The Vezir informed of that particular, pitched upon an idiot, whom no body knew, to personate one of the Imperial Princes; and having sent his consort and family to a strong­hold of S8r8dj-mull’s, he invited that Djatt Prince to come again into his service. The other consented, and taking a body of troops, he came and joined the Vezir, his old friend and master. So decisive a step having convinced the Emperor that there were no measures to be kept with the Vezir, he discharged him from that high office, and conferred it on Intyzam-ed-döwlah, son of the late Camer-eddin-qhan. And as Mir-sheab-eddin, notwithstanding his youth, seemed to be endowed with courage and much penetration, he entrusted him with the care of assem­bling an army, and fighting the Vezir; he summoned at the same time to his assistance all the Commanders and officers of the environs of the Capital. One of these was Nedjib-qhan the Rohillah, a Commander who already bore a character for courage and daringness, as well as for understanding and conduct. This is the man whom we shall see rise gradually in the sequel, and by dint of merit only, to the high dignity of Emir-ul-umra, Mir-sheab-eddin, alias Umad-el-mulk, is intrusted with the office of pushing the war against the Vezir. or Prince of Princes of Hindostan. All the Zemindars of the neighbourhood, whether of illustrious descent or of new families, like Chita-g8djer and Bel8-qhan; all the Sëyds of Barr; all the noblemen of ancient families who lived retired these many years, for instance, Mahmed-sadyc-qhan, son to Sëif-ollah-qhan, Viceroy of Tatta; all these came and offered their services, or were invited over. Amongst these last was my forgiven father, who after having been preferred by the Vezir to the command of Panip8t, and the other eighteen Districts of the dependence of the Qhalissa-office, had of late fallen under his displeasure, and that of Abdol-medjid-qhan, the Cashmerian, and was kept in confinement for some balances set up against him. The Court system being now so far changed, he was forgiven the above balances, sent for, and introduced to the Emperor, by Hafyz-mohtar-qhan, as a nobleman worthy of his favour. He on his side sent for some of his ancient troops and Commanders, and having assisted them with some money to fit themselves up, he engaged them all in the Imperial service. All these warlike preparations in the middle of the city, and the many engagements that followed, seemed to shake every house in its foundations. From the beginning of Redjeb, in the year 1166, for full six months together, the streets of the city became the theatre of war and bloodshed. The Vezir’s troops, which were commanded mostly by able officers, all old soldiers, jealous of their honour, distinguished themselves on all occasions, and above all others, the famous Ghossäin or Fakyr, Radj-ender-gur, who had of late acquired so much honour at the siege of Ilah-abad, and now had come of his own motion to join the Vezir’s cause; this man made nothing of throwing himself amongst the very fire of the Imperial Artillery, and of killing and wounding every day numbers of people upon the very muzzles of their guns. He had but a few bravoes with him, but all as determined and as invulnerable as himself, and so often did he come off unhurt from desperate engagements, that a notion prevailed that he had some piece of witchcraft about his body, or some talisman about his person; and this notion, which took root in people’s mind, rendered him still more formidable, when one day he was shot dead by a ran­dom musket-ball; and then the prepossession disappeared. It was in such a scene of confusion and blood-shed that Saadat-qhan emerged again from his corner. This man whom we have seen dismissed from his office and dignity of Emir-ul-umrah, and who on that account had conceived an implacable hatred against the Emperor, availed himself of the opportunity to come out again, and to figure upon the theatre of the world. He wrote to the Vezir that he wished to join him, and requested only that a body of troops should march towards the Monument of the Prince of men; and this being complied with, he under pretence of going thither in pilgrimage, joined the Vezir’s troops, and went into his camp. This could not be a mighty acquisition to the Vezir, who underwent a loss on the other side; for Mir-sheab-eddin having published at the same time, that whatever trooper had the letter sin stamped upon his horse, might come over, and would be received at fifty rupees per month, besides a hundred rupees for his entrance, and this proclamation having been rumoured in the Vezir’s camp, almost all those of that description (and they were mostly T8ranians, as well as he that invited them,) deserted, and came over to the Imperialists, to the number of some thousands. Sheab-eddin had even the art to bring religion into the party. He assembled all the Cashmirians and all the Pendjabians who are all zealous Sunnies, and having set up a standard, as if their religion had been in danger, he published that the Vezir was a Shyiah, and a Rafzy, or blasphemer*, and he invited all the Mussulmen to