Having obtained the Emperor's consent, the Názir placed the gates of the palace in charge of Ghulám Kádir's men. * * Four thousand horse were posted in and about the palace, * * and all the environs were in the possession of the men of Ghulám Kádir and the Mirzá (Bedár Bakht). They took possession of the doors of the female apartments, beat the eunuchs with stones and sticks, seized upon the goods and furniture, and took the wardrobe and the store-rooms out of the hands of the royal servants. A few personal attendants and eunuchs were all that remained with the Emperor. No one was left who could go out to ascertain what was passing, and the Emperor was in great trouble and anxiety. At that moment Prince Akbar said, “One choice is yet left: if you will allow us, we brothers will all fall upon those traitors, and will bravely encounter martyrdom.” He replied, “No one can escape the decrees of the Almighty, there is no contending against doom; the power is now in the hands of others.” Prince Akbar raised a great cry, drew his sword, and placed it to his throat to kill himself. The Emperor snatched the sword from his hand, and put it to his own throat. A cry arose from all who were present, and the noise spread through the palace. Ghulám Kádir came in alarmed. The Emperor, with great politeness, called him near, and placing his head upon his own breast, said in his ear, “Twenty lacs of rupees have been provided, but let them be expended in the business of the Mahrattas, and not in a way that will bring censure and lasting disgrace upon me.” * *

On the 27th Shawwál Ghulám Kádir, having come to an understanding with Isma'íl Beg Khán, went into the presence of the Emperor, who was seated in his private apartments, and began to speak fawningly. The Emperor said, “I relied upon your promise and your oath on the Kurán, and kept myself in private, tell me what you require, for I have no remedy.” Ghulám Kádir frowned and replied, “I have no reliance on you. He who speaks of sitting in private should give up the claim to sovereignty.” At that moment Gul Muhammad Khán brought forward Prince Bedár Bakht. Ghulám Kádir insolently stepped forward, and took the Emperor's dagger from his girdle, while his companions wrested the swords from the hands of the Princes. The Emperor's personal attendants and the eighteen Princes were removed to the salátín.* Ghulám Kádir then took the hand of Prince Bedár Bakht, and placed him on the royal seat. The chiefs who were present made their offerings, and the drums were beaten to proclaim the name of Bedár Bakht. He thus ascended the throne on the 27th Shawwál, 1204 A.H. (22nd June, 1790).

On the 8th Zí-l ka'da Ghulám Kádir sent his stern officers to Bedár Bakht for ten lacs of rupees. He excused himself, saying that the Imperial family had been swept clean, but he would send what he could scrape together. He sent some vessels of silver and other articles, and said that if more was required, application should be made to Sindhia and the Rájas who were well affected towards the Imperial throne. Rohilla 'Alí said, “Your Majesty must go into the private apartments, for the money will not be obtained without some trouble.” He said, “If there is any more money, you are welcome to it. I came out of the salátín with a shirt and an old pair of trowsers, which I still have; but you know all about it.” Ghulám Kádir took the gold and silver-mounted articles from the apartments of Sháh 'Álam and the princes and princesses, then piled them in a heap and burnt them, and sent the metal to the mint to be coined. He took several cart-loads of swords, daggers, and muskets, belonging to the Emperor and Princes; some he gave to his companions, and some he sent to the store-house.

Sháh 'Álam and the Princes were kept as prisoners in the Motí Mahall. Ghulám Kádir ordered that Prince Akbar and Prince Sulaimán Shukoh should be bound and whipped by the carpet-spreaders. Sháh 'Álam exclaimed, “Whatever is to be done, do to me! These are young and innocent.” Bedár Bakht now came in. Ghulám Kádir abused them, and put every one of them in the hot sunshine. Bedár Bakht, having sat there a little while, informed him how to find money, and said, “My servants are at your command, threaten them, and ask for it.” The female attendants of the palace were then bound, and hot oil being poured on the palms of their hands and their feet, they gave information of two ice vaults from which a box of gold, silver and mounted vessels was taken. * * Sháh 'Álam was sitting in the sun and complaining, when Ghulám Kádir said to some truculent Afgháns, “Throw this babbler down and blind him.” Those men threw him down, and passed the needle into his eyes. They kept him down safe on the ground for a time with blows of sticks, and Ghulám Kádir asked him derisively if he saw anything, and he replied, “Nothing but the Holy Kurán between me and you.” All night long he and his children and the women of his palace kept up loud cries. Ghulám Kádir re­mained that night in the Motí Mahall, and hearing these cries, he writhed like a snake, and directed his servants to beat and kill those who made them. But some of these men dreaded the questioning of the day of judgment, and held their hands.

On the 9th Zí-l ka'da, * * Ghulám Kádir said to Bedár Bakht, “Come out, and I will show you a sight.” Perforce, he went out of the door, and sat down. Ghulám Kádir went to Sháh 'Álam, and said, “Find me some gold, or I will send you to join the dead.” Sháh 'Álam reviled and reproached him, saying, “I am in your power, cut off my head, for it is better to die than to live like this.” Ghulám Kádir sprang up, and threw himself upon the Emperor's bosom, Kandahárí Khán and Purdil Khán seized his hands, two of their companions held his feet; Kandahárí Khán tore out one of his eyes, and that bloodthirsty reckless ruffian tore out the other with his own hands, amid the wailings of the Emperor. Ghulám Kádir then gave orders that the needle should be passed into the eyes of Prince Akbar, Sulaimán Shukoh, and Ahsan Bakht. The ladies came from behind their curtains, and threw themselves at the feet of Ghulám Kádir, to pray for mercy; but he kicked them on their breasts, and sent them away. The heart of Miyár* Singh was in flames, and, overpowered with rage, he cried, “Ghulám Kádir! cease your fury, and withdraw your hands from these helpless (princes); for if you do not, you will hardly escape from me.” Seeing his passion, Ghulám Kádir arose, and said, “Pinion all three of them, and I will consider what to do with them another time.” He then ordered some of his followers who were present to beat them with sticks till they were senseless, and to put them in prison. Then he called for a painter, and said, “Paint my likeness at once, sitting, knife in hand, upon the breast of Sháh 'Álam, digging out his eyes.” He then forbad his attendants to bring any food or water either to Sháh 'Álam or his sons.

The poor Emperor kept groaning and crying, but no one heeded him. Next day Bedár Bakht sent two surgeons to dress his wounds, and ordered him to be supplied with water. His servants reported to him that the poor Emperor's eyes were running with blood, and that the (only) water he had to drink was what flowed from his eyes. * * Ghulám Kádir went to Sháh 'Álam, and seizing him by the beard, said, “I have inflicted all this severity upon you for your faults, but I spare your life for God's sake, otherwise I should have no scruple in tearing you limb from limb.” On the 12th Zí-l ka'da he went into the jewel-house, and took out a chest and a box of jewels; he also took several copies of the Kurán, and eight large baskets of books out of the library. On the 13th his spies informed him that two sisters of Sulaimán Shukoh, one aged five years and the other four, had died from thirst. When he heard it, he laughed and said, “Let them be buried where they lie.” One of his men went to Bedár Bakht, and said, “Ghulám Kádir wants the jewels you have.” The Prince immediately brought them out of his private apartments, and handed them over.