Upon the death of Khán-khánán there were various opinions as to who should be appointed to his office of wazír and the súbadárí of the Dakhin. It was the desire of Prince 'Azímu-sh Shán, who had a leading part in the government of the country, and of Sa'du-llah Khán, the díwán, that Zú-l fikár Khán should be appointed wazír, and that the two sons of Khán-khánán should be respectively appointed Bakhshíu-l Mulk and Súbadár of the Dakhin. But Zú-l fikár Khán was unwilling to retire from his position as Bakhshí of the Empire and Súbadár of the Dakhin for the sake of being made minister. He said, “When Your Majesty made Khán-khánán your minister, I could make no objection; but now, until my father has been raised to that dignity in the usual way, I cannot presume to accept the office.” A long discussion followed. Prince 'Azímu-sh Shán said that Zú-l fikár wanted to have his father appointed minister, and to hold all the other offices himself. The Emperor could not make up his mind to act in opposition to the wishes of any one. ^{* *} It was finally arranged that until the appointment of a permanent wazír, Sa'du-llah Khán, son of 'Ináyatu-llah Khán, díwán of the person and the khálisa, should be appointed to act as deputy, and to carry on affairs in communication with Prince Muhammad 'Azím.

Death of Gházíu-d dín Khán Fíroz Jang.

[Text, vol. ii. p. 681.] Intelligence now arrived of the death of Gházíu-d dín Khán Bahádur Fíroz Jang, Súbadár of Ahmad-ábád, in Gujarát. It was also reported that Amánat Khán, mutasaddí of the port of Surat, on hearing of his death, and that he, in prospect of death, had ordered his troops and officers to be paid and discharged, hastened to Ahmadábád, and took charge of the treasure and stores. Gházíu-d dín Khán was a man born to victory, and a disciplinarian who always prevailed over his enemy. A nobleman of such rank and power, and yet so gentle and pleasant spoken, has rarely been seen or heard of among the men of Túrán. It is said that the Government officials took nearly nine lacs of rupees out of his treasury. ^{* *}

The Khutba.

[Text, vol. ii. p. 681.] The insertion of the word wasí in the khutba had given great offence to the religious leaders* of Láhore, and the order for it had remained a dead letter. An order was now given that these religious men should be brought into the royal presence. Hájí Yár Muhammad, Mu­hammad Murád Khán, and three or four other learned men of repute, waited upon His Majesty in the oratory. They were told to be seated. The Emperor, and some learned men whom he had to support him, brought forward proofs that the word wasí should be used. ^{* *} After much disputation Hájí Yár Muhammad grew warm in replying to the Emperor, and spoke in a presump­tuous, unseemly manner. The Emperor got angry, and asked him if he was not afraid to speak in this bold and unmannerly way in the audience of a king. The Hájí replied, “I hope for four things from my bounteous Creator. 1. Acquisition of know­ledge. 2. Preservation of the Word of God. 3. The Pilgrim­age. 4. Martyrdom. Thanks be to God that of his bounty I enjoy the first three. Martyrdom remains, and I am hopeful that by the kindness of the just king I may obtain that.” The disputation went on for several days. A great many of the inhabitants of the city, in agreement with a party of Afgháns, formed a league of more than a hundred thousand persons, who secretly supported Hájí Yár Muhammad. Prince 'Azímu-sh Shán also secretly gave his countenance to this party. At the end of Shawwál, the Sadr presented a petition on the subject of the khutba, and on this His Majesty wrote with his own hand that the khutba should be read in the form used during the reign of Aurangzeb. ^{* *} After this concession the agitation ceased, but I have heard that Hájí Yár Muhammad and two other learned men, whom the Emperor was angry with, were sent to one of the fortresses.

