THE lovers of History, and those fond of enquiring into the diversity of events, will remember, doubtless, that in closing the Second Volume of the Review of Modern Times, which was finished in the year 1195 of the Hedjrah, by this humblest and most inconsiderable of the sons of men, Gholam-hosséin, son to Hedáiet-aaly-qhan, grandson to Séyd-aalim-ollah, and great-grandson to Séyd-fáiz-ollah, the Tebatebäite of the race of Hassen, (on all whom may the Divine mercy and forgiveness extend for ever!) I had carried that history as far down as the twenty-second year of the Forgiven Emperor, Mahmed-shah, answering to the year 1152 of the Hedjrah; to which history, I had thought it incumbent upon me to add a full narrative of the affairs of Bengal, being invited thereto by the novelty of the matter, as well as borne away by the number and variety of events that crowded upon me in that particular part. They remember doubtless, I say, that in closing that Volume, I had promised, that if I lived, I would continue the History of that Emperor as well as that of his successors. I do, therefore, undertake to fulfil that promise of mine, in humble hopes that the Bestower of unasked benefits, and the Conferer of unexpected favours, after having assisted me in my former Work, shall vouchsafe to support me in bringing my whole undertaking to a completion; and that by illuming with some of the rays of His Goodness, the dark understanding of this vile instrument, He shall vouchsafe to direct, with a faint emanation of His unerring wisdom, the trembling pen, and the defective style, of this insufficient individual, so as to keep them unsullied by the blemishes of error, and untainted with the vices of partiality. For He is the Omnipotent One, and the worthy Bestower of Favours.

We have already observed, that Nizam-el-mulk, under pre­tence of a hunting party, but really out of discontent against the Court, had marched out of the capital, and had encamped in its neighbourhood, where he was loitering these many days without any apparent purpose; nor was his intention guessed at, but on the seventeenth of Moharrem, in the year 1153 of the Hedjrah, when that Viceroy hearing of the resolution that had lately taken place at Court, and of Emir-qhan’s departure for Ilah-abad, returned to the city, and paid his respects to the Emperor. Some months after he received repeated intelligence that his son, Nizam-ed-döwlah-nassyr-djung*, listening to the suggestions of some impudent and thoughtless advisers, acted in an independent manner, and had intirely shaken off all respect for his father’s authority. The old General, obliged to bring his son to order, obtained the Emperor’s consent for his departure, and as his intended expedition became incompatible with the exercise of his office of Prince of Princes, he first obtained that his eldest son, Ghazi-eddin-qhan, should be invested with that dignity, as Deputy to his father; and on the fourteenth of the first Djemadi, he set out for the Decan. But as he was perpetually endeavouring to reclaim his rebellious son, and a deal of time was spent in negotiations, and in sending and receiv­ing messages, nine or ten months had already elapsed before he Nizam-el-mulk beats his own son in battle, & takes him prisoner. could arrive in the territory of Aoreng-abad, where he encamped on the western parts of that city; and it was the seventh of the first Djemady, in the year 1154, when the father finding that neither reasoning nor entreaties made any impression upon that unnatural son, gave him battle, and took him prisoner, after a sharp engagement, in which the rebellious son was wounded. But this short Civil War in Decan did not interrupt the tranquillity of the capital, nor of the Empire.

After Emir-qhan’s departure for his Government, Issac-qhan’s favour reached to the cupola of Heaven. He became the most beloved of the Emperor’s favourites, and at the same time the disintersted advice which he had secretly given in behalf of the Vezir Cammer-eddin-qhan and Nizam-el-mulk having become public, he was likewise cherished by the two latter, as their best friend. New honours and new emoluments were heaped upon him, and besides the Qhalissah-office, that is, the controul of all the expenditure of the public money, he had the command of a Brigade of Cavalry. The latter was so much increased, that several thousand horses were to be seen at one time, all marked with a Kaf, which was the last letter of his name. He was likewise the Lord on whom the Emperor reposed the greatest confidence. But fate did not permit him long to enjoy so high a degree of favour. His eyes swelled at once, and the swelling gaining his nose, he sunk under his distemper, and in five or six days’ illness, he departed this fragile world; and having answered his Lord’s invitation, by the words, I am ready, he repaired to the mansions of the Divine Mercy. It was in the month of Safer, of the same year. A few days after his demise, the Qhalissa-office, which he had left vacant, was conferred on Abdol-madjid-qhan, a Cashmirian, and he was installed in it with a Qhylaat of six pieces*. Issac-qhan having departed his life, on the second of Safer, his three sons, on the ninth, paid their respects to the Emperor, who received them with the greatest kindness, and distinction; and each of them was honoured with a Qhylaat of mourning. The eldest of them, Mirza-mahmed, had his name changed into that of his father’s, Issac-qhan, and in a little time he got so deeply in the Emperor’s good graces, that the Monarch was often heard to say, that if Issac-qhan had not left Mirza-mahmed behind, he did not know how he should have been able to go through life. His tenderness for the new Issac-qhan rose so high, that it was customary with him to take the latter’s son, then a child, within his throne, and, contrary to the established rules, to make him sit over against himself, like an Imperial Prince. He was no less profuse in his kindnesses to the two younger sons of the late Issac-qhan, who were Mirza-aaly qhan, and Mirza-mahmed-aaly.

