THE Emperor Aoreng-zib-Aalemgir,* after having spent so great a part of his life in conquering and bringing under control the region of Decan, without being able to satisfy himself on that head, abandoned at last his expedition, and turned towards Shah-djehan-abad,* which was the capital of the Empire of the house of Babr,* and the glory of the cities of Hindostan: but he had no time to execute his design. He was overtaken by fate at the city of Ahmed-nagor, The Emperor Aoreng-zib departs this life. Division of his exten­sive dominions where, in the ninety-fourth year of his life, and the fifty-second of his reign, his venerable person was at once assaulted by a variety of diseases, that reduced him so low, that he despaired of his life.—He had then in his camp, two of the Princes, his sons, Cambaqhsh,* the youngest, and most beloved, and Aazem-shah, who bore the character of a man of valor and abilities, and was fond of military glory. He sent immediately for the young Prince, gave him the viceroyalty of the kingdom of Bidjapoor, and bid him set out directly, with all the pomp and all the retinue of a king, recommending to him at the same time to pursue his journey by long stages, and to push forwards without stopping. The order bore that he should set out on a Tuesday, the seventeenth of Zilcaad, four hours before day-break.* The intent of such precise instructions was to put early the young Prince out of the reach and pursuit of his elder brother, Aazem-shah. Seven days after having taken that pre­caution, he ordered that same Aazem-shah, his second son, to set out for his government of Malva, four hours after sun-rise, with injunctions to make short stages of about five cosses a day,* and to stop two days at each stage, so as to march only every third day.—In giving such an order, the Emperor made him understand, that it was to put it in his power, to prevent the disorders that might happen in that country, in case of a vacancy of the throne, and meanwhile, to be at hand, to avail himself of his father’s demise, for taking possession of his inheritance. But the Emperor’s real view was, to keep so enter­prising a Prince, at some distance from him, and to prevent his availing himself so far of his enfeebled state of body, as to seize and confine his person, that is, to prevent his using him just as himself had used his own father, Shah-djehan.* But hardly had the Prince proceeded a few stages, when the Emperor fell into a state of extreme feebleness, and having lent an ear to his maker’s invitation, he answered it by the words:* “I am ready, O lord,” and departed for eternity. It was on a Friday, the twentieth of the month, one Pahr, and three garries after day-break, which answers to five astronomical hours after sun-rise.

This intelligence reached Aazem-shah in a few hours: he hastened back to the Imperial tent which he entered on a Sunday, the twenty-ninth of the same month, about one quarter of an hour before it was dark; and the next day, two hours before sun-rise, he lifted up the imperial Coffin, and carried it a few paces on his shoulders;* after which he sent it to Aoreng-abad. On the morning of the eighth of the next month, he ordered the imperial music to strike up;* and on the following Wednesday, which was also the day of Sacrifice,* he ascended the throne of his ancestors, and bent his thoughts Aazem-shah ascends the throne. on gaining the hearts of the Nobility, and on endearing his reign to his people. The next day, he took possession of the Imperial Treasures, invited to his Court the Nobility of the Province, and the absent Grandees of the Empire, and gave a public audience,* his intention being to oblige every one, according to his rank or station. With that view, he confirmed Assed-khan in the high office of Vezir, and Zolficar-khan, the son of that minister, in that of Generalissimo of the forces. In a word, no one felt any difference from the change of Prince; and every one was left in the place which he held, or was advanced to that for which he was fit.

