonor himself by
so unsuitable an alliance. He had, besides, for his wile,
the daughter of a Raja, a princess of an heroic spirit, and
for whom the young sultan had all possible attachment and
affection. The rejection of the daughter of Nur-Jaham,
by Cosrou, cost him dear : — the loss of his liberty, of the
crown, and of his life, quickly succeeded the contempt
with which he treated the sultaness, and her proffered
alliance. She then cast her eyes upon Prince Scheriar,
the youngest of the emperor's sons, as a husband for her
daughter. Prince Perviz was overlooked, for reasons,
which the history does not explain. Sultan Chorrom had
already for his wife the niece of Nur-Jaham, the daughter
of her brother, Asaph Cham.
As soon as the marriage of the daughter of Nur-Jaham
with the Sultan Scheriar had been concluded, tlie chief
favors were showered upon this youngest of the princes.
The three elder princes were sent to take charge of govern-
ments at a distance from the co^.irt, agreeably to the bod
policy of the Moguls. The viceroyalty of Bengal was
150 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
given to Perviz, and that of the Decan fell to the lot of
Sultan Chorrom. The government of Guzurat was intended
for the elder of the princes, before he revolted against his
sovereign. Never a son had a more specious pretext for
making war upon his father, than Sultan Cosrou. It was
to him, they said, that the kingdom had been left by the
destination of Akebar ; and that the reigning emperor had
enjoyed the possession of it, entirely by the sufferance of
Cosrou, and through the respect, which this prince enter-
tained for him, to whom he was indebted for his birth. Yet
it was that very sceptre, which it was in his power to have
wielded, that was wrested from him, in order that it might
be bestowed upon the youngest of his brothers. What
particularly exasperated him, were the intrigues of an
ambitious woman, who, for the purpose of establishing her
blood upon the throne, violated the rights of nature, and
of nations. " I am banished," he said to his confidants,
" to a government, which is situated at the greatest distance
from the court, whilst Scheriar is retained near the emperor,
my father, in order that the people may be accustomed to
recognise in him the successor of Jehan Guir. "Let us
break silence," he said, " since we have no alternative ;
and let us not suffer them to deprive us of our rights
without complaining, and without contending for them.
I shall certainly not become more criminal by taking arms
against Jehan Guir, than he himself was in revolting against
Akebar. If I offend, it will only be by following the example
of my father ; besides, I have this argument in my favor,
that I reclaim a crown, which belongs to me at this moment,
without my being under any obligation to wait for the death
of him who wears it." These sentiments, so plausible,
occasioned Cosrou to resolve on making war against his
father.
Jehan Guir had for his chief ministers, two men, upon
lEHAN GUIR. 151
whom devolved the management of the wliole affairs of the
empire. One was Asaph Cham, tlie queen's brother, and
the other Mahobet-Cham, an adventurer, but a person of
superior genius, and of a greatness of soul inaccessible to
corruption. That jealousy, so common between two rivals,
who divide the confidence of a prince, had embroiled the
two ministers. They had taken a part in opposite interests.
Asaph Cham was naturally of the same party with the
queen, his sister ; and Mahobet-Cham had declared in favor
of the Sultan Cosrou. The faction of the sultaness had
the ascendancy. The Sultan Cosrou received so many
provocations, that they forced him, as has been stated, to
take up arms, and to put himself at the head of the con-
spirators. The sultaness, prompted by the advice of Asaph
Cham, determined to get possession of the person of
Mahobet, at the moment of his leaving the palace. An
ambuscade was prepared in the first court of the Mahal,
at the entrance of the saloon, in which the king gives
audience to his ministers. Mahobet thus found himself on
a sudden beseiged, on his quitting the apartment. As he
had to contend, at first, with a troop of Indians only, who
as yet, respected in his person, the chief of the armies of
their master, he got rid of them without difficulty. In the
meanwhile, the multitude of the asasssins, which collected
around him, increased. He then proceeded to the private
entrance of the haram, forced the doors, and found some
eunuchs who were devoted to him. With this escort, he
entered into the apartment of the emperor, dispersed the
timid crowd of women, and eunuchs, by which he was sur-
rounded ; compelled the emperor against his inclination to
follow him ; caused him to be mounted on an elephant, and
went forth from the palace, seated by the side of Jehan
Guir, under the same canopy. Holding, then, in his hand^
a poignard, he announced to the armed assemblage, which
152 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
had been there planted by Nur-Jaham; that he would
plunge it into the heart of the prince, the moment he should
perceive any hostile movement to take place among them.
So extraordinary a resolution astonished the soldiers.
The emperor was conducted by Mahobet to his own
residence ; where, the troops^, of whom he was the chief,
ranged themselves around him. Jehan Guir was thus
detained by his minister, in a species of captivity.
The whole city was in a state of anxiety, in expectation
of what might be the result of this event to the emperor. The
greater part believed, that Mahobet would deliver up Jehan
Guir, and the crown, to Cosrou, whose declared friend he
was. But the generous Mahobet, knew how to preserve
for his master and benefactor, all the respect and consi-
deration, which were his due. He engaged in the most
profuse expences, in order to supply him every day with
new pleasures. In the meanwhile, Jehan Guir's detention
became insupportable to him, on account of his separation
from the queen. Mahobet gave his prisoner reason to
expect, that Nur-Jaham, provided she were willing to
confide in his honor, might come and bear him company.
" As for the rest," he said to the king, with an air of
submission and respect, which inspired him with confidence;
" do not imagine, my lord, that I have violated the sacred
asylum of your palace, for the purpose of delivering you
into the hands of a rebellious son. I was attached to the
cause of the Sultan Cosrou, whilst it was in my power to
assist him with my counsels, and with the credit which I
derived from your favor. I protected his rights, while
labouring under oppression, from the injustice of a woman.
Equity, then, required a counterpoise to the faction of the
ambitious Nur-Jaham ; and it was to labour for your glory,
to hinder it from being tarnished, by the unjust preference,
which you give to the youngest of your sons, to the
JEHAN GUIR. 153
prejudice of the elder. But, since Cosrou lias been guilty
of the impiety of taking arms against his father, I am
ready to employ the power, which ^ou have given me over
your armies, to combat a rebel. Put my fidelity to the
test, and judge me by the conduct, which I maintain
towards my sovereign, whom I hold in my power. If I
have dared to carry you off from your palace ; be persuaded,
my lord, that it was with the intention, only, of preserving
my life, which was attempted by the ambushes of Asaph
Cham, and by the orders of your imperious Nur-Jaham.
Yes, my lord, it is this woman who lights up the torch of
discord in your family ; it is she, who banishes your children
from your presence ; who tears them from your bosom in
spite of yourself; who forces them to renounce the senti-
ments of nature, and to arm themselves against a father,
they love. Expel from your palace that fury, who is the
cause of all this dissention ; recall your childi'en to your
presence ; cause their arms to fall from their hands, and by
such conduct, you will release yourself from captivity, and
restore tranquillity to your kingdom." Jehan Guir, moved
by these arguments of his minister, and fearing least his
confinement might eventually have some fatal conclusion,
promised every thing which was required ; but his dispo-
sition was light and frivolous. The very day, which he
had appointed for dismissing the queen, Mahobet etiquired
what he could do to afford him pleasure. — '' Give me the
sultaness, and w ine," replied the emperor. The generous
minister refused him both. A^ine, on account of liis
attachment to the law of Mahomet ; and the sultaness,
least she should succeed in destroying that returning
reason, with which he had began to inspire the Mogul.
The heart, however, of this faitliful subject, suffered
itself to be moved by the entreaties of his master. He soon
restored Jehan Guir to his liberty. But, that he might
154 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
escape the persecutions of Nur-Jaham, he immediately
took the field at the head of the Imperial army, for the
purpose of combatting the Sultan Cosrou, agreeably to his
promise. The war was not of long duration. After a
single battle, Mahobet returned victorious, bringing back
the son in chains to his father. So generous an action, and
one, so serviceable to the interests of the emperor, and the
sultaness, obliterated all recollection of the violation of that
respect, which was due from a subject to his sovereign.
The credit of this minister seemed to have increased at
court, and the suspicions which had been entertained of his
fidelity, to have been forgotten. It was, doubtless, through
his influential intercession, that the consent of Jehan Guir
was obtained, to the preservation of the life of Sultan
Cosrou. They were contented to shut him up in the citadel
of Guallier, along with his wife and children.
The captive sultan was passing a melancholy existence
in his prison, when the queen sultaness caused a proposition
to be made to him, capable of shaking a heart endued with
less constancy. He was exhorted to purchase his liberty,
by a criminal infidelity towards the princess his wife. They
offered to procure a divorce of the daughter of Nur-Jaham
from prince Scheriar, and to secure to Cosrou the suc-
cession to the crown, as soon as he should have accepted of
Scheriar's wife for his sultaness. The law of Mahomet,
resembling in this point the law of Moses, permits a
brother to contract marriage with the wife of a brother,
provided she has not born to him any children. They
little doubted, but, that a prince, fallen into a state of
captivity, would gladly obey the injunctions of his father,
by which he would again be acknowledged as heir pre-
sumptive to the crown, in partaking it with the daughter
of the sultaness. They were deceived. Sultan Cosrou
was not a prince to be easily moulded to their purpose.
JEHAN GUIR. 155
and his attachment to his wife was an insurmountable
difficulty.
Asaph Cham, on the other hand, secretly conducted an
intrigue, opposed to the views of the sultaness, his sister.
It has been, already, said, that Chorrom, third son of
Jehan Guir, had taken for his wife one of the daughters of
Asaph Cham. All the views of this ambitious minister
were directed to the placing of his son-in-law upon the
throne ; and the death of Cosrou was considered by him,
as an infallible means of securing the success of his project.
Asaph Cham, therefore, made use of some of his creatures,
whom he had placed near the person of the captive sultan,
to encourage him in the resolution of contemning the
daughter of the sultaness. They represented to him, that
it was an alliance unworthy of his birth. They entreated
him to reflect on the injustice, which it would cause him to
commit towards the virtuous princess his Avife. They
added, that the new spouse would not fail, through the
credit of her mother, to procure the banishment of the
princess. They endeavoured to inspire him w ith religious
scruples. " The law allows," they said, " the marrying of
the widow of a brother, but it does not permit a person to
marry the wife of a brother, who is yet living." They often
gave him deceitful intelligence relative to the approaching
disgrace of Nur-Jaham, and, by such means, inspired him
with the hope of a speedy cessation to his captivity,
without the ignominy of having suffered his honor to have
been tarnished, by base compliances. Prepossesed with
these ideas, Cosrou refused to the emperor and the sul-
taness this instance of submission, which they exacted from
him. In the meanwhile, Asaph Cham, always attentive to
his projects for placing his daughter on the throne of the
Moguls, had engaged his son-in-law. Sultan Chorrom, to
quit the territory of the Decan, and to appear at court
156 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
and shew himself to the people of the capital. This prince
was ambitious ; Sultan Cosrou (though a prisoner taken
with his arms in his hands against his king, and father)
appeared to him the only obstacle to his future greatness.
As for Sultan Scheriar, he regarded him as a prince
devoid of merit, despised by the people, and unworthy of
reigning. Perviz appeared content in his viceroyalty of
Bengal. Chorrom, therefore, conceived the barbarous
design, of securing the throne by a deed of fratricide.
Every one believed, at the time, that he had been insti-
gated to commit this crime by the counsels of Asaph Cham.
It was admitted, that Nur-Jaham had no concern in it.
At the time, that Sultan Cosrou was put to death in
his prison, he had began to give the sultaness some grounds
for expecting, that he would finally submit to her wishes,
and espouse her daughter. At least, the princess, the wife
of Cosrou, never ceased exhorting her husband, to be
swayed no longer by his tenderness for her ; but to embrace
such measures, as would best accord with his interest,
though they were in opposition to his inclinations. Fearing,
least, the heir presumptive to the crown should secure to him-
self the throne, by rendering obedience to the orders of the
court ; Sultan Chorrom made haste to accomplish his fratri-
cidal design. Asaph Cham had taken care to place, in the
service of the captive prince, persons entirely devoted to
his interests, and wretches ready to undertake any office,
however odious, for the advancement of their fortunes-.
Sultan Chorrom engaged these men to assist him in his
designs upon the life of his brother. They were instructed
to mix poison, in the meats, which were served up to him.
The sultan had suspicions, that treachery was at work,
and resolved to eat only of such things, as the princess,
his wife, prepared for him, with her own hands. As the
destruction of the prince lingered, much to the mortifica-
JElfAN GUlll. 157
tion ot the ambitious Cliorroin, he sent orders to have him
dispatched, by the most expeditious means. The captain
of the fortress, in which the poor sultan was confined,
without the knowledge of the emperor, or the queen-
sultaness, executed the orders of Chorrom. He caused
him to be strangled with the bow-string. There are
historians, who represent the assassination of the sultan in
a different manner; but the relation, just given, is the
least suspicious, and the most conformable to the Chronicle.
The death of the heir presumptive of the crown secured,
to all appearance, the succession of the throne to the
murderer of Cosrou ; but the conspiracy, which Chorrom
imagined to have been enveloped in the profoundest secrecy,
was discovered by Jehan Guir, and by the sultaness. The
emperor changed the affection, which he had for this unna-
tural son, into the deepest disgust. Even Asaph Cham,
in spite of the protection of the queen, his sister, was near
losing his favour at court. The fratricide was sent back to
his government.
Cosrou left behind him a son, the heir of all the virtues
of his father; this was, the Sultan Bolaqui, a prince, at
that time, of the age of seventeen. In the character of his
countenance, there was blended the fire of the Mogul,
which he inherited from his father, with the mildness of the
Indian character, which he derived from his mother. As
he had been brought up in the society of an unhappy and
captive father, he had learnt from him those virtues,
which the great seldom fail to acquire in a season of
adversity. He was mild, affable, generous, a little mis-
trustful ; but, knowing how to correct, by consulting his
reason, the suspicions, which the miseries of his family
had accustomed him to entertain of the courtiers, who
approached him. With these happy dispositions, Bolaqui
soon became the favorite of the court. Even the sultaness
158 HISTORY' OP THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
took him into favour ; and as he represented the person of
the eldest son of the emperor, whose grandson he was,
already he was regarded in the Indies as the successor of
Jehan Guir. Asaph Cham, alone, in conjunction with his
daughter, contemplated getting rid of the son, after having
caused the father to be strangled. Bolaqui, in the mean-
while, lived at court in a state of security, under the pro-
tection of the emperor, of the sultaness, and the guard of
Mahobet-Cham, who was always attached to his duties,
and never, during his ministry, took any other side than
that of equity.
Whilst Sultan Chorrom, banished to the Decan, was
employed in securing to himself partisans, and strength-
ening his interests, by secret treaties with the Rajas, his
neighbours ; the emperor thought, only, of enjoying the
apparent tranquillity, which now reigned in his empire. It
has been said, that he was fond of making himself familiar
with his people. Instances of this familiarity are related,
which would appear extravagant, even in the West, where
kings are more accessible, than in the East. He entered,
they say, one day, towards the evening, in disguise, into
a tavern. Wine houses, since the days of Akebar, had
been tolerated in the capital. The emperor took a seat near
an artisan, who was drinking with great gaiety, and,
inspired with the wine, was disposed to indulge his vocal
talents. Jehan Guir was delighted to find himself in such
pleasant society. A familiarity was soon established
between them, and the artisan was particularly charmed
with the liberality of the new guest, who paid the entire
score, and made him drink deep. In their conversation,
they treated of the affairs of government ; the emperor was
blamed for his weakness, in submitting to be governed by
a woman, and suffering one of his younger sons to assas-
sinate the elder. They took leave of the tavern most
JEHAN OUJR. 159
excellent friends, promising to see each other often in the
same place. The emperor simplj^ enquired of the artisan
his trade, where he lodged, and his name. " I am called,"
he said, " Secander; I am a weaver, and my home is in a
quarter of the city," which he indicated. " Comrade,"
said the emperor, " I will come to-morrow and dine with
you ; we will renew our acquaintance, and we will swear a
lasting friendship." The two topers separated, highly
satisfied with each other; and each, on his part, impa-
tiently expected the ensuing morning. Some hours after sun-
rise, nearly about the same time the artisans are accustomed
to dine ; the emperor left his palace, attended by the most
magnificent escort, with which he had ever made his
appearance in Labor. He was surrounded by his whole
guard, and preceded by twenty war elephants, with their
splendid harness of crimson velvet, ornamented with large
gold plates. Jehan Guir was liimself seated on a throne,
burnished with precious stones, borne by an elephant of
state ; and, in this equipage, he gave orders to be conducted
to the weaver's quarters. The cavalry, and the elephants,
passed before the shop of Secander. But, he, occupied in
preparing the regale, which he was about to give his friend,
did not even give himself the trouble to take a peep at the
royal cavalcade. Whilst all the people were at the doors
of their houses, or dispersed in the streets, a soldier of the
king's suite enquired for the house of Secander. The
weaver, who heard himself named, came into his shop,
holding in his hand a pestle, with which he had just been
pounding some rice. " I am Secander," he said, " and
you will hardly find better cloth at any other shop in all
Labor." — '' You are, also, a jovial toper," said the
soldier ; " the emperor has, in consequence, come to dine
with you, in performance of the engagement he contracted
with you yesterday." Secander could not doubt, but that
ItlO HISTORY QF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
it was the emperor himself, with whom he had been
drinking the preceding evening ; and, as he recollected the
seditious language, which he had held to Jehan Guir,
while they were carousing, the poor man gave himself up
for lost. In the meanwhile, the emperor approached, and,
as soon as Secander recognised him: " Might it please
heaven," he cried, " that all those, who put their trust in
drunkards, had this pestle thrown thrown at their heads."
The king, who heard the poor weaver's exclamation,
laughed most heartily. He tasted the good man's wine ;
and bestowed upon him employments at court, sufficiently
considerable, to enable him to dispense witli following any
longer his profession.
That he might enjoy with greater tranquillity the plea-
sures, in which peace permitted him to indulge,. Jehan Guir
often went to pass the summer in the kingdom of Cachemire.
This is the most northern province of the Mogul empire.
It is situated at the foot of Mount Caucasus. Cachemire,
in fact, is only a large valley, surrounded by mountains.
Some pretend, that the river Indus has here its source.
This is an error, and is not supported by any geographer.
It is true, that a great number of small rivers pass out of
Cachemire, and empty themselves into the Indus. This
river, enlarged by these tributary streams, becomes navi-
gable; and after having fertilised, and diffused abundance
throughout extensive regions, continues its course till its
junction with the ocean.
The kingdom of Cachemire passes for the terrestrial
paradise of the Indies. Neither is there, perhaps, any
country in the world, where the air is more temperate, the
climate more salubrious, and in which, whatsoever can
contribute to the enjoyment of life, is to be found in
greater abundance. When the mountains, which separate
Indostan from Cachemire have been passed, on a sudden
JEHAN GL'IR. 161
we seem transported;, from the most burniiifj; climates of
Asia, into the most temperate zones of Europe. Tlie trees
and the fruits of India are no longer seen. They are pear,
apple, and apricot trees, and others which are common to
France. The inhabitants of tliis delightful country are
strangers to the effeminacy and indolence of the Indians.
They are vigorous and industrious cultivators of the soil,
and make brave soldiers. It is an ancient tradition, that
the Jews, who were carried away captive in the days of
Salmanazar, were settled as a colony in Cachemire ; and that
the Cachemirians are the descendants of these ancient
Jews. It is true, that no vestiges of the Jewish religion
subsist at present in Cachemire, all the inhabitants being-
Pagans or Mahometans ; yet, traces are to be found, of a
nation descended from the Israelites. The countenances of
these people possess much of that peculiar character, which
distinguishes the Jews, in whatever part of the earth they
may be found. The name of Moses is very common
amongst them, and ancient monuments are still to be seen,
indicating a people derived from Israel. The remains of
an edifice, built upon a lofty mountain, is called to this day
the throne of Solomon.
It was in this fine kingdom, that Jehan Guir seldom
failed to pass the season of the year, when the heats are the
most oppressive. He so much esteemed this province, that
he would rather, he said, lose all the rest of his states, than
this single one. The Mogul, and the sultaness Nur-Jaham,
have, in consequence, left behind them in Cachemire
evidences of their munificence. A palace was here built
by Jehan Guir, which is, perhaps, more commodious than
magnificent. The gardens, which are intersected with
canals, and embellished with fountains, have an agree-
ableness rarely to be found in any other spot. As for the
sultaness, her chief amusement consisted in stocking the
M
162 HISTORY OP THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
canals with tame fish. Many are seen at this day, having
gold rings, which this queen had caused to be attached to
them.
The diversions of Jehan Guir were commonly confined
during the summer months, within the precincts of Cache-
mire ; but in the winter, which the continual rains render
a melancholy season in the Indies ; the emperor supplied
himself wdth domestic amusements, in his palace at Lahor.
One of the most agreeable was a species of fair, which
was held for eight successive days, in a gallery of the
haram. Shops were fitted up, and the wives of the
principal Omrhas, or great lords of the empire, acted the
part of merchant's wives. Seated at their counters, and
decked with all the art common to Asiatic women, some
sold rich gold brocades ; others, pearls and diamonds ;
others, again, European curiosities. The emperor, the
sultans his sons, the queens, and their daughters w^ere the
only purchasers. They went from shop to shop ; the
merchandise was exposed to their prying curiosity ; they
haggled about the price; a querulous tone was assumed;
jests were bandied ; and the remuneration on the part of
the king was more or less liberal, in proportion to the wit
and ingenuity displayed in this species of contests, and the
entertainment furnished thereby to the court. This fete,
of which the women were passionately fond, was not at all
pleasing to the Omrhas. The jealousy, so natural to
Mahometans, kept them in a state of restlessness all the
time the fete lasted at the palace. But it was necessary to
be patient. The emperor was obeyed in this, as in every
thing else.
The tranquillity enjoyed by Jehan Guir was sometimes
interrupted by foreign and domestic wars. Schah Abbas,
king of Persia, whose name and reputation will live for
ever in the memory of his people, demanded of the Mogul
JEHAN GUIR. 163
the surrender of the city of Candaliar, which Amayum had
engaged to resign to the Persian monarch, wlien he aided
him in recovering possession of his throne. Amayum
refused to keep his promise. Akebar was able to maintain
possession of so fine a country ; but Jehan Guir was
obliged to acquit tlie debt incurred by liis grancifather. The
Persians ]aid siege to Candahar. The governor ol this
important and frontier city of the Mogul states, on the side
of Persia, gave the court intelligence of the irruption of
the Persians, and of the siege with which he was menaced.
Orders were sent to Siahan-Cham, viceroy of 3Iultan, to
march with the utmost dili«2:ence to the assistance of the
besieged ; but neither troops nor arms were to be found in
condition for immediate service. The pacific Jehan Guir
had neglected to place his frontiers in a state of defence.
In the meanwhile, the city and the citadel were battered
night and day. The siege had lasted six months, when
the emperor, despairing of saving the place, sent the
governor orders to deliver it up in the form of a restitution,
rather than as compelled to surrender by force of arms.
The governor, who received the letter of Jehan Guir,
would not believe it to be genuine, and surrendered only at
the last extremity, when a bastion had been destroyed by
mining. Schah Abbas would have pushed his conquests
further ; but the powerful army, which the Mogul sent
towards the frontiers of Persia, arrested the progiess of
the conqueror, and obliged him to return to Ispahan.
The state was in much greater danger from the revolt
of Sultan Chorrom. This ambitious prince, exiled to his
government of Guzurat, received intelligence from his
father-in-law, Asaph-Cham, that the emperor was about to
transfer the treasure of the empire, kept in the citadel of
Agra, to Labor. The charge of conducting this treasure
had been conmiitted to Asaph-Cham. He was in the
M 2
J 64 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
disposition to deliver it up to the husband of his daughter,
provided the Sultan would use due diligence, and present
himself with an army upon the road which forms the
communication between the two capitals. The possession,
of this treasure, was a certain means of enabling the prince
to invade the throne, even in the lifetime of his father.
Chorrom, then, mustered without delay all the creatures
and partisans he had been able to secure to his interests,
throughout the vast countries, which the bad policy of
Jehan Guir had subjected to his rule. He had taken upon
himself to dispose of governments, and lands, without the
concurrence of the court. The prince had, in consequence,
no difficulty in assembling persons devoted to his service,
in sufficient numbers to compose a formidable army; He
then advanced at the head of sixty thousand men, and in a
few day arrived at Fetipour, about twenty leagues distant
from Agra. The eunuch, who had the guard of the trea-
sures of the king, wisely considered, that it would be
imprudent to deliver them to the father-in-law of Sultan
Chorrom, and expose them to be pillaged by a rebel prince.
He gave notice to the court of the march of Chorrom, and
sent back Asaph-Cham without the treasure. This news
obliged Jehan Guir to come himself to Agra, in order to
oppose the designs of his son. He found the city entirely
ravaged by the troops of the rebel, and the palaces of the
great lords pillaged ; but as the fortress was in faithful
keeping, the treasure of the empire was saved from a
similar fate.
The declaration of revolt, which Sultan Chorrom had
just made, was too open and avowed, not to be attended
with further consequences. Positive hostilities had become
now absolutely necessary ; and Chorrom was obliged to
prepare for encountering the formidable army, which Jehan
Guir had placed under the command of the gallant Maho-
JEHAR GUIR. 165
bet-Chain. Even Sultan Perviz quitted the repose of his
government of Bengal, and came at the head of liis troops,
to combat for his father against a refractory brother.
There appeared to be no interested motives, at this time, in
the conduct of this good prince ; no vievrs towards raising
himself to the throne, on the ruin of his brother's fortunes.
Motives of duty alone seemed to regulate his motions.
In the meanwhile. Sultan Chorrom was encamped some
leagues below Delhi. The army of the king, strengthened
by that of Sultan Perviz, advanced against the rebels. It
was commanded in person by Jehan Guir. Asaph-Cham
conducted the right wing, and Mahobet-Cham the left. As
in civil broils, it almost always happens, that there are
many traitors on both sides, whom the chiefs have taken
care to corrupt before the action ; the emperor, suspecting
the fidelity of Abdul-Cham, one of the principal captains
of his army, sent to him before the battle, by one of his
officers, a quiver full of arrows, to give him notice that
fidelity was expected from him. The officer, who, on his
arrival, perceived that Abdul-Cham was just then making
a movement for the purpose of passing over to the side of
the enemy, took aim at the traitor with one of the arrows.
Abdul-Cham escaped unhurt, and retired to Sultan Chorrom,
whose minister and favorite he became. It was this
officer, who first commenced the attack, and who penetrated
even to the tent of Jehan Guir. After an obstinate conflict,
the rebels were put to the rout. Sultan Chorrom retired
into inaccessible mountains, and endeavoured to negociate
a peace with his father.
During the action, the young Sultan Bolaqui fought
under the direction of Mahobet-Cham, and in sight of the
emperor his grandfather. He displayed prodigies of valour.
Not content with having gained over the enemy an incom-
plete victory ; he penetrated at the head of some troops.
166 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNAST V.
into the heart of the kingdom of Guzurat, and sat down
before Amadabat;, the capital of the government, of which
Sultan Chorromhad, in a measure, usurped the sovereignty.
He caused the gates to be broken down by the elephants,
and took possession of the city. The treasures of Sultan
Chorrom were pillaged, his golden throne broken in pieces,
and the diamonds with which it was adorned were distri-
buted to the officers. The Imperial army, after taking
some days repose, again entered the field, for the purpose
of opposing Abdul-Cham, who was conducting against
Bolaqui the remains of the army of Chorrom. The two
armies were already in each other's presence ; the signal
for the engagement had been given ; when a sudden panic
spread through the army of Abdul-Cham. The whole of
his infantry was cut in pieces by the soldiers of Bolaqui.
The peasants of the country massacred the greater part
of the cavalry, whom fear had scattered in disorder
throughout all the neighbouring hamlets. Abdul-Cham, being
aided by the rains, saved himself with great difficulty in
Surat, whence he quickly retired to Brampour, to Sultan
Chorrom.
Jehan Guir purposed pursuing his rebel son, and forcing
him in the mountains, where he had taken refuge. Sultan
Perviz and Mahobet-Cham were ordered to give him
battle, and to bring him to his father, dead or alive. The
haughty Chorrom was not discouraged. Having assembled
an army, capable of opposing that of his brother, he again
presented himself in the field, to make head against his
adversaries. The rebels, at first, had the advantage in some
slight skirmishes ; and elevated by these trifling successes,
they hazarded a general action, which occasioned them to
meet with a great reverse. The forces of Chorrom were
vanquished. The unhappy prince, abandoned by his troops,
saw himself obliged to have recourse to flight, to place the
JEIJAN GUIR. 167
river Nerbda between himself" and tiie coiiqueroi% and to
retire to Brauipour. The two principal officers of his
army, his chief" favorites, escaped with Chorrom. These
were, Cham-Canna, and Abdul-Cham. The first had always
been attached to the fortune of his master ; and had been
entrusted with the control of his affairs, and the conduct
of his armies, without dividing the administration with
another. The second had embraced the service of Sultan
Chorrom, since the commencement of the war; and began
now to take the ascendancy over the mind of the prince*
These competitors, whom the favor of Chorrom had ren-
dered rivals, were always of opposite sentiments in the
council. Cham-Canna leaned ordinarily on the side of
peace, and was of opinion, that the most eligible course to
pursue would be, to endeavour to soften the heart of Jchan
Guir, and lead him to be reconciled to his son. Abdul-
Cham^ who was apprehensive of meeting the just reward
of his treason, advised the continuance of the w ar, and the
incurring of all risks for securing the empire. This
dissention, between the two ministers, was injurious to
Sultan Chorrom. Cham-Canna resolved to betray a prince,
who began to neglect him. Under the pretext, therefore,
of bringing about a peace between the two brothers, he
retired to Sultan Perviz ; and discovered to the chief of
the Imperial army the destitute condition to which his
master was reduced. He even counselled Perviz [and
Mahobet-Cham to prepare a number of barks for passing
the river ; and further assured them, that they would find
the prince abandoned, destitute of an army, and without
provisions. On his side, Abdul-Cham, who suspected the
treason of his rival, persuaded Sultan Chorrum to quit
Brampour, and seek an asylum in the states of his ancient
friend, Melek-Ambar. The counsel of Abdul-Cham proved
salutary to Chorrom. A lew hours alter his departure
168 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
from Brampour, Sultan Perviz made his appearance^ after
having crossed the river; but not finding his rivals, he
began, at the suggestion of Mahobet-Cham, to suspect
the good faith of Cham-Canna, and to cause him to
be observed. Such were the beginnings of that dissention
between Cham-Canna and Mahobet-Cham. which menaced
the greatest minister, and the greatest captain, which
the Mogul emperors ever possessed, with the loss of
his life.
The intelligence of the victory of Sultan Perviz and of
the flight of Chorrom was as agreeable to Jehan Guir, as that,
which he received from the northern countries, was calculated
to give him uneasiness. TheUsbec Tartars hadpassedjtheir
frontiers, and had dispersed themselves throughout Cabu-
lestan with thirty thousand horse. They had committed
great ravages, and entertained thoughts of besieging Cabul.
This capital of a fine kingdom would have become the prey
of the Tartars, had not Zaed Cham, son of Mahobet-Cham,
made the utmost haste to its succour, and compelled the
enemy, weakened by his losses, to confine himself within
his ancient bounds. The glory of Mahobet-Cham, thus
increased every day, by the services which himself and his
children rendered the empire. Jehan Guir availed himself
of this season of tranquillity, to go and pass the summer at
Cachemire.
The absence of the emperor, in a distant point of his
dominions, furnished Sultan Chorrom with a convenient
opportunity for putting himself again in motion, and
recommencing a war, which it was his interest to keep
alive till the death of his father. He entered, therefore,
with an army into the kingdom of Bengal. After having
ravaged the principal places of that rich country, passed
the Ganges, and defeated in a battle Ibrahim-Cham,
governor of the kingdom of Bengal under Sultan Perviz ;
JEHAN GUIR. 169
he took the road to Patna^, in order to surprise liis brother.
But this prince was yet at Brampour ; whence he hastened
his departure, that he might return and defend his own
province. Chorrom had no sooner learnt the arrival of
Perviz at Bengal, than he mistrusted his ability to contend
with his brother. The valour of Mahobet-Cham, who
commanded the army under the Sultan Perviz, further
increased his apprehensions. He, therefore, resolved to
try what might be effected by artifice, and by sowing discord
in the army of his enemies. He wrote letters to Cham-
Canna, which he took care should be intercepted. These
implied an intelligence as subsisting between himself and
Cham-Canna ; which was not true. Mahobet-Cham fell
into the snare ; and judged, that it would be proper to send
the children of the traitor, as prisoners, to the citadel of
Agra. As to Cham-Canna, he caused him to be narrowly
watched.
In the meanwhile, the Imperial army was on its march
towards Patna, and had already passed the Ganges. Chor-
rom had entrenched himself behind the canal of Tlionez,
which is only a creek of the river, and waited for his
brother with confidence. Sultan Perviz at last appeared
on the banks of the canal, and there emcamped. During
the first days little was done, except keeping up a cannonade
with heavy artillery, disposed on both sides of the canal by
the respective armies. The army of the emperor suffered
much from the cannon of the rebels, which Sultan Chorrom
had found time to dispose very advantageously. The chief
difficulty was to pass the canal, and give battle to the
enemy entrenched on the other bank. The good fortune
of Mahobet-Chara enabled him to find a passage, and to
join battle with the rebels. Whilst he was making a
reconnoissance on the banks of the canal, he perceived a
peasant passing a ford, at some leagues from the camp of
170 yiSTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
the enemy. He marked the spot, and during the night
caused the canal to be crossed without noise by all his
troops ; and as soon as the day broke, he found himself
near enough to engage the enemy. Never had there been
in the Indies, a more desperate or a more sanguinary
conflict, and never did the chiefs make a more brilliant
display of their valour and experience. The elephants, which
composed the vanguard of the army of Sultan Chorrom,
charged Avith fury the ranks of the Imperial army, and
threw them into confusion. But as the conductors of the
elephants were not supported, the troops of Perviz had
time to recover themselves. At last, after great carnage
on both sides. Sultan Chorrom was obliged to take to flight,
accompanied by only three thousand men. The defeat of
the prince was owing principally to the cowardice and the
treachery of Abdul-Cham, who left the elephants, in the
heat of the action, misupported. He was suspected, from
that time, of intelligence with Mahobet-Cham, Avho had
promised that he should be reinstated in the favor of the
emperor. Be this as it may, the battle of Alabassen, for
it is by this name that it is known, was one of the most
remarkable which was ever fought in the Indies. It was
the origin of all the mortifications, with which the old age
of tlje wise and gallant Mahobet-Cham was traversed.
Whilst the emperor was triumphing in Bengal, the
sultaness, Nur-Jaham, began to reflect, that the war
against Sultan Chorrom, carried on with so much vigour
by Sultan Perviz and Mahobet-Cham, was contrary to the
interests of her family. She considered, that the rebel
prince had married her niece ; that, to abandon Chorrom to
his evil destiny was to establish Perviz upon the throne ;
that the great obligations, which this prince had to Mahobet-
Cham, would render this minister all powerful in the empire,
and that she and her family would be lost, if the party of
JEHAN GUIR. 171
Sultan Perviz should happen to prevail. Under these
impressions, she obtained of Jehan Guir, that Cham-Canna,
the declared enemy of Mahobet-Chain, should be allowed
to come to court, under the pretext of giving an account
of his conduct. The prisoner appeared, in the presence of
the emperor, with all that confidence, which he might be
supposed to derive from the protection of the sultaness.
