In the 12th year of Shāh Jahān’s reign, Prince Muhammad Shuj‘a* arrived in Bengal, and made Akbarnagar or Rajmahal the sent of his Government, and adorned it with grand and hand­some edifices. The Prince deputed to Jahangīrnagar or Dacca his Deputy and father-in-law, Nawab ‘Azam Khān.* The affairs of administration which had fallen into confusion by the departure of Islām Khān, received now fresh eclat. For a period of eight years, the Prince devoted himself to the work of administra­tion. In the 20th year* of Shāh Jahān’s reign, the Prince was recalled to the Imperial presence, and Nawab ‘Itaqād Khān was appointed to the Nizamat of the Ṣūbah of this country.

When Nawab ‘Itaqād Khān* being appointed to the Nizamat of Bengal arrived in this country, he ruled over Bengal for two years. In the 22nd year of Shah Jahān’s reign, he was superseded, and Prince Muhammad Shuj‘a was for the second time re-appointed to the Nizamat of Bengal.

When, for the second time, Prince Muhammad Shuj‘a arrived in Bengal, for eight years more he carried on vigorously the work of administration, and conquering other tracts added laurels to himself. In the 30th year of the Emperor’s accession, corresponding to 1067 A.H., Emperor Shāh Jahān fell ill. As the period of illness become protracted,* and the Members of Government could not obtain audience with the Emperor, great confusion ensued in the affairs of the Empire. Since amongst the Princes Royal, no one except Dara Shekoh was near the Emperor, the reins of Imperial administration were assigned to him. Dara Shekoh, viewing himself to be the Crown-Prince, fully grasped the threads of Imperial administration. Owing to this, Prince Murad Baksh in Gujrat had the Khutbah read after his own name, whilst in Bengal, Muhammad Shuj‘a proclaimed himself King, and marshalling his forces, marched towards Patna and Behar, and advancing thence, reached the environs of Benares. On hearing this news, Dara Shekoh, during the serious illness of the Emperor, marched with the latter from Shāhjahanabad (Delhi), to Akbara­bad (Agra), on the 20th Muharram, 1068, A.H corresponding to the 31st year of the Emperor’s accession, and on the 19th Ṣafar, reached Akbarabad (Agra). From this place, Dara Shekoh detached Raja Jai Singh Kachoah, who was a leading Rajah and a principal member of the Empire, together with other leading noblemen, such as Diler Khān, Ṣalabat Khān and Izad Singh, and other officers holding the ranks of Panjhazarī and Chaharhazari, besides a large army composed of his own and the Imperial troops, along with guns and armaments, under the general com­mand of Sulaiman Shekoh, his eldest son, in order to fight against Muhammad Shuj‘a. Accordingly, these marched from Agra on the 4th of the month of Rabiul-Awwal of the aforesaid year, and set out on the aforesaid expedition. And after marching several stages, and passing through the city of Benares, these encamped at the village of Bahadurpur (which is situated on the bank of the Ganges at a distance of two and a half kroh from the city of Benares) to a distance of one and a half kroh from Muhammad Shuj‘a’s army. Both the armies exhibited military stategy and tactics, and sought for an opportunity to surprise the other. In consequence neither side made a sally. On the 21st Jamadiul-Awwal, the Imperialists made a feint as if to shift their camp, but suddenly wheeled round, and rushed Shuj‘a’s army, which was completely taken by surprise. On hearing the news of the feint retreat of the Imperialists on the previous day, Shuj‘a had neglected his war-preparations, and was fast asleep. Being thus taken by surprise, he woke up from his slumber, and mounting a female elephant, he moved about restlessly. But the game was already up, especially as Raja Jai Singh making a dashing flank movement from the left side, closed in upon him. Seeing no alter­native, Shāh Shuj‘a got into his war-vessels which he had brought up from Bengal, and sailed down swiftly, abondoning his treasures, guns, horses, baggages and tents. Sailing swiftly down Patna, he reached Mungir, and prepared to fortify it, and halted there for some days. Sulaiman Shekoh’s army, after plundering and ravaging and slaughtering and capturing, followed up Muhammad Shuj‘a, and reached Mungir. Muhammad Shuj‘a, finding it impos­sible to stand his ground there, fled with the swiftness of light­ning and air, and entered Akbarnagar (Rajmahal). The Imperial army reduced to subjection the Ṣubah of Patna and Behar.* But in the meantime, Aurangzeb had marched from the Dakhin* towards the Imperial Presence, and on the outskirts of the Narbadda had fought an engagement with a numerous horde of Imperialists, and after sanguinary fightings had inflicted a signal defeat, and had marched to Shāhjahānabad, and entered the Capital. Deputing his eldest son, Sultān Muhammad, to be near the Emperor, Aurangzeb put the latter under surveillance, and killed Dara Shekoh* after much warfare, and in the holy month of Ramzan 1069 A.H. ascended the Imperial throne of Delhi. Sulaiman Shekoh, on hearing the news of Dara Shekoh’s defeat, gave up the pursuit of Shāh Shuj‘a, and retreated towards Shāhjahānabad (Delhi). Muhammad Shuj‘a fancying that the struggle between Dara Shekoh and Aurangzeb would be a protracted one, thought his opportunity had come, and by the bad advice of Alīvardī Khān and Mirza Jān Beg and other members of his Government, refurbishing his sword, laid claim as his heritage to the suzerainty of Bengal, and with a large and formidable army marched towards the Capital of Hindustan. As before Shuj‘a’s arrival, the struggle in Hindustan between Aurangzeb and Dara Shekoh had terminated, and Aurangzeb had already mounted the Imperial throne, on hear­ing this news of Shuj‘a’s march, Aurangzeb with his entire army of Hindustan swiftly marched, and at Kachwah the two armies encountered each other, and a battle was fought.

