After this departure, the Vezir entered the city, but took up his abode in his own Palace*. Here he was greatly dis­contented, and shocked to see an eunuch, like Djavid-qhan, dictate in all matters of State, and govern the Emperor’s mind; and could by no means agree that such a man should have made a peace that dishonoured the Empire, by giving up two important provinces, which had left open a large breach for the enemy’s incursions into the heart of Hindostan. He was likewise jealous The Vezir incensed at so shameful a compromise. of the omnipotence of the Empress-mother and of her eunuch, shocked at their meddling with every affair of State, and uneasy at their being both leagued against him.

Whilst the Vezir was brooding upon his discontent, an event happened which gave offence to all the world. The Emperor prompted by these two persons, had raised one Mia-qhan, a brother of his mother, but an actor by profession, to the military grade of seven thousand horse, and to the surname of Müatekud-edö8ulah, or “Trustworthy of the Empire,” and to support the State incumbent upon such high titles, this man had been complimented with a complete household of elephants, horses, &c., together with the late Emir-qhan’s Palace, ready furnished, as it was. By this profusion, he brought this man forwards, and made him figure amongst the mightiest Lords of the Empire, although it must be acknowledged that the new Lord was not destitute of good qualities, and did not avail himself of his favour but to oblige and to do good. This pro­motion, however, was looked upon as an affront to themselves, by all the Grandees of the Empire, and especially by the Vezir, The Vezir sets his master at defiance. who resolved to rid himself of the umbrage which Djavid-qhan gave him perpetually. This eunuch, who trusted so much to his influence, that he rubbed his forehead against the third heaven, had the imprudence to accept of an entertainment at the Vezir’s palace, where Aaly-beg-qhan, the head Nassiqh-chi, alias Shitab-djung, ripped open his belly with a stroke of a poniard, and killed him instantly. This execution which had taken place by the Vezir’s order, exasperated the Emperor and his mother, and, in order to ruin such an overbearing Minister, they resolved to join Intyzam-ed-döwlah and all his other enemies.

Whilst the Court seemed convulsed with dissensions and jealousies, Ghazi-eddin-qhan was advancing by long stages to Aoreng-abad, one of the Capitals of Decan, where he made his entry, having with him the Marhatta Malhar, with his whole cavalry. But this man, who knew the difficulties under which his new master laboured, availed himself of his situation to request that the province of Qhandess should be made over to him to insure the payment of his troops; and the Prince, not thinking it proper in the beginning of his expedition to discon­tent a man at the head of such a force, gave him the patent of it under his hand and seal; and thus that fine province, the extent of which reaches to the very gates of Aoreng-abad, passed at once under the Marhatta dominion on these easy terms. Ghazi-eddin-qhan, soon after this, on the seventeenth Ghazi-eddin-qhar, the pre­tender to the Sovereignty of Decan, dies suddenly. day after his arrival at that Capital, died suddenly; so that his army and friends which had followed him from so far, in hopes of bettering their fortunes having now lost their leader, dis­persed of themselves and none remained but his household servants, who, unwillingly to leave their master’s body in a foreign land, took it by turns upon their shoulders, and carried it to Shah-jehan-abad; and in this manner the dominion of all the Decans remained to Selabet-djung.

The death of Ghazi-eddin-qhan set young Mir-sheab-eddin, his son, to work. He had been left in the Capital as Deputy to his father. in his office of “Lord of Lords.” The Emperor thought it enough to continue the young man in the enjoyment of certain surnames and titles that appeared to be hereditary in the family, and accordingly he was called, as well as his father and grandfather, “The Champion of the Law,—The Prop of the Kingdom,—The Brave Commander, ever Victorious in War.” But as all these honours did not imply anything of his having been admitted as successor to his father, in his title and office of Lord of Lords, he went to the Vezir’s house, and he so affected both that Minister and his consort with compassion on his orphan condition, that the Vezir obtained his request from the Emperor. But the ungrateful young Lord, forgetting the education he had received in that Minister’s house where he had learned several languages, acquired a taste for poetry, and had become a learned man as well as a good soldier, henceforward turned his back on his benefactor; and unmindful of the many obligations he owed to that family, and the constant support he had received from it, he joined Intyzam-ed-döwlah, and the Emperor with his mother, in the conspiracy of oversetting the Vezir and demolishing his power. Nor was it long before the Minister had information of this conspiracy; for in a few days the Emperor sent him word, to desire his leaving to His Majesty the disposal of the artillery and of the bathing-place, that is, the private apartments, and he recommended to him a better discharge of his duty as a Vezir. For the latter, sensible that a breach had now taken place between himself and his master, abstained henceforward from going to Court; and the Emperor intimidated at this, commenced caress­ing him anew, and he even went to see him; in which visit he excused what had passed, and seemed to have regained his heart. But as the reconciliation on either side went no farther than the lips, and it was evidently defective in truth and sincerity, months after months were spent in fruitless negotiations, to the very beginning of the year 1166, and even the first six months of that year were taken up in negotiations, and likewise in giving birth to some events which we are to mention.

The Vezir was at a loss how to act. To levy war against the Emperor seemed both improper and odious, and, on the other hand, he apprehended that the conspiracy aimed at his life, as Civil war between the Emperor Ahmed-shah and his Vezir. well as at his power and influence. The truth is, that he had neither that fund of policy, nor that blaze of daringness, requisite for an enterprise of such a high nature; he had not that disregard to scruples, necessary to a man that had conceived such high-flown projects, nor that stiffness of mind that enables him to overlook all obstacles, and to set at nought all consider­ations; he wanted also a sufficient extent of genius to take an adequate view of the strength of his party, and he had too high an opinion of that of his enemies. In fact, such was the opinion entertained of his power, in the beginning of the troubles, and so inconsiderable appeared in comparison both Intyzam-ed-döwlah, and that child of Mir-sheab-eddin that, had he only opened his mouth, there were many Commanders in his service, who on a single order of his would have gone, seized, and bound those two Lords in their very lodgings; nor had either of them dared to offer the least resistance in such a case. Destiny blinded the Vezir’s eyes, and shut up his ears effectually. And the Emperor sensible of his irresolution, wrote him a note at mid­night, the purport of which had been agreed to in a Council between those two Lords and the Court eunuchs. It was in the Emperor’s own hand. The Emperor having sent for the Deputy-Grandmaster of the artillery, who, as such, had the command of the Citadel of Shah-djehan-abad on the Vezir’s part, bid him carry the note himself, and added to it a long message upon several subjects. The foolish man excused himself on the impropriety of quitting his post; but the Emperor insisted, adding that it was for a matter of importance which admitted of no delay. The man had the simplicity to take up the note, and to carry it directly. As soon as he was out of the gate, the Emperor ordered all the gates to be shut up, and admittance to be denied the man for the future. At the same time the garrison placed by the Vezir, and which was all composed of his own troops, was driven out of the Citadel with much ill usage. All the Vezir’s friends and officers were likewise forbidden admit­tance. Moreover, the cannon on one of the towers, which com­manded the Vezir’s Palace, was turned against it, and every preparative was made for contention and war. The Vezir who conceived that contending with an armed hand against the Emperor would redound to his dishonour, render his person odious, and bring upon him the imputation both of rebellion and ingratitude, submitted to his fate, and only asked leave to repair to his Governments beyond the Djumnah*; and this being denied, he took his own party, came out of town without leave, encamped at about two or three cosses distance, and resolved to go to his Governments without leave indeed, but, if possible, without battle or bloodshed. This resolution was no sooner known, than his enemies resolved to attack and fight him, and even to have his life.