He drew an exaggerated picture of the ambition, and of
the cruelty of Mahobet-Cham ; he laid great stress on the
services wdiich he had rendered the empire, in abandoning
the party of Chorrom, his ancient master. He added,
that the recompense of his fidelity towards the state was
to remain a captive in the camp of Perviz, and to behold
his children unjustly imprisoned in the citadel of Agra.
He insinuated, that the emperor himself had every thing
to fear from the victories of Perviz, and the ambition of
Mahobet-Cham ; that both the one and the other only
fought for their own interests, and that duty had a less
share in their victories, than a secret desire to reign.
" After all, Sultan Chorrom is your son, my lord," he
added, " and his past disobedience is less the effect of a
bad heart, than the indispensable necessity which he labours
under of defending his life from the rage of a jealous bro-
ther, and an ambitious minister."
This discourse, which w as not devoid of plausibility,
supported by the private arguments of Nur-Jaham, who
was incessantly irritating the mind of the emperor against
Mahobet-Cham, was the cause of that general being
recalled, and ordered to come to Labor w^ithout delay,
iand unattended. Perviz felt no repugnance at suffering
the departure of Mahobet-Cham. The artful Cham-Canna
had taken care to sow divisions between these two chiefs of
the imperial army. Perviz was jealous that Mahobet-Cham
vshared with him the glory of his victories. Thus, this
172 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
great captain beheld himself, on a sudden, abandoned by
the emperor, and by Sultan Perviz, and delivered up to
the rage of his great enemy, Nur-Jaham, his competitor,
Asaph-Cham, and his accuser, Cham-Canna. In this
extremity, this great man took the wisest course, which
was that of submission. He proceeded, by slow journies,
to the court, and when he was at Brampour, received a
new order to hasten his progress. So much earnestness,
on the part of the emperor, gave the accused just sus-
picions that his life was in danger. Taking his route,
therefore, on the side of Ratampour, a city of which the
emperor had given him the lordship, he rested at that
place, under the pretext of finishing some affairs for the
advantage of the state. This delay of the general fur-
nished a pretext to the court to condemn him unheard, and
to send him into honorable exile. He received orders to
return to Bengal in the capacity of sub-governor under
Sultan Perviz, who was commanded to observe him
strictly. It was not without mortification, that Mahobet-
Cham learnt the news of his disgrace. He wrote to the
emperor letters, justifying his conduct ; but, as his remon-
strances received no attention, he, for the first time, forgot
his duty. He then wrote to the emperor, haughtily, that
he had found a way to compel him to listen to his defence ;
and that he would soon come in person to Labor, and con-
found his calumniators. The menaces of so great a cap-
tain made the court tremble. Nur-Jaham, alone, was not
intimidated. Instead of causing the emperor to remain at
Agra, where he would have been secure, she persuaded him
to take a journey to Cabul; a rash measure, which had
nearly proved the destruction of the imperial family.
Whilst the court was on its march, Mahobet-Cham had
collected around him some of those brave officers, who,
under his command, had for a long period been accustomed
JEHAN GUIR. 173
to victory. Five thousand Rajepoots, of the very bravest
in all the Indies, joined themselves to a chief whom they
idolized. With this small body, composed of resolute and
warlike soldiers, Mahobet-Cham planned attacking the
emperor's escort, making himself once more master of his
person, and compelling him to listen to his defence. The
design of this great captain succeeded; if he did not
extract from it all the advantages which he might have
done, it was only through excess of generosity and respect
for his master. Mahobet-Cham surprised the emperor,
whilst his army was occupied in passing the river Tziunab.
The best part of the troops, which served for the emperor's
escort, had been conveyed to the other bank in barks before
sun-rise. The emperor was still reposing in the tent which
had been set up for him on the bank of the river, when
Mahobet-Cham arrived unexpectedly, and surrounded the
camp of the king. On the first news of his arrival, the
whole court was seized with consternation. The bravest
of the troops were on the other side of the river. The
soldiers of the guard were seized with terror, and took to
flight. Thus, almost without shedding blood, the Emperor,
the Sultaness, Sultan Bolaqui, Sultan Sceheriar, as well as
Asaph-Cham, and Cham-Canna fell into the hands of the
gallant Mahobet-Cham.
It is impossible to imagine what clianges might have
resulted to the empire, from the detention of the whole
court. Agra took openly the side of the new conqueror,
and delivered up its citadel to one of the friends of Mahobet-
Cham. Had this generous chief been ever so little inclined
to make a bad use of his success, and been disposed to
make an attempt upon the liberty of Jehan Guir, whom he
held in his power, he might have set up a new emperor,
and selected some one of the sons or grandsons of the
Mogul to fill the throne. The profound respect, which he
174 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
had always felt for his master, caused him to act with
moderation. He contented himself with serving the
emperor, whom he held in a species of captivity, as his
escort; and he led him, in this manner, towards Cabul.
Leaving him as much at liberty as if he had been escorted
by officers of his own choice, he, nevertheless, did not use
the same forbearance towards the other princes and great
lords of the court. The Sultans Bolaqui and Sceheriar he
sent prisoners to the citadel of Agra. Asaph-Cham and
Cham-Canna were loaded with chains, and conducted,
under his own eye, by an escort of his brave Rajepoots.
He had the complaisance to allow the sultaness the same
liberty which w as enjoyed by the emperor. This moderation
had nearly cost him dear. Nur-Jaham (driven to despe-
ration, by finding herself in the hands of her enemy, and
always fearing lest Mahobet-Cham should obtain an ascen-
dancy over the mind of the emperor, to whom this great
man regularly paid his court) found an opportunity of sur-
prising him in her turn, by means of the troops which at first
attended upon the emperor, and had become dispersed on
the arrival of Mahobet-Cham. She caused the chiefs to
be informed that the army, before which they had fled, con-
sisted of no more than five thousand men ; that delivering
the emperor from the captivity in which he was held
would be attended with little difficulty; that Mahobet-
Cham might easily be surprised at the passage of a river ;
that on her part, she would take especial care of the
emperor during the attack, and so manage, that he should,
on the pretext of taking the diversion of the chase, be
placed at a distance from his escort. The project of the
sultaness was put into execution with great diligence.
More than fifty thousand men, collected from all the neigh-
bouring provinces, were placed in ambuscade upon the
banks of a river, and there expected the arrival of Mahobet-
J EH AN Gl'IR. 175
Cham. This prudent general, informed of the snare which
was prepared for him, soon decided on the measures he
should pursue; and thought proper to abandon the sul-
taness and the emperor to their former guard, to retrace
his steps, and to carry away with him Asaph-Cham and
Cham-Canna. He resumed, therefore, the road to Agra,
and left the emperor to continue his journey to Cabul. In
the meanwhile, the sultaness, who, notwithstanding she
had recovered her liberty, was exasperated that her brother
should be carried oft' a prisoner, sent instructions to the
governors of the neighbouring provinces to stop Mahobet-
Cham on his march, and to wrest Asaph-Cham from his
hands. The generosity of Maliobet-Cham anticipated the
wishes of the queen. He sent back Asaph-Cham to the
sultaness, after having made him swear upon the Alcoran,
that he never would prove ungrateful for that life and liberty
which was now restored to him. Tjie imperious queen
could scarcely restrain her indignation at the sight of her
brother. " How could you be such a dastard," she said
to him, " as to enter into conditions with the most cruel of
my enemies ? You ought, at least, to have w aited until I
had either procured your liberation, or your death had
filled up the measure of the iniquities of the perfidious
man."
Whilst the emperor was proceeding on his journey to
Cabul, and Mahobet-Cham was on the road to Agra;
Sultan Chorrom, who had taken refuge, after his losses,
in the kingdom of the Decan, quitted his retreat, and made
his appearance in the field. His march caused a panic
among the troops of the emperor, who felt no longer the
confidence with which they were accustomed to be inspired
by the experience of Mahobet-Cham. It was reported,
that certain Rajas, accompanied by their Rajepoots, had
joined the rebels. In eftect, Sultan Chorrom advanced
176 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
towards Tatta, for the purpose of undertaking the siege.
He was driven from the place by the sallies of the governor,
and compelled to retire to Backar. If Sultan Chorrom
was not fortunate in the wars, which he waged against his
brother, since the recal of Mahobet-Cham ; Sultan Perviz
enjoyed not, at least, the glory of uninterrupted success
against Sultan Chorrom. This prince experienced, that it
was better to divide the glory of victories with another,
than to cease acquiring them.
The emperor, in the meanwhile, had returned to Labor
from Cabul. The first object of the sultaness was to take
vengeance on Mahobet-Cham, from whom she had received
such unpardonable insults in the journey to Cabul. She
learnt, that a convoy of treasure was on its way from
Bengal to Mahobet-Cham. She caused it to be surprised,
and conducted to Labor. Nur-Jaham afterwards placed
Cam-Canna, whom Mahobet-Cham had the generosity to
restore to his liberty, at the head of an army ; of which
this dastard took the command, that he might destroy his
benefactor. It was then that Mahobet-Cham found himself
in a state of destitution greater than he had ever before
experienced. His son, who, till that time, had been faithful
to him, took the side of the court against his father. The
rest of the troops, which had so constantly adhered to him,
pillaged his treasures, ravaged his lands, and returned
under the obedience of the emperor. To complete his
misfortunes, Mahobet learnt that Sultan Perviz, who
had resumed for him his former friendship, had died of a
malady at Brampour. The Sultans Bolaqui and Sceheriar
(whom Mahobet-Cham had imprisoned in Agra, with the
view only of causing his own life to be respected, by
alarming the sultaness with the apprehension of seeing a
son and a grandson of the emperor perish along with him,)
had been liberated from their captivity, full of rage against
J KHAN GUIK. 177
iiim who had been the author of it. In this universal
desertion, Mahobet found only one resource ; this was, to
retire to Rana, one of the principal Rajas of the empire,
and to negotiate from the place of his retreat with Sultan
Chorrom. He wrote, then, to tliis i)rince, that if he would
discontinue carrying arms against his father, his arm and
his services should be at his command. That Jehan Guir
was already old and infirm ; and that after the death of
the Emperor, Sultan Bolaqui would not fail to dispute tlie
crown with him; in which case, he Avould not, perhaps,
have cause to repent having engaged on his side an old
general, whom a long experience had given some reputation
among the troops. Tliat having consulted reason and
justice, it appeared to him that his pretensions to the
throne were legitimate ; but, that it w^as sacrilegious ia
enforce them, before the Emperor, his father, had been dis-
posed of by the common lot of mortality ; and that he
would willingly devote himself to his interests, provided,
that in siding with his cause, he should not be obliged to
carry arms against his sovereign.
The proposition of Mahobet-Chiam appeared reasonable
to Sultan Chorrom. He was weary of war and of ill
success ; and he hoped, that seconded by Mahobet, he
should easily bear away the crown from his competitors.
However, as he did nothing vvithout the advice of Asapli-
Cham, he consulted his father-in-law on the subject ot the
offers of Mahobet. The opinion of the minister was, tliat
it would be equally advantageous to Chorrom to make
peace with the Emperor, and to secure Mahobet-Chani in
his interests. Thus, by the wise conduct of the general,
faithful even in his disgrace, the whole empire was pre-
served in peace. The public tranquillity, the work of
Mahobet-Cham, was the only revenge which he took of the
sovereign who peisecuted him.
N
178 HISTORY OP THE MOGUL pYNASTY.
The Emperor now only thought of enjoying repose.
As he was very infirni;, he caused himself to be transported
to Cachemire, where the air is much more salubrious than
in the Indies. The restlessness, so natural to old age and
sicknesS;, occasioned him soon to quit so agreeable a resi-
dence, and return to his palace of Labor. The fatigues of
the journey, having increased the indisposition of Jehan
Guir, he died at Bimber, in the year 1627. He was a
prince of an easy disposition, who always allowed the
sultaness and his ministers to exercise too great an ascend-
ancy over him. Thence originated the revolts of his
children, and his generals. It may be said, that he loved
pleasure more than glory ; but, it is certain, that he loved
justice still more than pleasure. He dispensed it to his
subjects with a care, and a disinterestedness, which had
never been known before in the Indies, not even in the
time of Akebar. He protected the arts, and had a taste
in painting.
In his time, there were found, in consequence, in the
Indies, native painters, who copied the finest of our
European pictures with a fidelity that might vie with the
originals. He was partial to the sciences of Europe, and
jt was this which attached him to the Jesuits. He caused a
church and a residence to be built ^for them at Labor.
This prince, who, towards the close of his days, was per-
suaded of the truth of our mysteries, found no other
obstacle to his conversion, than the fear of a revolution in
his empire. As for the plurality of wives, which so much
attaches the Mahometans to their sect, this would have
proved no obstacle to the salvation of Jehan Guir. For
a long time, he had confined himself solely to the Sultaness
Nur-Jaham.
After the death of the Emperor, the empire was found to
be divided into three distinct factions. The sultaness
JEHAN GUIK. 17()
declared for Prince Sceheriar, the husband of her daughter.
Bolaqui had, in his favour, the imperial army, and the
whole guard of the palace ; but the two ministers, Asaph-
Cham and Mahobet-Chani were in the interest of Sultan
Chorrom. The influence of the sultaness was confined to
the haram. Bolaqui was proclaimed Emperor by the army.
The party of Sceheriar, which was confined to women and
eunuchs, soon became the weakest. Bolaqui secured the
persons of Nur-Jaham and her son-in-law. The first was
committed a close prisoner ; and the other was deprived of
liis sight by the application of a red-hot iron.
Bolaqui, who imagined that he was labouring for his
own interests, was paving the way by his cruelties, for
his uncle, Sultan Chorrom's attainment of the throne. An
intrigue, conducted by Mahobet-Cham, and sustained by
Asaph-Cham, put him in possession of the crown, without
the shedding of blood. As soon as Bolaqui had seated
himself upon the throne of his grandfather, by favor of
the army, he deputed one of the principal Omrhas of his
court to his uncle. The envoy had instructions to exact,
from Sultan Chorrom, the accustomed tribute, and to
engage him to acknowledge the sovereignty of Bolaqui.
He was directed to employ menaces, in the event of finding^
a spirit of opposition and revolt in the prince. The
deputy had no occasion to assume a dictatorial language,
or employ, even, tlie means of negotiation, in order to
force from Chorrom the submission, which he affected to
require from him. Attacked, apparently, with prodigious
vomitings of blood, he found the sultan in a situation to
excite compassion. The deputy was affected at the sight,
and sent off, immediately, a courier to Bolaqui, to give
him intelligence of the extremity to which his uncle was
reduced. Sultan Chorrom's malady was nothing but a
feint ; and the blood, which he vomited, was goat's bloody
n2
180 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
with which he had filled his mouth, on the arrival of tlie
Omrha.
The report of the sickness of the sultan was quickly
succeeded by another, still less true. It was published,
every where, that Chorrom was dead. He disappeared^
indeed, all of a sudden; and Mahobet-Cham, only, with
some other officers, the most attached to the prince, were
acquainted with the secret of the intrigue. Every appear-
ance of the deepest mourning took place at the court of
the sultan. Mahobet-Cham, especially, appeared incon-
solable. The deputy of Bolaqui suffered himself to be
deceived. He sent certain intelligence of the death of
Chorrom. They even engaged him to solicit, of the new
Emperor, permission to convey the body of the deceased
sultan, to the sepulchre of his fathers. Bolaqui gave his
consent gladly, that all the honors of interment should be
paid to a prince of his blood, from whom death, as he
believed, had delivered him so opportunely. A con-
voy was, therefore, prepared, attended with all the
magniticence due to a prince of the Mogul blood. The
empty bier was conducted by more than a thousand men,
chosen from among the principal officers of the deceased.
Mahobet-Cham was at their head. Chorrom himself fol-
lowed, in disguise, his own funeral. Squadrons of Raje-
poots, seemingly to do it honor, had been disposed at
different stations upon the line of march, which continuing
to swell the funeral pomp, accompanied it to Agra. Asaph-
Cham, sustaining his part in the intrigue, persuaded the
young Emperor, that a just decorum required he should
proceed to meet the convoy of his uncle, and conduct to
the place of interment, the remains of a prince, from whom
he had now nothing to fear. The artifice succeeded.
Bolaqui went forth from the gates of Agra, habited in deep
mourning, accompanied by a weak escort, and in the
JICIIAN CU'IR. 181
equipage ot a prince, who is about to pay the last duties
to a relative. He was astonished, when he beheld so large an
escort, in the suite of a deceased person. He suspected the
stratagem, and, retracing his steps, he stole away from the
cruelty of a rival, who would not have failed to take away
his life, if he had fallen into his power. The place of his
retreat was a long time a secret, but it was at last known
that he had taken refuge in Persia. In the meanwhile,
the trumpets sounded. Sultan Chorrom was proclaimed
Emperor, and the mourning chariot was changed into a car
of triumph. Chorrom entered the citadel of Agra, amidst
the acclamations of the people, and of the army, who trans-
ferred, instantaneously, all their affection to the new
monarch. It was, then, that this prince took the name oi
Cha-Jaham, which signifies, " Sovereign of the Universe ;"
a title which he retained ever afterwards. This was the
last exploit of Mahobet-Cham, who, after having placed
the crown upon the head of his master, retired to the lands
of his government, that he might there terminate, in repose,
a life so agitated and so glorious. As for Sultan Scheriar,
he had been shut up for three months in an apartment of
the palace, with two of his sons. Cha-Jaham caused the
door to be walled up, and left all three to perish of hunger.
This apartment has never been opened, even to the present
time. It is believed in the haram, that certain groans are
yet, at times, heard to proceed from it, which has, how-
ever, no other foundation, than in the imagination of the
women.
182
CHA-JAHAM.
NINTH EMPEROR.
^eats himself upon the Throne by Intrigue, Condition of the Empire at his
Accession. Blakes War on the Portuguese. Builds a new City. His
love of Justice, and able Administration of it. Becomes addicted to Avaiice.
Sends Three of his Sons, in quality of Viceroy, into the Provinces. Cha-
racter of the Princes and Princesses his Children. Confides to the Prince
Dara the exercise of his Authority. Aurengzebe, his third Son, governs
tcith Wisdom the Kingdom of the Decan. The Enterprise of Aurengzebe
against the Kingdom of Golconda. Cha-Jaham is attached with a Malady.
The second of his Sons takes up Arms to secure to himself Possession of the
Empire. Defeat of his Son Cha-Chuia. Aurengzebe ar,d Moradbax, the
two younger Sons of Cha-Jaham, confederate, in order to get Possession of
the Throne. Cha-Jaham proposes to advance in Person to encounter the
two Rebel Princes. Sends an Army, ivhich is defeated, upon the Banks of
the River Ugen. Dara takes the Field, to give Battle to his two Brothers.
Defeat of Dara. Cha-Jaham is kept in Captivity by his tico rebellious
Sons. Aurengzebe and Moradbax divide between them the Revenues of the
Empire. Atirengzebe causes himself to be proclaimed Emperor. Causes
his Elder Brother to be beheaded. Obliges the second of his Brothers to
seek an Asylum in the Kingdom of Arracan. Puts to Death the youngest
of his Brothers, and reigns in Tranquillity in the place of his Father.
-Wever had the empire been in a more flourishing con-
dition under the administration of the Mogul emperors,
than at the accession of Cha-Jaham. The number of pro-
vinces, which his predecessors had subjected to their domi-
nation, composed one of the greatest monarchies at that
time existing. From the frontiers of Candahar, (recently
re-conquered by the Persians), the whole country, which
extended to the Ganges, was obedient to the Mogul power.
The riches of the Emperor were immense. The relation of
them would appear a fiction, if a French traveller, of
CHA-JAIIAM. 183
acknowledged integrity;, liad not rendered a most exact
account of them to one of our greatest ministers. Never-
thelesS;, it must be confessed^ that tiie government of the
Mogul emperors, however absolute, was subject to great
inconveniences. Even at the time, when Clia-Jaham bad
made himself master of the enjpire, it did not appear as
yet sufficiently rooted to be capable of making a long-
resistance, had external attacks and intestine broils con-
curred at the same moment.
As the Emperor has commonly a number of sons, the
issue of his numerous wives, they are almost constantly
opposed to one another ; and the strongest^, or the most
artful, seeks only to pave his way to the possession of the
throne, without waiting till his father shall have ceased to
reign by the decree of nature. Hence arise intrigues with
the great officers of the state : and the oppression of the
people, and the ravage of the provinces are the certain
result of these dissentious. The tyranny of the court is
another source whence these contests spring. As the
Moguls govern their states with the "hi ost perfect despotism,
the Rajas, who consider themselves as so many petty
sovereigns in their respective districts, submit with impa-
tience to that despotic authority, which they, notwith-
standing, inflict upon tlieir own subjects. Thus, almost
always dissatislied with the Emperor and his ministers,
they are easily led to make a common cause with the parties
in opposition to the court ; and when the torch of discord
has been lighted up in any point of the empire, it is difliculf
to be extinguished. The country of these Rajas, who con-
sider themselves only as tributaries of the empire, is almost
on every side defended by inaccessible mountains and
extensive forests ; all the native princes, whose states were
of more easy access, having been subjected by the Moguls.
These tributary Rajas, whose domains are thus locked
184 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
within the lands belonging to the empire, gladly aliord a
retreat to the discontented, assist them with troops and
arms, and issue themselves from their forests, spreading
themselves over the countries subject to the Emperor,
where they exercise hostilit)^ upon his subjects, interrupt
commerce, and pijlage the caravans of the merchants.
Religious antipathies was another cause of dissention
among the subjects of the Mcgul. Akebar and Jehan
Guir entertained the design of bringing the different
sectaries in Indostan to confess one religion; but they
found, by experience, that it was less difficult to usurp a
power over men's lives and fortunes, than to subdue their
minds, and the prejudices of their early years.
^uch v/a3 the condition of the empire of the Moguls,
when Cha,-Jaham commenced his reign, that it would pro-
bably have become the prey of its neigiibpurs, had it been
then assailed; but Persia, on the west, happened to be
governed by an imbecile jprince, who was content to pass a
voluptuous life in the shades of his haram. On the north,
the warlike nation of the Tartars was no longer in a con-
dition to make inroads, or conquests. Those immense
colonies, Avhich had issued from Tartary to establish the
four greatest empires in Asia, had exhausted that country
of men, formerly one of the most populous. The Moguls
had no reason to be more apprehensive oi" danger, from the
east. The Indians who inhabit bej^ond the Ganges, to
the frontiers of China, are in general a people destitute of
courage, contented with their own uncultivated soil, and
inadequate to any great enterprise. It is true, that the
Portuguese, and the other nations of Europe, who had
possessed themselves of the best sea ports throughout the
whole coast of Indostan, w ere dangerous enemies on the
south ; but the jealousies, engendered by the conflicting
interests of commerce^ between the Portuguese, the English,
CllA-JAHAM. 185
ftfld the Dutcii, weukeued the force of the Christian
eolouies.
Cha-Jahaui conceived that he shouhl now he able to
attack the Portuguese with advantage, and perhaps succeed
in exterminating those merchants, i'ormerly so powerful
in the Indies, but at this time much fallen in consequence,
by the losses they had sustained in their conflicts with the
English and the Dutch, and by the rival establishments of
these two nations. The war with the Portuguese was the
first enterprise of the new Emperor. A zeal for religion,
it is asserted, w as one of the pretexts ; certain, however,
it is, that Cha-Jaham evinced as great an aversion to the
Christians, as the two kings, his predecessors, had shewn
them affection. The refusal of the Portuguese to assist
him, during his revolts in the life-time of his father, had
exasperated him to such a degree against Christianity, tliat
he made a vow to exterminate it. After the loss of a battle,
this prince had retired to a place strongly fortified, a few
leagues from Daca. The commander of the Portuguese
troops at Ougli, Michel Rodriguez, paid the young sultan
a visit, and endeavoured to console him under his mis-
fortune ; but the prince desired something more elficient
than visits of condolence, and caused it to be intimated to
the commander, that he expected the assistance of his
artillery and soldiers ; giving him assurances of his gra-
titude for the services of his nation, should he ever attain
the throne. The gallant Portuguese haughtily replied,
that it would disgrace him to serve the cause of a rebel ;
that to make war upon his father was fighting against
God himself. Rodriguez added deeds to words ; he joined
the party of Sultan Perviz, and the Portuguese infantry,
which fought under the orders of that prince, contributed
greatly to the many victories which he gained over hi.-;
brother.
186 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DVNASTY.
The Sultaness Taig^-Mahal^ wife of Clia-Jaham^ k^
also^ said to have been a principal instrument in exasperating
the mind of the Emperor against the Christians in general,
and particularly against the Portuguese. The sultaness
inherited her hatred to Christianity from her aunt Nur-
Jaham, which was further inflamed by an injury she attri-
buted to the Portuguese, who had given an asylum to two
of her daughters, converted to Christianity by the mission-
aries. The hatred of the sultaness, and the oath which
the Emperor had formerly sworn were two powerful sti-
mulants, inciting the Mogul to turn his arms against the
Portuguese. Orders were accordingly given to Cassani-
Cham, to commence the siege of Ougli. This general, in
the beginning, employed artifice. Having presented him-
self before the place with the principal forces of the empire,
he threatened to give it up to pillage, unless Rodriguez
paid down a certain sum of money, which he named. The
Portuguese, after some delay, very reluctantly complied
with the demand ; there being in the place but a weak
' garrison, and a want of ammunition, and other necessaries,
to enable it to sustain a long siege. An experience of the
perfidiousness of the Mahometans was the only result of
his compliance. The siege was immediately formed, and a
formidable artillery, the principal arm of war used in
sieges in Indostan, was brought forward to batter the city.
The Christians made a feeble resistance. As soon as a
breach had been effected, fearing the consequences of a
storm, they surrendered at discretion. Cassam-Cham
making them all prisoners of war, sent five or six hundred
Portuguese to Agra, and amongst them several Jesuits
and monks of the Augustine order. The anger of heaven,
justly irritated, doubtless was the cause of the disasters of
the colony of Ougli. Unfortunately, the Ganges, which is
seldom dry, had at this time so little water, that the trans-
CHA-JAHAM. 187
ports, vvliicli might have atibrded the means of escape to
the Christians, were unable to get out of the harbour.
The prisoners were, in consequence, conveyed to the
capitaJ. In order to preserve their wives, several embraced
Mahometanisin. Some of these Portuguese families are
still living at Agra, who are Mahometans in name only.
A few terminated their days by nobly suflering martyrdom
under severe torments. Not one would have escaped the
rage of Taige-Mahal, had she been living at the time of the
arrival of the prisoners at the court. The cruel sultaness
had vowed to Mahomet to have them cut in pieces ; bul
Providence delivered the Indies from tliis monster of
cruelty and ambition. She died regretted only by the
Emperor, who was indebted for his elevation to her arts
and influence. Cha-Jaham caused a magnificent mausoleum
to be erected for her, which is without its parallel hi India.
A description of it has passed into Europe, and it has been
admired as a monument worthy the greatness, the good
taste, and the prodigious wealth of the Mogul. All
attempts proved fruitless to persuade or compel the Por-
tuguese missionaries, taken at Ougli, to renounce the faith
of Jesus Christ. At last, through the intercession of an
Armenian, who possessed, at that time, some credit at
court, and of a Venetian much in the favor of the Emperor^
they were set at liberty, and sent back to Goa.
The two former emperors had taken a particular plea-
sure in embellishing, each, his favorite city. The court
had been transferred from Delhi to Agra by Akebar ; and
from Agra to Labor by Jehan Guir. Cha-Jaham caused it
to return from Labor to Delhi, and re-established that
ancient capital in its pristine lustre. The ancient Delhi,
it is true, served only as a suburb to the new. The city,
which was now built, received the name of Cha-Jahanaba'^
\
188 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
^vliicli means, tiie city of CJia-Jaham. The expense incurred
by the Emperor in constructing and adorning the city is
scarcely credible. It is said;, that he celebrated the found-
ation of his new capital by cruelties till then unknown to
the Mahometans j and which he must have borrowed,
undoubtedly, from the superstitions of the country. He
caused several criminals to be slaughtered, and their blood
to be shed on the foundations of the city. The circuit was
marked out in a great plain, on the banks of the Gemna.
Eleven gates were constructed in the walls, v/hich were
strengthened with twelve towers ; an entrance being left in
the centre of each curtain. The largest, and the most
magnificent, formed the avenue to the citadel, which served
as a palace for the Emperor, and a haram for his wives.
The w alls are constructed of brick, with great veins of that
kind of red freestone, which has a resemblance to marble.
The bazars, or public market places of Delhi, are sur-
rounded with arcades, supporting a large terrace, and the
shops display an excellent assortment of the various manu-
factures of Indostan. Although the mansions of the nobles
are handsome, well constructed, and adorned with gardens,
the houses of the greater part of the citizens are covered
with thatch. The apartments, nevertheless, are pleasing
and convenient. Two gardens were planted, by the care
of Cha-Jaham, contiguous to his new palace at Delhi, of
uncommon magnificence. The design was the invention of
a Venetian, planned upon the principle of those magnificent
vineyards, which contribute so much to the ornament of
Italy. As it was difficult to introduce the waters of the
Gemna, for the formation of canals, the course of a river
was turned, whose bed was distant more than thirty leagues
from Delhi. A new channel was dug, which passed through
the gardens of the palace. These waters were filled with
OHA-JAHAM. 189
fjsli of a prodig;ious size ; and it is said, that gold ring.^
were attached to their nostrils, each of them ornamented
with a ruby and two diamonds.
In these delicious retreats, Cha-Jaham forj^ot the war-
like inclinations of his youth, and gave himself up to a
voluptuous life. Poetry, music, the dance, the theatre
had tljeir prescribed hours ; and the entire day was nearly
engrossed by these amusements. No one enjoyed greater
favor with the monarch, than a poet of the country, whose
fertile imagination was continually inventing new entertain-
ments for the haram, and gave a varied form to the plea-
sures of the Emperor. The grossest farces were the most
to his taste. He retained his inclination for the sanguinary
exhibitions of the gladiators, Avho were coiiipellcd to
combat in his presence, armed with poignards.
Certain days of the week were set apart for the plea-
sures of the chase. That of the tiger, notwithstanding
the peril attending it, was the most esteemed. A brief
description of it may not be found without its interest.
The evening preceding, the pioneers of the court convey
into a neighbouring forest, sheep, goats, and horses, which
have been slaughtered for the occasion ; the scent of whose
dead bodies attract the tigers to a particular spot. The
next morning, at break of day, the kmg, mounted on an
elephant, enters the grand routes, which had been formed
in the forest. Instead of dogs, wild bulls are led, taught
to act a part in this amusement. Rather large, and pointed
sword -blades are fastened to the part, where the horns unite
to the skull. These animals encircle, at a distance, a tiger,
who is discovered intent on devouring the prej^, which has
been deposited in the forest ; the circle contracting in
proportion as the bulls advance. As soon as the tiger
perceives their approach, he endeavours to fly ; the bulls
then presenting their horns, and the armed huntsmen
190 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTV.
prevent the escape of tlie enfuriated beast ; they, at last^
succeed in enclosing him in a circle, formed by the bulls
closely pressed together. It is then, that the tiger makes
tliose furious efforts to escape, by attempting to leap over
the heads of the bulls ; but the long swords affixed to their
horns, frighten the animal, and sometimes transfix him in
the air. If by chance, the beast attempts to make his
escape between the legs of the bulls, they drive him off by
presenting their horns. At last, the tiger weary of making
bounds, and turning so long round the circle, falls exhausted
in the midst of the wild bulls. The Emperor, who from
the height of his elephant, has enjoyed the pleasure of
beholding so animated a combat, finally destroys the tiger
by shooting him with his fowling piece.
Had the diversions of Cha-Jaham been confined to
sports of this description, they might at least have been
considered as harmless ; but the Emperor carried his
debaucheries, as they regard the sex, to an excess hitherto
unexampled among the Moguls, however prone they may
be to voluptuousness. Cha-Jaham not contented with the
multitude of queens, concubines, and slaves, (the three
different orders of women that inhabit the haram,) intrigued
with the wives of the principal officers of his court. Those
of Jafar-Cham and Calil-Cham gave great scandal to the
empire. They went every day to the palace, contrary to
the usage of the ladies of the country. As one had her
marked hour of assignation for the morning, and the other
for the evening, the Faquirs, who are seen always in great
numbers in the avenues to the palace, found, on this
occasion, a fertile subject for the indulgence of the most
malicious reports.
The passion of Cha-Jaham for women made him pro-
digal in all expences, which might contribute to their
amusement ; and, especially, in the construction and
CHA-JAHAM. J 91
ornament i Jig of his apartments. It is said, tliat lie presented
the wife of Calil-Cham with a pair of slippers of inesti-
mable value. He rallied the hilsband upon it, at a public
audience, which eventually cost him dear, as will be seen
in the sequel. To indulge this passion, Cha-Jaham caused
that celebrated gallerj^ to be built* and adorned, of which
so much has been spoken in Europe ; and of which I now
give a description, from the report of those, avIio have
been eye-witnesses of its splendor. It is neither very
spacious, nor very lofty, but the riches, contained in it,
surpass whatever is to be seen in Europe. The light is
admitted only from one side, and the windows are neither
of great size, nor possessing much symmetry. The wall,
opposite to the windows, is covered with so great a number
of precious stones, of which some are of inestimable
value, that the detail would appear incredible. The wall
is covered with jasper ; and on this first coating, a vine is
seen to climb, entirely composed of precious stones, of
shades, analagous to this species of vegetation. The stem
is formed of those reddish agate stones, which express the
color of the wood. The leaves are emeralds, interlaced
with so much art, that the points where they unite cannot
be discerned. The grapes, which are pendant from the
branches, and seem to come out in relief, are composed,
partly of diamonds, and partly of grenats. Materials
could not be procured, adequate to the completion of the
whole design, and the work remains yet incomplete. The
side of the gallery, in which are the windows, is ornamented
with large mirrors, whose frames are thickly sown, at
intervals, with the largest pearls to be found in the east.
Thus, the vine, framed of ric,h jewels, being multiplied in
the mirrors, sheds a surprising lustre, which dazzles by its
splendor during the day, and at night has the effect of an
illumination. It was reported at the court, that Cha-Jaham
192 HISTORY OF TRE MOGUL DYNASTY.
destined this magnificent aj)artment for a female dancer
of the lowest rank^ and of little merit in her profession.
So extraordinary is the estrangement of the human heart i
that a prince^ who abandons himself to his unlawful appetites;
authorised too by his religion, seeks the foulest streams for
the indulgence of his thirst of incontinence.
However Cha-Jaham may have been abandoned to his
}lleasures, he did not cease to have a respect for equity.