After much exertions and fightings, Aurangzeb’s army was defeated. Aurangzeb, however, with a number of noblemen and some gunners, stood his ground on the battle-field. Alivardi Khān, the generalissimo of Shāh Shuj‘a’s force, attempted to capture Aurangzeb and checkmate him. As God has bestowed greater wisdom on Sovereigns than on the mass of mankind, and as in military affairs, Sovereigns are endowed with a more accurate per­ception of the situation, that wise sovereign (Aurangzeb) observing the adage that “war is fraud,” deceived the aforesaid Khān by holding out to him the chance of being appointed Prime Minister, and said that if the latter could induce Muhammad Shuj‘a to dismount from his elephant and to mount a horse, he would win this game. The aforsesaid Khān, seduced by the bait held out by Aurangzeb, played false with his own old benefactor, and spoke to Muhammad Shuj‘a as follows: “Victory has been already achieved by our army, and the enemy’s force has been defeated. As cannon-balls, and rockets and arrows are raining from every side, it is possible that the Royal elephant might be hit; it is therefore advisable that your Highness should dismount from your elephant and mount a horse. By the good luck of your Highness, I would immediately capture and fetch ‘Alamgīr.” Instantly as Shāh Shuj‘a mounted a horse, the aforesaid Khān sent informa­tion to ‘Alamgīr. ‘Alamgīr immediately adopted the ruse of causing the music of victory to be struck up. And since the army did not find Shāh Shuj‘a on the elephant, news spread in the army about the victory of ‘Alamgīr and the defeat of Shāh Shuj‘a. Shuj‘a’s force fled panic-stricken, thinking that Shuj‘a had been killed. Although Shuj‘a made exertions to stop the panic and prevent the flight, these were in vain. Hence the adage is “Shuj‘a lost a winning game.” The army of Aurangzeb collect­ing together, made an onslaught. When Shāh Shuj‘a found that he had lost the game, he was obliged to take to flight, and fled to Bengal, and fortifying the passes of Telīagadhi and Sakrigali, he entrenched himself at Akbarnagar (Rajmahal). ‘Alamgīr appointed Nawab Mu‘azzam Khān, Khān-i-Khanan, the Generalis­simo, to be Ṣubadar or Viceroy of Bengal. And detaching twenty-two renowned noblemen, like Nawab Islām Khān, Dīler Khān, Daūd Khān, Fateh Jang Khān, and Ihtīsham Khān, etc., under the command of Sultān Muhammad, to pursue Shāh Shuj‘a, Aurangzeb himself triumphant and victorious marched back towards the Capital (Delhi).