It was in this same month of Safer, that Badji-räo, the famous Marhatta General, departed his life, after feeling for some days a pain in his bowels. By his death, the Viceroyalty of Malva being deemed vacant, the same was conferred on Zehir-ed-döwlah-Azim-ollah-qhan, who had espoused the Vezir Camer-eddin-qhan’s sister. This nobleman, who was very inconsiderate, having had the imprudence to accept so dangerous an office, was invested in his new Government with a rich Qhylaat. But it availed little; for he had never borne a character for much prudence and great abilities. The Fodjdary of Bessöulah was at the same time conferred on Himmet-dilir-qhan, who received the investiture of it in a Qhylaat of four pieces, to which was added a Sabre; and he set out for the Capital in the month of the first Reby. A month after, a Qhylaat of confirmation for the Fodjdary of the Dö-ab, was bestowed on Djani-qhan, a Tooranian, who had given his daughter in marriage to Muáïen-el-mulk, son to the Vezir Camer-eddin-qhan. In the month of the second Djemady, Intyzam-ed-döwlah, second son of that Minister, who on Qhandöuran’s being slain in the battle against Nadyr-shah, had been appointed Viceroy of Adjmir, was dismissed to his Government; and a few days after, Semsam-ed-döwlah, who bore the same title as his father, Qhandöuran, received an additional grade of a thousand horse, in con­sequence of which his Military rank rose to the command of seven thousand. About the end of the year, and in the night of the twenty-seventh of Redjeb, Mir Fahr-eddin-qhan, one of the sons of the Vezir Camer-eddin-qhan, married the daughter of the late Muzaffer-qhan, brother to Qhandöuran; and these nuptials were celebrated with pomp, as were those of Intizam-ed-döwlah, the Vezir’s eldest son, with the late Qhandöuran’s daughter, on the night of the first day of the Ramazan. A strange event closed these rejoicings. The third of Moharrem, of the year one thousand one hundred and fifty-four of the Hedjra, happened to be the New Year’s Day*.

On the twenty-fourth of Shaaban, of the same year, a daughter was born to Mahmed-shah, from Sahabah-mahal*, daughter to Sofian-sooltana-begum, which last was sister to Malekah-zemani, daughter to a sister of Saadat-qhan. This Princess had chanced to be seen by Mahmed-shah, who fell in love with her charms, and having married her, brought her to the Mahal-sera, or Seraglio. About this time, Azim-ollah-qhan, having proved by his ill conduct how little able he was to get the province of Malva out of the hands of the Marhattahs, was neglected by the Emperor, and fell into contempt; he was an opinionated obstinate man, who gave so many proofs of ill conduct, that even the Vezir himself, his kinsman, whose sister he had married, conceived a disgust against his manners. The man, incensed at these marks of general contempt, resolved to shew his resentment in his turn, and had the imprudence to quit all at once the palace of the late Aaly-merdan-qhan where he resided, and to go and encamp without leave at the Char-bagh, a seat belonging to the Vezir, as if to change his ground, exactly like one who intended to set out on an expedition. The Emperor, shocked at his behaviour, vacated his office of Sadr-el-soodoor, and bestowed it on Sheriat-ollah-qhan, who had enjoyed it before. At the same time, the command of the Goozer-bans, or door and way-keepers, was conferred on Agher-qhan, the Turk; as was the Fodjdary of Soharen-poor on Hafiz-eddin-qhan. This Agher-qhan was, with some other Command­ers, ordered to watch and attend Azim-ollah-qhan’s behaviour and motions, and they kept round his post for some days; when the man, being sensible of the imprudence of his conduct, thought proper to repent, and to return to his house, where, having dismissed his troops, he lived retired. This same year, it being the Festival of the Sacrifice, a Comet, with a tail of a full yard in length, made its appearance in the sign of Caper, inclining to the south. At last it turned to the north, and after having shined for a full month, it disappeared. And on the thirteenth of Moharrem, being the beginning of the year 1155, the Nöurooz, or New Year’s Day, was celebrated with the usual ceremonies. There were some more promotions this year. Radj-mahmed-qhan, the Cazi of Cazies, that is, the Supreme Judge of the Empire, having departed his life, his office was conferred on Moorad-eddin-qhan, and this nobleman was installed in that high dignity with a Qhylaat of four pieces. In the month of Redjeb, Sheriat-ollah-qhan, the Sadr-el-soodoor, son to Mir Djumlah, that great favourite of Feroh-syur’s, departed his life. It was in this year that there happened a con­junction of two Planets, in the end of the sign Leo, according to the Astronomical Tables, drawn up under the inspection of the learned Radja Djehi-sing-ketchvaha, by the mathematicians, Mirza Qhäir-ollah and Shek Mahmed-äyed, who comprised their observations in a book, commenced and finished under Mahmed-shah. But according to Ooloogh-beg’s Tables* this con­junction happened in the beginning of the sign of Virgo.