This seems to have been a virtue, hereditary in the Moguls,
It may be said, nevertheless, that Cha-Jaham administered
justice, with an exactness, and a care, unequalled by his
predecessors. He may be cited as the very Solomon of
the Moguls ; and some of his decisions are related, which
manifest so great a portion of talent, and penetratioii, that
in the Indies, their memory will be indelible. A soldier
having stolen away the female slave of a writer, belonging
to that class, that copy and distribute the news of the
court through the provinces ; the complaint was carried
before the emperor. The cause had become much involved,
as the slave, tired of her first master, maintained that she
belonged to the soldier; and the writer produced pretty
clear evidence, of the slave being his property. The
Emperor, who, at first, affected to be embarrassed, and
undecided how to act in so perplexed a case, attended for
a time to other complaints ; when, on a sudden, calling for
ink, he caused the pen, (in the most unaffected manner,)
to be given to the slave, that she might assist him to it.
The slave gave it back replenished, with so much dexterity,
and with so good a grace, that the Emperor judged immedi-
ately, that she must have been used to the duty ; and said
to the slave, angrily : " You cannot belong to the soldier ; yoir
must certainly have been in the service of the writer, and in
his power you shall remain." The wisdom of the monarch
was the admiration of the whole empire.
CHA-JAHA.\i. 193
Clia-Jaliam was inexorable towards the lower class of
jiulges, who had allowed themselves to be corrupted by
presents, or influenced by improper motives. The Cotwall
of Delhi 'had received from a merchant a sum of money of
no great amount, to engage him in his interests. The
Emperor was informed of it, and sent to the Cotwall, imme-
diately, by an officer of his court, one of those hood adders,
whose bite is mortal. The Cotwall sufi'ered himself to be
stung by it, and expired in a few hours.
The Emperor, especially, signalised his regard for justice,
in the destruction of robbers. Before his reign, they
infested all the roads, and obstructed commerce. He made
so fierce a war upon them, that they were exterminated.
The means he employed to deliver the kingdom from this
scourge, was ; to make the officers of justice responsible
for all the robberies in their respective districts. Thus,
the factory, belonging to the Dutch, having been pillaged
by night at Surat, Cha-Jaham compelled the governor to
pay the Dutch the sum, at which they estimated their loss.
The impartiality, with which Cha-Jaham caused justice
to be administered, without respect to persons, in some
measure suspended the contempt, ordinarily inspired by
princes of a voluptuous, and imbecile character ; though it
did not prevent his experiencing, at times, a failure of
respect. One of those Omrhas, who serve in the armies,
had the audacity, contrary to the custom of the empire, to
seat himself in his presence. Cha-Jaham deprived him of
all his posts, and took away his pensions. The disgraced
officer presented himself, the next morning, at the audience
of the Mogul, with the same confidence as the preceding
day; and seating himself as before with great insolence;
'• Now," he said, " my lord, that I am no longer in your
pay, I may exercise the privilege becoming an independant
man." The Emperor applauded this display of spirit, made
194 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
additions to his former appointments, and attached him for
ever after to his service. The facility of the Emperor in
pardoning was often abused by the courtiers, who availed
themselves of it, to use a too great freedom of speech in
addressing him. An ambassador, of the king of Golconda,
followed, in this, the example given by the subjects of the
Mogul. Cha-Jaham amusing himself, one day, in questioning
the ambassador relative to the person and deportment of
his master, suddenly turned towards a slave of a disagree-
able figure, who was employed in keeping off the flies from
the throne; "Is his majesty of Golconda," he said to him,
'^ as tall as this slave ?" — " He must assuredly be wanting
considerably," replied the ambassador, ^' since my master
is only taller by the head than your majesty." The ambas-
sador was praised for his spirited reply, and at his departure
was loaded with presents.
The defects of the Emperor, so little accompanied by
those virtues which gain respect, drew upon him, at last,
the contempt of his subjects, and the revolt of his children.
The native Indians, especially, failed Avith impunity in the
duty of their stations. It is a custom in the Indies, that
the Rajas, in the vicinity of the city which happens to be
the residence of the Emperor, should, each, in their turn,
mount guard before the palace, and reside under tents with
their Rajepoots, to do honor to, and to guard the Mogul.
One of these princes, named Amarsin, failed to be present,
when his day arrived to attend to the duties of his post.
After receiving several notices from his friends, he, at last,
presented himself for the discharge of his office. Visir-
Cham, one of the secretaries of state, rej)roached him, in
the presence of the Emperor, with his little zeal for the
service. The Raja, who imagined himself insulted, drew a
poignard, stabbed the minister to the heart, and covered
with blood the habit of Cha-Jaham. So great an insolence
CHA-JAHAM. 195
was instantly revenged. Amarsin was pierced with a
thousand wounds ; but his Rajepoots revenged the death
of their master. In their rage, they massacred whoever
they met in the vicinity of the palace, and in the city ; and
this enormity went unpunished.
So feeble a government gave occasion to the other
Rajas to shew their audacity. Champet, one of tlie
haughtiest and most powerful, refused to pay his accus-
tomed tribute. The astrologers, who beset the Emperor,
and by their false predictions regulated all his movements,
declared, that it was necessary, that Cha-Jaham should
appear in person at the head of his army, and combat the
rebel. They added, that the residence of Delhi would be
fatal, for the space of a month, to whoever should hold
there the highest rank. The Emperor marched out, there-
fore, at the head of his army, leaving the Cotwall, governor
of Delhi in his absence. Sadul-Chain commanded the
troops under the Mogul. They advanced towards the ter-
ritory of the Raja, who made his appearance in the field,
and marched to encounter his enemy. The general, ren-
dered timid by the presence of the emperor, deemed it
better to negotiate with Champet, than to attack him. He
was promised pardon for his revolt, and assured of an
increase to his territory and government, provided he
would retire to his own lands, without drawing his sword
against his sovereign. The object, of Sadul-Chani, was ;
to induce the Raja to abandon an advantageous post which
he occupied, and in which it would have been difficult to
force him. Champet believed the general's word, and
retired. He was pursued, notwithstanding, in violation of
the faith promised ; and his troops would have been cut to
pieces in their retreat, if, by good fortune, some inac-
cessible forests had not ofi'ered an asylum to his army, till
it was able to gain certain heighths, and there place itself
o 2
196 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
in security from the perfidy of the Emperor. Cha-Jaham
returned to Delhi, covered with disgrace, for having use-
lessly broken his faith to an enemy ; who again, imme-
diately, took the field, and pillaged, without resistance,
the lands of the empire. On his return, the Emperor found
the Cotwall of Delhi dead. The Emperor's astrologers
had caused him to be poisoned, secretly, by his own
physician. Cha-Jaham, who believed that he was indebted
for his life to their science, became more than ever the
slave of astrology.
As the Emperor grew old, his passions changed with
his years. Avarice took the place of prodigality. It may
be said, that this passion equalled, or even surpassed, all
his other vices. He rewarded the principal officers of his
court, and of the armies, by permitting them to plunder the
people with impunity ; and as soon as the Omrhas had
become enriched by their extortions, the emperor seized on
their wealth, and appropriated to himself the spoil. In
order to preserve, with greater security, the immense
wealth, which tributes and extortions augmented every
year, he caused to be constructed, under his palace of
Delhi, two deep caves, supported by vast marble pillars.
Piles of gold were stored in the one, and of silver in the
other; and to render more difficult any attempt to convey
away his treasure, he caused, of both metals, pieces to be
made, of so prodigious a size, as to be rendered useless to
the purposes of commerce. In these caves, Cha-Jaham passed
a great part of the day, under the pretence of enjoying
their refreshing coolness ; but, in reality, for the purpose
of feasting his eyes on the prodigious wealth he had accu-
mulated.
A passion, so little worthy of a great king, caused him
to commit an error in policy, which, eventually, brought
ruin on him ; and caused the desolation of his dominions.
CHA-JAHAM. 197
In order to avoid the expense, which the maintenance of
the young princes might have entailed upon his treasure ;
he sent them to a distance, charging them with tlie admi-
nistration of different governments ; and leaving them at
liberty to extort what they could from the people, for the
support of their dignity. Had he reflected upon the conse-
quences, which had resulted from the like policy of his
father, he might have escaped the danger attendant upon
it. Never would Jehan Guir have experienced so many
domestic wars, had he not sent his sons to a distance from
him, distributing to them, in his lifetime, provinces, which
the princes affected to govern independently. In vain was
he admonished by paternal example.
Cha-Jaham had only seven children by all his wives ;
for the Moguls make no scruple of placing limits, by the
most culpable practices, to the fecundity of their women.
Thus the Emperor's progeny was confined to four princes,
and three princesses. The eldest of the children of Cha-
Jaham was Begom-Saeb, and the Sultan Dara was the
eldest of the sons. The Prince Cha-Chuia was the third,
and Aurengzebe, the reigning emperor was the fourth.
The fifth, was the Princess Roxanara Begom. Moradbax
was the sLxth, and the Princess Merniza-Begom was the
youngest. As the intrigues of the haram, and the domestic
wars, which distracted the reign of Cha-Jaham, relate,
chiefly, to these princes and princesses, it will be proper,
here, to give some idea of these personages, which may
serve to throw a light upon the history of a revolution,
that terminated the reign of Cha-Jaham, and placed
Aurengzebe upon the throne.
To a great share of beauty, Begom-Saeb united a mind
endued with much artifice. The attachment she always
had for her father, and the profusion of the avaricious Cha-
Jaham towards his daughter, caused a suspicion, that
198 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
crime might be blended with their mutual aftection. This
was a popular rumour, which never had any other found-
ation than in the malice of the courtiers. If there was a
guilty passion, on the part of Cha-Jaham^, towards Begom-
Saeb, they ought certainly to have admitted, that it was
not one accompanied with much delicacy. He permitted
to his daughter, whom the policy of the empire would not
suffer to form a matrimonial alliance, a liberty, in which
her father, doubtless, never would have acquiesced, if he
had taken an interest of an irregular nature in her conduct.
He permitted a musician of the palace to enjoy her favor ;
and was not ignorant of the assignations given him by the
princess. This musician was, nevertheless, highly in the
favor of the Emperor. It may easily be imagined, that
the influence which Begom-Saeb had over the mind of
her father, might be procured by her complaisance, and by
the charms of her mind. This princess was always attached
to the party of Dara. The hope, which her brother gave
her, of marrying her, if he should succeed to the empire,
fixed her for ever in his interests.
Joined to a fine person, and regular features, Dara
possessed sincerity of mind, and noble inclinations. Never
prince, perhaps, of his rank, had a greater share of under-
standing, or took more pains to cultivate it. He had ac-
quired a knowledge of all our sciences,and almost of all the
languages of Europe. So great was his attachment to
Europeans, that it gave umbrage to the great lords of his
court. They faresaw, that under his reign, the Franks
would enjoy the greatest share of favor. His study of
philosophy, and of the different religions of the universe,
made him contemn that of Mahomet. Had he reigned, the
Christian religion would, doubtless, have found in him, a
bolder, and more efficient protector, than it had expe-
rienced in Jehan Guir, his grandfather. His liberahty had
CilA-JAHAiM. 199
drawn into his service the most skilful engineers, and the
most expert cannoneers, belonging to all the nations of
Europe. So many fine qualities, which might have pro-
cured him the favor of the people, rendered him haughty,
and full of confidence in his own merit. To give him
advice was to offend him mortally, and to have seen further
into an affair than himself, was insulting his penetration.
Hence sprung the contempt which he had for his ministers,
and the Httle confidence, that his ministers reposed in him.
As he never communicated his sentiments to his council ;
his council, on their part, never dared to give him salutary
advice. He imagined himself, in the meanwhile, beloved
by all who approached him, and the conceit he had of his
own merit, made him accept flattery as the voice of truth.
In a word, he was too sensible to his own merit, to be
able to make all the advantageous use of it, which he, other-
wise, might have done. This prince had two sons, the
eldest of whom was called Sultan Soliman-ChacU;, and the
second Sultan Super-Chacu.
Cha-Chuia was the third of the children of Cha-Jaham.
He was not deficient in courage, or in capacity for great
enterprises ; but art marked his character still stronger,
than these qualities. He maintained emissaries at the
court of his father, for the purpose of disc6vering all his
secrets. He kept spies about his brother Dara, who gave
him intelligence of all his movements ; and who debauched
his best officers, and the most expert cannoneers of his
army. Cha-Chuia had a secret understanding with the prin-
cipal Rajas of the empire ; and Jacont-Sing, the most
formidable of them, was his declared friend. It is said,
that this prince had a correspondence even with the king of
Persia; it is, at least, certain,, that in order to attract a
greater number of Persians into his service, he had embraced
the sect of Ali ; and that he contemned the species of Maho-
200 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
metanisiii;, which is professed in the Indies, and in Turkey^
to attach himself to the heresy of Persia.
The fourth of the children of Cha-Jaham was Aureng-
zebe. Nature seemed to have taken a pleasure to combine,
in the person of this prince, the perfections of mind and
body. His figure was good, and he had a turn of counte-
nance naturally mild. A spare habit gave him an air of
penitence, which he knew how to accompany with pious
discourses. He was always seen, pale, of a livid com-
plexion, and with eyes sunk in his head. He appeared
thoughtful, and taciturn, seldom speaking, unless it was
with zeal for the religion of Mahomet, and the observation
of his law. He almost always carried the Alcoran under
his arm. His prayers were frequent, and in public. He
recited every day a certain string of the praises of God,
in a most impressive manner. It was, also, said/ that he
had caused himself to be inscribed in the number of the
Faquirs ; and, that as soon as he might be enabled to
escape from the cares of the world, he proposed passing
his days in penitence, near the tomb of Mahomet. The
better to deceive the multitude, he never appeared in public
in any other than a white habit, very plain, and almost
entirely miadorned with those rich jewels, which glitter so
resplendently, upon the habits of the Mogul princes^ His
nourishment was conformable to the simplicity of his vest-
ments. A little rice and some roots composed all the
provisions, which were served upon his table. He was a
stranger to the use of wine, and his abstinence from so
essential an article of enjoyment, was constant. From his
tenderest years, he was observed to have a turn for policy
and dissimulation. Though affecting in his discourse the
most retired sentiments, Aurengzebe concealed an ambi-
tious mind ; he took, at least, by this method, a certain
means of preserving his life, in the event of any sudden
CHA-JAHAM. 201
revolution. He was convinced, that after the death of his
father, Cha-Jaham, there would be no alternative but to
reign, or to perish. With this view, he took the resolution,
either to mount the throne, in case a fair opportunity
should present itself, or to place his life in security, by
an appearance of renouncing the world, and sacrificing
all his pretentions to it, in consecrating himself to peni-
tence. Slander, in the meanwhile, was busy in publishing,
that the prince in private plunged into the most unauthorised
debaucheries ; the Faquirs, they said, with whom Aureng-
zebe often associated, were the confidants of, and the mi-
nisters to his pleasures.
Roxanara-Begom, the fifth of the children of Cha-
Jaham, was inferior in beauty to her elder sister ; but she
possessed more suppleness and artifice. Begom-Saeb, in
regard to disposition and understanding, most resembled
Dara, and Roxanara had more of the character of her
brother Aurengzebe. She possessed the same dissimu-
lation and artifice. She was joined in interest with this
prince, and served him for a spy in the haram, to give
him intelligence of whatsoever occurred, of an important
nature.
The youngest of the sons of Cha-Jaliam was named
Moradbax. This prince was brave, but possessed of little
prudence. The chase and shooting with the bow were
almost his sole amusements. He hunted lions and wild
boars, and prided himself more on a fierce and rash
courage, than on an exact and circumspect policy. He
despised the uses of negociation, and placed no confidence
except in his strength, and courage. He was, however, a
true Mahometan, and the piety which he manifested in the
mosques was sincere.
Mernisa-Begoin, the youngest of the daughters of Cha-
Jaham, was a princess of a weak mind, and moderate
202 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
beauty. Childish amusements were her sole occupation.
A jewels a dresS;, bounded all her desires; and she never
took the least interest in the different factions^ which
distracted the haram, and the empire.
Cha-Jaham entertained, then, the purpose, of sending
his sons to a distance from the capital ; and confined his
daughters, within the bounds of the haram. The viceroyalty
of Bengal was given to Cha-Chuia. Aurengzebe was sent
to the Decan in quality of viceroy, and the viceroyalty of
Guzurat fell to the lot of Moradbax. Dara, only, was
retained near the person of the Emperor. As he was
destined by the order of his birth, and by the inclination
of Cha-Jaham, to succeed him in the empire of Indostan ;
he remained under the eyes of his father, and became the
soul of his councils. Happy would it have been for him,
if he had not, so early, allowed the people to perceive, what
they were to expect from his administration.
No sooner had Dara began to possess authority, than
he became disdainful, and inaccessible. A small number of
Europeans, alone shared his confidence. The Jesuits,
especially, were in the highest consideration with him.
These, were the Fathers Stanislaus Malpica, a Neapolitan,
Pedro Juzarte, a Portuguese, and Henry Busee, a Fleming.
This last had much influence over the mind of the prince^
and had his counsels been followed, it is probable that
Christianity would have mounted the throne with Dara.
However, whatever influence this father might have over
him, he was unable to banish the astrologers from his
court. They had so infatuated the prince, that he could
not extricate himself from their toils. One of them,
having ventured to predict, at the peril of his head, that
Dara would be emperor ; and being interrogated by one
of his friends, to account for the confidence, with which, with
so much peril to himself, he could make himself responsible
CHA-JAIIAM. 203
for an event invelopped in obscurity. '* I risk less than
you may imagine/' replied the astrologer, *' if the prince
attains the throne, I shall have guessed right, and my
fortune is made ; if he fails, his death is infallible. In that
case, I shall have nothing to apprehend from his resentment."
The influence of Dara grew to an astonishing height,
during the absence of his brothers. Cha-Jaham, who was
advanced in years, was king only of his treasures. His
eldest son ruled the empire with absolute power. A sopha
had been prepared for him, lower, indeed, than the throne
of his father ; but he is the only instance of a prince of the
Mogul race being allowed to be seated in the presence of
the Emperor. He had the power to command a combat of
elephants, whenever he pleased ; a distinction reserved
only for the sovereign. In fine, with the exception of the
control of the revenues of the empire, of which Cha-Jaham
was always jealous; Dara possessed all the advantages,
and all the authority of royalty.
So much power increased the pride of a prince, natu-
rally haughty. His discourse was arrogant, and his air
was disdainful. An officer of Mahobet-Cham, who still
lived in a retired manner in his government, had insulted a
soldier of the prince. Dara gave orders that Mahobet-
Cham should be forcibly conveyed to the citadel of Delhi.
This old general had still suflicient influence among the
troops, to create employment for Dara ; and courage
capable of making resistance, if he was attacked. Cha-
Jaham counselled his son to push the afl'air no further.
All the ministers of the Emperor, and all the generals
of the army were objects of jealousy to theprince^, and the
sport of his caprices. He was accused of having caused
Sadul-Cham to be poisoned, whom the Emperor had raised
to the dignity of first minister. Jasing, the famous Raja,
whose power and valour were formidable to the Mogul
204 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
was insulted by the prince. ^ He called him musician ; a
term of contempt in the Indies. The Raja dissembled his
mortification, and delayed his revenge till a convenient
opportunity. Mirza Mula, who was sent to command in
a war against the king of Golconda, was despoiled by
Dara of his best European cannoneers. " I shall know
how to spoil him in his turn/' said the general, in taking his
departure ; and this prediction was but too truly verified in
the sequel. All those, whom the prince suspected of not
being sufficiently attached to his interests, were imprisoned
or condemned to exile. One of the secretaries of state
was found strangled in his bed. Suspicion did not fail to
fall upon Dara. What aggravated more particularly the
noblemen of the court, was ; the odious comparison, which
the prince made, incessantly, between them and a wretched
slave, whom he employed in the most degrading services.
A minister of state, or a general of the army, was never
praised in the presence of Dara, that he did not enlarge,
immediately, upon the merits of Abercan, which was the
name of the favorite slave.
So many faults, tending to excite hatred, caused the
prince to lose all the fruit of the advantages he possessed
on the side of capacity, person, and birth, over the other
sons of Cha-Jaham.
Whilst Dara was making himself enemies in the empire
by a haughty and imperious carriage, Cha-Chuia led a
tranquil life in Bengal. Moradbax, in his government of
Guzurat, divided his time between the exercise of arms,
the chase, and the pleasures of the haram. Aurengzebe,
alone, was deeply employed, in meditating upon the surest
means, of snatching the empire from the designs of his
two elder brothers; or, at least, of placing in security his^
life, against the persecution of the prince, whom providence
should place upon the throne. Never was justice more
CHA-JAHAM. 205
vigilantly administered^ than in the government of the
Decan. He judged, that it was necessary to establish his
fortunes, upon a just reputation for probity and disinterest-
edness. Religion, which served, they say, as a mask for
his ambition, seemed to employ all his cares. He built
mosques, he mingled with the Faquirs, that he might appear
to despise the world, agreeably to their example. It must
be acknowledged, however, that through all this dissimu-
lation, there was still to be discerned a certain malignity,
even in his actions of piety. He one day collected together
all the Faquirs of the country, that he might bestow upon
them a considerable benefaction, and have the consolation
of eating rice and salt with them ; it was, in this manner,
that he expressed himself. The place of meeting was a
large plain. Aurengzebe caused this vast multitude of
poor penitents to partake of a repast conformable to their
condition. As soon as they had eaten, the viceroy declared,
that he wished to give them all new clothing, and make
them change the ragged garments, with which they were
so ill accommodated. Aurengzebe was not ignorant, that
the greater part of these beggars commonly secrete in their
vestments gold rupees, the harvest of their mendicity. In
effect, many opposed resigning their old habits, on pretext
of the vow of poverty, which is the essential feature of
their profession. Their remonstrances were not listened to;
the prince was resolute that his charitable intentions should
admit of no exception. The Faquirs were despoiled of their old
habits ; and they were compelled to put on the new, which
were distributed to them. A pile was then made of the
spoils of the Faquirs, to which fire was applied, and in the
cinders so considerable a sum was found, that if some
writers of the country may be believed, it became one of
the principal aids, of which Aurengzebe availed himself,
for making war upon his brothers.
:206 HISTORY OP THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
The devotion, of which he made a pubhc profession, did
not suppress his warlike inclinations. It is true, that he
gave, to all his projects, a colour of piety and zeal. It was
under this pretext, that he undertook to dethrone the king
of Golconda, a Mahometan by religion ; but attached to
the sect of the Persians. The occasion, which engaged
Aurengzebe to enter upon so great an enterprise, was, as
follows : Mirza Mula, (otherwise, Mergi Mola,) by birth a
Persian, who had come to the Indies in the capacity only
of an attendant upon a merchant of his own nation ; after
having served for some time in the troops of the Mogul,
and arrived by degrees to the first posts in the armies ;
disgusted, at last, with the contempt of prince Dara, had
entered into the service of the king of Golconda. He
was, at first, placed as a superintendant over the customs,
and the traffic of the king. Mirza Mula profited by so
advantageous a post, and trading for his own account, he
soon amassed immense wealth. He, at first, made use of
it to gain the good graces of his master. Mirza Mula
procured rarities from Europe, cabinets from China,
elephants from Ceylon, and never ceased making presents
to the king. His magnificence caused him to be taken
notice of at court, and as soon as he became known, he
attained to the first distinctions. What brought him into
chief notice was an intrigue of gallantry, which he carried
on in private with the mother of the king. She was a
princess, who still preserved her beauty, at a rather
advanced period of life.
The king's acquaintance with the irregular conduct of
his mother served only to advance the fortunes of Mirza
Mula. He was sent to a distance from the court, that the
queen-mother might be prevented from giving occasion to
scandal; and the government of the province of the Car-
natic was bestowed upon him. The artful Persian knew
CHA-JAHAM. 207
how to turn liis disgrace to his advantage. Tlie diamond
mine, which adds so much to the wealth of the kingdom
of Golconda, was within the limits of his government.
He, consequently, determined to make the best use of his
time. He retained for his own use the largest and the
most perfect of the diamonds. One, which he gave, in the
sequel, to the Mogul emperor, was unparalleled in its kind.
It is still the admiration of all connoisseurs. The governor
engaged openly in a commerce of diamonds, and sent
little besides the refuse to the king. Don Philip Masca-
renhas, viceroy of the Indies for the Portuguese at Goa,
was his principal correspondent. The object, of Mirza
Mula, was ; to secure to himself the protection of the Por-
tuguese, in the event of a change of fortune. The Persian,
who found himself supported, no longer placed any limits
to his peculations. He plundered the temples of their
idols ; he seized upon all the precious stones with which
the statues were ornamented ; he compelled the inhabitants
of the Carnatic to surrender to him whatever they pos-
sessed of gold and jewels ; and he caused those, who,
according to the custom of the country, had buried their
treasures, to expire under the severity of the lash. So
many cruelties rendered him hateful in Iiis province ; and
such great wealth created him envy at court.
The king, who was informed of the conduct of the
governor, contemplated recalling him, and confiscating his
property. The purpose of the prince could not be kept
so secret, as to escape the knowledge of the queen-mother.
She gave her favorite information of the danger which
menaced him, and proposed herself a plan of revolt, for the
dethronement of her son. The enterprise was concerted in
the following manner. Mirza Mula wrote to Aurengzebe,
that the time had arrived for conquering the richest king-
dom in Indostan ; that after having served the Moguls,
:208 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
he had not entered into the service of the King of Gol-
conda, but with the view of facilitating the acquisition of
so fine a country to his first masters ; that he had, in con-
sequence, maintained a correspondence with certain per-
sons in the haram of the king, and that he was in the pos-
session of all the forces of the kingdom. That Mahamed
Amicam, his son, was at the head of the armies of Gol-
conda; and that, in his province of the Carnatic, he him-
self had a certain number of troops, composed partly of
Portuguese devoted to his interests. That if Aurengzebe
entered into the kingdom of Golconda with an army, how-
ever small in number, all the kingdom would rise in his
favor.
Aurengzebe was, at this time, at Orangabad, a city
which he had founded in his viceroyalty of the Decan, and
to which he had given his name. It is difficult to imagine,
how great was his satisfaction, at the moment of receiving
such agreeable news. He was sensible, that the conquest
of a kingdom would pave the way for the invasion of the
empire. In order to ensure success to the project of
Mirza-Mula, he judged it inexpedient to begin-by attacking
the frontiers of Golconda. He resolved to proceed himself,
in the character of the ambassador of Aurengzebe, to the
court of the king ; and to attempt the revolution in person,
in the capital. He, in consequence, prepared for himself
a suite, composed of the bravest officers of his army, and
an escort rather large for an ambassador. Without loss
of time, he advanced, by rapid journies, towards Baganagar,
the capital of Golconda, spreading a report in his progress,
that he was an ambassador sent by Aurengzebe to the
king, for the negotiation of aff"airs of importance. The
stratagem succeeded, and the pretended ambassador entered
Baganagar without being known.
Upon his arrival. Aurengzebe immediately conferred
CHA-JAHAM. 209
with the son of Mirza Mula, general of the troops, and
arranged with him, that at the first audience, which he
should have of the king, the person of the monarch should
be secured at the moment of Iiis presenting his credentials.
The treason could not be conducted with so much secresj',
as to escape coming to the king's knowledge. This prince
learnt, that Aurengzebe was himself in his capital ; that his
design was to invade his kingdom, and to seize upon Jiis
person ; in fine, that his own army had conspired against
his life. The King of Golconda took the safest measure.
He abandoned his capital, Baganagar, and retired into the
fortress of Golconda, situated about a league from it, and
which gives its name to the kingdom. Aurengzebe could
not behold, without mortification, the escape of his prey.
He vented his disappointment upon the capital, which he
plundered ; and uj^on the palace of the king, from which
he carried off the treasure and jewels.
As soon as intelligence was received of the arrival of
Aurengzebe, the army of Mirza Mula quitted the Carnatic,
and joined itself to that of Mahamed Amicam. It was
then resolved to form the siege of Golconda, in which the
king had taken refuge. This fortress, which is esteemed
in India as impregnable, was already invested by the two
armies, of which Aurengzebe took the command; when
that prince thought proper to give advice to Cha-Jahani,
his father, of the condition of the kingdom of Golconda,
and of the conquest he was about to make of it. Machines
were raised to commence the siege, and the canals had
been cut, which convey water into the citadel. The
danger, with which the poor king was menaced, had now
obliged him to resolve on making terms with his enemy,
and surrendering himself into his hands, upon condition
of his life being respected, and the rank of Raja conceded
to him at the court of the Mogul. Whilst he was delibe-
210 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
rating upon these measures^ orders from the Emperor
came to Aurengzebe, to raise the siege^ and return to the
Dec an. Cha-Jaham, who mistrusted his son, and was,
besides, dissatisfied with an enterprise undertaken without
his acquiescence, listened to the representations of Dara,
and the suspicions of Begom-Saeb. They insinuated to
the Emperor, that the usurpation of the kingdom of Gol-
conda Avas a step towards ascending the throne of the
Moguls ; that the artful viceroy of the Decan laboured
less for the glory of his father, than for his own interests ;
that it was better to sacrifice to the public safety a new
acquisition, than to suffer Aurengzebe to aggrandize him-
self, to the great peril of the royal family. Such were the
motives which induced Cha-Jaham to force his son to
abandon an enterprise already so far advanced. Aureng-
zebe obeyed ; but to conceal the reasons which impelled
him to the resolution, he was seen suddenly to take, of
abandoning the enterprise against Golconda, false pretexts
were put into circulation. He counterfeited the man
inspired from above ; and caused it to be believed by his
soldiers, that scruples of conscience, against oppressing
a Mahometan prince, occasioned him to relinquish a war,
which he was just upon the point of terminating success-
fully. He made, therefore, an honorable accommodation
with the King of Golconda, and reinstated him in the
possession of his states, on the following conditions:
First, that the Mogul should be reimbursed all the expenses
of the war: Secondly, that the daughter of the king
should be given in marriage to Mahamud, the eldest son
of Aurengzebe : Thirdly, that the princess should have
for her dowry all the revenues of the province of Ranguir :
Fourthly, that after the death of the King of Golconda,
Mahamud should be his successor in virtue of the rights of
his wife : Fifthly, that the coin of Golconda should bear
CHA-.IAI1AM. 211
on one side the impress of Clia-Jahaiii : Sixthly, and
lastly, that Mirza Mula, and all his family, should be per-
mitted to quit the territories of Golconda with all their
wealth.
It was thus, that Aurengzebe extracted all possible
advantages from an enterprise, whicli he abandoned with
regret. After having failed in the conquest of Golconda,
he meditated, by secret practices, to pave his way to the
possession of the empire. Mirza Mula appeared to him to
be a man upon whom he might rely. The enterprise,
which they had attempted in concert, as well as the ancient
animosity of the general against Dara, rendered him pro-
pitious to his designs. Aurengzebe, in order to retain so
great a captain in the neighbourhood of his government,
solicited of the court, that Mirza Mula might be appointed
to command the army destined for the conquest of Visapour.
This request was granted to Aurengzebe, upon condition
that Mirza Mula should send to the court his wives and
children, to serve as hostages for his fidelity. Tiie viceroy,
who had thus secured to himself, by his good offices, the
gratitude of Mirza Mula, opened himself to him without
reserve. He complained of the tyranny of Dara. He
added, that the jealousy alone of his brother had prevented
him from joining the kingdom of Golconda to the provinces
of the empire ; that the Emperor himself was a slave to
the will of Dara ; that Cha-Jaham no longer merited the
character of a father, since he had renounced all the
paternal tenderness, which he owed to his three younger
sons, that his whole care and affection might be lavished
upon Dara alone ; that in the place of Cha-Jaham, he hoped
to find in Mirza Mula, a father, a friend, a protector, and
the universal confidant of his secrets. Mirza Mula received
with gladness the overtures of friendship from so great a
prince, and promised to exert all his power and ability to
P 2
212: HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
establish him on the throne. This conversation was kept
a profound secret between them. It broke out, however,
a little time afterwards into action^, as we shall find in
the sequel.
Aurengzebe continued, at his city of Orangabad, to
make a public display of extraordinary piety, whilst
Mirza Mula was capturing to\^ns in the kingdom of
Visapour. The famous citadel of Beder resisted him only
a few months. No intelligence appeared to subsist between
the general and the viceroy of the Decan. All was calm,
apparently, in the empire, and every thing bowed to the
authority of Dara, when a malady of Cha-Jaham gave rise
to a strange revolution.
It was reported, that the Emperor, given up still, at an
advanced age, to his debaucheries, was seized with a
retention of urine, by which his life was brought into
danger, in consequence of the use of a heating medicine,
which his incontinence had occasioned him to take. The
illness of the king was quickly made known in Delhi with
much officiousness by the enemies of Dara, and a report of
the death of Cha-Jaham almost immediately followed that
of his malady. From the capital it became in a little while
current through all the provinces. The three brothers of
Dara were informed of it, by the emissaries whom they
maintained at the court. It is true, that the danger of the
Emperor had been great ; but the strength of his consti-
tution saved him. The princes, on the first intelligence of
the death of their father, adopted, each, the measures
which were most conformable to his genius. Cha-Chuia,
the most impetuous of the three, was the first to take the
field ; and with an army, which he kept prepared for any
event which might require its services, commenced his
march to Delhi. He had already forty thousand horse in
his train. As the wealthiest government had fallen to his
CHA-JAHAM. 213
lot, he had taken care to furnish himself with camels
loaded with f^old rupees, to pay his troops, and to purchase
the aid of fresh levies. It is said, that as he was upon the
point of mounting on horseback, holding in his hand his
cimetar, he exclaimed, ^' Death or the throne !" He took
his route by the great road of Agra, at the head of his
army, causing a report to be spread during his march,
that the Emperor had died of poison, w hicli the perfidious
Dara had compelled him to take ; and that he hastened to
revenge the best of fathers.
Cha-Jaham, who began to find himself recovering, learnt
with indignation the news of the step which his son had
taken. He trusted, however, that he should be able to
keep him at a distance from the capital, by the blandishments
of flattery. He WTote to him, therefore, with his own
hand, that his indisposition had been followed by no bad
consequences ; that the ambition of Dara had not been the
occasion of it ; as for the rest, that he felt obliged for his
son's sensibility and fears for his health. Further, he
counselled him to return to his government of Bengal, and
by an exact obedience, make atonement for the measures
into which his too eager afl'ection had precipitated him.
Cha-Chuia received the letter of his father, while on his
route ; but it was accompanied by other letters from some
of the emissaries, w horn he emploj^ed at the court. They
gave him assurances, that the malady of the king was
mortal ; and that his fortune depended upon the prompti-
tude with which he should appear before Delhi. Cha-Chuia
communicated, in consequence, to no one, his having
received a packet from his father ; and hastened his march,
that he might not leave Dara time to make preparations.
The approach of the rebel obliged Cha-Jaham, notwith-
standing his indisposition, to change his abode, and to
take refuge in Agra, at a distance of more than twenty-five
214 HISTORY OP THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
leagues from Delhi. Dara followed his father, not being
willina: to be absent from him in circumstances of such
extreme peril. In the mean while, he neglected no measures
calculated to put a stop to the progress of Cha-Chuia.
Soliman Chacu, the eldest son of Dara, was a prince
of great promise. Well made, liberal, conducting himself
with moderation, and wise above his years, he possessed
all the good qualities of his father, without his detects. It
was a prince so accomplished, that the court opposed to the
rebel. Two generals were appointed to command under
him ; the Raja Jasing, esteemed at that time the greatest
captain in Indostan, and Dalil Cham, a Patan by birth,
who had signalized himself by more than one victory.
