Indian Antiquary Vol 40

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 81

MARCH, 1911.)
THE EMPEROR AURANGZEB ALAMGIR
75
(September 22nd, 1658). After he had reached Multān he received an intimation, Muharram 1069 H. (October 1658), that Shāh Sbuja' was again threatening Agrab, and he retraced his steps in order to meet this new danger. He left Khalilallah Khin, Yazdi, the newly appointed governor of Lāhor, to reduce Bhakkar,
Sbāb Shujā. had come as far as Khajwah, west of Allahābād, when he was met by Aurangzēb, and on the 19th Rabi 'II 1069 H. (January 14th, 1659), received a crushing defeat at his hands. A similar incident to what had happened at Samūgaph, also occarred here. Allahwirdi Khan, one of his officers, persuaded Shujā' to leave his elephant, the result of this act being as disastrous as it bad been to Dārā. Aurangzeb hurried back to Agrah to save it from Jaswant Singh, then on bis retreat to Jodhpur after deserting Aurangzāb at Khajwah. Mir Jumlah, who had recently arrived from the Dakhin, was sent in pursuit of Shāh Shujā', having with him Muhammad Sulgān, the eldest son of Aurangzēb, then a young man of twenty-four. Shāh Shuja' was pushed from one position to another, abandoning successively Allabābād, Banāras, Patnah, Munger, Räjmahal, until he took a final stand at Dhaka, where he remained entrenched for four months. In the end he was forced to retreat into Arakan, at the hands of whose king he perished miserably a year or two afterwards. A curious incident of this campaign is the desertion of the youthful prince Muhammad Saltān, who left Mir Jumlah and went over to his uncle, Shāh Shuja', 17th Ramaçãn 1069 H. (June 8th, 1659). His grievance was that he had been placed under Mir Jumlah instead of in supreme command. Disappointed at the treatment received from his uncle, he returned to Mir Jumlah, 6th Jamădā I, 1070 H.(Jannary 19th, 1660), who despatched him to cuart. Aurangzõb sent him to the fortress of Gwäliyar; subsequently he was removed to Debli, Ramaçãn 1033 H. (December, 1672) and restored partially to favour; but conceiving the idea that his son was not to be trusted, Aurangzēb caused him to be poisoned, 18th Shawwal 1088 H. (December 14th, 1677), when he was a little over thirtynine (lanar) years of age.
During the time that Aurangzēb was occupied with repelling Shāh Shujā' and Khalilullah Khan was busy investing Bhakkar fort, Dārā Shukoh had succeeded in entoring Ahvadābād with the aid of its governor, Shahnawaz Khin, his and Aurangzeb's father-in-law. Here Dārī was able to recruit his forces somewhat, and, in spite of Jaswant Singh Rathor's failure to join him as promised, he felt himself strong enough for a renewal of the struggle. He marched northward and occupied Ajmer, his ultimate objective being Agrah.
Having defeated Shāh Sbujā' at Khajwah and taken measures to protect Agrah, Aurangzēb hastened to Ajmer, where he arrived on the 26th Jamãdã II, 1069 H. (March 21st, 1659). Dārā was entrenched at a village outside that city. Battle was engaged, and after a strenuous contest lasting for two days, 27th, 28th Jamādā II, 1069 H. (March 22nd, 23rd, 1659) Dārā was put to flight and made once more for Ahmadābād. The next day Rajah Jai Singh, Kachbwähah, and Balādor Khan, foster-brother, were sent off in pursuit, while Aurangzeb retarned to Debli, which he re-entered on the 29th Shaban (May 22ud, 1659). Shāhnawaz Khan had been killed at Ajmer and the gates of Ahmadābād were now closed against Dārā, and finding no better reception from the rajab of Kachh (Catch), he went on across Sind in the direction of the Bolån Pass intending to escape into Persian territory. All this time Jai Singh and Bahādur Khin continued to pursue.
Dārā Shukoh sougth shelter with the chief of Dūdar, Malik Jiwan, Barozai, in the hope of obtaining his convoy into Persian territory. Overcome by their misfortunes, Dārā's favourite wife committed suicide, and Jiwan, on the arrival of Bahādur Khăn, betrayed his guest into the pursuer's hands. Dära Shukoh was conducted a prisoner to Dehli, where after being paraded through the city with every circumstance of ignominy, he was condemned to death and executed in his prison at Khigrābūd, on the ground that he was an idolator and untrue to the Mahomedan faith, 21st Zül Hijjah 1069 . (Sept. 10th, 1659), being then a little over forty-six (lunar) years of age. No rival was now left and at last Aurangzēb .Alamgir sat securely on the throne of Hindustan.