Meanwhile, the news of the Emperor’s illness having spread all over the Empire, every one made haste to secure himself in his post, by every means in his power. In this confusion of the times, Sultan Muäzzem, eldest son to the deceased, was then at Cab8l, a city and fortress upon the frontiers of Iran,* where he resided as Viceroy. He is the Prince who did in fact succeed his father, under the title of Bahadyr-shah. He had with him his two younger sons, Quhodjistah-ahtar, and Resi-al-cadr; whilst his elder son, Muäzzedin, resided in M8ltan, of which he was the Governor; and his second son, Azim-ush-shan, the ablest of the four, and the object of his grand-father’s favour, resided in Bengal, of which he was the Viceroy. It appears, that the deceased Emperor intended to leave the Empire of Hindostan to his eldest son, Sultan Muäzzem; the dominions of the Decan* to his second son, Aazem-shah, and the kingdom of Bidjapoor to his beloved Cambaqhsh, in full hopes, that those three Princes would remain satisfied with their lot, and would promote, each on his side, the welfare of the people of God; but who is the man who has not felt the torments of ambition?—and how could so experienced a Prince flatter himself, that his sons would be free from it?

Cambaqhsh, who governed Bidjapoor in full sovereignty, seemed satisfied with his lot, the more so, as Aazem-shah, to please his mother, had added another Province to his dominions, and given him leave to coin money, and to have the Qhotba pronounced in his own name:* But matters were not so easy towards Hindostan: For Sultan Muäzzem, on hearing of his father’s illness, had set out from Cab8l, as did his second son, Azim-ush-shan, from Bengal; and both those Princes, taking what Troops and Artillery were at hand, had marched, each on his side, towards Ecber-abad, a great city, on the high road that leads to Decan. Sultan Muäzzem was on his march, when he received the news of his father’s demise. Immediately he assumed the Imperial name, and ascended the Sultan Muäz­zem, eldest son of Aoreng-zib, ascends the throne as his right. throne. It was on the first Wednesday of the month of Muharem, in the year 1119, precisely at midnight, it being the critical hour pointed out by the astrologers in the sign of Leo; and after that inauguration, he wrote to his brother, Aazem-shah, “That if, satisfied with his lot of the Decan, which was a very extensive dominion, and that which their father had set apart for his portion, he did not meddle with the Empire of Hindostan, such a conduct would not fail to produce numberless benefits, and endless blessings.” This insinuation made no impression upon Aazem-shah, who trusted to his own personal merit and prowess, and made no account of his brother, to whom he answered by the well-known adage, “That is was impossible for two kings to live together upon the same throne;” and he commenced to make preparations for supporting his pretension; but which ended in nothing but what was of his own seeking.

Sultan Muäzzem was already at Lahor, where, in a few days, he was joined by Muëzzeddin, his son, who, on his father’s orders, had set out from M8ltan with what Troops and Artillery he could bring together on so short a warning. There he was admitted to the honour of kissing his father’s feet, after which he pronounced a speech in his praise, prayed for prosperity and length of days to his reign, and then followed him to Ecber-abad. Fortune seemed to favour this inauguration: For Azim-ush-shan, who had set out from Bengal with a numerous and well-appointed army, and was then on his march to Ecber-abad, hearing of a convoy of a coror of rupees,* (being the tribute of Bengal) which the Divan or Intendant of that country was sending to the capital, he seized the whole of it, but kept it untouched, for his father’s disposal. He also laid hold of Moqhtar-qhan, the Governor of the Province of Ecber-abad, a nobleman of importance, who had given his daughter in mar­riage to the Prince Bidar-baqht, and was a hearty well-wisher to the cause of Aazem-shah;* he confined that nobleman, and having seized at the same time the vast treasure, and that infinity of royal furniture, which had been deposited these many ages in the Imperial palace of that city, he bent his thoughts on increasing the strength of his party, on conciliating the minds of the inferior governors and commanders, and on gain­ing the hearts of the nobility and people. In this he succeeded so well, that his army as well as his party, were gaining daily accessions. But he could not prevail on the Governor of the citadel of Ecber-abad, who resolutely answered, “That at a time when the Imperial throne was disputed with slaughter and enmity, between three princes of the Imperial blood, he could not, with any propriety, deliver the fortress to any of them unless that one should have established his government; in which case, he