Secret instructions had been given to Jasing, to moderate
the too impetuous courage of the young prince, and to
prevent him from engaging in battle before the means of
negotiation had been tried.
The two armies Avere no sooner in the presence of each
other, than Soliman Chacu proposed to give battle to his
uncle. Jasing, who, till then, had endeavoured to avoid
an action, by keeping at a distance from the enemy, wrote
to Cha-Chuia nearly in the following terms : — " Your
affection for your father, and the marks of valour which
you give to all the empire, cannot, my lord, be sufficiently
commended. Through tenderness for Cha-Jaham, you
come to punish the authors of his death ; and your courage
has been made manifest by the celerity with which you have
come into the presence of an army, more powerful, and
more warlike, than the one of which you are the leader.
But your father still lives ; and it would be dishonorable
for you, to attack the most faithful subjects of him, whom
from motives of piety you come to avenge. Return \o
Bengal; and do not imagine that courage is to be
esteemed, when it is accompanied by crime."
CHA-JAHAM. 215
This letter made some impression on the mind of Cha-
Chuia. He deliberated for some time on the measures
which it became him to take. At last, the least salutary
counsel prevailed. He threw off the mask, and decided
upon an open revolt. The apprehensions, however, which
he entertained from the experience of Jasing, and the
valour of Dalil Cham, induced him to resort to artifice, in
order to put these two generals oft' their guard. He
replied to Jasing in these terms : — " The whole empire
bears witness-, that I have quitted Bengal with no other
view, than to seek satisfaction for tiie poisoning of my
father. He lives, and my tenderness is satisfied. I limit
my ambition, to continue submissive to his orders, in the
territory which he has assigned me. Take your dejDarture,
therefore, as soon as possible ; and render an account
to my father of my unlimited obedience. All which I
expect, (in order that I may not appear to fly from you)
is, that you will be the first to retire : a compliance with
this request I exact as a mark of respect on your own
part, as well as on that of my nephew, Soliman Chacu.
Save my honor, and you shall find me obedient."
Jasing was sufficiently sensible, that the letter of the
prince was only a feint, that he might have an opportunity
of surprising the imperial army, and defeating it in its
retreat. Nevertheless, that he might not leave the rebel
any pretext, he pretended to acquiesce in the conditions
of Cha-Chuia ; and gave orders that as soon as morning
appeared, the retreat should be began. The baggage, in
consequence, commenced its march at day-break.
In the meanwhile, the Imperial troops were placed in
order of battle ; and a few useless foot soldiers, of that
class, which follow the Indian armies solely in the hope of
sharing in the pillage, were all which were ordered to
take the road to Delhi. The spies of Clia-Clmia persuaded
216 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
themselves, that the cavalry of the Emperor had, in fact^
departed. They gave intelligence, to this effect, to the
prince. The rash Cha-Chuia commenced, immediately, a
hurried attack upon some squadrons, that he thought to be
a rear guard, which he should easily dispose of. He was
deceived. The whole Imperial cavalry made head against
him, and charged that of Cha-Chuia with so much fury,
that it was presently thrown into disorder. In spite of all
the efforts of Cha-Chuia, he was unable to rally them. His
artillery was taken, together with forty elephants, and a
number of prisoners, which were sent to Delhi, as a token
of victory, Jasing, who might easily have pursued <^ha-
Chuia and made himself master of his person, preferred
allowing him to escape. He judged wisely, that if he
brought him a prisoner to the Emperor, the affectionate
father would not take away the life of his son, and that he
should have at the court an additional enemy. Besides, he
felt little inclined to exert himself for the pleasure of Prince
Dara. He remembered the contempt with which he had
been treated, and the opprobious term of musician, of
which the prince had made use, to insult him. Under
these impressions, he aftbrded Cha-Chuia an opportunity
of collecting the wreck of his army, and retiring to
Bengal.
Whilst the second son of Cha-Jaham had declared open
revolt against his father, the two others, each in his govern-
ment, assembled troops, and deliberated upon taking the
field. With respect to Aurengzebe, he thought it best not
to avow himself, till he had taken such measures, as might
promise him success in the great design he was meditating.
He waited till Moradbax, the youngest of his brothers,
had taken the road to Delhi. Profiting, then, by the
rebellious movements, which the other princes had made
before liim ; he resolved to exalt himself by their means.
CiiA-JAHAM. 217
and, perhaps, at their expense. He wrote, therefore, a
letter to Moradbax, replete with dissimulation ; in whi^h
he expressed himself as follows : — " You are not ignorant,
my dear brother, of the resolution which I have taken, to
pass tiie remainder of my days in retirement, and penitence.
The splendors of this world have not the power to tempt
me. The only anxiety which I have, is, to establish the
worship of the true God, and the law of his prophet, in
their utmost purity ; I consider, that of all the sons of Cha-
Jaham (whose death is but too certain), you, alone, pre-
serve a zeal for the Alcoran. Dara is an impious man,
who is attached only to the religions of Europe. Cha-
Chuia is a heretic, who has abandoned himself to the sect
of Ali ; and maintains a correspondence with the schis-
matics of Persia. God and his prophet be praised ! I
will not suffer that impiety or heresy shall be seated on the
throne. You, alone, my dear brother, whom I honor
henceforward as my sovereign ; and whom I now salute as
my master, merit to wear the crown. You are a true
Mussulman, and the only defender of the faithful. Suffer
me then to join my troops with yours, and to defend with
you the righteous cause, in combating for our religion.
As for myself, I ask but one only recompense, for all the
services which I propose to render you ; that you will
permit me, after the victory, to go, and pass the remainder
of my life near the tomb of Mahomet, in prayer, and in
penitence.'*
So artful a letter was received with joy by Moradbax.
In vain, his faithful eunuch, Cha Abbas, w^ho served him
in the place of chief minister, counselled him to enter with
great caution into any engagements with Aurengzebe.
The overtures of a brother, who flattered his ambition,
infatuated him to such a degree, as to render him deaf to
advice. He made him the following reply : — ** It is but
218 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
reasonable^ my dear brother, that two hearts, whom friend-
ship has always united, should find themselves drawn
together still closer by their zeal for the Alcoran. Let us
march in concert to defend a religion attacked by two
impious men. I swear by the great prophet, that I shall
always entertain for you the same respect as for mj father ;
and that if I should ever be seated upon a throne, which
you, in the piety and greatness of your soul contemn, I shall
preserve for your children all the affection of a parent ;
and for yourself, all the deference which I owe to an elder
brother, and the defender of our religion."
When Moradbax consented to join his troops to those
of Aurengzebe, he did not calculate upon those of his
brother being superior in number to his own. The govern-
ment of the Decan, which Aurengzebe had for some time
possessed, was much less extensive than his ; and, conse-
quently, the forces which it was capable of furnishing could
not be so considerable* He flattered himself, besides, that
Aurengzebe would be deficient in treasure, and that the
troops of his brother, paid by himself, would be devoted to
him alone. With this view, he obtained large supplies
of money from the merchants of Surat. Moradbax deceived
himself. Aurengzebe had been amassing treasure, ever
since he had been viceroy of the Decan, to which the spoil
of Golconda had added considerably. His frugality, besides,
supplied the want of a large revenue, and furnished him
with a considerable fund for useful expenses. Aurengzebe
made use of the following artifice to augment the force of
his army. — Mirza Mula, who made war for the Emperor
in Visapour, was attached by interest to the Viceroy of the
Decan. Aurengzebe sent to him his son. Prince Mahamud,
to propose to him the fulfilment of the engagements, to
which they had pledged themselves, after the expedition to
Golconda. " The time is arrived/' said Mahamud to him.
CHA-JAHAM. 219
*' for placing Aurengzebe upon the throne. You have it
in your power, and you have engaged yourself to effect it.
By joining your troops to his, you render him superior in
strength to his brothers, and you put him in possession of
a crown, for which he must acknowledge himself to be
indebted to you only." Mirza-Mula was disposed to diO
all in his power for Aurengzebe ; his vows had laid him
under an obligation so to do ; but he was restrained by his
tenderness for his wives and children. Dara had caused
them to be conducted to the capital, that they might
become guarantees for his fidelity. Aurengzebe, who fore-
saw the just apprehensions of Mirza Mula, proposed an
expedient to him, to which the general agreed. This was,
to suffer his troops to be excited to revolt against him ;
to allow Mahamud to convey him as a prisoner into the
citadel of Orangabad ; and thus, to abandon the whole of
his army to the control of the Viceroy of the Decan. By
this means, the subtle Mirza Mula secured the compassion
of the court for himself and family, at the very time he
betrayed it ; as well as both his life and fortune, in the
event of the success of Aurengzebe.
The strength of the army of Aurengzebe was thus
increased, by the addition of the whole of the troops of
Mirza Mula. With this reinforcement, he believed himself
in a condition to take tlie field, and to join Moradbax, who
was advancing towards Delhi. With his habitual art,
Aurengzebe deemed it necessary, at his departure, to
redouble his professions of piety. In order the more
effectually to retain in his service the army of Mirza Mula,
he called Heaven to witness, that he did not enter upon a
war, to which he had the greatest repugnance, but from a
zeal for rehgion. He took the Alcoran in his hand, and
aiid pressed it devoutly to his breast, in view of all the
soldiers. Transported, then, with enthusiasm, which he
220 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
knew so well how to effect ; " It is/' he cried, " to defend
you, sacred law of the great prophet, it is to revenge you
of the contempt of the infidel Dara, that I interrupt the
peace, which ought to reign among brothers." Aurengzebe
did not fail, likewise, to disseminate through his army, the
report of the death of the Emperor his father. He pro-
cured every day feigned letters from Delhi. All those
which might have undeceived the public, were intercepted
on the frontiers. In fine, the death of Cha-Jaham was
generally credited, before Aurengzebe quitted the Decan.
One of his cares, also, was to prevent Moradbax from
entertaining any suspicions. He wrote to him, frequently,
during his march, letters couched in the most respectful
terms. " If the army of Mirza Mula," he said, " has
united itself to mine, it is the sanction of your name alone
which has decided it to do so. The conviction, that their
services were to be devoted to the purpose of placing you
upon the throne, has alone induced them to follow me.
They are animated with the same zeal by which we are
both governed. They are true Mussulmen, who desire
only the triumph of religion^ and to fix it with you upon
the throne of the Moguls." Ambition so blinded Moradbax,
that he did not suspect a snare. He arranged with
Aurengzebe the place where the two armies might form a
junction ; and offered to take the advance, and meet his
brother. " It is not proper," answered Aurengzebe,
" that the sovereign should anticipate his slave. I will
conform myself," he added, " to the direction of your
march, and I shall know how to proceed, to the end that
an interview, which I passionately desire, may not be
delayed." It was near the mountains of Manddo, that
Aurengzebe came up with his brother's army.
Never union appeared more affectionate, than that of
Moradbax and Aurengzebe. The latter no sooner descryed
CHA-JEHAM. 221
at a distance his brother, than he descended from his
elephant, and hastening on foot to meet the prince, he
prostrated himself before him, and honored him as his
sovereign. The intoxication of the younger was beyond
all bounds, when he beheld the submission of his elder
brother. He no longer doubted the sincerity of his protes-
tations. Aurengzebe knew how to accompany them with
an air of simplicity, capable of deceiving the most clear-
sighted. From that time, he caused Moradbax to take the
title of emperor, and treated him both in public and in
private, as his superior. He always gave him the prece-
dence; and in the command of the armies, he took his
brother's orders, whom he knew how to lead into the
adoption of his own measures, Thus, the troops of the
two confederate brothers advanced at the same moment
towards Delhi.
The defile of Manddo, environed with forests and
mountains, would have been a difficult, pass for the rebel
army to have forced ; by good fortune they found nothing
to oppose them. A spirit of infatuation seemed to have
taken possession of the council of Cha-Jaliam. At the
news of the two brothers having united their forces, the
fortifying of the capital engrossed its whole attention ;
and the propriety of occupying the posts, which might have
hindered the enemy from approaching, was never considered.
Prince Dara, valiant as he was, and proud of the victory
which the government had atchieved over Cha-Chuia,
appeared alarmed at the march of the two brothers. He
knew the valour of Moradbax, and he mistrusted the
artifice and the intrigues of Aurengzebe. He called to
mind, besides, some prediction, which promised the throne
to the viceroy of the Decan. In this state of alarm, he
attempted to sow division between the two brothers, and by
that means, to disperse their forces before they could
222 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
appear before Delhi. He at first wrote to the two chiefs^
that Cha-Jaham was yet alive, and that to come to disturb
his repose, would be forfeiting the respect due to a father^
and a sovereign.
Moradbax, whose heart was sincere, and who had
naturally virtuous inclinations, was startled when he beheld
himself upon the brink of a crime. Until then, his ambition
had stifled his remorse, and had prevented him from inves-
tigating the public rumours of the death of his father ; but
he hesitated, when the approaching hazards, and scandal of
his revolt, began to inspire him with doubts of the truth of
Cha-Jaham having been poisoned, and of the guilt of Dara.
Aurengzebe, who perceived his uneasiness, soon relieved
his scruples. " The report which they are so eager to
spread, of the Emperor being still living, is,*' he said, *' an
artifice of the very person who has taken away his life.
Dara, not content with having caused his father's death, is
also desirous to spread snares for his brothers. No, my
lord, there is no longer any security for us, except in our
union. We have to revenge a father ; but we have also to
preserve our lives, and those of our wives and children.
When, through vain fears, we shall have retired to our
governments, and left the parricide to establish himself on
the throne ; we shall experience the effects of his cruelty,
and of our imprudence. It will be, then, too late for us,
to repent of having relinquished a just enterprise, easy of
accomplishment. As for you, my dear brother, your loss
will be greater than mine. We shall have the common
mortification, it is true, to see impiety reign, and false
religions tolerated; but how great for you the despair,
when you shall behold a sceptre, which it has depended only
upon yourself to bear, in the hands of a brother loaded with
crimes. Let us proceed ; hesitate no longer, my lord ; and
since we must perish if we refuse to combat, let us endea-
CHA-JEHAM. "" 223
Vour to conquer, and by conquering to reign. If Cha-Jaliam
should still be living, which is hardly credible, we will, after
our victory, submit ourselves to so good a father; and
make him sensible of our affection, by tiie signal proofs
we had given, of the impatience we were under to revenge
him."
The ambition of reigning rendered Moradbax once
more credulous. He abandoned himself to his destiny, and
followed the counsels of Aurengzebe. It is true, that the
uncertainty in which they were^ in the armies of the two
brothers, whether the Emperor was dead or living, was
not without foundation. It was doubted even in Delhi.
Cha-Jaham, who had retired to Agra, in vain shewed
himself to the people upon the great balcony of the palace.
" It is nothing," they said, " but a phantom, some mock
representation of the king." In the meanwhile, the emis-
saries of Aurengzebe took care to entertain Indostan with
the false notion of his death.
The rebel army kept still advancing towards DeUii.
Aurengzebe considered that no time should be lost. He
was apprehensive, that Sultan Chacu, occupied in the
pursuit of Cha-Chuia, upon the territory of Bengal, would
return with his victorious troops, and augment the strength
of the Emperor's forces. It was dangerous, besides, to
allow time to his own troops, to be undeceiyed on the
subject of the Emperor's death. With these views, he
hastened his march. In the meanwhile, Cha-Jaham, indig-
nant at the conduct of his sons, whose daring he had not
been able to repress by his letters, proposed in his council,
to take himself the field, show himself at the head of his
troops, and disarm his childi'en by his presence. This,
doubtless, was the expedient which ought to have been
tried. It is probable, that Moradbax would not have
persisted in his revolt, if he had seen his father. The
224 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
partisans, whom Aurengzebe had in the council, diverted
the Emperor from so prudent a resolution. They repre-
sented to him, that it would be exposing to too great
danger, the life and the authority of the sovereign. They
added, that if their natural daring prompted the rebels to
fail in respect to him, he would be without resource ; that
in case of their disobedience, his army was too weak to
make head against the two princes ; that his health, besides,
was not sufficiently re-established ; and that the fatigues
of war might produce the most fatal consequences. It
was thus, that Calil-Cham, secretly a friend to Aurengzebe,
delivered his sentiments. Without doubt, he contemplated,
at this very time, the treason, which he afterwards executed ;
and which proved so fatal to the Emperor. They even say,
that he employed the charms of his wife, and the tears of
Begom-Saeb, to retain Cha-Jaham in the haram.
Dara, who was unable to resolve to leave his father,
neglected to take the field, and to lead in person the army,
which was about to face that of the two brothers. Jacont-
Sing and Cassam-Cham were the two generals selected to
command in his place. Presents and promises were not
wanting to attach them to his service. But, Cassam-Cham
had brooded a long time over an injury, which had exaspe-
rated him against Dara. Under these captains, the Imperial
army marched to encounter the forces of the two rebels.
Upon the banks of the river Ugen, a hill rises in the
form of an amphitheatre. It was here, that the Imperial
army encamped, to dispute the passage of the confederate
troops. The army quitted Agra towards the end of the
month of April, when the heats are the most felt in the
Indies. The waters of the river were at a low ebb, and
fordable in more than one place. Aurengzebe, who led
the advanced guard of the rebel troops, was the first to
appear in the presence of the enemy ; but as the rest of
CHA-JAHAM. 225
the army was not coine up, his chief care was to prevent
the Imperialists from passing the river, and beginning the
action. He disposed some aitillery upon the banks of the
river, at the spots where it appeared the shallowest, and
made a terrible fire upon the enemy, drawn up on the
opposite bank. By this means, this able captain gave time
for the remainder of the troops to arrive, and to take some
repose after the fatigues they had suffered from the heat,
and their long marches. If Jacont-Sing had engaged in
action on the first appearance of Aurengzebe, his success
would have been certain; but he had received orders to
remain upon the banks of the river, and to prevent the
rebels from passing it.
As soon as his troops had been refreshed, Moradbax,
who conducted the rear guard of the two armies, caused
his soldiers to approach the shores. His natural courage
and impetuosity would not allow him long to deliberate.
He threw himself into the river with an intrepidity inspiring
to his followers. The cannon, in the meantime, of Aureng-
zebe protected the soldier, plunged to his middle in the
stream, and compelled the enemy to abandon the opposite
bank. The bottom of the river Ugen is stonj^, and the
Indian soldiers wounded their feet, which were naked, in
treading upon the sharp rocks. Cassam-Cham, who main-
tained a secret intelligence with Aurengzebe, might have
hindered the passage of the two brothers, but he had
neglected to secure the aid of his artillery. It is even said,
that the jn*eceding night, he had caused the pow^ler and the
bullets to be concealed. Jacont-Sing alone performed his
duty. He disputed the passage of the river with extraor-
dinary valor ; but nothing could resist the impetuosity of
Moradbax. The efforts of that prince were further increased,
when he beheld Cassam-Cham give ground. He then
conceived, tliat lie should have little (rouble, in contendina;
Q
226 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
only with the troops of tlie Raja. In effect^ this Indian
general, who saw himself abandoned by his- Mahometan
colleague^ made his retreat as a brave man^, accompanied
only by five hundred horse. The gallant prince, after his
defeat^ retired to his own territories, not daring to appear
at court. The loss which he experienced of so many
Rajepoots weakened his state. Aurengzebe drew great
advantages from so complete a victory. He made himself
master of all the baggage, and of the whole artillery of
the enemy. There is still to be seen on the banks of the
river, where the battle was fought, a mosque and a cara-
vansary erected by Aurengzebe. This Mogul desired, that
one should be considered as a monument of his glory, and
the other an evidence of his piety.
The news of so deplorable a defeat diffused terror,
alike, through the states of Jacont-Sing, and at the court
of Cha-Jaham. The wife of the Raja, a princess of the
blood of Rana, who called himself a descendant from
Porus, was m the greatest despair, when she learnt the
defeat of her husband. On his presenting himself at the
gates of the citadel, which served him for a haram ; the
princess caused them to be closed. '' It is not possible,"
she said, "■ either that Jacont-Sing is vanquished, or that he
should present himself again to my sight, after his defeat.
If not victorious," she added, "he must be dead; assuredly,
he could never have been so dastardly, as to survive his
dishonor. If, then, he has lost his life, either in the combat,
or by his own hands, what remains for me, but to follow
him to the grave." This princess, in a state of desolation,
had the funeral pile prepared, on which she purposed to
terminate her life, agreeably to the custom of Rajepoot
women. Her mother had much difficulty in diverting her
from so horrible a resolution. It was not possible to
persuade her., even at last, to open the gates of the palace
CHA-JAHAM. 227
to her husband, till she had been assured^, that Jacont-Sing
had fought cburageously, and that he would not have lost
the victory, but through the cowardice of Cassam-Cham.
On hearing of the defeat of the Imperial army, there
reigned a still greater desolation in the capital. As soon
as Cha-Jaham received the tidings, raising his eyes to
Heaven, he cried : — " Thanks be rendered to the Eternal,
vi^ho disposes me by little and little, and as it were by
gentle steps, to the loss of my crown." Then falling into* a
sort of swoon, ^' O Lord, thy will be done," he said, '" it
is for my sins that you afflict me ! I have merited much
greater punishment, than the losses with which I am visited."
Daru had very different sentiments, when he learnt that his
two brothers had passed the river Ugen, and that the army
of his father had been tlefeated. Never did passion express
itself with more vehemence. He struck his hands together
in agony ; he stamped with his feet ; he broke out into
invectives against Cassam-Cham. Turning, afterwards, all
his rage against Mirza Mula, " It is that traitor,*' he said
to the Emperor, " whom we ought to regard as the cause
of our misfortunes. If he had not delivered up the troops,
of which he v/as the commander, to Aurengzebe, this
rebellious son would never have been found to come and
insult his father. Let all his wives," he added, '^ be
beheaded, and let the absent father be punished by the
death of his children, whom we hold as hostages." The
command of the prince would have been obeyed, if it had
not been opposed by Cha-Jaham. The Emperor appeased
the rage of his son, and changed his purpose of revenging
himself, into a salutary determination to defend his
rights.
Aurengzebe and Moradbax, elevated by their success,
believed themselves invincible. Nothing was heard among
the soldiers but discourses full of rash expectations.
Q 2
228 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DVNASTV.
*' Aurengzebe," they exclaimed, " will lead us into Persia
after the conquest of the Mogul empire, and from Persia
we shall pass into Turkey." It was by such reports, which
the emissaries of this prince disseminated among the troops,
that they animated their courage. They even assured the
soldiers, that they were sure of a second victory over the
parricide Dara ; and that Aurengzebe had in the Imperial
army more than thirty thousand Musselmen attached to his
interests. The propagation of these reports through the
two camps, to the advantage of Aurengzebe ; and the
affectation of giving to him alone all the glory of the
victory, occasioned suspicions to arise in the mind of Cha-
Abbas, the faithful eunuch of Moradbax. He was persuaded,
that the elder of the two brothers laboured only for his
own interests, and that he imposed upon the credulity of
his master. He came to a resolution, in consequence,
without communicating it to Moradbax. He formed the
design of assassinating Aurengzebe, when he should come
according to custom to pay his court to his brother, for
the purpose of saluting him as king. It is not known by
what arts, Aurengzebe penetrated the intentions of the
eunuch ; it is only known, that he did not come according
to custom into the tent of his brother ; and that he contented
himself with sending his son Sultan Mahamud. It was
a maxim with Aurengzebe, that it was equally necessary
to take precautions against the snares of his enemies, and
to dissemble his distrust of them. Without, therefore,
appearing to have discovered the conspiracy of Cha-Abbas,
he arranged with his brother, that it was necessary the two
armies should advance without loss of time to Agra.
During their march, those, who were discontented with the
court, and almost all the friends of Aurengzebe, came to
join the confederate princes. Such as remained with the
Emperor only staid behind, to give Aurengzebe intelligence
CHA-JAHAM. 229
of all the proceedings of liis father. Thus Cha-Jahani, on
all sides betrayed ; abandoned by his bravest generals, just
ready to fall a victim to the persecutions of two of his
children, took an extraordinary resolution, which, doubtless,
must have been suggested to him by some friend of Aureng-
zebe. He transferred the whole of his authority to Dara.
He even commanded his people not to acknowledge, at
least for a time, any other sovereign than his son. This
step caused the ruin of the father, and eventually deprived
the prince of the sceptre. Many of the nobles, that from
duty and affection, where yet attached to Cha-Jaham,
refused to obey Dara; and the people, discharged by this
measure from the fidelity which they had sw orn to the old
Emperor, appeared to entertain great indifference for the
cause of the new. Some historians report, that Dara caused
his father to be arrested, as soon as he had entrusted himself
to his hands ; but M. Manouchy, who held at that time an
employment in the palace of the prince, declares, that he
always behaved to Cha-Jaham with that respect and sub-
mission, to which he was entitled.
This almost universal desertion of the nobles, and
lukewarmness of the people to the party of the court, did
not prevent Dara from assembling one hundred tliousand
horse, and fifty thousand foot. One hundred pieces of
artillery were taken from the arsenals of Agra, the smallest
of which carried balls of twelve pounds weight. All the
officers who served the artillery were Europeans. Sixty
elephants were equipped for war, with towers on their
backs, each carrying a small piece of field artillery. Five
hundred camels were charged with the prince's baggage.
With this considerable army, Dara quitted the capital, to
take the field. It was on the 14th of May, in the year 1656*.
In beholding this prodigious number of troops, extending
themselves as far as the sight could reach, in the great
230 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
plains which environ Agra^, it might have been imagined^
that the prince would inevitably have forced victory
to declare in his favor. The more sensible persons did not
so judge. In the principal members of this great body,
they perceived a certain leaven of hatred against the chief.
Dara was the only person who was unsuspicious of his
dan2:er. The conceit he entertained of his own merit
would not suffer him to imagine, that any one could fail in
fidelity to him. However, the time had arrived, when the
great men of the empire had it in their power, to take
vengeance for the dishonor, with which Cha-Jaham had
covered them, in debauching their wives ; and for the bitter
railleries, with which they had been taunted by the prince.
To increase his misfortune, the son of Dara, Sultan Chacu,
deceived by the counsels of Jasing, had obstinately conti-
nued to pursue Cha-Chuia into Bengal, and was unable to
form a timely junction with his father. The young prince
had with him the choicest troops of the empire. The army
of Dara was, in consequence, almost entirely composed of
new raised troops, and of officers of suspicious fidelity.
The feelings of Cha-Jaham, when he embraced his dear
son for the last time, are not easily to be described. " I
was in hopes," he said, " to have left you, after my death,
a kingdom in the full enjoyment of peace. Heaven has not
permitted it. Go, my son ; go, and crown yourself with
your own hands. If the Eternal is favorable to my
petitions, he will cause to fall upon rebellious children the
maledictions of their father, and he will shower upon an
affectionate son all the blessings which he merits." Begom-
Saeb accompanied with tears her adieus to her brother.
The prince then quitted the fortress of Agra, and pro-
ceeded to take the command of his army. Never had
warlike preparations appeared on a more magnificent scale
in India. The camp, formed on the plan of a great city.
CHA-JAHAM. 231
had its streets and its bazars. The imperial tents, entirely
covered with gold brocade, placed in the centre of the
camp, and the magnificent pavilions of the officers and
nobles, dispersed by intervals throughout a vast circuit,
elevated themselves above the huts of the simple soldier,
and presented a picturesque appearance. Dara would
have preferred waiting, in this post^ for the junction of the
troops of his son ; but he learnt that the enemy was
advancing with a celerity, which would oblige him to
break up his camp, and advance to the encounter. Nothing
could be more splendid than the march of so formidable an
army. As the army advanced simultaneously, one part
taking the route of the hills, and the other of the vallies,
the steel of the javelins, which shone resplendently in the
mid-day's lustre, and were variously agitated, according to
the movements of the squadrons, caused it to resemble the
waves of the sea, when reflecting the sun's rays. The
army marched, for four days, in this fine order ; and at
last arrived upon the banks of the river Chambal. It was
here, that the prince deemed it advisable to wait either for
the arrival of his son, or that of the enemy. He fortified
the banks of the river with all his artillery, and so strongly
entrenched himself, that he could not be attacked with any
probability of success. The rebels soon appeared on the
opposite bank. Dara did not think proper to pass the
river for the purpose of engaging the enemy. The ground,
on the opposite side of the Chambal, was observed to be
unequal, and mountainous ; consequently, his elepliants
would have been useless, and his numerous army would
not have been able to extend itself.
On his side, Aurengzebe (not imagining it would be
possible to force the passage of the river, in the presence
of an army, more numerous than his own, and intrenched
on the opposite bank) considered that it would be better to
232 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTV.
employ some ingenuity. He^ in consequence^ assembled
his principal officers, and represented to them the danger
which might attend delaying the battle. He added, that
if Soliman Chacu should join his father, the only course
left them would be a retreat. He conjured them, therefore,
to be constantly in readiness to follow him to battle ; and
gave them to understand, that it would be necessary, at
every hour of the day, to be in a condition to pass the river,
and fall upon the enemy. This intelligence, which was
reported in the camp of Dara, kept him constantly upon the
alert. In the mean while, the indefatigable Aurengzebe
negotiated in secret with the Raja Champet, an ancient
enemy of the court, for obtaining a passage through his
territory, that he might proceed to cross the river twelve
leagues higher up than the camp of his brother, in a spot
where it was fordable. The Raja complied with the
request of Aurengzebe, who sent a detachment of eight
thousand only of his troops, which he caused to take their
route through an unfrequented tract of country, in the
midst of mountains and forests. As soon as these troops
had taken possession of the passage, the whole army of
the two brothers decamped during the night, and took its
way to the ford, through the states of the Raja. The news
of the sudden departure of the enemy astonished Prince
Dara. There was still, however, time to have remedied
the evil. If due celerity had been employed, they would
have found the army of the two brothers upon the banks of
the river, fatigued with a long march; and they would
easily have defeated half-drowned soldiers, in a state of
general confusion. This was the measure, which Dara
proposed to take ; but Cahl-Cham found means to persuade
him, to bestov/ upon him the command of the force, which
was to proceed to encounter the two brothers at the place
of their passage.
CHA-JAHAM. 233
Dara, who, with the liighest courage, had no experience
iu war, and possessed of the best understanding, was too
sincere to entertain suspicion, abandoned himself to the
pernicious counsels of his most cruel enemy. Calil-Cham
acted in all things in concert with Aurengzebe. The traitor
gave him time to pass the river, and intrench himself among
mountains, till the arrival of Moradbax. It is even said,
that Aurengzebe and Calil-Cham had a private conversa-
tion in a neighbouring forest, and agreed upon the measures
which they had to take, to ruin the party of Dara. At least,
it is certain, that there appeared always, afterwards,
between the head of the rebels, and the first general of the
troops of the Emperor, an intelligence, which could
scarcely have been contrived, but by means of an inter-
view.
Ram-Sing, second general in the army of Dara, and
chief of those brave Indian Rajepoots, who obey only a
Raja of their own nation, was of opinion, that a battle
ought to be fought without delay, and that Aurengzebe
should be forced in his intrenchments, before he could com-
plete his means of defence. Calil-Cham exaggerated, in
a council of war, the difficulties of so hazardous an enter-
prise. " I have examined," he said, " the enemy's camp,
and have found the approaches to it impracticable. Let
us wait," he added, " till famine, or imprudence, shall
have drawn our enemies from their post ; Ave shall then
engage them with advantage." The traitor was believed,
and the advice of the faithful Ram-Sing was neglected.
The troops of the two brothers, at length, quitted their
defiles, and appeared in tlie open field ; Dara, then, again
proposed to attack them immediately. The ardour of this
gallant prince was once more restrained, and the vivacity
of his soldiers was suffered to abate. He was even advised,
to range all his artillery at the head of his army, upon a
234 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
single line. Calil-Cliam had assumed an authority over
the chief of the cannoneers, and had prohibited him from
obeying any orders that did not emanate from him.
Aurengzebe and Moradbax, in the mean time, advanced
with a resolute countenance. Before they were within
reach of the cannon, Calil-Cham caused his artillery to
make a terrible fire, without a single discharge being
capable of annoying the enemy. Dara, who was mounted
upon his elephant, was unable to perceive, by reason of the
smoke and dust, the treason of the general, who had placed
himself in the advanced guard, that he might, he said, sustain
the first shock of the enemy. After a useless firing, on
the side of the imperial troops, there was heard, for the
first time, three discharges, which proceeded from the
artillery of Aurengzebe. This was the signal agreed upon,
for the purpose of conveying intelligence to Calil-Cham,
that the rebel army was prepared to enter upon the action.
In effect, the traitor, hastening to Dara, who commanded in
the centre of the army ; " It is now the time, my lord," he
said, " to go and destroy an enemy, already nearly put to
the rout by the fire of your artillery. The foe is very
deficient in cannon," he added ; " they have only as yet
replied to ours by three discharges. Shew yourself only,
my lord, and the victory is yours."
The manner of drawing up armies in India is very
different from that practised in Europe. It is not a
number of small squadrons, commanded by a great number
of officers, or battalions, which may easily be made to
change their positions ; it is large corps of troops, com-
manded by a single officer, which remains united in one
body, and which can with difficulty be separated or divided
during a battle, for the purpose of aff*ording aid, where
danger is most pressing. The two armies were placed in
array in the following manner. Dara was in the centre of
CHA-JAHAM. 235
the army, and his division was opposed to that of Aureng-
zebe, posted in the centre of the rebel army. Ram-Sing,
with his Rajepoots, made head against Moradbax, who
was posted in the right wing of the confederate army ; and
Calil-Cham opposed the hirge force wliich fought under his
orders, to the Sultan Mahamud, to whom his father had
given the command of the left wing of the rebel armies.
In this order it was that the troops of Dara were the first
to give ground. Calil-Cham prohibited the artillery from
firing, whilst the Imperialists were advancing to engage
the enemy. The corps, in which Dara commanded, was
the most active. It presented itself before Aurengzebe
with horrible shouts. The soldiers of the Emperor let fly
their arrows, upon an enemy, whom they thought already
thrown into disorder by their cannon. Aurengzebe suffered
them to approach, and without precipitating his discharge;,
he caused his cannon, his musquetry, and his archers to
take aim at so just a distance, and so opportunely, that
there were seen to fall around Dara a prodigious number
of dead. This carnage did not intimidate the prince. He
advanced with fury into the midst of the squadrons of
Aurengzebe. He penetrated even to the spot, on which
the enemy had planted the batteries, which occasioned the
greatest loss to his followers. He put the Portuguese
cannoneers to flight, and then directed all his eff*orts against
the great body of troops which surrounded Aurengzebe.
Never was greater intrepidity seen on one side, or greater
bravery on the other. Dara, by his voice and gestures,
recalled to their duty such of his followers, as the pursuit
of plunder was carrying away from the action ; and Aureng-
zebe, keeping his battalion always in compact order,
waited his brother's attack with the greatest presence of
mind^ purposing to take advantage of the least fault into
which his ardour might betray him. It is even said, that
236 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
Aurengzebe^ resolved to perish or conquer, on the spot on
which he was attacked, caused those sort of chains to be
attached to the feet of his elephant, which are used to be
affixed when it is necessary to constrain them to proceed
only at a short pace. Having thus deprived himself of the
means of flight, he directed his petitions to Heaven with
that air of piety, which he never relinquished amidst even
the greatest dangers. He exhorted the chiefs of his troop, ^
to give up their lives for the interests of their religion. The
historians of the country say, that by a miracle evidencing
the protection of heaven, Dara changed his purpose, and
quitted his attack on his brother, to direct his rage in
another quarter. Had the prince persevered in his attack,
it is more than probable, that Aurengzebe would have been
taken prisoner, and the war terminated.
