[Government Affairs and Alliances]
 
[Alliances Involving Family Relations]

After Khossrou, by the daughter of Sâeid Khaun, the son of Sultûn Saurung prince of Kashobar, I had a daughter, to whom we gave the name of Ouffet Baunee Begum. She died at the age of three years. Next to her, by Sauheb Jamaul, the neice of Zeyne Khaun Khoukah, I had a son born at Kabûl, on whom my father bestowed the name of Parveiz. Of him I pray God that he may live to the utmost limit of human life, since from the singular activity and ready zeal of his character I cherish of him the very highest expectations. The first servive on which I thought fit to employ him is one of a religious nature against the Râna (of Oudipour); and it is now the four-and-twentieth month since he was despatched. It is very gratifying to find that the Ameirs appointed to serve under his orders all express themselves entirely satisfied with his conduct. He has with him nearly twenty thousand cavalry, all furnished with three spare horses each.

Next by the daughter of Derya Komm, a powerful Rajah at the foot of the mountains of Lahour, I had a daughter born, to whom I gave the name of Doulut Nisha Begum, who died at the age of seven months. Then another daughter by Beiby Karmitty, of the family of Râey Pour, whom I named Bahar Baunu Begum: she lived only two months. Next by Juggut Gossâeine, the daughter of Rajah Oudi Sing, who was master of eighty thousand horse, and than whom among the Rajahs of Hind there were few more powerful, I had another daughter, who received the name of Begum Sûltaun, but who did not survive her twelve months. By Sauheb Jamaul, who was the daughter of the Rajah of Luknou, came also a daughter, who lived only seven days; and by the daughter of Moutah Rajah* (Juggut Gossâeine) was born my son Khorroum.* Possessed as he is of the brightest intellectual endowments, I cannot but hope, with the blessing of God, that in every virtue and good quality this my son may prove uninterruptedly progressive, as he is in all things conspicuously discreet. In attention to my father he exceeded all my children, and he was accordingly by him beloved beyond all others, my father repeatedly expressing to me, that such qualities as he discovered in him were not to be found in any other of my children. Perhaps being then the youngest of all, he might have appeared in the eyes of every one the loveliest.

After him, by the daughter of the prince of Kashmeir, who was of the society of Jouggies, I had another daughter, who died a year old. Then by Shâei Begum, the daughter of Ibrauhim Hûsseyne Mirza, who was the grandson by a daughter of Mirza Kamraun, I had another daughter, who died before she was eight months old. Again, by Sauheb Jamaul, the mother of Parveiz, I had another daughter, who died at the age of five months. After her, by Juggut Gossâeine, the mother of Khorroum, I had a daughter, to whom I gave the name of Luzzet-ul-Nissa Begum: she died, however, at the age of five years. Again, by the mother of Parveiz I had another son, to whom, at my accession to the throne, they gave the name of Jahaundar; and last of all, by the mother of Khor­roum I had another son, who received the name of Sheheryaur: both of these were born in the same month.

Having by his matrimonial alliances, already indicated,* considerably aug­mented his influence, Maun Sing obtained such a predominance in my father’s government, that he was permitted to reside alternately six months at court and six months at his jagueir. As a proof of the affluence of his resources it is sufficient to state, that whenever he repaired to my father’s presence, it seldom occurred that his compliment of homage did not amount to two laks of five mithkaly ashrefies;* and so far did he outstrip all tha this grandfather, Bharmul, had attained to, that among the Rajahs of Hindustaun there is not one that can be put on a parrallel with Rajah Maun Sing.

Another circumstance which I consider not unworthy of relation is the following. Sâeid Khaun, the governor of the Punjaub, had written to me a shortish note, requesting that Ghauze Beg, the son of Mirza Jaun Beg, might be permitted to repair to him without delay, as he had just adopted him as a son. I informed him in reply, that my father Akbar had entered into preliminaries of a matrimonial alliance with the Ghauze Beg, by which his sister was be­trothed to my son Khossrou, and as that contract was fulfilled he would be permitted to depart. I should explain that the Mirza Jaun, or Jauny Beg, here referred to, was the son of Fayendah Mahommed, the son of Mirza Bâky, the son of Mirza Aaby, son of Abdul Aaly Terkhan. This latter was prince of Bokhâra in the time of Sûltan Mirza, and long numbered among his vassals the celebrated Shâhy Beg Khaun, monarch of the Ouzbeks, and many of his kins­men. Abdul Aaly Terkhan was, moreover, descended from Shukkee Beg Terkhan, who had this title conferred upon him while yet a child, by the invincible Teymûr, his father Eygou Teymûr having fallen in battle in the war with Toktemesh Khaun. They were of the race of Arghûn Khaun, and hence the title of Terkhan and Arghûn.

An application was conveyed to me in behalf of the son of Rajah Muksoud Khaun, the son of Mukhsous Khaun, so long engaged in the rebel transactions in Bengal and Bahâr. I caused it to be answered in reply, that as he could not well be in a state of mind to be quite satisfied with me, neither could I consider him a fit object for the goodness of God, nor for the countenance or encourage­ment of an earthly sovereign.