knew too well what became him, both as subject and a servant, to mistake his duty.” With this answer he kept his fortress shut up and prepared to support a siege. The Prince thinking it inconvenient to lose any time in an affair of so much length, went on with other affairs of importance, until his father Sultan Muäzzem being arrived, he effected a junction with him; after which he made him a profound bow, prayed length of days and prosperity to his reign, and presented the precious effects and money he had had the good luck to bring together. No succour could be more welcome: for the troops which had already become clamorous for want of pay, were suffering such great hardships, that they had become dispirited; and such a timely assistance being taken for a good omen, Sultan Muäzzem, from that moment, conceived the fondest hopes on the success of his undertaking: he returned thanks to God, distributed his treasure according to the necessities of his people, and changed their past distresses into present comfort. At this very time Aazem-shah, who had only tarried a few days in the Imperial camp, to take possession of the numerous well-appointed army which he had found ready under his hand, was setting out for Ecber-abad, resolved to dispute the crown with his elder brother, whom he looked upon to be his main rival. The natural ardour of his temper being inflamed by such thoughts, he marched with so much rapidity, that he left behind most of his troops, and almost the whole of his artillery. After continual marches, he arrived at the foot of the fortress of G8aliar, where he established his head-quarters. It was on a Monday, the eleventh of the first Rebi, in the year 1119. Seven days after he advanced towards his enemy, whom he found encamped on he plains of Djadj8, close to Ecber-abad. It happened that some troops of his having advanced nearer to the enemy, had set on fire some part of Sultan Muäzzem’s head-quarters, and dispersed some cavalry. Aazym-ush-shan was himself encamped there, and the combat having grown warmer, he found himself overpowered, and he stopped short to see what Sultan Muäzzem’s fortune would operate in his behalf. This Prince, who was then on a hunting party, no sooner heard of the enemy’s being so near, Battle of Agra between the two brothers. than he flew to his son’s assistance, bringing with him his eldest son, Muëzzeddin, and his best generals with their troops; the combat was growing warm, when an event happened, which by turning the fortune of the day, was taken for a token of approbation from providence on his enterprise. At once there arose such a violent wind, as seemed to give the com­batants an idea of the dreadful Ser-Ser that buried the whole tribe of Aad under the sands of Arabia;* it blew on the back of Sultan-Muäzzem, and full in the face of Aazem-shah’s army. This last Prince having given the command of his left wing to his eldest son, Bidar-baqht, and that of his left, to his second son, Vala-dja, was marching to the enemy, having his youngest son, Aly-tebar, then a child, upon his elephant. But he had left Assed-khan, his Vezir, at the camp of G8aliar with a body of troops. As he was pushing forwards with ardour, Zulficar-khan, his generalissimo, who had also been generalissimo under Aoreng-zib, represented to him: “That as the day was so much spent, and such a violent tempest blew right in his face; and on the other hand, great part of his troops and artillery were still at a distance behind, it would not be advisable to risk a battle for a throne on such disadvantageous terms: that he thought it expedient to remain satisfied with the advantage gained over the enemy, by having burned one of his quarters, and defeated part of his cavalry; and that to-morrow, when the remainder of the troops with the artillery should have come up, it would be time then, to take in hand the bridle of prosperity, and to put the foot in the stirrup of success and fortune, in order to fall with one joint effort on an enemy already intimidated.” This speech made a strange effect. The Prince who had a high opinion of his own military character, and that of his troops, and made little account of his brother and his party, having answered by some expressions that betrayed his anger and resentment, the generalissimo, who was known for a man of much valor and much discernment, replied that since his majesty would not listen to an advice dictated by zeal and prudence, and he chose to run head-long into his own ruin, he hoped he would not find fault with him, if he took his leave of a cause that looked so ominous: The Prince, full of indignation, having rejoined by a few broken words, of bitterness and anguish, turned his face from that officer, just as fortune had now turned hers from himself; and Zulficar-khan, without further explanation, spurred his horse, and went to join his father who had been left in the camp of G8aliar.