Travels in the Mogul Empire

by François Bernier

He still feared Chah-Jehan and Dara, and dreaded the consequence of laying hands on a Royal Personage; a violence not likely to escape punishment, sooner or later, though that punishment should be inflicted by Aureng-Zebe himself.

was decided between them that Jesseingue should straightway repair to Soliman-Chekouh’s tent, show him the overtures made by Aureng-Zebe, and disclose frankly the whole state [Page 59] of his mind.

Many of Soliman-Chekouh’s attendants, discouraged by this disgraceful outrage, deserted him, and the peasantry, after spoiling them, even assassinated many of the Prince’s followers.

that she had dictated the message, and that there were collected in the fortress several large and robust Tartar women, such as are employed in the seraglio, for the purpose of falling upon him with arms in their hands, as soon as he entered the fortress. Aureng-Zebe would not, therefore, venture within its walls; and though he repeatedly fixed the day for obeying his father’s summons, he as often deferred it to the morrow.

This enterprising young man, having posted a number of men in the vicinity, entered the place on the plea of visiting the Mogol with a message from Aureng-Zebe, and fell suddenly on the guards stationed at the gate; he was quickly followed by his men, who overcame the unsuspecting garrison, and made themselves masters of the fortress. If ever man was astonished, that man was Chah-Jehan when he perceived that he had fallen into the trap he had prepared for others, that he himself was a prisoner,

If Sultan Mahmoud had possessed sufficient daring to close with these proposals, it appears extremely probable that he might have supplanted his father.

It is the general opinion that Sultan Mahmoud committed the same error upon this occasion as his grandfather had done after the battle of Samonguer and flight of Dara.

It is the vulgar practice, these people say, to judge of the wisdom of every plan according to the event by which it is followed: the worst-digested schemes are frequently attended with success, and then they are applauded by all the world;

Many intelligent persons, however, deny the truth of these allegations, and contend that the letter, thus generally exhibited, was a mere invention to deceive the public, and to reconcile them to the outrageous measures of which the Mogol’s adherents had so much right to complain.

can indeed scarcely repress my indignation when I reflect that there was not a single movement, nor even a voice heard, in behalf of the aged and injured Monarch; although the Omrahs, who bowed the knee to his oppressors, were indebted to him for their rank and riches, having been, according to the custom of this court, raised by Chah-Jehan from a state of the lowest indigence, and many of them even redeemed from absolute slavery

It may, however, diminish our censure of this ungrateful conduct, if we call to mind that the Omrahs of Hindoustan cannot be proprietors of land, or enjoy an independent revenue, like the nobility of France and the other states of Christendom. Their income, as I said before,101 consists exclusively of pensions which the King grants or takes away according to his own will or pleasure.

When deprived of this pension, they sink at once into utter insignificance, and find it impossible even to borrow the smallest sum.

When the day arrived for the departure of the army, Morad-Bakche’s particular friends, and chief among them the eunuch Chah-Abas, employed every argument to induce him to remain with his own troops in the neighbourhood of Agra and Dehli.

An excess of respect, and too smooth a tongue denoted, they said, a treacherous heart.

They represented to him that being King, and universally acknowledged as such, even by Aureng-Zebe himself, it was his wisest policy not to remove from the neighbourhood of Agra or Dehli, ...

During supper, the utmost good-humour and conviviality apparently prevailed; the conversation was enlivening and incessant, and at the end of the repast, a large quantity of the delicious wines of Chiraz and Caboul was introduced.

An extravagant fondness for wine was among Morad-Bakche’s foibles, and upon the present occasion, finding it peculiarly good, he drank to such excess that he became intoxicated, and fell into a deep sleep.

He entered the room, and pushing the Prince rudely with his feet, until he opened his eyes, uttered this short and insolent reprimand, ‘Oh, shame and infamy! Thou a King and yet possessing so little discretion? What will the world now say of thee, and even of me? Let this wretched and drunken man be bound hand and foot, and removed there within, to sleep away his shame.’

In short, he had grown so quarrelsome and ungovernable, that it became necessary to confine him apart:

but in the morning, when recovered from his night’s debauch, he would be again set at liberty.

Nor did he fare better than the private men: his meal consisted of dry bread and impure water, and his bed was the bare ground.

Dara is blamed by the statesmen of this country for not having taken the route to the kingdom of Caboul when he abandoned Lahor. He was strongly advised to adopt that course, and his reasons for refusing such sage counsel must always be enigmatical. The governor of Caboul was Mohabet-kan, one of the most ancient and powerful Omrahs of Hindoustan, who had never been on friendly terms with Aureng-Zebe; and there were assembled in that kingdom above ten thousand troops destined to act against the Augans,

These Europeans were employed in the artillery, and had been induced by his magnificent promises to enter into the Prince’s service. In the event of his ascending the throne, it was intended to promote them to the rank of Omrahs, even although they were Franks.

