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 Chap. IV.] EEIGN OF SHAH JEHAN. 283

to secure it, first testified liis gratitude to Asof Khan, liis father-in-law, by a.d. i628. making him his vizier, and to Moliabat Khan by appointing him his com- mander-in-chief; and then began to indulge his natural taste for magnificence by public works and splendid entertainments. In the latter of these he seemed determined to outstrip all his predecessors ; and on the first aimiversary of his accession, not satisfied with the usual ceremony of distributing his own weight in presents of the most costly materials, caused vessels filled with jewels to be waved round his head or pom'ed over his person as a .supposed means of averting misfoi-tune, and scattered the contents among the bystanders. In the valley of Ca.shmere, where the ceremony was performed, the value thus expended was estimated at £1,600,000.

He was not allowed long to indulge in such lavish and ostentatious displays, i^surrec- Though his cruel policy had extirpated all the members of his family who various might have competed with him for the crown, in several quarters of his '^"'* '^"' dominions the materials for revolt were provided and ready to explode. The Usbeks, endeavouring to profit by the uncertainties of a new reign, laid siege to Cabool and ravaged the surrounding country, till the approach of Mohabat compelled them to retire. In Bundelcund an insuiTection, headed by Nar.sing Deo, the infamous murderer of Abulfazl, was not put down without a serious struggle. But, as in his father's reign, the Deccan was the great theatre of war. The conquest of it by Akber had never been firmly secured ; and even after the Hindoos had been forced to yield, their place had been occupied by Mahometan chiefs, who had established the three kingdoms of Ahmednuggur, Bejapoor, and Golconda, which often refused to yield even a nominal supremacy to the Mogul, and were always ready to embrace any opportunity which pro- mised to free them entirely from the yoke. Such an opportunity was offered by the revolt of an Afghan chief of the name of Khan Jehan Lody, who had rendered important military services in the time of Jehangir; but, taking umbrage at some proceedings of Shah Jehan, suddenly quitted Agra at the head of 2000 veteran troops, and, in the face of numerous obstacles, made his way through Bundelcund and Gundwana to the court of Ahmednuggur, where he was welcomed by MuUik Amber.

The only chance which the Mahometan kings of the Deccan could have had of resisting the Mogul arms, would have been by forming a mutual league and uniting all their forces against the common invader. Instead of this they kept aloof, under the influence of old jealousies and feuds, and allowed themselves to be crushed in detail. The King of Golconda appears to have been first t).c kings intimidated, and volunteered tribute. Nizam Shah. Kinsf of Ahmednufrirur. " ^ '^' so long as he was guided by the counsels of MuUik Amber, offered a strenuous resistance ; but at last made choice of a new minister, who proved treacherous, and made peace with the Mogul by botii nuudering the king and sacrificing the independence of the kingdom. The most valiant struggle was made by

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