[The Emperor also started on his return to Lahore. When he reached Bairam Kala, his love of sport, which has been so often mentioned in these pages, revived. * * The country people drove the deer near to the place where His Majesty was seated. He raised his piece and fired, and the stricken animal bounded off to its females, and fell. [A man who followed it fell down a precipice, and was killed.] The fate of the poor man greatly affected the Emperor. It seemed as though he had thus seen the angel of death. From that time he had no rest or ease, and his state was entirely changed. The journey was continued two marches to Rájaur. Towards close of day he started from thence. On the way he called for a glass of wine; but when it was placed to his lips, he was unable to swallow. Towards night he grew worse, and he died early on the following day, the 28th Safar, 1037 A.H., in the 22nd year of his reign.
Ásaf Khán, the chief personage in the State, in concert with Khán-i 'azam (Irádat Khán), brought Dáwar Bakhsh, son of Khusrú, out of confinement, and held out to him the prospect of his becoming king. But he did not believe them, and placed no confidence in their proposals till they had bound themselves with stringent oaths. Then they placed him on horseback, raised the royal canopy, and proceeded towards the royal quarters. Núr Jahán Begam sent several persons to bring her brother to her; but he made excuses, and did not go. Ásaf Khán now sent off Banárasí, a swift runner, to Sháh Jahán, with intelligence of the death of Jahángír; and as there was no time for writing, he sent his signet ring as a guarantee. Next day the royal retinue came down from the mountains to Bhimbar. There the funeral ceremonies were performed, and the corpse was sent on under escort to Lahore, where it was interred in a garden which Núr Jahán had made.
When the nobles and officers of the State became aware that Ásaf Khán had resorted to the stratagem of proclaiming Dáwar Bakhsh, in order to secure the accession of Sháh Jahán, and that Dáwar was, in fact, a mere sacrificial lamb, they gave their support to Ásaf Khán, and did whatever he said. So the khutba was read in Dáwar Bakhsh's name near Bhimbar, and then they started for Lahore. * * Ásaf Khán was not at ease in respect of Núr Jahán, so he kept watch over her, and would allow no communication with her. The Begam's wish was to raise Shahriyár to the throne. Shahriyár was in Lahore when he heard of the Emperor's death, and, urged on by his intriguing wife, he assumed the royal title. He seized upon the royal treasure and everything belonging to the State which was in Lahore. To secure troops and supporters, he gave to every one what he asked for, and in the course of one week he distributed seventy lacs of rupees among the old and new nobles, in the hope of securing his position. Mirzá Baisinghar, son of the late Prince Dániyál, on the death of the Emperor, fled to Lahore, and joined Shahriyár. He took the command of the forces, and led them over the river. * *
On the other side Ásaf Khán advanced, Dáwar Bakhsh being seated upon one elephant, and he upon another. Thus they marched to action, and the opposing forces met about three kos from Lahore. * * At the first attack Shahriyár's mercenaries, unable to face the old and loyal servants of the State, broke, and fled. Shahriyár, with 2000 or 3000 horse, was in the vicinity of Lahore, awaiting the course of events. A Turkí slave brought him the intelligence of the rout. Unable to understand his position and danger, Shahriyár fell back and entered the fortress, thus placing his own foot in the trap. Next day the nobles arrived, and sat down before the fort. Some of his followers had an interview with Ásaf Khán, and made terms. 'Azam Khán entered the fort at night, and next morning let in the other amírs. Shahriyár fled for refuge into the female apartments of the late Emperor. A eunuch brought him out, and he was led bound to the presence of Dáwar Bakhsh. After making the regular bows and homage, he was placed in confinement, and two or three days afterwards he was blinded. * * Tahmúras and Hoshang, sons of Prince Dániyál, were also taken and confined. Ásaf Khán wrote to Sháh Jahán, informing him of the victory.
Banárasí, the runner, left Jangazhatí, in the mountains of Kashmír, and in twenty days, on the 19th Rabí'u-l awwal, 1037 A.H., he arrived at Junír, on the frontiers of Nizámu-l Mulk. The runner went to the abode of Mahábat Khán, who had just before been received by Sháh Jahán. Mahábat Khán sent word into the private apartments of the Prince, who came out and received from the runner the signet ring of Ásaf Khán. * * After observing the proper rites and term of mourning, he commenced his journey on the 23rd Rabí'u-l awwal, and proceeded by way of Gujarát.* * *
Khán Jahán, after his treaty with Nizámu-l Mulk, and the surrender of the territory of the Bálághát, was joined at Burhánpúr by most of the jágírdárs and nobles. Sipahdár Khán, in Ahmadnagar, rejected all the commands of Khán Jahán and the demands of Nizámu-l Mulk's officers, and vowed that he would not give up the fortress without a royal order, even if it should cost him his head. * * Khán Jahán was joined by Daryá Rohilla and by others at Burhánábád. * * Then he proceeded to Mándú, and took possession of several parts of Málwá, after which he returned to Burhánpúr. * *
Sháh Jahán sent a farmán to Yamínu-d daula Ásaf Khán,
to the effect that it would be well if Dáwar Bakhsh the son,
and (Shahriyár) the useless brother,*
of Khusrú, and the sons
of Prince Dániyál, were all sent out of the world. * * On the
2nd Jumáda-l awwal, 1037 A.H., agreeing with 10th Bahman,
in the twenty-second year of the reign of Jahángír, by general
consent Sháh Jahán was proclaimed at Lahore, and the khutba
was read in his name. Dáwar Bakhsh, whom the supporters
of Sháh Jahán had deemed it advisable to set up in order
to prevent disturbances, was now cast into prison. On the
26th Jumáda-l awwal, Dáwar,*
his brother Garshásp, Shah-
On reaching the boundaries of the Ráná, Sháh Jahán was
waited upon by Ráná Karan at Kokanda, who, as well as his
father Ráná Amar Singh, had shown great loyalty. He offered
his tribute, and received great gifts and honours. The new
Emperor now celebrated his thirty-eighth birthday (solar reckoning).
On the 19th Jumáda-l awwal he reached Ajmír, and,
according to the practice of his great ancestor, paid a visit on
foot to the tombs of the saints. * * Mabábat Khán, commander-