Calil-Cham, who only made a feint to engage Mahamud,
but who caused himself to be informed, every moment, of
what was passing between the two brothers, learnt the
peril of Aurengzebe. To relieve him from it, he caused
Dara to be informed, that his best officers had been killed ;
that the son of Aurengzebe, lighting like a lion, had
destroyed the bravest chiefs of the Imperial army ; and
that in order to deliver his father from the danger which
menaced him, he was about to make an attack on the troops
of Dara, with a victorious force. On receiving this false
intelligence, Dara let go his hold, suffered Aurengzebe to
escape, and hastened to encounter Mahamud, whose
soldiers were yet fresh, having only been feebly attacked
by Calil-Cham.
Moradbax had not been assailed with less vigour by
the gallant Ram-Sing. This Raja, followed by his Raje-
poots, had forced the advanced guard of the Mogul prince,
and, at last, had arrived sufficiently near to Moradbax, to
be able to engage hand to hand witli his enemy. Moradbax
CHA-JAHAM. 237
was mounted upon a war elephant, and seated on a kind of
throne, open on all sides, that he might be enabled to issue
his orders in every quarter. Already, the Indian who
guided the elephant of the prince had been slain by an
arrow. Moradbax took his place, and while with one hand
he guided his elephant, with the other he threw darts at
Ram-Sing, who had attacked him with the greatest reso-
lution. The Mogul prince received no less than three
arrows in his face, which, however, raised only the skin.
The Raja, whose quiver was empty, and who could not
reach his enemy, dismounted from his horse, with the
intention of piercing the elephant of the prince under the
belly. This rash attempt cost Ram-Sing his life. Moradbax
struck him with his javelin, and overthrew him in the dust.
The elephant of the Mogul prince crushed the Indian prince
with his trunk, dashed his head against the ground,
trampled upon him, and ended with depriving him of life.
The Rajepoots, who were discouraged, on witnessing the
death of their chief, were soon put to flight, and by their
desertion contributed to the loss of the battle. Dara
endeavoured in vain to rally them. The Indian soldiers
never obey any other voice than that of their Rajas. These
fugitives spread through the empire a report of the entire
defeat of the Imperial army.
There remained to Dara a sufficient number of troops
for securing the victory, even after the desertion of the
Rajepoots. He continued, therefore, the action, and
directed his efforts against Mahamud with success. Calil-
Cham, who fought under the eyes of the prince, made at
this period some efforts, the better to conceal his treason.
The squadron of Mahamud had been penetrated, when
Aurengzebe and Moradbax, who had dispersed the troops
which had made head against them, having formed a junction,
came to make a charge upon Dara. Tlie combined troops
238 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
of the two brothers were not found sufficiently strong to
contend with him ; they often lost ground, and were unable
to recover it. Moradbax, at last, was put to flight.
Aurengzebe himself maintained his ground with difficulty.
It was at this moment, the perfidious Calil-Cham succeeded,
by a bad counsel, to blast the hopes of Dara, and to render
useless all the fruits of his valour. " You are, my lord,"
said the traitor, humbling himself in the presence of the
prince, " victorious ; and the first of your campaigns
effaces the glory of all the Moguls. In order to complete
the work which you have begun, it only remains, that you
pursue the two fugitive brothers, and make them serve for
your triumph. Dismount from the elephant which bears
you. You are too much exposed to the arrows, to be able
long to sustain, without danger, the fierceness of the
encounter. Mount on horseback, and let us pursue the
enemy." The unthinking Dara followed a counsel, the
consequences of which he did not foresee. Mounted on one
of those Persian horses, which are so much esteemed for
their fleetness, he rushed upon, and forced a passage
through his enemies. Aurengzebe felt alarmed at a reso-
lution, which menaced him with the destruction of his hopes
of empire ; but the troops of Dara, who no longer beheld
their prince seated on his elephant, in the view of his army,
thought him dead ; and panic struck with apprehensions of
the loss of their chief, there was no longer any thing but
disorder in the Imperial army. Like to the clouds, when
they are propelled by a strong wind, the soldiers took to
flight with a rapidity which astonished the general. The
prince then perceived, when it was too late, the treachery
of Calil-Cham. ^' Let him be pursued," he exclaimed,
" and cut to pieces !" The traitor had already taken
measures for his own security. Followed by a large
squadron, devoted to his party, he had passed over to the
CHA-JAHAM. 239
army of Aurengzebe. The unl'ortunate Dara, who beheld
one of his generals slain, and the other a deserter to the
enemy ; his two brothers become superior by the desertion
of his troops ; and the best part of his army routed ; no
longer thought but of effecting his retreat. He accom-
plished it in better order than might have been expected,
from his slight experience in war. The fight terminated
at his departure, after having continued ten hours. It had
commenced at seven o'clock in the morning, and was not
ended until five in the afternoon.
Aurengzebe, who saw himself no longer with an enemy
to oppose, took possession of the tents and baggage of the
imperial army. The dissimulation, and deep policy, of this
prince, was never more conspicuous, than in the moderation
he disjDlayed, after his victory. He reserved the tent of
Dara, and the imperial quarter, for his brother Moradbax.
As for himself, having retired privately to a hut, he
remained a long time in prayer. Afterwards, with the air
of a man inspired, holding in his hand the Alcoran, he
entered the apartment of his brother, and presented to
him Calil-Cham. '' It is to Heaven," he said to him, " it
is to you, my lord, and to this faithful friend, that we are
indebted for the victory. I have returned thanks to the
Eternal, who has appeared for the preservation of the law
of his prophet, by the defeat of his enemies. I now pros-
trate myself before my master. It is you, my lord, who,
by a valor without example, with troops exhausted from
fatigue, have dispersed the numerous army, which was
opposed to you by Dara. There only now remains for me
to solicit your favor for the gallant and faithful Calil-Cham.
It is he, who, by great services, has rendered fortunate the
commencement of your reign ; it is he, who merits to
sustain, under you, the weight of that empire, of which
you are about to. become the master. As for me, my lord.
240 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
my destiny is about to be accomplished. As soon as a
third victory shall have fixed you on a throne, you so
much merit, I shall go and reign over my passions in soli-
tude, whilst you will cause to reign in Jndostan the true
religion."
It was, in this manner, that Aurengzebe discoursed in
public, but, secretly, he exerted himself to procure friends
on every side. His design, in bestowing Calil-Cham upon
Moradbax, as his minister and confidant, was to get intel-
ligence of the secrets of his brother, and to secure his
ascendancy over him. Night and day he was employed in
sending off dispatches to his correspondents at the court of
his father, to the Viceroys of Indostan, and the governors
of the strong places.
The first care of Aurengzebe was to wri1;e to the two
generals, who commanded under Soliman Chacu, to acquaint
them with the victory of Moradbax (it was thus that he
expressed himself), and to let them knov/ the defeat of the
Imperial army, and the flight of Dara. He commanded
them to put their chief to death, or to bring him in chains
to his camp. Jasing and Dalil-Cham were the two generals,
who, under the son of Dara, had pursued the fugitive
Cha-Chuia into his government of Bengal. Jasing was the
Raja, whom Dara had formerly insulted, by applying to
him the opprobious term of musician. As for Dalil-Cham,
he was a man of a venal mind, always inclined to range
himself on the side of the strongest. However, neither
the one nor the other were so cruel as to dip their hands
in the blood of a Mogul prince, or to deliver him up to
his enemy. They adopted a more moderate course. They
persuaded the unfortunate Chacu to retire to the mountains,
if he desired to preserve his life. The prince was compelled
to follow the advice of these two cowardly deserters of the
royal cause. With a small escort, he took his route
CHA-.IAHAM. 241
towards the territory of the Raja of Sirinagar, a prmce
always steady in his loyalty to the Emperor. It is even
said, that tiie two generals, through avarice, had the cow-
ardice to cause him to be pillaged in his march. The
young sultan, arrived, at last, almost without attendants,
in the kingdom of the mountains ; and the two generals
proposed proceeding to augment the strength of the
brothers.
In the mean while, Dara, who had escaped with difficulty
from the pursuit of the rebels, appeared at nine o'clock in
the evening, at the gates of Agra. He did not dare to
remain in this capital, least the conqueror should arrive to
form the siege, and endanger his falling into his hands.
The shame, besides, of coming into the presence of his
father, vanquished, and as a fugitive, overpowered his
affection, and prevented him from entering the palace.
As he was naturally eloquent, the picture he drew of his
misfortune was affecting in the extreme. Sometimes the
violence of his grief, too strong for his reason, caused him
to say the most extravagant things. He was heard to
break out into invectives unworthy of so great a prince.
Dara was, therefore, contented with writing to Cha-Jaham,
and his affectionate sister Begom-Saeb, two letters, which
he meditated at leisure, and which drew tears from the
Emperor and the princess. Cha-Jaham was not less affected
with the misfortunes of his son, than with the calamity of
the empire. He sent to the prince one of his most faithful
eunuchs to console him. He was flattered with tlie hope,
which still remained to the empire, in the troops of Chacu ;
for, as yet, they were ignorant at the court of his mis-
fortune.
The Empfror committed violence upon himself, in
favor of his son. In spite of avarice, which was then his
ruling passion, he sent to his disconsolate son ten camels
il
242 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
loaded with gold and silver rupees, for the purpose of
levying fresh troops. He advised him to take the road to
Delhi, to remain there till the arrival of Sultan Chacu, and
to assemble fresh soldiers. He added, that he would find,
in the stables of the fortress, a sufficient number of ele-
phants and horses, for the equipment of a new army.
Thus, Dara fled from the court, without having seen his
father ; and found himself obUged to go a begging to the
people for protection ; and to endeavour to move the nobles
to compassion by his misery ; he, who had been accustomed
to exasperate them by his contempt, in the days of his
prosperity.
The prince perceived, but too plainly, on his arrival at
Delhi, how much the change in his fortunes had wrought
indifference towards him in all hearts. The governor of
the citadel, gained, it is said, by the promises of Aureng-
zebe, refused him admittance. The rage, and the menaces
of Dara only served to render the governor more obstinate.
He was in doubt, how far he should be justified in shewing
the least deference, tov/ards an enraged and vindictive,
though unfortunate prince. The fugitive sultan was, there-
fore, obliged to seek at Labor, a retreat, which was denied
him at Delhi. It was in that city, that at a distance from
the enemy, he collected the wreck of his army. The people,
who had more affection for him than the nobles, were
sufficiently disposed to volunteer their services ; but he
was in want of officers. Dara, indeed, might, in his own
person, have been equal to the conduct of his armies. The
battle, which he had lost, had instructed him in the science
of war ; and his valor and capacity would have been able
to supply what he wanted in experience. In fine, if to
conquer in battle had been required only, Dara would have
reigned ; but it was necessary to contend also against the
artifices of Aurengzebe. The prince disdained the employ-
CH A -J A HAM. 243
ment of intrigue ; he was naturally too little suspicious to
discern liis brother's snares ; or had he discerned them,
was wanting in the adroitness which might have enabled
him to escape his trammels.
On the 8th of June 1056, a i'ew days after the battle,
Aureugzebe and Moradbax caused their victorious troops
to advance to the environs of Agra ; and they pitched their
camp within two miles of this capital, near the imperial
garden.
The first care of Aurengzebe was to send one of his most
faithful eunuchs, to his father Cha-Jaham, to make profes-
sions of obedience. The ambassador had special instruc-
tions to cast the blame of the measures adopted by the two
brothers, upon the bad conduct of Dara, and the abuse he
had made, to their prejudice, of the power, which the
Emperor had conferred upon him. " Your sons, my lord," said
the eunuch to the Emperor, " have not made war through
ambition, or a refractory spirit. They know hov/ to respect, in
you, their father and their sovereign. The cause of their arm-
ing is, that they have found, in their elder brother, a tyrant
rather than a brother. This, my lord, is the sole reason
wdiy they have taken up arms, on the uncertain rumours of
your death. You live, and Heaven, which has restored
you to health, subjects to your commands your two sons.
They have selected me for their envoy, to give you
assurances of their submission, and the acknowledgment
of your supremacy, as their lord and Emperor. It was to
revenge you that they have conquered ; it is at your feet
that they come to lay their laurels. Judge, my lord, of
the distinction, Avhich justice requires should be made,
between two sons worthy of your esteem by their valor
and their victories ; and a son generally hated by all tlie
nobles, whom Heaven is about to punish for his pride."
Cha-Jaham replied to the eunuch with the dignity of a
ii2
:^44 HISTORV OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
sovereign, but with the moderation of a prince^ who finds
himself upon the point of being invested by a formidable
army, whose chiefs it might be dangerous to irritate.
" Assure my children/' he said to the eunuch, " of my
affection for them. Their past disobedi^see. has not entirely
extinguished it. I shall always rsfimn it, provided they
render themselves worthy of it. Let them dismiss their
armies, and let them come and implore, in my presence, the
forgiveness, which I am willing to bestow upon them. They
sfiall experience the clemency of a father, who has a just
right to punish them."
The Emperor, in the meanwhile (who knew Aurengzebe
too well, he said, to confide in his professions), thought of
retiring from Agra. The rebels had an interest in not
suffering their prey to escape them. Troops were posted
in eveiy direction, and prevented any person from leaving
the city. If the people of the Indies had resembled the
people of Europe, Agra would have been able to sustain a
siege for a sufficient length of time, to afford Dara an
opportunity of raising a new army, and hastening to the
succour of his father. But the Indians, accustomed to
servitude, care little about a change of masters. They
are contented with blindly obeying, without feeling any
interest, concerning the individual to whom they are to
render obedience. The only resource left Cha-Jaham, for
extinguishing the rebellion, was to inveigle his two sons, on
the pretext of a friendly conference, to enter the citadel with-
out escort, and then to take away their lives. Aurengzebe
was too prudent to fall into so gross a snare. He never
ceased disseminating, throughout Agra, a report, that he
was about to visit his father, to be reconciled to him, and
to submit himself to his commands. By this means, the
citizens were cajoled, and neglected making: any effort to
obstruct his designs. In the meanwhile, he deferred, from
CHA-JAIIAM. 245
J
from day to day, his visit to the Emperor, and secretly
negotiated with the officers ot the court;, who still preserved
.some remains of affection for his father. As soon as he
had secured his interests in that quarter, he caused his son
Mahamud to enter the city of Agra, in order to blockade
on that side the citadel, whilst Moradbax surrounded it on
the side of the country. The surrender of Agra restored
to liberty the wives and children of Mirza-JMula, who had
been retained as hostages.
Cha-Jaham, from the loftiest tower of his palace, easily
perceived that his citadel was invested. Necessity, as
well as a feeling of indignation, roused in him a portion of
that warlike disposition, which he had possessed in his
youth. He caused his artillery to be planted on the ram-
part, and fired upon the rebels. The cannon of the haram
produced little effect on the side of the country, and
destroyed only a few houses in the town. The army of
Moradbax, therefore, advanced, almost without loss, to
the foot of the wall. A great firing of the artillery lasted
for three days, and as many nights. At last, Aurengzebe,
who remained in the camp two miles distant from Agra,
where he counterfeited sickness, sent the eunuch, whom
he had before employed on a similar embassy, to visit his
father in his name. He entreated, that the Emperor would
pardon the audacity of his troops. It was, he said, against
his orders, that they had approached so near the citadel.
He begged his father to consent, that the Sultan Mahamud
should in his name visit him, and make his submissions to
him. He added, that an improved state of health would
soon allow him to pay his respects to him in person.
Mahamud, in the meanwhile, did not neglect to plant a
battery, for the purpose of making a breach in tlie imperial
palace. It was about to be reduced to dust. Cha-Jaham.
246 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
therefore, consented to the proposal of Aurengzebe, and
suffered his grandson to enter the fortress.
The Emperor had prepared the presents, which he
destined for Mahamud. It is said, they were of inestimable
value. This was a bait to draw Aurengzebe himself into a
snare. The young prince, by the instructions of his father,
entered the fortress ; and as he had gained the soldiers of
the first watch, he made himself master of it without
difficulty. He caused himself to be followed into the
interior of the palace by a considerable troop ; and with
this escort, he penetrated to the Imperial apartment.
Soldiers, women, slaves, and eunuchs ; every one without
distinction, whom he encountered in his progress, were put
to death. Mahanmd having, at last, reached the presence
of Cha-Jaham ; " Your great age, my lord," said Mahamud
to him, " has rendered you incapable of reigning. Termi-
nate in tranquillity the remainder of your days ; and retire
with your wives to those delicious gardens, which you have
caused to be adorned at so great cost. We do not envy
you the light of day ; but it is necessary you should resign
to your children, a place, which you dishonor." At these
words, a great shout was heard from all the Tartar w omen,
who wait upon the prince in his apartment ; and who are
instructed like men in the use of arms. Their menaces
were vain. It became necessary to yield to force; and to
pass into the apartment of the gardens, w ithout the circuit
of the fortress.
The unfortunate Cha-Jaham, betrayed by his children,^
kept in a species of captivity by his grandson, reduced ta
a country palace, where he was surrounded only by
women; l)etliought himself of a stratagem, which might
have cost Aurengzebe the empire. He caused Mahamud
to be invited to pay him a second visit. As soon as he saw
CHA-JAHAM. 247
the young prince approach, be threw himseli" at his feet,
and spoke to liim in this manner : — " Jf I am so unhappy
as to be detlironed by rebellious children, assume courage,
my son, and suft'er not these guilty princes to enjoy the
fruits of their crime. I place my crown in your hands, a
crown which you appear worthy of wearing. The city of
Agra is subject to your orders ; your troops have rendered
you master of it. Profit by so favorable an opportunity ; and
revenge me, by withdrawing yourself from servitude under
an ungrateful parent, who after having dethroned his father,
will not spare his own son." Mahamud was startled at the
oflers of Cha-Jaliam. He considered for a moment ;
wavering between a passion for empire, and the danger
which might attend the attempt to acquire it. As he had
good sense, he did not allow himself to be dazzled by
illusory hopes. All the officers of his army were attached
to Aurengzebe ; consequently, had the prince shewn the
slightest disposition to be guilty of infidelity to his father,
he would have found himself abandoned by his followers.
Mahamud contemned, therefore, so brilliant a temptation ;
and contented himself with obliging the Emperor to deliver
up to him the keys of the apartments, and of the treasures
of the palace.
The people, in the meanwhile, touched with compassion
for the misery of Clia-Jaham, began to complain of the
inhumanity of the two brothers, and especially of the
proceedings of Aurengzebe; They were unable to reconcile
the piety, of which he made profession, with the condition
to which he had reduced his father. This able politician
put an end to all these nuirmurs, by a stratagem of wliich he
availed himself, to give some colour to his conduct. He
caused, it is said, the hand-writing of Cha-Jaham to be
counterfeited ; by w liich means, a letter was supposed to
haxe been written by the Emperor to Dara. He was made
248 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
to announce to his dear son, that it would be proper he
should draw near to Agra with a body of troops ; that
Aurengzebe and Moradbax v/ould soon be entrapped in a
snare, which he had laid for them ; that by pretending
affection, he had engaged the two rebels to pay him a
visit ; and that he had men prepared to put to death his
two sons, as soon as they should come into his presence.
This counterfeited letter was delivered to Aurengzebe in a
circle of the principal officers of his army, as if it had been
intercepted by his vigilance. All were astonished at the
cruelty of the father towards his children. The prudence
of Aurengzebe was extolled, who till then had deferred
paying a visit to Cha-Jaham ; and the indignation, which
they had began to feel towards the sons, was turned against
the father.
It was at this period, that the two princes disposed of
the public employments. All orders were given conjointly
by the two- brothers. The treasures of Cha-Jaham, and
the revenues of the empire, were divided equally between
them. The liberality of Aurengzebe became then unlimited.
He rewarded his former friends, and procured for himself
new partisans. Cha-Stecam, the uncle of the two princes,
was made governor of Agra. Everything was tranquil in
the capital; without, therefore, further delay, the two
armies began their march in pursuit of Dara. The friends
of Moradbax were of opinion, that he had better not
accompany Aurengzebe, in the expedition he was entering
upon. " Your presence," they said, " is necessary in the
neighbourhood of Agra. You will, by this means, be at
hand to prevent a rising of the people. Remain here, and
do not engage yourself in a hazardous enterprise." This
credulous prince listened only to the promises of his
brother, and sufi'ered himself to be carried away by his
natural impetuosity, and his love of glory. The two
CHA-JAHAM. 249
armies, in consequence, took the road to Dellii, following
always the course of the river. After some days march,
they encamped near a town named Matura. -
Here, upon a hill, stands a magnificent mosque, an
ancient monument of the jjiety of the first Mogul sovereigns.
Aurengzebe had the art to make Moradbax believe, that
in a few days, he would be crowned Emperor on this spot.
They stopped, therefore, at Matura, one of the most fertile
and agreeable situations in Indostan. Never did the
caresses of Aurengzebe, and his deference for his brother,
appear more unaftected. As the two camps, though sepa-
rated by the river, communicated with each other by several
bridges, Aurengzebe every morning and evening passed
into the tent of his brother, and conversed with him upon
no other subject, than the magnificence of his approaching
coronation. He deferred it, in the meanwhile, from one
day to another, upon various pretexts. At one time, the
magnificent tents, which were i^reparing, were not finished ;
at another, the presents destined for him were not ready ;
sometimes, it was the dilatoriness in providing the new
dresses, with which the whole army was to be clothed ;
then, the harness for the horses and the elephants had not
been completed at the appointed time. Moradbax waited
without impatience for a ceremony, which he thought
•secure. The discipline, in the meanwhile, of the two camps,
was very different. On the side of Moradbax, the chief
and the soldiers abandoned themselves to pleasure. In the
tent of the prince nothing was heard, except concerts and
dramatic exhibitions ; feasting and dancing were their sole
occupation. Notwithstanding the law of Mahomet, wine
was not spared on these occasions, but was indulged in to
excess. On the side of Aurengzebe, the greatest silence
prevailed. Discipline was strictly observed. Prayers were
said in the evening, in the morning, and at mid-day, with
250 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
the same punctuality as in the cities. Councils were
frequently held. The principal officers, instructed in the
plans of Aurengzebe, discoursed only with their soldiers,
on the happiness they would possess ; in having for their
sovereign, a prince, whose manners were so pure, and
whose disposition was so pious, as were those of their chief.
At last, the day for the coronation of Moradbax was fixed
for the 15th of June of the year 1656._ Y
The spot, chosen for the ceremony, was a plain, which
served as a place of exercise, in front of the mosque of
Matura. Tents were set up around this place framed of
the richest gold brocade. The whole circuit was covered
with magnificent painted cloths, forming a sort of canopy,
supported by silken cords, which defended the assemblage
from the sun's rays. A theatre was prepared, opposite the
mosque. It was there, that Moradbax was to receive the
turban, and the Imperial sabre, from the hand of the Cazi,
or chief of the Mahometan religion. Moradbax was pre-
vented from suspecting the designs of his brother, by all
these preparations. The evening that was to precede the
ceremony, Aurengzebe feigned a slight indisposition ; and
caused Moradbax to be invited to his tent, for the purpose
of consulting with the astrologers, whether the day fixed
for the coronation would be a fortunate one. In vain his
faithful eunuch, Cha-Abbas, endeavoured to persuade his
master, that every thing was to be apprehended from a
brother of so artful a character. The unfortunate prince
suffered himself to be led by his evil destiny, and obeyed
only his prepossessions. He entered the camp of his
brother, followed only by Cha-Abbas, and some officers of
his army. He had scarcely crossed the river, when
Ebrahim-Cham, touched with the calamity in which this
good prince was about to precipitate himself, ventured to
seize the reigns of his horse, and said to him : — " Whither
CHA-JAIIAM. 251
are you going, my lord, and what evil star leads you to
Aurengzebe?" — "I go to fetch the crown," replied Mo-
radbax, *' it is from his hands I sliall receive it." At these
words, the good Ebrahim let go the head of the prince's
horse, and retired, weeping. The daring of the officer
offended Moradbax, and intoxicated by ambition, he conti-
nued his march towards the quarter occupied by his brother.
The Cazi received Moradbax on his arrival in the tent of
Aurengzebe^ and made him a compliment, calculated to
warn him of his danger. " Your entrance is fortunate^
my lord," he said to him ; " may it please the Almighty that
your departure may be equally so." He had scarcely said
these words, when Aurengzebe made his appearance,
followed by the principal chiefs of his army. Never were
his caresses more afl'ectionate, and the respect shewn to
Moradbax more marked. Aurengzebe caused his brother
to be seated in the place of honor. He chased away himself
the flies which molested him ; with a piece of linen he wiped
off the perspiration w^hich ran down his face. During the
conversation, which was long, he repeatedly called Morad-
beix, his master, his lord, and his sovereign. A bath of
rose water was prepared for him, and a grand repast was
afterwards served up. This is the first time, they said, that
Aurengzebe has permitted the use of wine at his table.
The two brothers eat by themselves, whilst the officers of
Moradbax were entertained by the generals of Aurengzebe,
in tents at some distance. Cha-Abbas, alone, remained
near his master, and never quitted him. The joy of the two
princes was animated by music and dancing. Aurengzebe,
who never put off the air of piet} , of which he made a
profession, drank nothing but water. As for Moradbax,
who was not so scrupulous, he drrink wine to excess. A
deep sleep succeeded to his intoxication. Cha-Abbas caused
the prince to retire to a neighbouring tent, that he might
252 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYiNASTY.
take some repose. The eunuch was seated at the feet of
the bed^ on which his master was sleeping. Inquietude,
through presentiments of danger, occasioned some time to
elapse before sleep overtook him. Weariness, at length
began to overpower his senses, when he was awoke by
Aurengzebe, who appeared suddenly before him. The
eunuch was alarmed, and his exclamations were nearly
awaking Moradbax ; but he recovered himself, when he
perceived that Aurengzebe was followed only by a child.
This was the young Azam, son of Mahamud, only six years
of age. Then, Aurengzebe, as if he intended his brother
only a piece of pleasantry while sleeping, promised his
grandson a jewel, if he could take away from the prince his
sabre and his poignard without awaking him. The child
acquitted himself very dexterously of the office, and
conveyed the arms of Moradbax into the adjoining tent.
At the same instant, six soldiers belonging to the guard
of Aurengzebe, holding in their hands chains, which they
destined for the prince and his eunuch, by the noise they
made around his bed, awoke Moradbax. The gallant Mogul,
who, on awaking, beheld himself surrounded by unknown
persons, made an effort to sieze his sabre, which he no
longer found lying beside him. He uttered, then, a loud
shriek, but his voice was stopped by their placing their
hands upon his mouth. Aurengzebe, who blended sentiments
of piety with every occasion, exclaimed, in raising his hands
to heaven : — " Let the law of Mahomet be revenged of the
contempt of an intemperate prince ; and let a man, who
has rendered himself unworthy of a throne by his impiety,
be secured." Aurengzebe was obeyed. The prince suffered
himself to be loaded with the same chains of silver, which
his brother had for a long time caused to be made ; and
which he often shewed to his son Mahamud, to keep him
CHA-JAHAM. 253
to liis duty. As for tlie euimcli, he was secured without
difficulty, and loaded with irons.
Two elephants were provided, and waited for the two
captives. Each was made to occupy one of those litters,
which are borne on the back of elepliants. It is known that
the prince, in departing, made use only of these short
words to his brother: — '^ Are these then tjie oaths, which
you have sworn to me on the Alcoran ?" One was now
made to take the road to Delhi, and the other that to Agra,
under a like escort.
All this was dispatched with so little noise, and with so
much secrecy, that nothing of it w as known in the camp of
Moradbax, or in the tents where the officers, who had
accompanied iiim, were entertained. The music still conti-
nued. All the ni^^ht it was heard in the tent of Aurengzebe,
as if the two brothers were still passing their time in it in
rejoicing. At break of day, the soldiers of the two armies
assembled in the vast circuit which had been adorned for
the coronation of Moradbax. An order had been issued,
that they should attend without arms, as a measure of
precaution, in the event of those broils, to which these sort
of spectacles sometimes givebirth. Every one expected, soon,
to see arrive the brother of Aurengzebe, to seat himself
upon the throne, which had been prepared for him. Their
expectation was frustrated. Some squadrons of the troops
of Aurengzebe, well armed, surrounded the enclosure on
all sides. Certain persons, then, posted for the purpose,
cried out with a loud voice, "^ Long life to the Emperor
Aurengzebe.'' At these cries, the soldiers of the two
camps became united in one mass ; and as if they had been
governed by one sentiment, they repeated in concert,
*' Long life to the Emperor Aurengzebe." In efl'ect, this
prince appeared soon afterwards upon the platform, which
had been prepared for his brother ; seated himself for a
254 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
moment upon the throne, and then retired. What is most
surprising, is, that so sudden a change did not cause the
slightest movement, or the least alteration in the minds of
the people. Besides, that the naturally passive disposition
of the Indians easily acquiesces in these sort of revolutions,
the prudence of Aurengzebe had provided against every
contingence. He had attached to himself the greater part
of his brother's dependants, and had taken care to prevent
those, whom he had not been able to corrupt, from throwing
any impediments in his way. The empire became, in
consequence, the fruit of an intrigue, the best sustained*
and the most ably conducted, of any recorded in history.
When it was time to reign, Aurengzebe threw olf the
the mask. That Faquir, who a little time before, only
aspired to lead a private life near the tomb of Mahomet ;
after depriving of their liberty an imbecile parent, and an
imjirudent brother, now proclaimed himself Emperor.
Whilst Moradbax was being conveyed a prisoner to the
citadel of Delhi, Aurengzebe prepared for pursuing Dara
to his retreat at Labor. Of the army of Moradbax, and
of his own, he composed but one force, in which he caused
a uniform discipline to be observed. Dara, on his side,
had already assembled more than tliirty thousand men,
composed of Patans, Persians, and Indians. The Raja
Surup-Sing, whose states are at a short distance from
Cachemire, brought him the further aid of four thousand
Raje^Doots. This was a small force for so powerful
a Raja. Dara, therefore, in the hope that Surup-Sing
would, in due time, reinforce him with all his troops, had
placed the daughter of that prince among the number of
his wives. Dara's preparations were well known to
Aurengzebe. He made it his whole application to thwart
the alliances of his brother, and to corrupt his partisans.
CHA-JAHAM. 255
Daut-Cliam was the most faithful of all the oilicers,
whom Dara had in his service. He commanded a pretty
considerable body of cavalry, posted at the passage of the
river Bear ; which Aurengzebe was necessarily obliged to
cross, in order to arrive at Labor. This was the only
obstacle that the new Emperor had to encomiter on his
march. Aurengzebe despairing of being able to force the
post, had recourse to artihce, and endeavoured to gain
Daut-Cham by negociation. But this chief was more a man
of honor, than Persians are commonly found, when trans-
planted to the Indies. He resisted the solicitations of
Aurengzebe. The Emperor then tried to render the officer
suspected, in the hope, that, by such jneans, a man, he had
been unable to corrupt, w ould be superseded in the connnand
of an impregnable post. He caused a letter to become
current in Labor, by means of his emissaries, as if written
by Daut-Cham, wherein a correspondence was implied as
subsisting between that general and Aurengzebe. It is
the fatality of princes, who have suffered calamity by an
overweening confidence, to become afterwards suspicious
to a high degree of injustice. Dara, who had ruined his
fortunes in the last engagement, by placing too great
confidence in Calil-Cham, lost himself a second time, by
falsely suspecting a faithful servant. Daut-Cham was
withdrawn from his post. The prince with difficulty sufiered
him to continue in any duty about his person ; and at last
banished him entirely his presence ; after having given him
permission under his own hand, to embrace the interests of
whichever party he pleased. The passage of the Bear
became, in consequence, free, through the cowardice, or
the treason of the officer who was appointed in the place of
Daut-Cham.
The formidable army, which Aurengzebe marched by
hasty journies across the plains which extend from the
256 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTV.
river Bear to Lalior, terrified the troops of Dara. The
prince found himself on a sudden abandoned, both by his
Mahometan troops, and by the hope he entertained of
being soon assisted by the Indians of Surup-Sing. There
appeared to him no alternative, but to seek an asylum in
Persia, and to traverse, as a fugitive, the great kingdoms
which extend beyond the Indus, as far as Candahar. This
was his safest course ; but misfortune, which never ceased
to persecute Dara, would not permit him to execute his
project. The governors of Multan and of Cabul were
devoted to Aurengzebe. To pass through their jurisdictions
would have been attended with the danger of exposing him-
self to be surprised, and delivered up to his rival.
In the almost universal desertion, in which the eldest
son of Cha-Jaham found himself, there yet remained to him
one faithful friend, and a fortress, at his devotion. This
friend was a eunuch ; his real name history has not pre-
served, but it has furnished us with that which the friend-
ship of princes in the Indies sometimes confers on their
favorites. He was called ** The Flower of the Spring."
The fortress which remained to the prince is known in the
Mogul states by the name of Bakar. It is situated on a
spot where the river Sindy, augmented by the junction of
five rivers, spreads itself into a wide and deep bed, and
forms a species of lake. It was here, that the faithful
eunuch placed in security the best troops of his master.
He caused to be transported thither, from the arsenals of
Labor, cannon, powder, and provisions ; and shutting
himself up in it, determined to arrest, by his resistance, all
the forces of Aurengzebe, while his master was engaged in
making his escape into Persia. The resolution of this
faithful servant gave fresh courage to Dara. Followed
only by some domestics, he descended the Indus, and, after
suffering incredible fatigues, arrived in the kingdom of
CHA-JAHAM. 257
Guzurat, where lie sought a temporary asylum. It was
here that the prince found an interval of repose, and
received some assistance, whilst waiting for a favorable
opportunity of passing by sea to Ormus. Aurengzebe
continued to follow the track of the fugitive, and after some
long marches, he arrived at last in the kingdom of Multan.
Here it was that unexpected intelligence occasioned him to
relinquish his march, and obliged him to abandon the enter-
prise of Bakar, and return to Agra.
Cha-Chuia, the first of the sons of Cha-Jaham, who
left the province of which he was viceroy, (that of Bengal)
to make an attempt to possess himself of the throne of his
father ; having recovered from the fears which his con-
queror, Soliman Chacu, had spread througliout his govern-
ment, had a second time advanced towards Agra, with a
considerable force. As the pretext for his first expedition
had been to revenge the pretended death of Cha-Jaham ;
the pretence for his second enterprise, was, to deliver the
Emperor, and his brother Moradbax, from the captivity in
which they were held by the usurper. Cha-Chuia, who
experienced no opposition to his march, advanced with a
surprising celerity towards the capital. It was equally
important to Aurengzebe, to pursue the track of an enemy
who fled before him, and to advance to encounter a new
enemy, who was in a condition to act upon the offensive.
There was reason to apprehend the assembling of fresh
forces on the part of Dara, and that Cha-Chuia might
avail himself of a favorable interval to acquire a superiority,
and get possession of the capital. In this two-fold difficulty,
Aurengzebe hastened where the danger was most pressing.
