The Emperor Muhammad Sháh, on being informed of these events, sent Sarbuland Khán to be governor of Ahmadábád. Nizámu-l Mulk recalled Hámid Khán. But although Sar-buland Khán had an army of seven or eight thousand horse, most of whom were veterans, and a strong force of artillery, the Mahratta forces so swarmed in the province that he was unable to settle its affairs or to punish the enemy. Their power in­creased from day to day, and the price of grain rose high. Sarbu-land Khán was as it were besieged in the city; all that he could do was to wink at and rail against the Mahrattas, for as they numbered nearly 30,000 horse, he was unable to fight and chastise them. They ravaged the country round Ahmadábád up to its very gates. Many merchants and traders and artisans were so ill-treated and oppressed, that they left their native land, and wandered into foreign parts. The country could not repel the ravagers, and in its desolation it was unable to pay the sum required of it for the support of the soldiers, whose numbers were excessive. The officers with parties of men demanded their pay, and used violence and insolence in extorting it. At length it was arranged that, for the sake of quietness and to stop dis­turbances, the officers should obtain orders drawn upon bankers and merchants for the pay. With these drafts they went to the bankers, seized them, put them in prison, and tortured them until they got the money. Bír-nagar was a flourishing town full of merchants of the famous Nágar class, who carried on there a trade amounting to lacs of rupees. That district, beyond all the flourishing places of Hindústán, abounded in every sort of wealth, gold, cash, and every production of nature; but it was ransacked by the enemy because the súbadárs were unable to answer the cries of the inhabitants for protection.

When a report of this state of things reached the Emperor Muhammad Sháh, he removed Sarbuland Khán, and appointed Rája Dúngar Singh in his place. On his arriving at Ahmad-ábád, Sarbuland Khán refused to admit him, and prepared to resist him by force of arms. So he fled, and for some days no trace was found of him. He did not go to Court, and the Em­peror was much displeased with him, so he remained for a long time in disgrace.

This rich province, which no other province of Hindústán could equal, ^{* *} was reduced to such a state of wretchedness, that merchants and traders left their native land, abandoned their hereditary dwelling places, and dispersed over distant countries. But thanks to the mercy of God, the cries of the oppressed were heard, and the beneficent shade of Nizámu-l Mulk Bahádur Fath Jang Ásaf Jáh was to fall upon it, and to be the cause of its restoration to prosperity.

Administration of Nizámu-l Mulk.

[Text, vol. ii. p. 972.] In a short time the country was brought under the control of Musulmán authorities—it was scoured from the abominations of infidelity and tyranny. Under former súbadárs the roads had been infested with the ruffianism of highway robbers, and the rapacity of the Mahrattas and rebellious zamíndárs, so that traffic and travelling were stopped; but now the highways were safe and secure. The Mahrattas exacted the chauth with all sorts of tyranny from the jágírdárs; and in addition to it, ten per cent. under the name of sar-desh-mukhí was collected from the zamíndárs and raiyats. By these means odious kamáísh-dárs were removed and changed every week and month; orders beyond all the endurance of the raiyats were issued, and annoyances and insults were heaped upon the collectors of the jágírdárs. Nizámu-l Mulk so arranged that instead of the chauth of the súba of Haidarábád, a sum of money should be paid from his treasury; and that the sar-deshmukhí, which was levied from the raiyats at the rate of ten per cent., should be abandoned. He thus got rid of the presence of the kamáísh-dárs of the chauth, and the gumáshtas of the sar-desh-mukhí and the ráhdárí, from which latter impost great annoy­ance had fallen upon travellers and traders.

[Text, vol. ii. p. 973.] When Nizámu-l Mulk was removed from the office of wazír, Kamru-d dín Khán Bahádur was ap­pointed his successor, but a gracious farmán was sent to Nizámu-l Mulk, with a robe and other presents, appointing him to the wakálat.*

After losing two or three children which were born to him in his harem and soon died, a son was born of his wife, the daughter of Farrukh Siyar, who received the name of Ahmad Sháh.

Haidar Kulí Khán Mír-i átash was sleeping with his wife in his khas-khána,* when it caught fire. His wife was burnt to death, and he was so injured before he was rescued, that medical treatment was of no avail, and he died. [Political changes in Persia.]

Conclusion of the Work.

[Text, vol. ii. p. 978.] The history of the reign of the Em­peror Muhammad Sháh has thus been briefly written up to the beginning of the fourteenth year. If by the mercy of God life and leisure are spared to me, the history shall be continued.

[vol. ii. p. 316.] Aurangzeb (in the year 1095 A.H., 1684 A.D.) sent Khán-Jahán to punish and put down the Játs, and to destroy the fort of Sansí, which those infidels had built, under the protection of which fort they every month attacked and plundered several caravans, and ravaged the neighbourhood of Ágra.

[vol. ii. p. 394.] It was reported from Ágra (in 1102 A.H., 1691 A.D.), that under the royal command Ághar Khán was coming from Kábul to the presence. On approaching Ágra, the Játs fell upon his train, and carried off some bullocks and carts, and made prisoners of some women. Ághar Khán, on being in­formed of this, pursued them and followed them to their fortress. After a display of great resolution, he rescued the women and sent them on their way. He then boldly determined to invest and besiege the fort of the Játs; but he was struck by a musket bullet, and he and his son-in-law were both killed. Khán-Jahán Bahádur Kokaltásh, who had been sent to punish the Játs and reduce their fort, went upon the service confided to him; but although he exerted himself strenuously, he did not succeed in reducing their fort of Sansí, or their other strongholds. His failure and some unseemly acts of his gave offence to the Em­peror (Aurangzeb), who recalled him and appointed Prince Bedár Bakhsh to act against the Játs.

[vol. ii. p. 776.] Chúráman the Ját was a notorious free­booter. His father, his grandfather, and his brothers had ravaged the neighbourhood of Ágra and Fathpúr since the days of Aurangzeb. Armies had frequently been sent against him under Prince Bedár Bakht, Khán-Jahán, and other amírs, with the object of chastising him, and reducing the fort of Sansí, which the Játs had built. In the days of the struggle between A'zam Sháh and Bahádur Sháh, also when Farrukh Siyar approached Ágra, Chúráman was very bold and daring. He plundered the royal train, and carried off much treasure and jewels. Rája Jai Singh was sent against him, and Saiyid Khán Jahán Bahádur, uncle of Kutbu-l Mulk Saiyid 'Abdu-llah, was sent after him in command of a separate supporting force. Through sundry obstacles and want of supplies, Saiyid Khán remained inactive several months near the city; but Rája Jai Singh marched against the enemy, opened trenches, and invested Chúráman's fort. The struggle went on for more than a year. There were frequent fights, and many men fell on both sides. When Saiyid Khán arrived, the siege was pressed more vigorously, and the trenches were carried closer to the fort. Chúráman, being hard pressed, sent his vakíl direct to Kutbu-l Mulk Saiyid 'Abdu-llah, promising to pay tribute, and to wait in person on the Emperor, if his offences were forgiven and a mansab granted to him. Rája Jai Singh knew nothing whatever of this; but the Emperor re­luctantly agreed to Saiyid 'Abdu-llah's proposals. This was done against the Emperor's will, and greatly to the annoyance of Rája Jai Singh. The Rája, greatly vexed, came to Court, and when Chúráman arrived, he was reluctantly allowed to wait upon the Emperor once; but the latter was so displeased with the peace that had been made, that he would not consent to see him again.