Indian Antiquary Vol 50

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

Page 84

74
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
MARCH, 192
Burhan Nizam Shah, he believed that an opportunity of making himself independent of Ahmadnagar had come to him, and with this object in view, he determined to place his son-in-law on the throne of Ahmadnagar.
When Husain Nizam Shah had disposed of his misguided brothers, all the people and the army, and the provincial governors and commandants of forts, had submitted themselves to him, and had sent him the keys of the treasuries and of the forts, and there no longer remained any cause for anxiety in any part of the kingdom. The king was thus able to devote his whole attention to crushing Makhdûm Khyâja Jahân, and summoned his counsellors in order that they might advise him in the matter. They agreed that as Makhdům Khvaja Jahân had not made his submission and had offered neither his condolences on the death of Burhân Nizam Shah nor his congratulations on the accession of Husain Nizam Shah, he had undoubtedly been guilty of acts of rebellion. They advised that an envoy should be sent to summon him to court in order that he might answer for his misdeeds, and that in the event of his failing to appear, he should be proceeded against as a rebel. The king therefore ordered that a letter of warning should be written to Makhdûm Khyâa Jahân. A letter was written in the following terms 'God Most High has mercy on that slave who realizes his position. Now, by the grace of God, all the countries of Hindústân, and indeed of the inhabited world, are in the posession of the slaves of Husain Nizâm Shah, and the whole earth and all the sons of Adam, its inhabitants, are subservient to his will. If Makhdûm Khyâja Jahan is a faithful subject, how is it that he still remains without the pale of faithful subjects and has hitherto performed no act of obedience or submission ? If he now makes his submission as a faithful servant and asks pardon for his past faults, making reparation therefor, he will save himself from the vengeance which will otherwise be taken on him; but should he fail to do these things, he will be guilty of self-destruction. Let him therefore beware of transgressing the bounds which have been set for him, and of continuing to stretch his hand beyond the skirt of submission and obedience, lest the guilt of much innocent blood be upon his head.' When this letter had been written, it was carried quickly by some of the king's wise and trusted servants to Parenda.
When the envoy reached Parenda and delivered his missive, Makhdům Khyâja Jahân was much perplexed as to the course of action to be followed. He was still indisposed to admit the supremacy of Husain Nizâm Shâh and yet dared not openly defy him, while he was resolved not to travel to court to do homage. He therefore sent a reply full of prevarication, saying that as long as he was suspected of rebellion, fear and apprehension prevented him from presenting himself at court, but that he was still, as ever, the king's faithful slave, and if the king would, for the present, excuse his personal attendance and would continue to bestow his favours upon him, he would certainly at a later date attend at court and make obeisance.
When Makhdům Khyaja Jahan's reply was received at court, the king addressed his amirs on the subject, and said that the rebel's ill intentions were now manifest to all, not by way of suspicion, but by direct evidence, and that policy demanded that he should be instantly suppressed, as any dallying with sedition or rebellion only allowed it time to come to a head and to disorder the whole state. The amirs and officers applauded the king's decision and promised to do their utmost in carrying it out. Orders for the assembling of the army were issued, and the whole army, both Foreigners and Dakanis, mustered in strength at the capital, and the king set forth to take Parenda. He sent on an advanced