[Text, vol. ii. p. 683.] The festival of His Majesty's acces­sion was celebrated as usual. ^{* * *} About the 20th Muharram, 1123* (Feb. 18, 1711 A.D.), when the Emperor had passed his seventieth lunar year, there was a great change perceptible in him, and in twenty-four hours it was evident that he was marked for death. Prince 'Azímu-sh Shán, who had come to visit his father, when he heard that all the (other) three Princes had suddenly arrived, was so alarmed that he gave no thought to the condition of his father; but, not seeing how to secure himself, he thought it advisable to go away. On the night of the 8th of the month the Emperor died, and was buried near the tomb of Kutbu-d dín, four or five kos from Dehlí. He had reigned four years and two months. At the end of the four years the treasure of thirteen lacs of rupees, to which he suc­ceeded, had all been given away. The income of the Empire during his reign was insufficient to meet the expenses, and consequently there was great parsimony shown in the Govern­ment establishments, but especially in the royal household, so much so that money was received every day from the treasure of Prince 'Azímu-sh Shán to keep things going.

[vol. ii. p. 685.] One week after the death of Bahádur Sháh was passed in amicable communications and correspondence be­tween the four brothers (his sons) about the division of the kingdom and property. Zú-l fikár Khán, who really inclined to Jahándár Sháh, was the negociator among them. Some of the friends and associates of Jahán Sháh advised him to seize Zú-l fikár Khán when he came to wait upon him, and so to clip the wings of Jahándár Sháh. But Jahán Sháh had not the courage to take this step. An opportunity was found for firing the arsenal of Jahán Sháh, so that all his powder and rockets were exploded. The patrols of each of the four brothers were constantly moving about. While things were in this state, two or three camels loaded with property and stuffs, including perhaps also some bags of ashrafís, belonging to Prince 'Azímu-sh Shán, fell into the hands of the patrols of Jahán Sháh, and a contention arose about the division of them.*

It was settled that the Dakhin should fall to Jahán Sháh; Multán, Thatta, and Kashmír, to Rafí'u-sh Shán; and that 'Azímu-sh Shán and Jahándár Sháh should divide the remaining Súbas of Hindústán between them. But the agreement about the division of the kingdom and treasure all turned into discord, and the partition of the realm was never effected. Mirzá Sadru-d dín Muhammad Khán Safawí Bakhshí deserted Prince 'Azímu-sh Shán, and joined the party of Prince Jahán Sháh; but the men of this Prince held the Mirzá in such suspicion and distrust, that by constant opposition they got him removed before the war began.

Defeat and Death of 'Azímu-sh Shán.

[vol. ii. p. 686.] Prince Rafí'u-sh Shán having taken offence against Hakímu-l Mulk, son of Hakím Muhsin Khán, for some fault, extorted from him a sum of money and some jewels by torture and ignominious treatment. Having then changed his post, he went near to the village of Budána, three or four kos from the city (of Láhore), and there took up a position against Prince 'Azímu-sh Shán. He was protected by the river (on one side), and on the other two sides he ordered intrenchments to be thrown up. 'Azímu-sh Shán held the other side of the river. The three brothers agreed together in opposition to 'Azímu-sh Shán. All three, in accord with each other, mounted their horses, and for four or five days selected positions from which to fire guns and rockets upon the army of 'Azímu-sh Shán. The artillery of 'Azímu-sh Shán replied to that of the three brothers, and many horses and men were killed. About the 20th of Safar the sound of battle rose high on every side, and the fight was begun. ^{* *} 'Azímu-sh Shán, who was mounted on an elephant, disappeared. Some said he had been killed by a cannon-ball: others, that when he saw his enemies closing around him on all sides, and that there was no escape from the surging armies around him, he cast him­self into the waves of the river, and no trace of him was after­wards found. The ruffians of the neighbourhood and the soldiers of all the four princes fell upon Prince 'Azím's treasure, and the vast sums which he had extorted by tyranny and violence in and about the súba of Bengal were plundered in the twinkling of an eye, and dispersed into many hands. The three princes caused the drums of victory to be beaten, and then retired to their own dwellings.