Tales from later Mughals

Recommendations

Info

which he killed Farrukhsiyar`s father and brothers. With the help of the Sayyid brothers Farrukhsiyar defeated Jahandar Shan in 1711 and executed him to clear his way to become king. Farrukhsiyar`s ascension to the throne made the Sayyid brothers powerful because without their support it would not have been possible for him to win the battle for succession. Jahandar Shah`s supporters faced the royal wrath. Their palaces and wealth were confiscated and awarded to the Sayyid brothers. Prominent nobles who lost their properties included Nusrat Jang whose palace was awarded to Hussain Ali Khan. The Sayyid brothers imprisoned I`tiqad Khan and tortured him to reveal the location of his hidden treasures. The same treatment was meted out to the sons of Sh`ista Khan. The confiscated wealth was distributed among the followers of the new king. However, the honeymoon period was soon over. In the system of kingship, sharing of power and authority created doubts and suspicions between shareholders. There were intrigues and counter intrigues. The Sayyid brothers were more powerful militarily while the emperor had only the charisma of his family name. It was a one-sided conflict and the military power won; one day Farrukhsiyar was dragged <strong>from</strong> his harem and imprisoned under inhuman condition. The servants of the Sayyid brothers not only insulted the emperor but also slapped and kicked him. Finally, he was strangulated on the order of the Sayyid brothers. After the assassination of the emperor the royal treasury was plundered by the brothers. Abdullah 56
Khan, who was a depraved debauch, took three beautiful women of the royal harem for himself. This shocked the population of Delhi but they endured it silently. There was no dearth of princes who were ready to sit on the throne; the Sayyid brothers helped two such prices, Rafiud Darajat (1719) and then his brother Rafiud Dola (1719), attain the throne. Both died within a short span of time leaving the throne empty again. Meantime another prince Nikoser (1719), declared himself the emperor at Agra but he too was defeated by the brothers. The capture of Agra fort provided them the opportunity to seize the centuries old accumulated treasure of the Mughal emperors including the costly and precious things belonging to Nurjahan and Mumtaz Mahal. However the situation started to change when Roshan Akhtar became the emperor under the title of Muhaad Shah (1719-1748). By this time a rival faction of nobility was tired of the Sayyid brothers and their misuse of power. Thus a conspiracy was hatched and Mir Haider Kashghari was paid a princely sum of one lakh rupees to kill Hussain Ali Khan. As soon as the news of this murder spread there was panic and confusion in the royal camp. Hussain Ali Khan`s rivals immediately plundered his treasury; they were followed by camp followers who took full advantage of the chaos and looted whatever they got. According to one historian, within a short span of time there was no trace of Hussain Ali Khan`s camp. Everything belonging to him was taken away. Each beggar of the camp collected nearly three thousand ashrafis and became rich. 57
Page 1:
Tales from Later Mughuls 1
Page 4 and 5:
Copyright© 2014 All rights reserve
Page 6 and 7: From Mulitary Adventurer to Nawab 9
Page 8 and 9: of them retired to their home towns
Page 10 and 11: it in getting political ascendancy.
Page 12 and 13: The Decline of Power Studying the h
Page 14 and 15: to face the regional armies who wer
Page 16 and 17: Death of the Institutions There is
Page 18 and 19: eluctantly surrendered to the regio
Page 20 and 21: Dynastic Rule The Mughal dynasty, w
Page 22 and 23: ule. On the question of succession,
Page 24 and 25: The Salatin The term Salatin was us
Page 26 and 27: the British Resident that his month
Page 28 and 29: Story of a Mughals The descendents
Page 30 and 31: treated well by Nawab Asifud Dowla
Page 32 and 33: Financial Condition of The Later Mu
Page 34 and 35: meet the expenses. The Red Fort was
Page 36 and 37: Manners and Society Manners and soc
Page 38 and 39: unless asked. For common people the
Page 40 and 41: The Etiquette of Mughal Court Mugha
Page 42 and 43: told the emperor that he should not
Page 44 and 45: Decadence of the Mughal Nobility Th
Page 46 and 47: had the titles of Amin or A`timad o
Page 48 and 49: Nobility on the Decline One of the
Page 50 and 51: As most of the state officials were
Page 52 and 53: Of Sadists and Savages Eighteen cen
Page 54 and 55: a while he awoke and rebuked the pr
Page 58 and 59: Abdullah Khan, who was on his way t
Page 60 and 61: of the state reducing the authority
Page 62 and 63: whenever political candidates attem
Page 64 and 65: palaces and spent more time in merr
Page 66 and 67: This culture had a deep impact on t
Page 68 and 69: Awadh who spent large amounts on we
Page 70 and 71: Although Sharar glamorised the feud
Page 72 and 73: situation where their wealth and pr
Page 74 and 75: Soldiering On It was the common pra
Page 76 and 77: their dues but also promised some e
Page 78 and 79: The Looting Soldiers Although the s
Page 80 and 81: example, when Jaswantrao Hulker, th
Page 82 and 83: converted to Christianity along wit
Page 84 and 85: Her career fully reflects the decli
Page 86 and 87: any state or ruler and organised th
Page 88 and 89: down their arms; some of them compr
Page 90 and 91: In 1794, he got an opportunity when
Page 92 and 93: people hid their wealth temporarily
Page 94 and 95: were adopted to force payment. Once
Page 96 and 97: now he wanted a peaceful life. Ther
Page 98 and 99: from Hamuz to Thana in India and ha
Page 100 and 101: Europeans. As their eating and drin
Page 102 and 103: were employed from 1784 to 1903 by
Page 104 and 105: Singh had to sign a contract that a
Page 106 and 107:
starve and die in poverty. Taking a
Page 108 and 109:
lives in peace. Whatever they got a
Page 110 and 111:
person. An English officer Col. Sle
Page 112 and 113:
language, as well as the local lang
Page 114 and 115:
a Muslim woman with a Christian man
Page 116 and 117:
conversion from Islam to Christiani
Page 118 and 119:
country to earn a good living. The
Page 120 and 121:
the past years. According to him th
Page 122 and 123:
his guards. It became customary for
Page 124 and 125:
Indianisation of the British As the
Page 126 and 127:
available to the rich, one can unde
Page 128 and 129:
political power, those who came to
Page 130 and 131:
The complete break up between these
Page 132 and 133:
French to resolve their internal di
Page 134 and 135:
The Custom House When European trad
Page 136 and 137:
the Portuguese that they even learn
Page 138 and 139:
India and it`s after effects. They
Page 140 and 141:
affairs of the country was in the S
Page 142 and 143:
the traders. They were attached to
Page 144:
Company, which had by this time bec
show all

Tales from later Mughals

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?