After having confided to Bader-Cham the conduct of the
army which was to undertake the siege of Bakar, and after-
wards to pursue Dara to his very last place of retreat ;
he flew towards Agra, attended by a small escort. The
s
258 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
peril, in which he found himself upon his route, was the
most critical and unexpected of any which he had ever
encountered. The Raja Jasing, who, more through the
fear of Aurengzebe than any aftection he had for him, had
abandoned the cause of Sultan Chacu, was advancing
towards Multan, at the head of ten thousand Rajepoots.
He gave out, that he was about to join his troops to those
of the conqueror. But he was much surprised, when he
beheld Aurengzebe retracing his steps to Agra, accompa-
nied only by a small number of guards. He felt persuaded,
that the new Emperor had been defeated ; and that having
been put to flight by Dara, he was seeking an asylum in the
capital. The sight of a prince, whom he believed van-
quished, and a fugitive, caused a sudden revolution in the
mind of the Indian. With these impressions, he formed
the design of sacrificing Aurengzebe, and of liberating
from captivity Cha-Jaham, to whom he had been always
much attached. Aurengzebe was sensible of his perilous
situation ; but it was not by flight that he sought to divert
the danger. With an air of intrepidity, which attracted
respect, he passed through the midst of the troops of the
Raja. Afterwards, addressing himself to their chief:
" Our common enemy," he said to him, " is entirely
routed. Wandering through the provinces of Indostan,
Dara is gone to find, in Guzurat, the death which he seeks
to avoid, but which he cannot escape. I have ceased pur-
suing a wretched man who is no longer worthy of my care ;
and I hasten to confront another rebel. Vanquished before
by your arms, Cha-Chuia is come to make trial of his
strength with ours. Follow me, noble Jasing, and the same
aid which you have brought for the contest with Dara, lead
against your ancient enemy." These words, pronounced
with an authoritative air, occasioned Aurengzebe to be
treated with respect by the Raja. He reflected, that the
CHA-JAHAM, 259
death of Aurengzebe would serve the cause of Dara^ to
whom he was a personal enemy. He came to the resolution,
therefore, of obeying ; and as an instance, illustrative of
the levity of the Indian character, Jasing was then seen to
place his Rajepoots in the train of the very prince, whose
assassination he was but a few moments before meditating.
The new antajjonist of Aureno:zebe called forth all his
energies. Cha-Chuia possessed, alike, bravery rnd prudence.
He displayed both, in an eminent degree, in his conduct of
the war against Aurengzebe. He learnt that his brother,
followed by Jasing, whose valour he had but too well expe-
rienced, was advancing to meet him, at the head of that
formidable army, which the Sultan Mahamud commanded
in the neighbourhood of Agra, during the absence of his
father. Cha-Chuia determined to intrench himself, and
wait for the enemy. The position which he fixed upon was
convenient, and naturally fortified. It was a large hamlet
called Caiva, environed with mountains and forests. His
army was encamped upon the banks of a small lake, which
was the only spot where water was to be found within a
circuit of four leagues. The whole plain on the side of
Agra was covered with a sterile sand, where neither
fountains, trees, nor meadows were to be seen. Cha-Chuia
waited in this situation for the army of Aurengzebe. He
flattered himself that his brother would arrive, and waste
his troops to no purpose before a camp he would find to be
unassailable. His expectation was realised. Aurengzebe
appeared before Caiva, at the season, when the summer
heats are the most oppressive. The excessive fatigues,
which his army experienced, by the precipitation of their
march, and the great privations in which it found itself,
when it came into the presence of the enemy, are incredible.
Forage and provisions were equally wanting. The greatest
suffering to which they were exposed was the want of water,
s 2
260 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
in a soil parched by the devouring heat of the climate. It
was found necessary to bring it from the Ganges, upon the
backs of camels, and to seek it at a distance of more than
six leagues. This was a labour, which it would have been
impossible long to sustain, if the propitious stars of Aureng-
zebe had not favored him on this pressing occasion.
Mirza-Mula, having left his confinement at Orangabad,
after the liberation of his wives and children, conducted to
Aurengzebe, in his camp at Caiva, the fresh levies which he
had madein the Decan. The sight of so great a captain,
and so faithful a friend, reanimated the hopes of the new
Emperor, at a season, when his embarrassments were at
their height. Mirza-Mula gave the prince a counsel
worthy of his long experience. He proposed that a report
should be spread among the soldiers, that it would no
longer be possible to subsist before Caiva ; and that it
would be necessary to decamp the next morning at the
latest. This rumour passed from the camp of Aurengzebe
into that of Cha-Chuia. He believed it too hastily, and,
without sufficiently investigating it, made preparations to
assault the troops of his brother in their retreat. A great
silence was maintained at day-break in the intrenchments
of Aurengzebe. Orders had been given, that no fires should
be lighted, and the tents were commanded to be furled, as if
the camp had been abandoned. Finally, troops ; camels,
and elephants bearing burdens, which commonly compose
the rear guard of the armies in the Indies, were made to
appear taking the road to Agra. The feint succeeded
agreeably to the expectation of Mirza-Mula. Some sol-
diers of Cha-Chuia quitted their mountains and forests, to
pursue, as they imagined, the fugitive Aurengzebe. The
rear guard, which was attacked, faced about to the enemy,
and repulsed his first squadrons. Assistance was diligently
dispatched, on the part of both armies, in support of the
CHA-JAUAiM. 261
attacked, and of the assailants. At last, the whole of both
the armies appeared in open field. Aurengzebe came out
of his camp, which was supposed to have been abandoned.
Cha-Chuia now perceived that he had, at last, imprudently
connnitted himself to a combat, which, till then, he had
wisely avoided. However, he did not lose courage. The
two brothers fought the most sanguinary battle, India had
ever witnessed. Intrigue had no share in the victory,
valour alone decided it. It is remarkable, that the followers
of Cha-Chuia should have maintained a uniform fidelity
towards him ; Aurengzebe not having been able to corrupt
a single partisan, or officer. The brothers, in consequence,
sought to decide their pretensions by a personal conflict.
The eldest was mounted upon an elephant, unparalleled for
strength. This furious animal overthrew, with his trunk,
every thing which was opposed to his passage. Preceded
by the squadrons of the prince's guard, an opening was
made for him to advance to the spot vt^here Aurengzebe was
fighting. It is impossible to describe the fury with which
the soldiers of Cha-Chuia joined battle with those who
defended the new Emperor. At last, the two princes drew
sufficiently near to each other, to be able to combat hand to
hand. Each, mounted on his elephant, shot arrows at the
other, and emptied his quiver ; but, an accident, which
occurred, seemed to menace the life of Aurengzebe. It
does not appear whether it was by chance, or design, that
the girths of his elephant gave way, and that the seat upon
which he was placed leaned on one side, and threatened
the Emperor with a fall. It is at least certain, that Aureng-
zebe gave ground, and caused his elephant to retire. The
impetuous Cha-Chuia followed his brother with vigour,
not being aware of a snare. A wide trench had been pur-
posely excavated, and a surface formed, composed of
branches of trees intertwined, and some sand well levelled.
262 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
The elephant of the prince plunged, with his enormous
weight, into the trench, and was incapable of extricating
himself out of it. Cha-Chuia was, therefore, compelled, by
necessity, to adopt the same course, which bad counsel
had occasioned Prince Dara to follow, in another action.
He quitted his elephant, to mount on horseback. Thence
followed the disorder of his troops. As soon as the prince
was no longer beheld combatting from the tower of his
elephant, fear took possession of all hearts. Every one
took to flight. Cha-Chuia himself, borne along by the
press of the fugitives, fled in his turn, and retired to the
city of Eleabas.
A rumour, however, of the defeat of Aurengzebe, was
spread throughout Agra. Some deserters from his army,
who had seen him in that perilous situation, when on the
point of falling from his elephant, hastened to carry the
news of his death to the capital. This report, which con-
tinued prevalent some days, caused Raja Jacont-Sing to
hasten to the deliverance of his master, Cha-Jaham ; that he
might eff*ace the shame of his former flight, and re-establish
himself in the good opinion of the princess, his wife. He
made, therefore, all possible diligence, in order to present
himself before the citadel of Agra, and release the old
Emperor from his captivity. All was fruitless. Aureng-
zebe, after his victory, gave in charge to Mirza-Mula the
care of continuing the pursuit of the vanquished ; and took
himself the road to Agra. The arrival of Aurengzebe
extinguished every project of rebellion. Jacont-Sing then
found himself under the necessity of flying a second time,
and returning to his own territory, again to endure the
reproaches of an imperious woman.
Aurengzebe placed the capital in a state of security,
whilst Mirza-Mula, who commanded in chief the victorious
troops, compelled Cha-Chuia to fly from one city to
CFIA-JAHAM. 263
another, along the course of the Ganges, and to seek on
every side an asylum, which was in every place denied
him. At last, after a number of marches, he intrenched
himself in an inaccessible position, where he collected what
he was able of his former army ; and caused himself to be
joined by the new levies, which he had procured to be
raised in Bengal. It was here, that he practised against
Aurengzebe those arts of seduction, of which Aurengzebe
had so often availed himself against his brothers. He
tried to detach the Sultan Mahamud from his father's
interests, and to induce him to favor his own. He was
not ignorant of the mortifications to which Aurengzebe
had subjected this young prince. Independent of the species
of servitude, in which the Emperor had till then kept him ;
by giving the command of his army to Mirza-Mula, Maha-
mud was reduced to the rank of a subaltern, and obliged
to obey the orders of an inferior. The prince, who, on
account of his great merit had become an object of jea-
lousy to his father, suffered some expressions of dissatis-
faction to escape him, which came to the knowledge of
Cha-Chuia. He availed himself of so favorable a circum-
stance, tempted the fidelity of his nephew, and gained him
to his side. Mahamud quitted the camp of his father, to
go and combat under the orders of his uncle. Never did
he give greater proofs of bravery than during the period of
his revolt. In its consequences it was very injurious to
the cause of Aurengzebe. Many of the officers ranged
themselves on the side of the nearest heir, whose virtues
and whose valour rendered him worthy of the throne. The
disobedience of the son would have proved fatal to the
father, had not Mirza-Mula taken measures to bring it to a
period. He sowed so many jealousies between the uncle
and the nephew, that Mahamud growing disgusted, quitted
the cause he liad inconsiderately embraced. The repent-
264 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
ance of Mahamud was not followed by an equal return on
the part of his father. Aurengzebe was sufficiently sen-
sible^ from the conduct which he had himself observed, how
dangerous it is for a sovereign to trust a son of an enter-
prising disposition, and capable of throwing off the yoke
of subjection. He deliberated, whether he should rid him-
self of a prince, who might find the means of struggling
against him with a success equal to that, which had resulted
from his own enterprises undertaken against his father,
Cha-Jaham. He recalled him to his presence by writing
to him letters of the most soothing and affectionate nature ;
while, at the same time, by others written to Mirza-Mula,
he commanded him to take care that the prince took his
departure under a stirong escort. The young prince was
sensible of his situation, when the opportunity for escape
was lost. After some fruitless attempts to deceive the
vigilance of his guards, and to reach the kingdom of
Sirinagar, the ordinary place of refuge for guilty or unfor-
tunate princes, he was shut up in a close litter, placed upon
the back of an elephant, and conveyed to the citadel of
Guallier; to which fortress they were about, also, to
transfer the unfortunate Moradbax. The detention of so
great a number of princes, whom Aurengzebe had sacrificed
to his ambition ; and the defeat of his two most formidable
enemies, gave him time to respire. In this interval of
tranquillity, he meditated taking the reins of empire in
good earnest, and causing himself to be acknowledged
Emperor by the people, as he had already been by the
armies. He transported himself therefore to Delhi, which
he entered in triumph, in the midst of the acclamations of
the inhabitants. He here established his court, in the
magnificent palace, which had been built by his ancestors.
Money was coined in his name, with the following inscrip-
tion : '' I, the King Aurengzebe, conqueror of the world.
CHA-JAHAM. 265
have caused this money to be struck, resplendent as the
sun."
The repose, which the Emperor enjoyed, was not of
long duration. Prince Dara had collected new forces in
Guzurat. There was reason to apprehend, that his claims
to the empire, assisted by the aversion which was beginning
to manifest itself towards the new sovereign ; and by the
compassion which the people ordinarily feel for unfortunate
princes ; might eventually prevail against the artifices and
the good fortune of Aurengzebe. The Raja, Jacont-Sing,
always so well affected towards the loyal cause, had pro-
mised to lead against the usurper ten thousand Rajepoot
soldiers, as soon as Dara should appear in the field, with
a force capable of making head against his brother. The
designs of the prince, and of the Raja, did not escape the
vigilance of Aurengzebe. He gained over Jacont-Sing by
negotiation, whilst he proceeded to finish the war against
Dara, by a final conflict. The surprise of this unfortunate
prince was extreme, when he learnt at the same time,
the infidelity of Jacont-Sing, and the approach of Aureng-
zebe. There was no longer any opportmiity for retreat.
It was in the hottest season, when it is difficult in the
Indies to undertake long marches. He was not certain,
besides, of being able to engage with any chance of success,
in the open country, an enemy nmch more numerous, and
hitherto victorious. 'There remained, therefore, no choice,
but that of intrenching himself in a fertile country, where
he might subsist his troops, and wait for favorable circum-
stances. The intention was good, but the new Emperor
and his followers did not allow the prince time to put
it into execution. The army, which Aurengzebe had con-
tided to Bader-Cham, after the first defeat of Dara,
quitted the siege of Bakar, and came to attack the prince
in the rear, whilst Aurengzebe assailed him in front. It
266 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
was not possible for Dara, who saw himself placed between
two fires, to make head against two armies, the least of
which was more numerous than his own. He fled, and
with difficulty found refuge for his wives and children, under
the walls of Amadabad.
The defeat of Dara spread terror among the governors
the best disposed towards him. The gates of all the cities,
and of all the fortresses, were closed against him. Bader-
Cham continued the pursuit with indefatigable activity.
He had orders to bring him, dead or alive, to Aurengzebe.
The prince, followed scarcely by two thousand soldiers,
traversed the plains of Sindy, marching night and day,
and suffering incredible hardships. Abandoned, at last,
by his followers ; without aid, without an asj/lum ; desti-
tute of provisions, or resource ; having been disappointed
in his hopes of reaching the Persian territory by sea ; he
directed his way thither by land. He flattered himself
with experiencing facilities in his flight. The governor
of the province of the Mogul States, which confines upon
Persia, was named Given-Cham. This nobleman was
indebted both for his fortune and his life to Dara. He
would have been trampled to death under the feet of ele-
phants, by the order of Cha-Jaham, for an atrocious
offence of which he was accused, if Prince Dara had not
solicited his pardon. This wretch received his benefactor
with every demonstration of the sincerest gratitude. He
solicited him to accept a hospitable welcome for some
days. He gave up the apartment of his women to Nor-
mahal, the favorite wife of Dara. The traitor, notwith-
standing, gave intelligence to Bader-Cham, that he had
Dara in his power ; and that he kept a strict watch upon
his motions. The prince soon perceived, that under the
mask of paying him honor, he was, in fact, retained a
prisoner. When he complained^ Given-Cham either
CHA-JAHAM. 267
treated liis apprehensions with ridicule, or endeavoured to
tranquiUize him by futile excuses. Normahal, on her side^,
sensible that the career of" her husband was approachinoj its
termination, sought an opportunity of taking poison. When
on the point of swallowing it, (the princesses of the East
carrying ordinarily about them poison concealed in their
rings, that they may have the power, at any time, of ter-
minating their misfortunes by a voluntary death) Normahal
was diverted from her purpose by her chief eunuch, who
gave her a ray of hope, by offering to assassinate Given-
Cham. In effect, he enclosed in a brocaded sack a pocket
pistol, resolved to discharge it at the heart of the traitor.
He approached him carrying the sack in his hand, as if it
had been a present, which he brought from the princess.
The governor received him without suspicion. When the
eunuch was sufficiently near, he drew the trigger of the
pistol, which missed fire. There are calamities so inveterate
in their nature, that nothing, apparently, is able to arrest
their course. Of the truth of this. Prince Dara had proof.
Every thing conspired to accelerate his fate. After the
ineffectual attempt of the eunuch, the governor kept no
longer any measures with his prisoners. He prohibited the
princess leaving her apartment. The unfortunate Nor-
mahal, overwhelmed with grief, deprived of the consolation
and counsels which she had been accustomed to receive
from her faithful eunuch, who was massacred by Given-
Cham, listened only now to her despair. After embracing
her children — '" I will never," she said, " consent to sur-
vive my husband. Never shall the cruel Aurengzebe have
the gratification of dealing to me the severest blow which
yet awaits me, in exposing to my view the head of Dara.
O Heaven, that I should be so dastardly, as to suffer
myself to endure a wretched widowhood, shut up in the
haram of my enemy ! Or rather, what is even more horrible
268 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
to my imagination ; if I should be so miserable as to be
placed among the number of his wives !" Having uttered
these words, she swallowed the poison, which passing
into her veins, put a speedy end to all her suiferings. The
cries of her women drew the prince into the apartment of <
the sultaness. He beheld her expiring, and no longer
thought but of following her. Two days after Bader Cham
arrived ; invested the governor's house, and made himself
master of the apartment of the prince. He saluted him
with the most profound respect ; but these first marks of
deference were succeeded by the rudest treatment. Some
soldiers seized upon the person of Dara, threw him to the
earth, loaded him with chains, and confined him in a litter,
preparatory to his being conveyed away upon the back of
an elephant. Bader-Cham, conducting his prisoner, re-
sumed the road to Bakar, that he might prosecute the
siege.
The remains of the partisans of Dara still maintained
in that place the cause of their master. That generous
eunuch, named, the Flower of the Spring, when first
besieged by Bader-Cham, had displayed greater valor, and
more fidelity, than might have been expected from a person
of that class. He was still disposed to weary out, by a
long resistance, the army of his enemies ; but it became
necessary to yield. He received an express order from
Dara himself, a captive in the besiegers' camp, to deliver
up the place to the troops of Aurengzebe. The grief of
this faithful adherent cannot easily be expressed, when he
learnt the captivity of the prince, and received a command
to surrender the only asylum which remained to him. He
quitted Bakar, after making an honorable capitulation;
and received permission to retire to the kingdom of
Cachemire.
Bader-Cham carried in person to the Emperor the news
CHA-JAHAM. 269
of his success, and conducted Dara to Delhi, where the
court was residing. He entered the city as it were in
triumph, exposing to the view of the people the captive
prince, mounted on an elephant, his feet in chains, on an
open seat, upon which was placed by his side the youngest
of his children. All the people regretted a prince, rather
indeed of an imperious temper, but yet possessing many
amiable qualities. They drew a comparison between the
former government, as administered by Dara, with that of
which they had present experience. Aurengzebe was
averse to an interview with his brother. He gave orders,
that he should be conveyed to a fortress without the walls
of the city, and secured there under a strong guard.
The policy of Aurengzebe was not restricted to the
retaining of Dara in a state of captivity, similar to the
other princes of the blood. The aversion, he had to this
prince, was more a personal antipathy, than the result of
ambition. However; in order to give to his conduct a
colour of justice, he caused a general council to be as-
sembled, composed of all the nobles of his court, and of
the principal commanders of his armies. He proposed to
them, with great apparent indifference, the question ; whether
it would be better to retain Dara in a state of perpetual
captivity, or to take away his life. The object of Aureng-
zebe was to detect, by this means, those who secretly
favored the prince ; having resolved not to spare one, who,
from any remains of attachment to him, should give his
voice for the preservation of his life. The council guessed
the motive of the Emperor. Every one voted for putting
him to death. One person only, who had been his particular
enemy, was bold enough to advocate the cause of the
unfortunate prince. Whether it was through a refinement
in policy, or by an effort of probity, it is difficult to decide ;
but, it is certain, that this conduct appeared to Aureng-
270 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
zebe himself so truly generous, that he placed him among
the number of his friends.
Dara was waiting in his prison the decision of his fate,
when his son was taken from his arms, to be conveyed to
the citadel of Guallier, the ordinary place of confinement
for unfortunate princes. When the father found himself
deprived of his son, he rightly judged, that it was time to
think of preparing for death. The Christian sentiments,
with which the missionaries had endeavoured to inspire
him, were revived in the closing hour of his life. He
requested to be allowed a conversation with Father Busee,
a Flemish Jesuit, who had formerly instructed him in our
sacred mysteries. All communication with the Europeans
was denied him. In this universal desolation, the prince
sought for consolation in God. He was heard to say, more
than once : — " Mahomet has destroyed me ; Jesus Christ,
the son of the Eternal, will save me." A few hours before
he was put to death, Aurengzebe caused a captious
question to be put to his brother: — " What would you
have done to the Emperor," they said to him, " had he
fallen into your hands, as you have fallen into his?" — "He
is a rebel, and a parricide," said Dara; " let him judge of
the treatment he has merited, by reflecting upon his crimes ;
and such deserts he would have received with the utmost
rigour at my hands." This answer exasperated Aurengzebe.
He only now sought a minion, who would have the barbarity
to execute his orders. Nazar, one of the slaves of Cha-Jaham,
whose occupation was that of a writer to the Emperors,
offered himself for this cruel service. He proceeded to the
spot, where Dara was expecting the moment, which was
to terminate his miseries. He found the prince in his
apartment, raising his eyes to Heaven, and repeating these
words : — '' Mahamet mara micuchet, e ben alia Mariam mi
bacchet ;" which is, " Mahomet gives me death, and the
CHA-JAHAM. 271
Son of God will give me life." He had scarcely finished
these words, when the executioner threw him to the earth,
and cut off his head. Such was the termination of the life
of a prince, in whose character was blended such a mixture
of virtues and defects, as to render him more capable of
reigning over the Mogul states, than adapted for main-
taining himself in the possession of them. He died on
the 22d of October, in the year 1657, lamented by the
people ; and regretted even by those who had abandoned,
and betrayed him.
The hatred, which Aurengzebe had conceived against
his brother, did not end with the life of that unfortunate
prince. He caused the head of Dara to be brought to
him; he examined it with an air of satisfaction ; he touched
it with the point of his sword ; he opened his closed eyes
to observe a speck, that he might be convinced that another
head had not been substituted in the place of the one he
had ordered to be struck off. He added, at last, insult to
cruelty. " Here are then," he exclaimed, " the remains of
that imbecile man, who would have deprived me of a crown,
which he was incapable himself of wearing." He followed
afterwards the counsel of Roxanara Begom, an ancient
enemy of her brother Dara, and always attached to the
cause of her brother Aurengzebe. He caused the head of
the prince to be embalmed, and conveyed to Cha-Jaham,
enclosed in a box. The poor Emperor, at that time a
prisoner in the citadel of Agra, was at table, when he
received the present, which they came to offer him in the
name of Aurengzebe. Before the box was opened ; " It is
at [least a consolation," he said, '' for an unhappy father,
to find that the usurper has not wholly forgotten me."
But, when, on opening the packet, he beheld the head of
Dara, that son so tenderly beloved, the good old man fell
into a swoon. The Princess Begom-Saeb, always faithful
272 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
to the cause of Dara^ made the air resound with her cries.
Nothing, indeed, could be more affecting, than the me-
lancholy and despair, excited by so tragical a spectacle^
in the prison of Agra.
All which now remained to Aurengzebe, in order to secure
to himself the permanent possession of the empire of the
Moguls, was to compel Cha-Chuia to desist from carrying
arms against him ; and to get into his power Sultan Chacu,
the eldest son of Dara. It has been already stated, that
this prince had retired to the kingdom of the moun-
tains, the territory of the Raja of Sirinagar. The
Emperor succeeded in both enterprises, partly by force,
and partly by artifice. Disembarrassed from the long war,
which he had been obliged to wage against Dara, he caused
all his troops to march on the side of Bengal. Mirza-
Mula kept the Prince Cha-Chuia in a state of blockade in
that country. This prince, w^ith the utmost difficulty, pre-
served alive the remains of his almost expiring faction. As
soon as he received the news of the reinforcements, which
had arrived from all quarters to the assistance of Mirza-
Mula, he found that he had no other resource but to take
to flight. The kingdom of Arracan, till then impenetrable
to the arms of the Moguls, offered him an asylum. This
country is on every side surrounded by m.ountains and
forests. Its situation, in consequence, shelters it from
insult. As it borders upon the territory of Bengal, it was
easy for the prince to retire to it. He, therefore, wrote to
the king of this region, the most uncultivated in all the
Indies, to entreat that he would grant him a temporary
asylum in his dominions. He promised, that 'ere long, he
would leave Arracan, and embark for Moca ; from which
place, he should take his departure, to implore the assist-
ance of the King of Persia. The perfidious monarch
meditated profiting, on this occasion, by the spoils of the
OP THE COURT. 273
fugitive prince. He oflered Cha-Chuia a retreat in his
states, and promised to defend him against all the perse-
cutions of Aurengzebe. The retreat of Cha-Chuia had all
the appearance of a precipitate flight. The Portuguese,
who at that time inhabited Chitagong, a maritime city of
the kingdom of Arracan, and the nearest to the states of
Bengal, took upon themselves the charge of conveying the
prince, his wives, his treasures, and some officers of his
household, in some small barks, which they were accustomed
to use in carrying on a trade of piracy. It is said, tliat
the Portuguese caused the brigantine, freighted with the
money and the jewels of the prince, to founder, and then
plundered it. Cha-Chuia arrived with great difficulty in
the kingdom of Arracan, where he found in the monarch of
the country, as dangerous an enemy, as the one from whom
he fled. After some shew of affection and respect, sub-
missions were exacted, derogatory to a prince of his rank.
They wished to compel him, to attend, and pay his court
regularly to this petty sovereign. His daughter was
demanded, that she might be numbered among the wives of
the prince of Arracan, the eldest son of the king. They
were displeased at his complaining of the repasts, which
were served up to him, in the Indian fashion. Lastly, they
imputed to him as a crime, the Mahometan sect to which he
belonged. These mortifications, occasioned the prince, at
first, some discontent, which broke out afterwards into
murmurs. It is even said, that Cha-Chuia had formed
designs upon the life of the king. Whether this be true
or not, the imprudence of Cha-Chuia cost him his life.
The subjects of the king of Arracan invested on all sides
the palace in which the Mogul was residing. The unfor-
tunate Cha-Chuia, found no longer any security, but by
flying to the forests. He saved himself in their sequestered
haunts ; ])ut these tigers pursued him ; and after having
T
274 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
massacred, without pity, his wives and his children, they
deprived him of life on the 7th of February, in the year
1658. Cha-Chuia was the second of the three brothers of
Aurengzebe, who fell a sacrifice to his ambition. It may
be said, that this poor prince merited the punishment
inflicted upon him by Providence. It was he, who, by his
rashness, and his revolt, originated that cruel war; the
result of which was, to arm the sons against the father,
and brothers against brothers. It is even probable, that
his bad example paved the way for the invasion of Aureng-
zebe. Cha-Chuia dearly paid for the first shock which
was given by him to the authority of the Emperor his
father. Always vanquished, he found his death in a foreign
land; and massacred by the hands of barbarians, he spared
Aurengzebe the obnoxious measure of staining his hands
anew with the blood of a brother.
Sultan Chacu, the eldest son of Dara, was not safe in
the kingdom of Sirinagar, from the artifices of Aurengzebe.
This prince had too much merit, to hope to escape the
enmity of the usurper. His first essay in arms had been
distinguished by the defeat of Cha-Chuia. Aurengzebe
was interested in preventing a shoot of the royal family
from taking root in the neighbourhood of his states. The
difficulty was, to wrest him out of the hands of the king of
Sirinagar, who loved him tenderly, and guarded him from
the dangers that menaced him with the greatest vigilance.
Independentlyof the natural mildness and compassionate tem-
per of theRaja, the levity and perfidy so common to thelndians
was corrected by his attachment to the principles of Christi-
anity. He was^ therefore, far from having any inclination to
deliver up the prince Chacu to Aurengzebe ; regarding him as
a precious deposit, that Providence had entrusted to his care.
The difficulty was still greater to wrest him out of his hands
by force. The Moguls had formerly made some attempts
CHA-JAHAM. 275
upon this kingdom; but their armies, unable to obtain
subsistence in an uncultivated country, had either perished
from hunger, or the soldiers had returned with the loss of
their ears and noses, through the severity of the climate.
Aurengzebe, unable to succeed in obtaining the co-operation
of the father, endeavoured to carry off the Mogul prince
through the assistance of the son of the king of Sirinagar. He
engaged him by presents, and by still greater promises, to
betray Chacu into his hands. A hunting party was proposed ;
the two young princes separated from each other among
the mountains, in the pursuit of their prey ; soldiers, placed
in ambuscade, seized upon Sultan Chacu, and conducted
him to Aurengzebe. The fortress of Guallier became
finally the place of his imprisonment; where a prince of
the greatest merit, and who had given the highest hopes to
the empire, was destined to be buried alive for ever.
Of the three brothers of Aurengzebe, Moradbax alone
now remained alive. Although in a state of the strictest
captivity, he was, notwithstanding, regarded as a subject
for suspicion and uneasiness to the new Emperor. It was
necessary, that he should be delivered from this state of
inquietude. His death, therefore, was resolved upon, and
the pretext, made use of for the commission of this crime,
shall be related : —
The mask of justice was borrowed, in order to give a
color to this iniquitous proceeding. It is a law with the
Mahometans, that a new sovereign cannot make use of his
right of life and death over his subjects, until he has
received from the Cazi, or chief of the law, a species of
consecration, which is regarded among the Moguls as
sealing the Imperial jurisdiction. The good old man, who
was, at that time, at the head of the religion, and the chief
interpreter of the Alcoran, regarded with indignation the
usurpation of Aurengzebe. He, therefore, obstinately
T 2
276 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
refused to administer, during the life of Cha-Jaham, to the
ceremony, which was necessary in order to put the
Emperor in possession of absolute authority. Aurengzebe
caused the old judge to be deposed, and a Cazi less scru-
pulous, and perfectly disposed to favor the inclinations of
the court, to be elected in his room. It was from his
hands, that Aurengzebe received, by a consecration, the
power of disposing at his pleasure of the lives of his
subjects.
The first use the Emperor made of his new authority,
was to take away the life of his brother Moradbax. Two
false witnesses were suborned, to give evidence against him.
They deposed, that when the prince was acting as viceroy
of Guzerat, he had caused a secretary of Cha-Jaham, who
had been sent into his government for the express purpose
of investigating his conduct, to be put to death. Aurengzebe
heard the accusation with an air of great indignation against
the witnesses ; but, which he afterwards directed against
the accused. " It is, however," he exclaimed, '^ my brother.
Must I be compelled to shed the blood of all my race ?"
Whilst he was in this apparent affliction, his astrologers,
accustomed to consider the language of the passions of
princes as proceeding from Heaven, spoke to him after
this manner : — " Be assured, my lord, that your reign
cannot but be unfortunate, if a criminal compassion hinders
you from revenging the very first crime, w^hich has been
deferred to your tribunal." Aurengzebe, at last, sighing,
appeared reluctantly to yield to the unhappy necessity.
Some tears were seen to flow down his cheeks, when he
gave orders to some soldiers of his guard, to transport
themselves to Guallier, and caus e his brother to be stung
by one of those adders, whose poison is quick, and mortal.
The death of the unfortunate Moradbax placed Aurengzebe^
at last, in quiet possession of the throne, Cha-Jaham Avas
OF THE COURT. 277
suffered to live out the reuiaiiider of his days, in a state of
captivity. He was an imbecile old man, whose incapacity
for holding the reins of government was known to the
whole empire. Become, thus, tranquil possessor of the
richest monarchy in the world, by the means of intrigue ;
Aurengzebe rules it at the present day, and sustains by
his ability, a sceptre, of which he obtained possession by
his policy and valour.
. The first care of the Emperor, when he found himself
at peace, and without competitors to the throne^, was to
build his glory on solid foundations. He assembled the
historians of the palace, whose office it is to write the
Chronicles of the empire. These have been my guides
throughout the whole of tliis work. " Deliver down," he
said to them, " to posterity, the history of my conquests ;
and let my attainment of the crown serve as an example to
my successors." The chief of the historians took the
liberty of asking the sultan, what complexion he should
give to the imprisonment of his own father, and the mas-
sacre of his three brothers. " Know," he said to him,
•' that my conduct was authorised by the condition of the
state ; and by the support which it was necessary to give
to our religion, then in a declining state. An imbecile
parent, and brothers the enemies of Mahomet, efface the
guilt of my offences. The whole glory of my reign is
derived from the protection of the Eternal. It is he, who
has conducted by his hand, a poor Faquir, to the possession
of the throne ; to instruct posterity, that he humbles the
proud, and exalts the lowly."
278
DESCFJPTION
OF THK
Court, of the Military Force, of the Revenue,
AND OF the Government
OF THE
MOGUL EMPERORS.
It was not possible to write a general history of the
Mogul Empire, without giving some idea of the court, of
the forces, of the resources, and of the government of the
Emperors. The elements of what it is now purposed to
enlarge upon will, doubtless, have been found dispersed
throughout the body of the work. It must, however, be
confessed, that the little, which has been inserted, was
rather calculated to excite the curiosity of the reader, and
to awaken a desire of learning in detail, what it was, then,
only possible to touch upon cursorily. The laws of narration
do not allow of long digressions for the purpose of entering
into detailed descriptions. It was determined, therefore,
rather than interrupt the narrative, by distracting the
attention of the reader, during its perusal, to reserve any
enlargement on these topics, till the conclusion of the
history.
There appeared, also, a propriety, in representing
under one aspect, the plan of the court ; the magnificence,
the interests, and the government of the Emperors, whose
lives have been just recorded. An ambassador, or the
envoy of a company at the court of the Mogul will find
OF THE COURT. 279
in these pages, competent information respecting the
manners of the country, to whicli they may be delegated.
Even the simple traveller in Delhi, or at Agra, the merchant,
or the missionary, will experience a satisfaction, in kno\\ing
the usages of a court, with which it is but too probable
they may be compelled to have an intercourse. It is with
a view to such usefulness, that M. Manouchi has written,
separately, a description of the state of the haram, of the
armies, the revenues, and the government of the Mogul,
without blending these things with the Chronicle. The
ensuing pages will furnish, in an abridged state, without
however omitting any of the topics, the substance of
whatever the Venetian has described at large. That the
public may not be deceived on a subject, in which error
might be more pernicious, than it would be in a point of
history, he declares, that he relates nothing on the authority
of another. All which he relates, he says, is derived
from personal observation, and experience. ^^lien he
wrote his memoirs in the year 1697, he had already resided
forty-eight years in the Mogul states. He had travelled
through nearly all the provinces of this great empire. He
had occupied an honorable post, which had enabled him,
with a greater facility than could fall to the lot of the
ordinary class of European travellers, to obtain an acquain-
tance with the interior of the haram ; a place most carefully
secluded from the notice of the vulgar. It ought, then, not
to excite surprise, that a more circumstantial detail should
be traced in these pages, of the condition of the Mogul
empire, than is to be found in the works of any other writer.
It is proposed, in the first place, to give some idea of the
court of the Emperors ; to which will succeed, a description
of their forces, and their armies ; a detail of their revenues
will then follow; and lastly, an account of their police;
and the character of their government.
280 historv of the mogul dynasty.
The Court of the Mogul.