join against one that had blasphemed the suc­cessors, and waged war against them. He added that this was a sacred war, and that, as such, it conferred the merits of martyrdom on whoever should perish in it. On this publication, thousands and thousands of armed men flocked towards the standard, and nothing was heard but cries of four successors, and four friends; and whoever was met with in the streets, and suspected to be a Shyiah, or even a well-wisher of the Vezir’s, was sure of being stripped and beaten; some even were killed. The house of the late Mahmed-issac-qhan, inhabited by his two brothers, Mirza-aaly-qhan and Salar-djung, was plundered and sacked, as was that of Ismaël-beg-qhan, a principal Commander in the Vezir’s army, whose house was known to be replenished with precious arms, money, jewels, and rich furniture, to the amount of several corors. In short, no man of character, who was known to be either in the Vezir’s army or in his interest, escaped unhurt. The houses of every one of them were plundered and sacked, nor did any part escape devastation but the women’s apartment. To punish these excesses, S8r8dj-mull, the Djatt, attacked, by the Vezir’s order, that part of the city, called old Delhi, and which is even richer and still more populous than Shah-djehan-abad itself; and he plundered and sacked it so thoroughly, that an infinity of people lost Old Delhi plundered by the Vezir’s troops, who at last came to a compromise with his master. their consorts and children, and were totally ruined, besides numbers that were massacred. A multitude of all sorts had taken refuge in the house and quarter of Shah-bassutt, son and suc­cessor to Shah-mahmed-djaafer, on the expectation that his holy character being exceedingly respected, by every one, and by the Vezir amongst others, who lived on terms of friendship and intimacy with him, would prove a safeguard to his house and quarter in the general plunder and massacre; but they were mistaken, and these deluded people underwent the same unhappy fate as the others. No respect, no regard was paid to it,—but let us pass in silence over all those horrors,—for past is what is past.—O God preserve us; preserve all the Imamites from such days as these*. After six months’ slaughter and ruin, both parties became tired of such a life, and both seemed desirous of a peace. The Emperor and his Ministers sent the first message; and the Vezir who was tired of the immense expenses he daily incurred, and who augured no good from all these troubles, gave his consent. Intyzam-ed-döwlah served as mediator in the terms of the agreement; and this was, that the two Govern­ments of Ilah-abad and A8d should be left to the Vezir. These terms having been agreed to, the latter in the beginning of the year 1167, set out for those countries, and left the field to Mir-sheab-eddin.

This daring young man had, during the war with the Vezir, called to his assistance from Malva, the Marhatta General New troubles in Delhi. Holcar-malhar, under promise of a high pay; but he arrived after the conclusion of the peace. Nevertheless, as the Minister was highly exasperated against the Djatts for their connections with the Vezir, and the assistance they had given him, and as on the other hand, he was fond of remaining in power, he availed himself of the arrival of the Marhatta troops to fall upon the Djatt S8r8dj-mull. The latter who thought himself over-matched in the field, took shelter in certain strong fortresses of his, known under the names of Dig, Comir, and Buhret-poor, where he was immediately beseiged; and as it is impossible to take such fortresses without battering cannon, Mir-sheab-eddin who feared lest matters should draw to a length, sent to the Emperor to request some heavy artillery. The person he sent was Akybet-mahmood-qhan, a Cashmirian, who was everything in that Minister’s house, but, however, a wicked dangerous man, seditious and factious to a high degree. This request did not please Intyzam-ed-döwlah, the Vezir, who was an honest well-meaning man. He knew that as soon as those fortresses should have been taken, both the master and the envoy would not fail to return to the city, and to avail themselves of their prevalence to torment indiscriminately both friends and foes. He therefore advised the Emperor to refuse the artillery. The Cashmirian apprised of that, formed himself a party amongst the Mansoobdars or Military officers of the Crown, and the people dependent on the artillery; and partly by threats and by promises of plunder, as well as by a variety of other means, he engaged them to join his party in taking Intyzam-ed-döwlah out of the way. Having fixed a day for this purpose, he assembled a multitude of people, and made an attack upon that Minister’s house; but being repulsed, he quitted the city, and putting himself at the head of several bodies of banditties that joined together, he fell a plunder­ing all those Districts that depended on the Qhalissa-office, at the head of which presided that nobleman, as well as all those in the environs of the Capital which he knew to be held as Djaghirs by the several Lords of the Court.