Indian Antiquary Vol 52

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 176

160
THE INDİAN ANTIQUARY
(June, 1923
They say also that one day when the king was out riding an Arab stopped him and begged of him. He had a piece of cotton cloth tied to a stick and was begging in his own tongue. The king asked what he wanted, and the grasping Arab said "I have come from my own gountry to this land on hearing the report of your generosity and I wish to fill the purse of my avarice and cupidity from the river of your majesty's generosity." The king asked wherewith, and the Arab said in a low voice "With all necessaries." The king ordered the officers of the treasury to comply with all the Arab's demands and then send an officer with him to his most convenient seaport to put him on board a ship for his own country. Indeed the king was so bountiful that many described his bounty as wastefulness.
Although many wise men and philosophers have pronounced Murtazâ Nigâm Shah to be a madman and have attributed his actions to insanity, yet all his other actions and words, and especially the theological and philosophical questions which he asked of the learned men of the court, some of which have been recorded, are evidences of his understanding, acumen, sanity, and well ordered mind. One of the king's immediate attendants, who was well acquainted with his condition and affairs, has related that in the latter days of life, when he wag afflicted with sickness, he repeatedly wrote to the great officers of state ordering them to see that there was no delay in the execution of orders issued by him in the first half of the month, but to hold over any orders issued by him in the second half of the month, as he was not then himself, but God knows the truth of the matter.256
CII.-AN ACCOUNT OF THE PRINCE'S ACCESSION TO THE THRONE OF
HIS FATHER AND GRANDFATHER.
When the amirs and officers of state had finished the obsequies of the late king they enthroned the prince Miran Husain and admitted all, both small and great, to the hall wherein he was enthroned, and caused favours and rewards to be bestowed on both gentle and simple.
On the third day after the death of Murtaza Nizâm Shah, when Husain Nizam Shah had gone to his tent with the amirs, vazirs, and officers of the army for the khatm, spies brought news of the approach of Ibråhim 'Adil Shah and his army, which was then encamped at Pâtori. On hearing this news Husain Nigam Shah, taking every precaution, marched towards the 'Adil Shâhî camp, and leaving Ahmadnagar behind him, halted near the Farahbakhsh garden to distribute arms to his army and to prepare it for battle,287
298 Few will agree with the fulsome Sayyid 'Ali that Murtaza's deeds and words were evidence of his understanding, acumen, sanity, and well ordered mind. They were those of a lunatio, but a parasito belauds from policy the profusion of a maniac.
397 Firishta's account of these events is far more probable. Ibrahim 'Adil Shah II was, in fact, marching on Ahmadnagar to assist in deposing Murte på Nisam Shah II and raising Husain II to the throne. When he reached Pathardi be heard that Husain had imprisoned his father and ascended the throne. Ibrahim sent him his congratulations and proposed to visit him and his wife Kadijah Bulgan, who was Ibrahim's sister. Before an answer to this message could be received news arrived that Hussin had put his father to death. Ibrahim wrote him a bitterly reproachful lotter, saying that he had come with the intention of raising him to the throne and in the belief that be would content himself with wonding his father to some port where he could spend the rest of his life in religious retirement. If this were not mu ciont he himself would have undertaken to keep Murta in safe custody, or might even have blinded him; but now that Husain had murdered his father he had no desire to see him and would have nothing to do with him. He threatened him with the divine vengeance and prophesied that he would not reign for long, and having dispatched this letter returned to his own country. F. ii, 114, 115.