Indian Antiquary Vol 52

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

Page 271

HISTORY OF THE NIZAM SHAHI KINGS OF AHMADNAGAR
When Jamal Khân with the Dakanis and Africans had thus overcome the Foreigners and had taken the fort by storm, they seated Ismâ'îl Shâh on the royal throne and issued an order for a general massacre of the Foreigners. The blood-thirsty soldiery and cruel brigands slew and plundered in all directions, and the Foreigners were overwhelmed in the general destruction, so that their blood ran in rivers through the streets of the city,315
SEPTEMBER, 1923]
255
In those evil days the custom of genera massacres and of general plunderings became so rife in the city and kingdom of Ahmadnagar that it was as though peace and security had fled from the world, while those who had formerly held their heads as high as the heavens in their pride were humbled to the dust, and chaste virgins, who had never shewn their faces to the sun or to the moon, were dragged by the hair of the head into the bazar among drunken men. Buildings which stood erect to heaven now bowed their heads as those ashamed, and the palaces, buildings and gardens of the Foreigners were destroyed.
When Jamal Khân had carried out his great design and had completely and easily over. thrown and extinguished that powerful party and destroyed the life of a world of persons, and had imprisoned Jamshid Khân and his brothers and son, who had been captured, he arranged the funeral obsequies of Husain Nizam Shah,316 and when he had finished these he seated Ismâ'il Nizâm Shâh on the throne of his ancestors and opened a royal court for the administration of justice. He gave out the jagîrs of all the Foreigners to the Africans and Dakanis, but especially to the Mahdavis, and increased the allowances and grants of all, both gentle and simple, so that the people, who are ever the slaves of favour, readily yielded obedience to him.
In the meantime Farhad Khân, the African, who was in Chîtâpûr, had heard of the death of Husain Nizam Shah and the accession of Ismâ'il Nigâm Shah, and hastened to court to pay his respects to the new king. When he heard of the general massacre of the Foreigners, he bargained with Jamal Khan for the lives of the remnant which remained, and as all the Africans supported Farhâd Khân and Jamal Khân's position was yet insecure, Jamâl Khân was compelled to agree to Farhad Khân's proposals and to forgo the slaughter of the remnant of the Foreigners.
In the two or three days during which the slaughter had continued, all the Foreigners who had been in the fort or the city, the streets or bazars, had fallen into the hands of the Dakanis and had perished, but a number who had been in the eunuchs' quarters and other sardis and private houses had fortified themselves, and defended themselves feebly and as best they could with stones and arrows. They were now weakening, and in their confusion and distress their affairs had reached such a pitch that they were on the point of falling into the hands of their enemies, when suddenly Farhad Khân came among them, and having gone through the whole city and all its quarters, released a Foreigner whenever one was found in the hands of the mob, and stopped the aggression of the persecutors, and even slew some of the mob with the sword as an example to others. In every building in which he found a body of Foreigners defending themselves, he left a body of his own men, with instructions to protect them from all evil. By this means the persecution of the Foreigners ceased.
315 Firishta says that on the night on which the fort was captured about 300 Foreigners were alain, among them being Mirza Muhammad Taqi Naziri, Mirza Sadiq Urdübâdî, Mir 'Izz-ud-din Astarabadi, and Mulla Najm-ud-din Shushtari. Only four escaped, Qasim Beg, Sayyid Sharif Gilânî, I'timad Khân Shushtari, and Khvaja Abd-us-Salâm Tûnî. On the following day the slaughter of the Foreigners began again and lasted for seven days, about a thousand being slain in all.-F. ii, 292, 293.
316 Husain Nizam Shah II was buried at Rausah.-F. ii, 293.