It is not in Europe only, that splendor and magnificence
reign at the court of sovereigns. Respect being had to
the difference of manners, the court of the great princes of
the east is not inferior to that of the monarchs of Europe.
That of the Mogul has an air of splendor and magnificence,
which dazzles the stranger, and truly astonishes a native of
Italy.
The palaces of the Emperor at Delhi and in Agra have,
indeed, nothing of the regularity and symmetry vrhich are
so much admired in the structure of the great edifices of
Rome and Venice. It may be said, nevertheless, that
those of the Mogul have their correct proportions, and
peculiar beauties, according to the taste in architecture,
which prevails in India. This style is not to be viewed
contemptuously. In the construction of their edifices, no
regard has been had to the Greek style of architecture,
with which they are unacquainted throughout the regions
of the east ; a method has been pursued, that has nothing
repulsive to the eye, and which, if respect be had to the
usages and climate of the country, has, doubtless, a greater
air of convenience than numerous stories, which can never
be ascended without fatigue.
The palace of Agra, called in the language of the
country, Mahal, serves also for a fortress to the capital. It
is built on the banks of the Gemna, in the form of a cross.
Viewing it on the side of the city, its form is circular. The
walls are lofty, and of a breadth capable of supporting
pieces of ordnance of a moderate size, which are planted
at intervals throughout the whole length. A fortress of
this description is sufficient in India to keep the people
in awe. The Mahal may be seen from a great distance ;
and as the stones have a reddish tinge, and a resemblance
OF THE COURT. 281
to jasper, and are, besides, soft, and easily exfoliate, the
whole palace is splendidly illuminated by the sun's rays.
It is easily distinguished from the rest of the city. The
trench filled with water surrounding it, and the terraced
garden, which serves as a rampart round the palace, form,
at a moderate distance, a mixed view of running water,
verdure, and edifices, which might have a pleasing effect
even in Europe.
A wide space of ground, the whole length of that side
of the palace which fronts the capital, separates in some
measure the Mahal from the city of Agra. It is on this
spot, that the Rajas exercise their troops. These Indian
princes, (each in his turn,) have their week of attendance
as commanders of the guard, which is stationed at the
outer gates of the palace. There are two, which open
upon the place of exercise, and w here the two principal
streets of the capital terminate. After crossing the bridges,
which are ra ised over the fosse, the Mahal is approached
by these gates. A large canal, replenished with water
from springs, and clear as crystal, is the first object which
is presented to view, on entering the precinct of the jDalace.
Its banks, coated with stone, serve as dykes raised to
confine the water, and prevent its overflowing. It is upon
these causeways, which are, on both sides, of a sufficient
breadth, to allow a free passage for the elephants and
troops, both cavalry and infantry, that a long suit of guard
houses, habitations, and shops are seen disposed at
intervals. Here are the apartments and the offices of the
inferior officers of the court. There are also to be seen
long galleries, in which those who manufacture for the
Impei'ial family are employed. Every day, artisans of all
descriptions come to labor in the palace for the Mogul.
In one ward, are found painters and embroiderers ; in
another, goldsmiths and enamellers ; there is one for silk
282 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTT.
weavers ; in others, weavers of all descriptions, and such
as are employed in the meanest trades. These wards, or
galleries, have each their superintendant, who directs the
labors, and watches over the conduct of the workmen.
The silence which prevails, while each person is diligently
occupied, is truly surprising. All the phlegm of a Hindoo
would be requisite, to pass whole days in a single occupation ;
to labor in company, without uttering scarcely a syllable ;
and with no other exercise, than the movements required
by the peculiar art which he is practising.
At the termination of the canal, a large parade extends
itself in a circular form. It is here, that the Mahometan
soldiery every day mount guard. The War-Omrhas, who
are the principal officers of the armies, bring hither every
day their troops, and take their turn to command. The
entire circuit of the place is in consequence occupied by
tents set up for the inferior Omrhas, and by huts for the
private soldiers. This warlike display, which is seen
continually, both within and without the palace^ has an
air of majesty, inspiring respect for the great monarch
who inhabits it.
It is thus necessary to pass through a large encampment,
to enter the Am-Kas ; the first court of the Mahal being
so named. It is spacious ; the form is a square. As it is
surrounded on every side by an arcade^ it furnishes
at all hours, at least on one of its sides, a place of shade.
Here, from an elevated situation, at certain hours, a concert
is heard of musical instruments, agreeably to the taste of
the country. Perhaps the harmony would not find many
admirers in Europe. But in the Indies, strangers even
who are accustomed to it, become at last sensible of an
indescribable majesty in this species of concert, which is
pleasing to them. There is certainly an air of grandeur,
in reminding the people of their sovereign by the aid of
OF THE COURT. 283
music, with which the palace is made to resound at different
liours of the day.
Tiie Am-Kas, which may be compared to the Place
Royale of Paris, seems intended only to serve for an
avenue to the magnificent hall of audience, where all the
subjects of the Emperor have a right to attend, and claim
redress of their grievances. This apartment is large and
splendid. As it is entirely open on the side of the court,
there is, in effect, no door of entrance, but you pass inmie-
diately between the double row of columns by wliich it is
supported. The ceiling is painted, and the gilding, wliich
is often renewed, has not been spared. At the further end
of the hall of audience is seen the resplendent throne of the
Emperor, which may be discovered at a considerable dis-
tance from the entrance of the Am-Kas. At a fixed hour,
which is commonly about noon, all the Omrhas, who are
then in the capital, make their appearance in the hall of
audience. They are separated from the people, whom
curiosity, or their particular interests, bring thither in
crowds, by a ballustrade, or rather a lattice work of silver,
of very delicate workmanship. A platform, which is
ascended by several steps, approaches them more or less
near to the person of the Emperor, according to their
rank and dignity. The coming of the Mogul is expected
in deep silence. At last, when it has been announced by
the sound of instruments, a curtain is withdrawn. The
Emperor then appears, seated upon his throne, after the
fashion of the East, in a species of recess. The sultans,
his sons, are at his feet, squatted on cushions of gold bro-
cade ; and a small number of eunuchs chace away the flies
from around the throne, and promote a circulation of the
air with their fans.
The beauty of the throne excels all the other objects in
the apartment ; upon wliich the Mogul shews himself
284 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY,
every day, seated, to his people. The precious stones
with which it is ornamented dazzle the sight of the beholder.
It is said to have been the work of a French artisan, who
lived in the Indies under the reign of the preceding
Emperor. It is much to be desired, that the art displayed
Iiad been equal to the materials employed. The most inge-
nious part of the design consists in the figures of two
peacocks, which serve for the crowning ornament to the
throne. It is entirely covered with precious stones, inlaid ;
and on the presumption that no false have been substi-
tuted by the workman in the place of the genuine ones
with which he was furnished, nothing can possibly exceed
the splendor of this costly monument. It was Cha-Jaham
who caused it to be made ; but the first who seated himself
upon it was Aurengzebe, on the day when he took public
possession of the empire.
It is in this style of splendor and magnificence;, that the
Mogul dispenses justice to his people. The Omrhas, in few
words, explain to him the causes, the offences, and the dif-
ferent subjects of dispute ; and the Emperor gives his
decision. Criminals are executed on the spot. Some are
trampled to death under the feet of elephants ; others are
beheaded ; or stung by adders, whose poison is mortal.
If his attention does not happen to be engrossed by
the affairs passing, the Mogul takes a pleasure, during the
time of audience, in seeing his horses and elephants pass in
the court of the Am-Kas. His attention is indeed some-
times taken off by it, at a time when business of the most
serious kind is going forward. However, generally
speaking, all the Emperors have prided themselves on their
love of equity, and their discernment in unravelling the
merits of complicated causes. It may be asserted, that
they have even attached less glory to the subjugation of
new kingdoms, than to an exact administration of justice.
OF THE COURT. 285
111 subjecting themselves every day to the hours of
audience, they have undoubtedly imposed upon themselves
a severe duty. It is an institution with which no Emperor
has ventured to dispense, except in cases of extreme
illness. The Mogul sovereigns have often, indeed, been
known to cause themselves to be carried and placed by
their attendants upon the throne, at a time when their
health appeared in the most languishing state.
From the hall of audience, the Emperor always passes
to the apartments appropriated for his bath. Some Omrhas
of the first rank are allowed to follow him. Here are dis-
cussed the interests of the empire, the extension or defence
of the frontiers, the conduct of the young sultans, and the
plans for their establislnnent ; the dispatches of the
viceroys are read, and the reports of the spies (a class of
agents which is dispersed by the Emperor throughout the
whole of his states, even into the meanest villages and
towns) are examined. Such is the occupation of the secret
council, which is held daily in the Imperial bathing apart-
ments.
When the Emperor has taken his usual afternoon's
repose, he returns again to these ajjartments, and then the
attendance of all the Omrhas is required. This is a regu-
lation which admits of no excuse. During the discussion
of business, or their remaining in conference with the
Mogul, the inferior officers of the soldiery, called Man-
sebdars, make the troops pass in review. A company of
the guards, especially, which is always in attendance upon
the Emperor, never fails on this occasion to be present.
It makes its appearance with torches, and the arms by
which it is distinguished ; these are long clubs, or rather
large staffs covered with silver. The usage must, doubt-
less, have been introduced into the palace by one of the
Mogul monarchs not over scrupulous in the observance of
the laws of Mahomet. These staffs are seen surmounted
286 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
with figures of animals or constellations, serving them for
ornaments. This description of officers appear always in
the presence of the sovereign, holding in their hands their
staff, in sign of being prepared to proceed in any
direction for the execution of his orders. It is from this
body, that the ambassadors for foreign courts, and the
envoys to the Rajas of Indostan are chosen.
None of the nobles of the empire are permitted to
follow in the suite of the Emperor beyond the saloon in
which are his baths. The interior of the Mahal is a
mysterious abode, which the eunuchs only are permitted to
enter. It may with truth be asserted, that a faithful
description of this place has never yet been given by any
traveller who has visited India. A profession such as that
of M. Manouchi, and the confidence reposed by the court
in an aged physician, would be required to obtain access to
the haram. It shall be described in his own words. It
is, he says, inhabited by more than two thousand females,
of which the different classes are as follow : In the first
class are the queens, or the Emperor's wives of the first
rank. In the second place, the concubines, or the wives
of the second rank. Thirdly, the princes and the prin-
cesses. Fourthly, the ladies of the palace, who are the
duennas of the queens, and the governesses of the prin-
cesses. Fifthly, the musicians of the court. Sixthly, the
female slaves and the eunuchs.
With respect to the queens, or the wives of the first
rank, the Mogul has sometimes as many as six. The
marriage takes place accompanied by ceremonies instituted
for the occasion. They are commonly the daughters of
Rajas, who, from considerations of birth, or the interests
of the state, are raised immediately to the first rank, with-
out having passed through the second. Sometimes they
are favorite concubines, female musicians or dancers, whom
the Emperor advances to the rank of queens from choice.
OF THE COURT. 287
The children of these women only are looked upon in the
empire as legitimate, bear the title of sultans, and have the
right to succeed their father. It is remarkable, that of so
many queens, no more than four sons have appeared to be
born to any of the JMogul emperors ; and tliat no mention
has ever been made of a son born of so great a number of
concubines. Doubtless, a law must have been instituted in
the haram, that no more than four princes should be
allowed to survive, and that all the male children of the
wives of the second rank should be destroyed. The names,
by which the queens are designated, (which are invariably
changed on being advanced to the first rank) are bestowed
by the Emperor himself. The name of the wife of Jehan-
Guir was Nur-Jaham ; and that of the wife of Cha-Jaham
was Taige-Mahal. The first means. The Light of the
World, and the second. The Crown of the Haram. The
apartments of the queens are magnificent ; and whatever
can contribute either to convenience or pleasure has been
consulted in their arrangement. It may be said, that the
ardour of a burning climate is never experienced in these
abodes. Here are to be seen running streams, shadowy
groves, fountains, and subterraneous grottos for securing
the enjoyment of a delicious coolness.
The women of the second rank differ little from those
of the first rank, with the exception of the inferior distinc-
tion which they hold in the haram. Their apartments are
less adorned, their pensions less considerable, their ward-
robe not so magnificent, and they have fewer slaves to
attend them. These, indeed, defray themselves the
expenses attending their subsistence. The queens and
the princesses of 3Iogul blood only are served from the
Imperial kitchen. They are called, for this reason,
*' Begoni ;" which means Free from Care or Solicitude.
The Emperor gives names, likewise, to his wives of the
288 HISTORY OP THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
second rank. One^ for instance, has the name of Ranadel,
which signifies. The Faithful ; another, Matlub, which is^
Given by destiny.
The princes and the princesses of the blood are treated
with the same magnificence as the queens. The young
$ultans inhabit the haram till the time of their marriage
only. They pass the most tender years of their youth
only near the Mogul. As soon as they have attained the
age of thirteen or fourteen years, they are provided with
a separate haram ; and their court is not at all inferior to
that of the Emperors. Those who are not destined, by the
preference of the sovereign, to succeed him in the empire,
are sent in the quality of viceroys into the most
distant provinces. These sultans are rich from the
moment of their leaving the palace. The occasion
of their sudden opulence arises from the custom of
assigning to them a revenue, which commences from
the very day of their birth, and is always more con-
siderable than the allowances to the first officers of the
empire. This revenue of the young prince is kept apart
in a treasury by itself; and he is put in possession of the
whole of this accumulated wealth, on the day of his mar-
riage. The eldest son of the Emperor now reigning pos-
sesses a revenue of twenty millions of rupees, which is
nearly equal to thirty millions of our money of France.
This is a conduct very inconsiderate on the part of the
Mogul Emperors, who, by their liberality in making pro-
vision for their children, put into their hands the instru-
ments of rebellion. The Emjierors too often experience
the fatal effects of their liberality. Whilst the princes
remain in the haram under the eye of their father, a eunuch
is charged with their education. They are taught to read ;
and sometimes to write in Arabic and Persian. Their
bodies are formed to military exercises, and they are in-
OP THE COURT. 289
strutted in the principles of equity. They are tauglit to
decide rationally upon subjects of dispute which occur, or
on supposititious suits at law. Finally, they are instructed
in the 3Ialioinetan religion, and in the interests of the
nation, which they may be called one day to govern.
With respect to the young sultanesses, their sisters,
they are brought up in the greatest indolence. As they
become usually the chief amusement of their father the
Emperor, they make it their whole study to please him.
It is by such means, that they obtain sometimes a greater
degree of liberty than is usual for persons of their rank ;
and to oblige them, they relax greatly from ihe. severity of
their confinement. The indulgence of the Moguls has been
known to extend even to a connivance at their irregularities ;
a conduct, which, commonly, entails upon it a dissolution of
manners, throughout the haram. It is easy to conceive,
that indolence, joined to a life passed in the softest and
most voluptuous enjoyments, and exposed to conversation
not the most pure, should be the source of vices among
persons so secluded ; and whose minds are uninfluenced by
the principles of the true religion. However, it must be
acknowledged, that there is more courtesy, and general
amicability, than might be supposed to exist where so great
a number of women are congregated, all of whom must be
more or less subjected to envy and jealousy. Avowed and
serious hostilities are rare ; even trivial disputes occur
among them but seldom. The governantes exercise an
authority over all animosities ; and the fear of punishment
operates as a salutary check to passions which may exist,
but which are constrained at least from exhibiting them-
selves outrageously, and violating the laws of decorum.
The same mode of adornino- themselves is common to
the queens, the wives of the second rank, and the princesses
of the blood. The hair is formed in tresses, and perfumed
V
290 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
with essences. With the permission of the Emperor, some
ornament their heads with a turban, which is surmounted
by a tuft of feathers, with a contour of pearls and precious
stones. Others fasten on the top of the head, on the
tresses of their hair raised in the fashion of a pyramid,
flying scarfs of cloth of gold, which float on their shoulders
and descend to the ground. Their hair is thickly sown
with pearls, which also form a species of royal fillet upon
their foreheads. In the centre is seen suspended a rich
jewel, which has been formed to represent the sun, the
crescent, a star, or some flower. It is a species of head-
dress which is very graceful. Their necklaces are com-
posed of the finest pearls of the east, sown at intervals
with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires.
As the climate obliges the ladies of the haram to wear
only very light dresses, there are some manufactured of
silk, of so fine a texture, that the whole dress does not
weigh more than an ounce. They repose in these dresses,
which they change in the morning, casting aside entirely
the former, as of no further use. Every day they assume
a dress of a different colour. They are adorned, besides,
with an immense quantity of jewels. The collar of their
robe is bordered with two bands of diamonds, enchased in
the centre of two rows of pearls, crossing upon the stomach.
Their ear-rings and bracelets are of surprising beauty.
Their fingers, and also their toes, which are bare (the feet
being covered with sandals only), are ornamented, equally,
with the most beautiful rings. All the wives of the Mogul,
and all the princesses his daughters, carry on the thumb of
the right hand, in the form of a ring, a small looking-glass,
bordered with pearls. They cast their eyes incessantly
upon this mirror ; it is with them the occupation of every
moment.
Their most becoming ornament is a golden girdle, of
OF THE COUKT. 1291
ihe breadth of two fingers, enriched with jewels. Mantels
of the same metal are suspended to it, sown with diamonds,
whose points are terminated by knots of pearls. What is
very surprising, is, that each of these ladies has a cliange
of six or eight sets of these jewels. The reader may pos-
sibly here imagine, that it is intended to transport him into
fairy land, where nothing is seen besides pearls and
diamonds ; but the description which is now given is still
far below the truth. The court of the Moguls is richer in
jewels than can possibly be imagined in Europe. Tamer-
lane, the founder of the empire, plundered the palaces of
all the principal sovereigns of Asia. It is well known, that
the great care of the princes of the east, was, and still is,
to accumulate a great quantity of precious stones. Babar
transported with him to the Indies, from Samarcand, e»ll
the treasure of Tamerlane ; that is, the spoil of all the
east. The Emperors, who have reigned since Babar, have
been continually augmenting the treasure of their fathers.
Aurengzebe, especially, who, by the conquest of the king-
dom of Golconda, has made himself master of the diamond
mines. Every year, the Mogul, besides the tribute he exacts
from Golconda in jewels, purchases the finest, and the
most perfect, for the adornment of his wives and his
daughters. These jewels never leave the palace, not even
on the decease of the queens, or the princesses. The Em-
peror is their sole heir. It may be added further, that the
jewels of the haram have been placed in a condition, ren-
dering them incapable of being brought to market. They
are almost all perforated. Akebar having, on a time, occa-
sion for a supply of money, to enable him to undertake the
conquest of the kingdom of Guzurat, sent, it is said, to
Goa, some rubies for sale. Their beauty appeared extraor-
dinary, but having been pierced, no purchasers could be
found for them. With respect to the jewels, which serve
u2
292 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
for the Emperor's particular use, they are the masterpiece!?
of nature. A particular name has been assigned to each of
them. One is called the sun, another the moon, some other
the bull's-eye, or the constellation of the bear^ It is always
by appellations such as these, that they are designated by
the Mogul.
The expense of the Emperor in perfumes, for the use of
his wives and the princesses of the blood, would appear
incredible in France. All the day and all the night long
perfuming pans are kept burning in all the apartments.
These, besides, are not perfumes of an ordinary kind, but
in general the most exquisite that India produces. The
pleasure to be derived from the sense of smelling may be
said to have been carried in the haram of the Mogul to a
degree of refinement which cannot be exceeded.
The ladies of the palace, who act as governesses to the
young princesses, and as duennas to the queens, participate
in a less degree of the luxuries, and of the magnificence of
the haram ; but they have a much greater share in the
government of the empire. It is by their instrumentality,
that intrigues of state are managed, that peace or war is
declared, that viceroyalties and governments are bestowed ;
they are, indeed, the true dispensers of fortune's gifts.
These ladies, venerable by their years, and respected for
their discretion, have each an ofiice, and a name, corre-
sponding with the post and title of the chief ministers of
the crown. Thus, one among them will perform in
the interior of the haram, the function of first minister ;
another that of secretary of state; some other that of
viceroy. The lady, for example, who is charged with the
principal administration, is in correspondence with the
chief minister. She has eunuchs at her command, who
convey continually her letters to this principal Omrha, and
bring back those of the minister to his correspondent.
OF THE COURT. 293
It is by tlie means of the ladies of the palace, that the
subjects, which have been slightly treated in the hall of
audience, and the bathing apartment, are more particularly
introduced to the notice of the Emperor. They are, pro-
perly speaking, the privy council of the Mogul. By the
means of those, whose title corresponds with that of
viceroy, the Emperor learns all the news from the frontiers.
They are entitled to dispatch couriers for the places per-
taining to their department. It may be easily conceived,
that the chief officers of the crown pay the greatest attention
to cultivate, each, his lady of the palace. The least vari-
ance with her entails upon him, sooner or later, some
serious injury, or reverse of fortune. Happy the minister,
whose good fortune it may be to escape being dependant on
a correspondent of a capricious disposition. The Emperor
bestows upon them all names descriptive of their character.
That of Faima Banu is one of the most honorable, which
signifies, the Philosophic Lady.
The musicians and dancers are separated into distinct
bands. Each troop has its directress for singing, and
dancing. She acts as the governess, and the directress of
those young females, who are cht)sen indifferently from the
Maliomctan, or the Pagan families, for the purpose of
being ti-ansplanted to the haram. The salary of the intend-
ants of music is equal to that of the ladies of the palace ,
but the former are never admitted to the councils of the
Emperor; their whole employment consists in regulating
the concerts, teaching their pupils how to perform on a
species of lute, the sound of which is harmonious, and
furnishing new airs for the pleasures of the queen and the
princesses. All the wives, indeed, of the Mogul, and all
the princesses of the blood, have each a troop of musicians
appointed for their particular service, which is obedient to
their command only. It is from these, that they select their
294 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
confidants. All these musical corps reunite on certain
days of festival^ either to sing hymns to the Eternal, or to
celebrate the praises of the Emperor. There is no oeconomy
of flattery in these compositions in honor of the Mogul.
When he walks, they say, the four elephants, who are the
supporters of the earth, tremble. The sun serves him for
a cushion on which to repose his head ; when he mounts
his horse, the moon is his stirrup. The names of these
female musicians are always of the invention of the
Emperor. One is called, Saroc Bay, the melodious voice ;
another, Gian-Bay, the inventive mind. The principal
merit, indeed, of these females, is, in inventing diversions
for their mistresses, and especially, comic spectacles, in
which they excel. The Emperor is present on these
occasions ; and a pleasant drama, well represented, inter-
mixed with music and dancing, has often been known to
procure some one of the actresses, a place among the
women of the first, or of the second rank.
The female slaves of the haram perform the meanest
offices to the queens, the concubines, the princesses, and
the ladies of the palace. It is the Emperor who names
them. One is called Golal, the rose; another, Narguis,
the tulip; some other, Chambeli, the jessamine. They are
separated into troops, composed each of ten or twelve
females, under the control of a mistress. The Emperor
disposes according to his pleasure of these attendants,
assigning a greater or a less number to any of his wives, or
daughters. He is himself attended upon by women only ;
and what may appear not a little extraordinary, he is guarded
always in the interior of the haram by a company composed
of one hundred Tartar women, armed with the bow, a
poignard, and a cimetar. Their leader has the same rank,
and the same pay, as a War-Omrha. This guard is
necessary to the Moguls, as a precaution against the rage
OF THE COURT. 295
and the treason of so many rivals, of which his court is
constituted.
With respect to the eunuchs, they are very numerous
in the interior of the palace. Some of them exercise the
function of porters, which is a diliicult service, and exposes
them to great peril. It is equally dangerous to be wanting
in fidelity in guarding the entrances of the haram, or to be
too strict in the performance of their duty. By a too great
severity, they draw upon themselves the aversion of the
queens, and the princesses ; and by too much complaisance,
they are in danger of forfeiting their lives. Other eunuchs
are superintendants of the haram. He, especially, who is
called Nader, that is, the chief of the Mahal, is one of the
first officers of the crown. His duty consists in preserving
order in the haram ; he establislies its discipline, and
maintains it by severity ; he regulates the expenses of the
wives of the Emperor, and of the princesses ; he is the
guardian of the Imperial treasure, and grand master of the
wardrobe. He prescribes the fashion of the dresses, and
is responsible for all the jewels and precious stones of the
empire. In fine, the expence of the haram ; the provisions,
the dresses, the linen, and the perfumes, are all entrusted
to his attentions. The inferior eunuchs have all, under the
Nader, some particular duty. Some have the charge of
the essences, and the perfumed oils ; others of the stufis,
and again, others ^of the furniture. Those, who are in
the highest consideration with the princesses, have the
composition and distribution of the liquors, which are
drank in the haram. They procure, sometimes, through
their means, wine and other beverages, of an intoxicating
quality, which are a source of enjoyment, in proportion to
the difficulty of obtaining, and the mystery which is
required in the use of them. The remainder of the eunuchs
of the lowest class are employed simply in executing the
296 HISTORY OP THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
commissions of the ladies of the court. The number who
are seen passing in the capital, on the business of the
liaram^, is incredible. Whatever, therefore, is passing in
the city, is certain of coming to the knowledge of the
court ; and it may be said, that none are better informed of
the news, and especially of the intrigues which are passing
in public, than these secluded females. The expence of the
interior of the palace, defrayed every year by the Nader,
scarcely exceeds fifteen millions.
Of the Armies of the Mogul.
The prodigious number of troops, which the Emperor
always has in pay, renders him the most powerful sovereign
in the Indies. It is commonly reported in Europe, that his
armies are more formidable from their numbers, than their
valour. But the truth is, that the Mogul soldiery are less
deficient in courage, than in the science of war, and that
skill which is so necessary to make the best use of one's
weapons. In comparing the armies of Indostan with
those of Europe, it may be said, that in an engagement
they would prove much inferior to ours. Still, not any of
the nations beyond the Indus, can be compared with the
subjects of the Mogul Emperors for bravery. War, as a
science, is even better understood among them, than it is
among their neighbours. It is by the greater discipline
of their armies, that Akebar and Aurengzebe have so much
extended the limits of their empire, and that the latter, at
this very time, fills the whole east with the terror of his name.
The soldiery, of this great empire, may be said to
be composed of three descriptions of troops. The first,
is that army which the Mogul always maintains in his
capital, and which every day mounts gnard before the
OF THE MILITARY FORCE. 297
palace. The second, are those soldiers who are dispersed
throughout the different provinces of the empire. The
third, are the auxiliary Indian troops, whom the Rajas, the
vassals of the Emperor, are obliged to furnish to the Mogul.
The army, which is encamped every day at the gates
of the palace, whether the court reside at Delhi or Agra,
is composed at least of fifty thousand Iiorse ; there are
also a prodigious number of foot soldiers, that throng the
two capitals. Whenever the Emperor takes the field, the
two cities have the appearance of two deserted camps,
from which a great army has broken up. The multitude
follow the court; and with the exception of the quarter
inhabited by the Banians, who are the rich traders, the
rest of the city appears depopulated. A prodigious
number of sutlers, bearers of burdens, slaves, and small
merchants of every descri^ition, follow in the rear of the
armies, with a view of rendering them the same services,
which they are accustomed to do in the cities. This
soldiery of the royal guard are not all on the same esta-
blishment. The four thousand, who are distinguished by
the appellation of the Emperor's slaves, a term to express
their devotedness to his person, compose the most im-
portant corps among the troops of the Mogul. Their
chief, who is called Daroga, is an officer of high rank, to
whom the command of armies is often entrusted. All the
soldiers, who are selected for admission into so distinguished
a corps, are marked in the forehead. It is from this body,
that the Mansebdars, or subaltern officers are chosen,
preparatory to their being advanced by gradation to the
dignity of War-Omrhas : this is a rank in the army, that
nearly corresponds with that of a general officer in the
European armies.
The guards of tlie Golden Mace, of the Silver Mace,
and of the Iron Mace compose also three diiferent com-
298 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
panics, the soldiers belonging to which are diversely marked
in the forehead. The estimation in which they are held, as
well as their pay, is governed by the value of the metal
with which their maces are ornamented. All these corps
are filled with picked soldiers, selected from such as have
distinguished themselves by their valour. It is necessary
to have served, and to have distinguished himself in some
one of these corps, in order to arrive at the high dignities
of the state. Birth does not confer rank in the armies of
the Mogul ; pre-eminence is the reward of merit alone.
The son of an Omrha of the first rank, often finds himself
confounded with the lowest grades of the soldiery. Among
the Mahometans of India, certain descendants of Mahomet,
who are esteemed in every place where the Alcoran is
confessed, are the only persons in whom an inherent
nobility is acknowledged.
In order to ascertain the number of the troops maintained
by the Emperor, at a distance from the court, it will be
necessary to enumerate the kingdoms which compose tlie
extensive empire of the Mogul. If the historians of the
country are to be credited ; in the vast extent of lands,
which at the present day are subject to the power of the
Emperor, there are no less than fifty-four. In this place,
a less detailed distribution of the soil will be given. The
numerous kingdoms, included within the circuit of the
Mogul territory, will be reduced to twenty ; for the others
are little more, in fact, than large provinces dependant
on some one of the kingdoms which will be enumerated.
Tlte kingdom of Delhi, situated in the centre of the
empire, has for its capital a city of the same name,
and is often the residence of the Mogul Emperors. When-
ever the court resides there, it may be asserted, that the
Emperor keeps in pay in that kingdom, even in time of
peace, nearly two hundred thousand men. When the city
OF THE MILITARY FORCE. 299
of Agra, ill its turn, is inliabited by tlie Emperor, the
kingdom of that name may be said to contain the same
number of soldiers. But when the court is absent, the
garrison consists commonly of fifteen thousand horse, and
double the number of infantry. It is here necessary to
remark, in the enumeration of the troops of the Mogul,
that the foot soldiers, reckoning all descriptions, are gene-
rally twice the number of the cavalry. Mention will,
therefore, be made of the number of the cavalry only, as
the memory of the reader will then be able to supply the
number of infantry. Two reasons oblige the Moguls to
keep, always, on foot in Agra a small army. The first is,
that the treasure of the empire is kept and guarded in that
capital; the second is the war which they are almost con-
stantly obliged to wage with the peasants of the country ;
an intractible and warlike race of people, which has never
been brought completely under their yoke, since the
conquest of Indostan.
The court sometimes takes up its residence in Labor.
When it is absent, the Emperor maintains, at all times,
in that kingdom, twelve thousand cavalry and infantry in
proportion. The kingdom of Asmir is garrisoned by six
thousand horse, and that of Guzurat by ten thousand.
Seven thousand horse are maintained in that of Mallua;
and as many in the kingdom of Patna. Six thousand
defend the kingdom of Multan. With regard to the
kingdom of Cabul ; the army which protects it is always
very considerable. The most formidable enemy, which the
Mogul has, is, doubtless, the Persian. In order, therefore,
to prevent him from extending his conquests beyond
Candahar; as well as, with the object of bridling the
incursions of the Tartars, and containing the Patans in
their duty, the Moguls maintain in this kingdom, (otherwise
sterile, and of a very moderate revenue,) an army of sixty
300 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
thousand horse. The kingdoms of Tata, Bacar, Urecha^
and Cachemire have to garrison them, each, four thousand
horse. Eight thousand horse are reckoned for the kingdom
of the Decan ; seven thousand for that of Barar; six
thousand for Brampour ; four thousand for the protection
of Ragemul, and six thousand for the defence of the
kingdom of Nande.
The kingdoms of Bengal, Ugen, Visapour, and Gol-
conda have stronger garrisons. Bengal, which is bordered
on one side by that part of India which is situated beyond
the Ganges, and on the other by the kingdom of Arracan,
and the city of Chitagong, as well as by some Portuguese
colonies, has occasion for a greater number of soldiers for
its protection. An army of forty thousand horse is there-
fore maintained constantly for its defence. Although the
situation of Ugen, in respect to the Mogul territories;, is
rather centrical ; yet is it locked within the lands of the
most powerful Rajas. A moderate army, capable of making
head against the enterprises of the Indian princes, is always
maintained for the security of this kingdom. The strength
of the protecting force is never less than fifteen thousand
horse. As Visapour, at the time of writing these Memoirs,
was the theatre of the war against the Sevagi, Aurengzebe
had transported into that province his court and his armies.
Lastly, the kingdom of Golconda, a new conquest atchieved
by the reigning Emperor, is preserved to the empire by a
garrison of twenty thousand horse.
Certain it is, that this multitude of soldiers and officers,
which are maintained by the sovereign ; although it protects^,
in some measure, the tranquillity of the state, is, nevertheless,
often the bane of its peace. Whilst the viceroys are kept
to their allegiance, and the troops remain faithful, there is
no danger of the people revolting ; but, when the princes
of the Mogul blood conspire against their legitimate sovc-
OF THE MILITARY FORCE. 301
reign, and enter upon hostilities, tliey find frequently in the
military an instrument prepared to second their designs.
It was by their assistance, that Aurengzebe raised himself
to the throne ; having gained the affection of the principal
ofificers of the empire, and the governors of the provinces,
all the forces, which his father maintained for his defence,
declared in favor of the son. It seems, nevertheless, that
the Moguls have, by a particular providence, given the
preference to this species of government. Being the pro-
prietors of all the lands of the empire, it was, doubtless, but
just, that they should maintain a considerable portion of
their subjects out of their own revenues.
The auxiliary troops, which the Rajas, who are vassals
of the empire, are obliged to furnish to the Mogul, augment
still further the strength of his forces. It is true, that tlie
use made of them in their wars is not unfrequently more
through ostentation, than from necessity. It is a tribute,
which it is always honorable to exact ; and the retention of
these troops in their service secures the fidelity of the tri-
butary prince. There are calculated to be, in all Indostan,
as many as twenty-four of these Indian princes, who still
preserve a species of sovereignty in their native country.
It may, however, be said, that the greater number of tliem
are distinguished at the court of the Mogul from the other
Omrhas, by the contempt only in which they are held by
the prince, and the bad treatment which they receive from
the great officers of the palace. The Rajas, it is true,
possess lands in their own right, and their posterity inherit
their territory, which is almost the only advantage that
their character as sovereigns gives them over the Maho-
metan Omrhas ; a class which makes its way to power by
courting fortune, and whose children often relapse into that
obscuritv% from which merit or favor had raised their
fathers. Some of these idolatrous Rajas still maintain, in
302 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
the presence of the Mogul, a shadow of greatness. Three,
especially, whose states are equally populous, wealthy, and
impregnable, pay their court to the Emperor with dignity.
The first, who pretends to derive his origin from Porus,
and who styles himself the son of him who escaped from the
deluge, (as if this were a title of nobility distinguishing him
from other men) is sovereign of the kingdom of Sedussia.
His capital is Usepour. All the princes of this large
territory, from father to son, take the name of Rana, whicli
signifies. The Handsome Man. He maintains, at all times,
fifty thousand horse, and two hundred thousand infantry.
He is the only Indian prince, who has been able to retain
the privilege of walking under the shade of the parasol ; an
honor reserved only for the sovereign of Indostan.