It seems indeed that this man was so assiduous in paying court to Dara, that he succeeded in impressing his mind with an opinion of his devotedness and esteem; and although warned of his treacherous character, the deluded Prince had the imprudence to confide in the governor’s professions, communicating to him the whole of his plans, and showing him the letters from the Raja Jessomseingue, and several other faithful adherents, who were making preparations to join him with all the forces they could muster.

He was placed in a critical and intricate situation; but his best course, he thought, was to leave Dara for the present with Chah-Navaze-kan, and to march toward Sultan Sujah, who had already crossed the Ganges at Elabas.

plain. To defend the advantageous and well-fortified position he had selected was for the present his sole object, foreseeing that the heat of the weather would very soon compel his enemy to retreat to the river, and that it would then be the time to fall with effect upon his rear-guard.

He was informed that the Raja Jessomseingue, who had, with apparent sincerity, entered into terms of amity, had fallen suddenly upon the rear-guard, routed and put it to flight, and that he was now employed in pillaging the baggage and treasure.

The news soon spread; and as is common in Asiatic armies, the fears of the soldiers multiplied the danger.

Yet such is the caprice of fortune, that he was in a few minutes crowned with victory; and Sultan Sujah was obliged, like Dara at the battle of Samonguer, to fly for his life.

As in the case of Dara, the sudden disappearance of the Prince from the view of the whole army induced a general idea that he was either killed or betrayed; the troops fell into disorder, and dispersed, without the possibility of restoring their ranks.

In regard to the Emir, the Prince fully appreciated his transcendent talents, his conduct, and his courage; but these very excellencies filled him with apprehension and distrust: for the Emirs great riches, and the reputation he possessed of being the prime mover in all affairs of importance, and the most acute statesman in India, left no doubt on the mind of Aureng-Zebe that the expectations of this extraordinary man were as high as those of Sultan Mahmoud.

large number of Portuguese came to him from Lower Bengale, bringing with them several pieces of cannon. The great fertility of the soil attracts many Europeans to these parts, and it was Sultan Sujah’s policy to encourage and conciliate the foreigners settled in this province.

He even allowed expressions to escape him that denoted a total disregard of the affection and respect due to his father; spoke openly of his achievement in the [Page 83] fortress of Agra, and boasted that it was to him Aureng-Zebe should feel indebted for his crown.

‘The art of reigning he told him, ‘is so delicate, that a King’s jealousy should be awakened by his very shadow.

Here, however, I may observe that, judging from the whole tenor of Sultan Mazum’s conduct, his father has no reason to suspect him of any evil design: the most abject slave cannot be more tractable or obsequious; nor is it possible that the language and behaviour of the lowest menial should discover less of the workings of a discontented and ambitious mind.

Nevertheless, his extraordinary skill and continued good-fortune overcame every impediment.

The Prince had himself contrived to assemble a large number of troops, though not perhaps of the choicest description: and being sanguine in his expectation that as he approached the capital, accompanied by this distinguished Raja, his friends would be encouraged to crowd around his standard, he quitted Ahmed-Abad and hastened [Page 86] to Asmire,125 a city seven or eight days’ journey from Agra.

‘What can be your inducement,’ he wrote to him, ‘to endeavour to sustain the falling fortunes of this prince? Perseverance in such an undertaking must inevitably bring ruin upon you and your family, without advancing the interests of the wretched Dara.

Willingly would he have conducted the army back to Amed-Abad, but how could he. hope to effect this desirable object in the midst of the hot season, and during the drought that then prevails; having a march of five-and-thirty days to accomplish through the territories of Rajas, friends or allies of Jessomseingue, and closely pressed by the eager Aureng-Zebe at the head of a fresh and numerous army?

‘It is better,’ he said, ‘to die at once the death of a soldier; the contest is sadly unequal, but on this spot I must conquer or perish.’

As a just retribution for his faithlessness, this man was slain in the battle, either by the hand of Dara himself, or, as is thought more probable, by the swords of persons in Aureng-Zebe’s army, who, being the secret partisans of Dara, felt apprehensive that Chah-Navaze-kan would denounce them, and make mention of the letters they had been in the habit of writing to that Prince.

Dara’s artillery, which was advantageously placed on a small eminence, made noise enough; but the pieces, it is supposed, were charged only with blank [Page 88] cartridges, so widely was the treachery extended. It is unnecessary to enter into any particular detail of this battle, if battle it should be called; it was soon a complete rout.

The miserable and devoted Dara, whose only chance of preservation was to regain Amed-Abad, was constrained to pass through a long range of what might be considered hostile territory, destitute of tents and baggage.