In wealth and in power the Raja of Rator is equal to the
Raja of Sedussia. He governs in sovereignty nine pro-
vinces. His name, when Aurengzebe mounted the throne,
was Jacont-Sing ; which means, The King Lion. As he is
able to bring into the field an army, in strength equal to
that of Rana, he is as highly esteemed at the court of the
Mogul as the descendant of Porus. One day that Cha-
Jaham threatened Jacont-Sing with a visit to his states,
the Indian, it is said, fiercely answered, that he would pre-
sent to him the next morning a sight, which might, probably,
prevail upon him to spare himself the trouble of the
journey. It was the turn of the Raja to mount guard at
the palace gates. He drew up twenty thousand of his
cavalry upon the banks of the river, and begged the Emperor
to view from a balcony the appearance of the troops of his
states. Cha-Jaham was astonished at the sight of the
shining arms, and the warlike bearing of these brave Raje-
poots. " My lord," said the Raja to the Mogul, " you
have seen fearlessly from the windows of your palace the
bold countenance of my Indians ; you would not, perhaps.
OF THE MILITARY EOPX'E. 303
behold it without peril, should you attempt any violation of
their liberties." The Raja was applauded, and had a pre-
sent made to him.
The third Raja, who is held in high respect at the court
of the Mogul, is able to bring into the field forty thousand
cavalry. His state is called Chague, and his capital.
Amber. At the time of the wars of Aurengzebe, the prince
who reigned there was the famous Ja-Sing, of whom so
much has been spoken. Besides these principal Rajas,
more than thirty others may be reckoned, whose forces are
by no means contemptible. There are four, in particular,
who keep each in pay twenty-five thousand cavalry. All
these princes, on the urgent occasions of the state, unite
their troops to those of the Mogul, command them in ))erson,
give their Rajepoots the same pay as is received by tlie
troops of the empire, and enjoy themselves appointments
equal to those of the first Mahometan generals.
So great a number of auxiliary troops, and such formi-
dable armies dispersed throughout Indostan, maintain, in
general, the frontiers in security, and tend especially to
preserve peace in the centre of the empire. The smallest
hamlet has not less than two horsemen and four foot soldiers
stationed in it. These act likewise as spies of the court,
and are obliged to furnish an account of w hat passes. On
the faith of their informations, orders are dispatched into
the provinces.
The stables of the Emperor are suitable to the number
of his cavalry, and are filled with a prodigious multitude of
horses and elephants. His horses, it is said, are in number
nearly twelve thousand. For the personal accommodation
of the prince, there may not be more than twenty or thirty ;
the rest are for pomp, or destined to serve for presents.
It is the custom of the Emperor to make a present of a
dress and a horse to every one from whom he has received
304 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
the slightest service. All these horses are brought from
Persia, Arabia, and especially from Tartary. The horses,
which are bred in India, besides being very stubborn and
very shy, are weak and sluggish. Every year more than
one hundred thousand are introduced from Balk, Bochara,
and Cabul. This forms a considerable source of revenue to
the customs of the empire.^ They are made to pay twenty-
five per cent, on their value, on passing the Indus. The
best are set apart for the service of the prince, and the
remainder are sold to those persons whose office it is to
keep up a supply for the cavalry. Horses are fed very
differently in India from the mode followed in Europe. In
a soil that is dry, and parched by the intense heat of the
sun, very little forage is to be obtained, except on the banks
of rivers : the want of it is supplied by a sort of seasoned
paste. In the morning bread is prepared, compounded of
sugar and butter, which is given to them by way of break-
fast. In the evening rice milk is made, mixed with pepper
and aniseed ; this is for their supper. All the horses of
the Emperor retain the name which he has bestowed upon
them. One is called Rad-baftar, signifying, ^' fleet as the
wind ;" another Cha-Passand, meaning, '" the prince's
favorite.'*
The elephants of the Emperor form also a considerable
accession of strength to his army, and an ornament to his
palace. As many as five hundred are fed and lodged under
large porches, built expressly for them. The Mogul
bestows upon them very majestic appellations, and such
as are appropriate to such prodigious animals. Memum-
Babarecq is the name of one elephant, signifying, " he
that marches with dignity ;" Dul-Singer, is that of another,
which is, " the terror of armies." The harness for these
elephants is of astonishing magnificence. The one, espe-
cially, on which the Emperor is mounted, has upon its back
OV IIIC MILITARY 1 OliCK . 305
a throne, shining' with gold and precious stones. The
others are covered with plates of gold and silver, housings
with gold embroidery, tuffs and fringes of gold. The
Mogul appears to have taken a pleasure in displaying the
greatest possible magnificence in adorning these superb
animals, which constitute, ordinarily, the means of his con-
veyance when he goes abroad. The elephant of the throne,
that is called Orang-Gas, meaning, " the captain of the
elephants," has always a large train in his suite, and a
number of officers to attend on him. Whenever he
marches, he is preceded by the sound of timbals and
trumpets, and baimers displayed. His pay is treble that
of any other elephant. The nourishment for eacli elepiiant
is estimated at twenty-five rupees each day ; tliat is, of
about thirty -three livres of French monej^ Ten valets are
appointed to take charge of each elephant, and to attend to
all his necessities. Two of them^ w ho are callerl Cornaques^
perform the duty of exercising, leading, and directing
him. Two others bind on his chains ; two help him to the
water, and to the wine which is allowed for his drinking;
two carry before him lances, with which they disperse the
populace ; two let off fireworks before his eyes, to accustom
him to support the sight without terror ; one is i)nid for
furnishing him continually with fresh litter; and another
for driving away the insects that molest him, and refreshing
him at intervals by pouring water upon his body. These
elephants are trained eciually for hunting, and for war.
They will attack lions, and tigers ; and it is by such exer-
cises that tliey are familiarised to carnage. The maua?uvres,
especially, by which they are taught to force the gates of
cities, has something in it extremely military.
There are no arsenals in India. Every leader of a troop
is obliged to provide his soldiers w^ith arms. In their
armies are seen a medley of musquets, bows, swords,
X
306 HISTORY Ul IHE MOGUL DYNASTY.
ciiiietars^ and lances. Different arms are often used,
indeed, in the same troop. One, armed with the bow, will
combat by the side of his comrade carrying a musquet or a
lance. Aurengzebe has begun to reform this species of
disorder; The Emperor's private arsenal is superb. His
javelins, bows, quivers, and, especially, his sabres are
ranged in the greatest order ; the whole shining resplend-
ently with precious stones. He gives names to his arms,
as he does to every thing else. One of his cimetars is called
Alanguir, which is, " the subduer of the earth ;" another,
Fate-Alam, " the conqueror of the world." Every Friday,
in the morning, the Mogul says his prayers in the arsenal.
He supplicates, that with his sabres, God will give him
victory, and enable him to make his enemies fear the name
of the Eternal.
The artillery of the Empeior is very numerous ; and
the pieces of ordnance, with which his armies are supplied,
are for the most part more ancient than any which are in
use in Europe. Cannon and powder were certainly known
in India a long time prior to its conquest by Tamerlane.
It is pretended that the Chinese, to whom they attribute
the discovery, had cast pieces of ordnance at Delhi, during
the time they were in possession of that city. Such is the
tradition of the country. Names have been bestowed,
according to the custom of the empire, on each piece of
artillery. One is called, Orang-Var, that is, " the strength
of the throne ;" another, Bargisican, signifying, " he that
breaks down bulwarks." The cannoneers of the empire,
under the Emperors, the predecessors of Aurengzebe,
were almost all Europeans. The zeal of the reigning sove-
reign for the Alcoran has prompted him to reject the
services of all who are not Mahometans. Few Franguis
are now seen at the court, with the exception of physicians,
and jewellers. The rest hav6 abandoned a country, in
OF Tin: REVENLES. 307
wliicli their religion was no longer tolerated, as formerly.
The Emperor has learnt with success, to dispense with the
aid of the cannoneers, and with that in general of European
artificers.
The description, which I have given of the forces, and
of the armies of the Mogul, must, doubtless, instil a high
opinion of the power of this great monarch. It is in his
journies, and in his hunting parties, especially, that he
makes the most magnificent display of his riches and
splendour. On tliese occasions, he is attended by his
armies. A palace is conveyed, in his train, not inferior in
size to those which he inhabits in his capitals. This is
every day erected in the centre of a camp, composed of the
magnificent pavilions provided by the nobles of the court
for their own accommodation. The bordering nations are
appalled at this display ; and he is almost certain of victory,
when he takes arms against an Indian people.
Of the Revenues of the Mogul.
It may easily be conceived, that so magnificent a court,
and such large armies, cannot be supported without innnense
revenues. Generally speaking, the people of Europe are
sufliciently sensible of the great wealth of the Mogul ; and,
perhaps, the distance of the country, and the many fabulous
relations, which have been given, may have too much exalted
it in their imagination. In order to give a just idea of it,
three things will be especially noticed; and first, the fer-
tility of Indostan, and the abundant crops which its soil
produces : secondly, the wealth which is introduced into
it from Europe, Africa, and Asia, by the instrumentality
of commerce : thirdly, the tributes exacted by the Emperor
from his subjects.
X 2
308 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
It is well known^ that the extent of the imperial domain.^
is equivalent to that of the whole lands of the empire..
The Mogul is the sole proprietor of the entire soil, and the
only heir of his people. To form an idea, therefore, of
his revenue, it will be necessary to estimate the produce
extracted from the soil. The wealth of the sovereign may
then be judged as nearly as possible, from the abundance
of Indostan. With this view, a glance will be taken at the
principal kingdoms of this great empire, explaining their
situation, their produce, and the commerce carried on by
them.
The kingdom of Delhi holds the first rank in India. Its
capital is situated in the 31st degree 45 minutes of latitude,
and in the 123rd degree of longitude. The soil is fertile
in grain, and seems better cultivated than that of the more
distant provinces.
The kingdom of Agra, whose capital of the same name
is placed in the 29th degree 20 minutes of latitude, and in
the 123rd degree of longitude, is less abundant than that
of Delhi in wheat and rice. This is compensated by its
producing indigo, and by the great commerce which it
carries on from the produce of its manufactures. The
muslins, silk stuffs, silver and gold cloths, which are
especially in request for turbans ; as well as the lace which
is made there, render Agra one of the most opulent pro-
vinces of all India.
The kingdom of Pangiab has for its capital the city of
Labor. It is situated in the 33rd degree of latitude, and
in the 119th degree 40 minutes of longitude. Fine cloths
are here manufactured, pieces of silk of every colour,
embroidery work, carpets of different patterns, and thick
woollen stuffs. It is from thence that the rock salt is
extracted^ which is sent to every part of the empire,
The city of Asmir gives its name to a kingdom. It is
OF THE REVENl'E.S. 309
in ilie 30tli degree of latitude, and in the 121st degree of
longitude. This country abounds in grain and in pasturage.
The kingdom of Guzurat does not yield in riches to any
other in the empire. Its capital, called Amadubat, is in
the 23rd degree of latitude, and in the 117th degree 30
minutes of longitude. The great abundance of grain
which is raised here, and the precious merchandise which
it manufactures, give a great reputation to this kingdom.
Gold and silver cloths, and silk stuffs, are exported.
Jewellery work of all sorts is here carried on.
Mallua is the capital of a kingdom which bears the
same name. It is in the 26th degree of latitude, and in the
r03rd degree 50 minutes of longitude. The country is
fruitful in grain, and abundant in plain and coloured
cloths.
The kingdom of Bear has the city of Patna for its
-capital. This city is situated in the 25th degree of latitude,
and in the 132d degree of longitude. Saltpetre is found
here, with which vessels are freighted for Europe ; and a
species of pottery with an agreeable smell is made, almost
as fine as paper. It is in use in the haram of the Mogul,
and in the palaces of the princes.
Multan, whose principal city is in the 33rd degree 40
minutes of latitude, and in the 115th degree 20 minutes of
longitude, furnishes scarcely any articles of commerce,
except a few horses, and some camels without hair.
Cabulestan, abounding in pasturages, produces good
horses, and haired camels. Its capital, Cabul, is in lati-
tude 36 degrees 20 minutes, and longitude 113 degrees 50
minutes.
The kingdoms of Tata and of Bacar are equally rich in
excellent corn, and in cattle. The capital of the last of
these kingdoms is in latitude 28 degrees 30 minutes, an^i
longitude 112 degrees 25 minutes.
310 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
Urecha is the name of a kingdom, and of a pretty con-
siderable city, situated in latitude 20 degrees 25 minutes,
and in longitude 125 degrees 20 minutes. The soil is fertile
in rice.
In the city of Benares, situated in the kingdom oflllavas,
latitude 29 degrees 25 minutes, and longitude 129 degrees 15
minutes, vegetables and most sorts of grain are produced in
abundance. The silk stuffs, gold and silver cloths, magni-
ficent turbans, beautiful girdles, and light dresses for the
ladies of the haram, which are here made, render the
country one of the richest in all India.
Orangabad is the capital of the kingdom of the
Decan. It Avas built by the reigning Emperor, and is in
latitude 19 degrees 25 minutes, and in longitude 120 degrees
25 minutes. Silk stuffs and fine cloths are made here.
One of the most productive kingdoms of Indostan is
that of Barar. Corn and rice are raised, and it is planted
with vegetables. It is here, that the poppy, from which
opium is extracted, abounds. Sugar canes are produced,
almost without the trouble of cultivation. The capital of
this fertile kingdom is in latitude 23 degrees, and in longi-
tude 129 degrees 40 minutes.
The kingdom of Brampour is fertile in grain ; its
capital, of the same name, is in latitude 23 degrees, and in
longitude 123 degrees 30 minutes.
Baglana and Nande, two kingdoms, celebrated for the
plain and coloured cloths which are manufactured in them,
bear the same name as their capitals. The first is in latitude
19 degrees, and in longitude 118 degrees ; the second in 27
degrees latitude, and 124 degrees 20 minutes of longitude.
Bengal, of all the kingdoms of the Mogul empire, is the
best known in France. The prodigious riclies,which are trans-
ported from that country every year into Europe, are a proof
of its frnitfulness. It may be said to be nothing inferior in
OF THE REVENIES. 311
fertility to Egypt, and even to surpass it in the production
of silks, cottons, sugar and indigo. Every thing is most
abundant; fruits, vegetables, grain, fine cloths, and gold
silk stuffs. Its capital, Daca, is in latitude 23 degrees
20 minutes, and in longitude 123 degrees 40 minutes.
The kingdom of Ugen produces salt and grain only.
Its capital, of the same name, a very ancient city, is in lati-
tude 28 degrees 25 minutes, and in longitude 122 degrees
30 minutes.
The fine cloths of the kingdom of Ragemal are highly
esteemed, and rice is produced in abundance. Its capital is
in latitude 24 degrees 20 minutes, and longitude 132 degrees.
The kingdoms of Visapour and Golconda are newly
acquired territories, added by Aurengzebe to the Mogul
empire. The diamond mine is a dependancy of the latter
kingdom, and is a source of great wealth to the conqueror.
The plain and coloured cloths which are manufactured
there ; iron, in which it abounds ; the bezoar stones which
are found there; augment the value of so fine a conquest.
The capital of Visapour is in latitude 17 degrees 2.5 minutes,
and in longitude 118 degrees 50 minutes. Baganagar, the
principal city of Golconda, is commonly placed in latitude 19
degrees 40 minutes, and in longitude 124 degrees 40 minutes.
This short review of so many kingdoms, all the lands
of which are the property of the sovereign, has, doubtless,
furnished some idea of his opulence. The revenues, which
are drawn from the territory of Indostan, cannot, however,,
be estimated on the same principle as that of land to the
same extent in France. In India, large tracts of country
are met with, which are not susceptible of cultivation.
Others are found,, possessing great fertihty, but unpro-
ductive, through the neglect of the inhabitants. The
people of Indostan cannot be expected to give the same
application to the cultivation of the patrimony of the
312 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
Emperoi% as would be employed by an individual in Europe^,
to render productive a soil of which he is himself the
rightful possessor. This is a vice naturally resulting from
that species of despotism established by the Moguls on
the theatre of their conquests. Akebar, who introduced
reforms into the finances of his empire^ for the purpose of
remedying this evil;, no longer paid his viceroys and gover-
nors in money. He relinquished to them some of the lands
of their departments;, to be cultivated on their own account^
and exacted for the remainder a fixed sum. The conditions
were regulated on the principle of the greater or less fer-
tility of their province. These governors^ who arC;, properly
speaking, only the farmers of the empire, let out in their
turn these lands- The great difficulty is, to find labourers
in the country, who are willing to engage in the cultivation
of the lands, for the sole advantage of obtaining a mere
subsistence. Violence, in consequence, is obliged to be
resorted to ; and the peasants are compelled to labour upon
them. Hence their revolts, and frequent emigrations to
the countries of the Indian Rajas, who are accustomed to
treat them with rather more humanity. Thus the population
of the territory of the Mogul insensibly diminishes, and the
lands lie fallow and uncultivated.
The gold and silver, which is introduced into Indostan
by the instrumentality of commerce, supply abundantly the
defect of cultivation, and augment, infinitely, the riches of
the sovereign. If, upon this subject, M. Bernier may be
believed, who is not prone to a vice common to travellers,
and is thought not to exaggerate the advantages of this
empire ; Indostan is an abyss that engulphs all the trea-
sures which are transported to the rest of the world, from
the American continent. All the silver of Mexico, and all
the gold of Peru, he says, after having circulated for a
time in Europe and in Asia^ find their way to the domi-
OF THE REVENUES. 313
ftions of the Mo^ul, and never afterwards leave tlie country.
It is well known, he says, that a part of these treasures
are transported to Turkey, in payment for the merchandise
which is received from that country. Thence, by the way
of Smyrna, they pass into Persia in payment for its silks.
They then enter Indostan, by the intercourse of commerce
carried on with Moka, Babelmandel, Bassora, and Bender
Abassi. Much treasure is, besides, conveyed direct from Eu-
rope to the Indies, especially through the commerce carried
on by the Dutch, and the Portuguese. Almost all the money
drawn by the former from Japan remains on the territory
of the Mogul. They find their advantage in taking the pro-
duce of the country, and leaving gold and silver in its
stead. Indostan, it is true, notwithstanding its fertility,
receives certain commodities from the countries of Europe,
and Asia. Copper is introduced from Japan ; lead from
England ; cinnamon, nutmeg, and elephants, from Ceylon :
horses from Arabia, Persia, and Tartarj'. The traders,
however, commonly take the produce of the country in
exchange, with which they relade the same vessels that
have carried out to India the commodities of their respective
countries. Thus, the greater part of the gold and silver
of the universe finds innumerable channels by which it
may enter Indostan, and scarcely a single one for escaping
from it.
The following reflection of M. Bernier merits attention :
— Notwithstanding the astonishing quantity of gold and
silver which finds its way to the Mogul states, and never
afterwards leaves them ; it is wonderful, he says, that a
larger treasure should not be found in the hoards of indi-
viduals, than is common in other countries. It must, indeed,
be admitted, that the cloths, and gold and silver brocades,
which are manufactured in such abundance, the jewellery
work; and especially the gildings^ must consume a pretty
314 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
considerable quantity of these metals ; but it will still be
necessary to recur to other causes. The Indians are known
to entertain a superstitious notion, which prompts them to
bury their treasures ; this may account^, partially, for the
disappearance of the money they may have amassed. They
imagine that their souls after death will animate the body
of some other Indian, and that they may thus find in a
time of adversity, a resource in this concealed wealth.^
It is acknowledged, that by these practices, a part of the
precious metals, which have been extracted from the bowels
of the earth in America, returns into its bosom in Indostan.
But what chiefly contributes to the scarcity of specie, in
the empire of the Mogul, is to be found in the conduct of
the court. The Emperors amass great treasures, and
although no one of them, with the exception of Cha-Jaham,
has been accused of being violently addicted to avarice,
they all like to secure gold and silver in subterraneous
vaults, considering a too great abundance of them in the
hands of the public as pernicious. The fact then is, that
the precious metals, which are introduced into India by
the operations of commerce, are all finally swallowed up
by the coffers of the prince. All that remains, after
defraying the expenses of the government, is carefully
reserved, and used only when required by the very pressing
exigencies of the state.
All which has hitherto been advanced, on the subject of
the finances of the Mogul, will have prepared the reader
for giving credence to what is about to be related. The
immense revenues which the Mogul collects from his states
will, doubtless, no longer excite surprise. The list here
recorded is extracted from the archives of the empire.
The actual produce of the domains in the entire extent of
his sovereignty, and of which the Emperor was sole pro-
prietor, was exactly such in the >year 1697, as is about to
OF THR RF. VENUES. 315
be described. For a proper uiiderstaiidinp:, it is necessary
lo premise two tilings. First, that all tlie kingdoms of
the empire are divided into Circars, or Provinces ; that the
Circars are again divided into Parganas, or Governments
within the circuit of a province. These latter are, properly
speaking, the lands let out by the Emperor. Secondly, it
is necessary to be understood, that according to the
manner of reckoning in Indostan^, a Carol is equal to one
hundred Lacks, or ten millions ; that a Lack is equivalent
to one hundred thousand Rupees ; lastly, that a Rupee is
equal to thirty sols, money of France.
The kingdom of Delhi has, within its circuit, eight
Circars, and 220 Parganas, which furnish one carol, 25
lacks, and 50,000 rupees.
In the kingdom of Agra are 14 Circars, and 278 Par-
ganas, which pay to the Emperor, two carols, 22 lacks,
and 3,550 rupees.
Within the extent of the kingdom of Labor are five
Circars, and 314 Parganas, paying two carols, 33 lacks,
and 5,000 rupees.
The Circars and Parganas of the kingdom of Asmir
pay two carols, 19 lacks, and two rupees.
The kingdom of Guzurat, which has nine Circars and
19 Parganas, pays the Emperor two carols, 33 lacks, and
95,000 rupees.
Mallua contains 11 Circars, and 250 small Parganas,
^nd pays only 99 lacks, and 6,250 rupees.
Bear, eight Circars, 245 small Parganas, pa5's one
carol, 21 lacks, and 50,000 rupees.
Multan, fourteen Circars, 96 Parganas, 50 lacks, 25,000
rupees.
Cabul, thirty-five Parganas. 32 lacks, 7,250 rupees.
Tata paj/s 60 lacks, 2,000 rupees.
Bacar pays 24 lacks.
316 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
Urecha has eleven Circars, and a great number of
Parganas, and pays 57 lacks, 7,500 rupees.
Cachemire, 46 Parganas, pays only 35 lacks, and 5,000
rupees.
Illavas, with its dependancies, pays 77 lacks, and 38,000
rupees.
The kingdom of the Decan has eight Circars, and 79
Parganas, and pays one carol, 62 lacks, 4,750 rupees.
Barar, ten Circars, 191 small Parganas, one carol, 58
lacks, 7,500 rupees.
Candis, a great province, pays one carol, 11 lacks,
5,000 rupees.
Baglana, 43 Parganas, 68 lacks, 85,000 rupees.
Nande, pays 72 lacks.
Bengal pays four carols.
Ugen, two carols.
Ragemal, one carol, 50,000 rupees.
Visapour, and a moiety of the province of the Carnatic
pays five carols.
Lastly, Golconda and the other moiety of the Carnatic
pays five carols.
The sum total, makes, 387 millions, 194 thousand rupees.
Estimating the rupee at 30 French sols, the domain of the
Mogul Emperor furnishes yearly a revenue of 580 millions
791,000 livres.
The casualities of the empire are another source of
revenue, in addition to the beforementioned, derived solely
from the produce of the soil. In the first place, a pole tax
is levied upon every Indian idolater. As the accidents of
death, travelling, and emigration cause much confusion in
the collection, fraudulent returns are very liable to be made ;
the governors of the provinces often availing themselves of
such circumstances to disguise, and diminish the actual
receipt. Secondly, all the merchandise, exported by the
OF THE REVENUES. 317
idolatrous traders, pays to the customs five per cent, on its
value. The Mahometans have been exempted from this
species of impost by Aurengzebe. Thirdlj', the bleaching
of that infinite quantity of linen clotlis, which are manu-
factured in the Indies, is another source of taxation.
Fourtldy, the diamond mine pays a heavy duty to the
Emperor. He exacts for his own use, the finest and the
most perfect, that is to say, all those which are in size
more than three eighths. Fifthly, the sea ports, and parti-
cularly those of Sintli, Barocha, Surat, and Cambaye are
heavily taxed. Surat, alone, pays in general thirty lacks
for port entries, and eleven lacks on account of the profit
arising from coinage. Sixthly, the whole coast of Coro-
mandel, and the ports situated on the banks of the Ganges,
produce a considerable revenue. Seventldy, the monarch's
universal heirship to the property of all his INIahometan
subjects, who are in his pay, augments greatly his revenue.
The furniture, the money, and all the effects of the deceased
belong of right to the Emperor. The wives of governors of
provinces, and of the commanders of armies, are in conse-
quence often reduced to subsist on a small pension ; and their
children, if destitute of talent, fall into povertj^ Eighthlj-,
the tributes of the Rajas are of sufficient consequence to be
classed among the principal sources of revenue to the IMoguI.
• All these adventitious sources of revenue, nearly equal,
or even exceed the wealth derived by the Emperor from
the soil of his domains. A wealth, so prodigious, is,
doubtless, a matter of astonishment ; but, it must be
recollected, that a great part of these riches flow only into
the treasury of the Mogul, again every year to leave it,
and circulate anew upon the lands. One half of the
population are supported by the liberalities of the prince,
or^ at least, are in his pay. Independently of the great
number of officers and soldiers who live on their pav, all
318 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
the peasants who labour on the lands on account of tlie
sovereign, are nourished at his charge ; and nearly all the
artisans in the cities, who are obliged to labour for the
royal family, are paid out of the Imperial treasury. This
will give a sufficient idea of the state of dependance in
which his subjects are held, and of the depth of their
subjection to their Sovereign Imperial Lord.
Of the Government, and of the Police of the
Mogul Empire.
There remains little to be added on the subject of the
species of government, and of the police established by the
Moguls in India. Nothing certainly can be more simple
than the springs which move this great empire. The
Emperor is the soul of the whole. As his rule is as
absolute, as his right over the soil, the whole authority is
concentrated in his person alone ; and, properly speaking,
there is but one master in Indostan. All the rest are more
entitled to be regarded as slaves, than subjects.
The affairs of the state are entirely confided to three
or four Omrhas of the first rank at court, who administer
them under the direction of the prince. The Etmadoulet
has the rank of first minister to the Emperor, and occupies
in India, in the service of the Mogul, the same place, which
the chief vizier holds in Turkey, in the service of the
Grand Seignour.
This is often, however, a title without employment, and
a dignity without office. A man without experience is
sometimes selected for Etmadoulet; and who has no further
concern with the post, than to receive its emoluments.
Sometimes it is a prince of the Mogul blood, who has been
suffered quietly to attain to an advanced age; sometimes
OF TFIE GOVERNMENT AND POLICE. 319
it is the father of a favorite queen, taken perhaps from tlie
lowest rank of the sokliery, or from the meanest of the
populace. In these cases, the whole weight of the govern-
ment devolves upon the two secretaries of state. One
collects the treasures of the empire ; the other disburses
them. This pays the officers of the crown, the troops, and
the labourers ; the other receives the tributes, collects the
revenue from the lands, and that arising from the imposts.
A third minister of finance, but of inferior rank to the
secretaries of state, has the duty of collecting the inheri-
tances of all those who die in the service of tlie jirince.
This is a profitable, yet an odious service. These eminent
offices of the empire are only attained by a course of
military service. The ministers who rule the state, and
the generals who command the troops, are all equally
chosen from among the officers of the army. Whenever
their interest with the monarch is solicited, they are never
approached without a present. This is rather reputed a
mark of respect on the part of the petitioner, than charged
to a base passion of avarice on the side of the Omrhas.
The value of the present is little regarded, the chief matter
is, not to appear empty-handed in the presence of the great
officers of the court.
The command of the armies, when the Emperor is not
himself at the head of his troops, is often confided to a
prince of the blood. In the absence of a Sultan of the
Imperial family, two generals are chosen by the sovereign ;
one from the Mahometan Omrhas, the other from the Indian
Rajas. The troops of the empire are commanded by the
Omrha ; and the Rajepoot auxiliaries obey oiily a Raja of
their own nation. It was the Emperor Akebar who insti-
tuted the discipline of their armies, and who established in
them the order about to be described. He directed that all
the officers of his troops should be paid under tliree
320 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
different heads. The first, under the head of twelvemonths 5
the second under that of six months ; and the third under
that of four months. Thus, when the Emperor directs to
be paid to a Mansebdar, (which is the name given to the
inferior officers) twenty rupees a month under the first
head, his pay for the year amounts to seven hundred and
fifty rupees ; ten rupees being added over and above. He,
to whom the twenty rupees a month are assigned, under the
second head, receives yearly three hundred and seventy-five
rupees ; and he, whose pay is under the third head, has
yearly only two hundred and fifty rupees. This is a capri-
cious arrangement ; for the services of those, who are paid
only on the footing of four months, are equally severe
throughout the year with that of the officers of the same
rank, who receive pay upon the footing of twelve months.
The Emperors have proposed by this means, to give them-
selves an air of dignity, and of regard to justice, which is
suitable to the genius of the Orientals. They would have
it to be supposed, that if they gave less to some of their
officers than to others, it is because they receive from them
less constant services. The Mogul, besides, when he orders
the pension of a Mansebdar, never uses the term of rupees.
He always makes use of the word Dams, which is the term
for a small coin but little used in commerce. Forty of
them make a rupee. Thus, when the Emperor orders an
officer a pension of a thousand rupees ; " I assign him," he
says, " fifty thousand dams for his pay," an emphatic style
of expression, which does not augment the value of the
gift
When the pension of an officer of the army, or of the
court, amounts monthly to a thousand rupees under the
first head ; that is, according to the manner of reckoning
in the Mogul states, to an Azari Omarhao, he is no longer
rated in the class of Mansebdars ; he has the quality of
OP THK (GOVERNMENT AND POLICE. 321
Omrlia. This dignity is thus attaclied to the amount of
pay received. He is then obliged to maintain an elephant,
and two hundred and fifty horsemen for the service of the
prince. These fifty thousand rupees of yearly pension,
would, doubtless, be insufficient, even in the Indies, to
support the charge of so considerable a corps ; for the
Oinrha is obliged to provide at least two horses for each of
his soldiers. The Emperor furnishes the means from other
sources. He assigns to the officer some lands from his
domains. The expence of each horseman is calculated
on the principle of ten rupees a day ; but the property in
land, which is relinquished for the Onn'has to cultivate on
their own account, produces much beyond what would be
required to defray the expences of their horsemen.
The Omrhas, moreover, do not always receive the
same pay. There are some, whose pay amounts to two
azaris; others, to three azaris ; some to four; others again
to five. Lastly, those of the first rank receive as nuich
as six. That is to say, all advantages included, the pension
of these last may amount to three millions of rupees yearly.
Their suit is, therefore, very magnificent, and the cavalry
in their pay is equal to a small arm) . Certain Omrhas
have sometimes proved formidable to the sovereign by the
means of such an auxiliary. The example of Mahobet-Cham
ought, doubtless, to have corrected so dangerous a libe-
rality, which elevates the subject too near the throne. But,
the institution was introduced by Akebar, and no Emperor
has ventured its innovation. There are, generally speaking,
six Omrhas, who enjoy the largest pension. The etma-
doulet, the two secretaries of state, and the viceroys of
Cabul, Bengal, and Ugen. The pay of the horsemen, and
of the rest of the soldiery, is at the discretion of the Omrhas,
who levy and who maintain them. The law requires that
they should be paid every day ; but it is ill observed.
Y
322 HISTORV OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
Some money is^ indeed, distributed to them every month ;
but they are often obliged to accept in payment the antique
furniture of the palaces, and the dresses which the wives of
the Omrhas have cast aside. It is by such impositions,
that the first officers of the empire accumulate great wealth,
which passes at their death into the coffers of the sove-
reign.
Nothing can possibly be more uniform than the admi-
nistration of justice in the States of the Mogul. The
viceroys, the governors of provinces, the chiefs of the cities,
and of the smallest towns, perform precisely in the place of
their department, (subject always to the Emperor) the part
acted by the Mogul in Agra or in Delhi. They alone
administer justice, and decide causes which concern the
property and the life of the subject. It is true, that in all
the cities of the empire, a Cot'.vall and a Cazi have been
established for judging certain causes. Nevertheless,
nothing is decided at their tribunals, but such causes as it
lias pleased the parties to carry before them. Every one
has the right to carry his cause at once, either before the
Emperor himself, in whatever place he may reside, or
before the viceroys, in the capital of their viceroyalty, or
before the governors, in the place of their superintendance.
The Cotwall fills, at the same time, the office of police
magistrate, and of grand provost. At the present day,
under Aurengzebe, a zealous observer of the laws of the
Alcoran, the principal duty of the judge of police is to
prevent drunkenness, to exterminate the wine shops, and
all places of debauchery, and to punish those who distil
arrack, a species of brandy extracted from sugar. It is
his duty to make a report to the Emperor of all the
domestic disorders which occur in families ; of disputes, of
seditions, and of nocturnal assemblages. With this view he
maintains, in every quarter of the city, a prodigious number
OF THE GOVERNMENT. 323
of spies. Those, of whose services he chiefly avails him-
self, are a class of persons called Alarcors, whose employ-
ment consists in cleansing the houses, and putting the
furniture in order. Every morning, they enter the resi-
dences of the citizens, inform themselves of the secrets of
the families, interrogate the slaves, and make their report
to the Cotwall. This chief officer of justice, in his capacity
of grand provost, is responsible, on the strength of the
gratuities of his post, for all the robberies which occur in
his district, both in the city and in the country. His zeal
and his vigilance may, therefore, be easily imagined. He
has always soldiers dispersed throughout the country, and
persons in disguise in the cities, whose care it is to keep
watch, and preserve good order. The jurisdiction of the
Cari seldom extends beyond matters of religion, and the
dissolution of marriages, ft is not permitted to either of
these inferior judges to pronounce sentences of death,
without having first made a report to the Emperor, The
sovereign must himself have given his assent to the decree
of condemnation, three times, on three different days,
before they are suffered to put it into execution. The
same law prevails in the provinces, and the power of life
and death is reserved to the viceroys, and governors alone.
Justice is administered in the Mogul States with
promptitude. Without having recourse to a number of
formalities, each person gives an exposition of his own
case, or causes it to be explained by the Omrhas. Wit-
nesses are heard, and a decision is given on the spot, which
is almost always as just as it is prompt. Corruption in the
judges, and the perjury of witnesses, it nmst be acknow-
ledged, have place in Indostan as well as in other countries ;
but, false evidence, and the taking of bribes by the judges,
subject the parties to the penalty of death, if detected.
All which can be done to remedy these evils, is eifected bv
324 HISTORY OF THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
the severity of this law. Unjust decisions are, it seems, a
universal grievance, which the tediousness of processes
does not always correct. Besides, this small number of
judicial officers, which, in the largest, as well as in the
smallest cities, is limited to three, have not even so much
employment as the least of our judges ; a class which is so
numerous in Europe.
Such are the institutions of the great empire, whose
history has been recorded. They have not been repre-
sented as free from defect ; but as exhibiting rather a state,
in which barbarism was so qualified by the equity which
pervaded the administration of justice, as to render the
government of the Mogul empire little inferior to that of
any other nation. The Emperor, who now rules the realms
of Indostan, sustains by his ability, and is extending
daily by his valour, an empire, which has never suffered
any diminution of its prosperity since his accession.
FINIS.
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