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 Chap. IV.] REIGN OF SHAH JEHAN. 285

his efforts unavailing ; but two of the emperor's sons, Murad and Aurungzebe, ad. i648. sustained repeated discomfitm-es. Even after an arrangement had been made which left Nazar Mahomed in possession of more than his original territory, Aurungzebe, attacked by the mountaineers of the Hindoo Koosh, made a most disastrous retreat.

Shah Jehan, though much chagrined, still had some compensation in the siege of

Kaudalmr

acquisition of Kandahar ; but even this was soon to be wrested from him. In 1 64:8 the Persian monarch Shah Abbas II. made his appearance before it, at the head of a large army. The time was well chosen, for winter, which was about to commence, made it almost impossible to march an army from India to its relief Aurungzebe, however, undertook the task ; and, after almost incredible exertions, only arrived in time to learn that the place had already fallen. He determined to attempt the recovery of it ; but, four months after he had opened his batteries, was obliged to raise the siege. A second attempt, in which he was assisted by Saad Ullah, the vizier, having also failed, Dara Sheko, Shah Jehan's eldest son, obtained permission to make a third attack. His force was more numerous and better appointed than those which had previously been employed, and he set out in full confidence of success. Great efforts were made on both sides ; but, after several desperate assaults, Dara Sheko was beaten off, as his brothers had been, and Kandahar was left in the undisputed possession of the Persians.

Shah Jehans warlike energy seemed now expended ; and he had passed Camixiigns two years in tranquillity, when circumstances occurred which tempted him to Deccan. interfere with the internal affairs of the Deccan, for the purpose of bringing it more completely under his sway. Abdallah Kutb Shah, King of Golconda, had regularly paid the stipulated tribute. The Mogul government, therefore, had no claim against him ; and he was entitled to expect that the conditions of the treaty which he had made would, on the part of that government also, be faithfully observed. He was soon taught the contrary. Mir Jumla, who had acquired great wealth tis a diamond merchant, and risen by his talents to be Abdallah's prime minister, having lost favour through the misconduct of his son, Mahomed Amin, entered into a correspondence with Aurungzebe, then in the Deccan, and lodged a formal complaint against his master. Abdallah. though tributary to the Moguls, was still perfectly independent in regard to his internal administration, and wjis therefore both surprised and offended on receiving a mandate from Shall Jehan, haughtily ordering him to give Mir Jumla redress. So for from complying, he sequestrated his property and placed his son in prison. This was probably the very step which Shah Jehan wislied him to take, as it furnished him with a plausible pretext for further interference. Ordei*s were accordingly given to Aurungzebe to employ force, if Abdallah still persisted in disobeying his mandate. Acting at once on this autiiority, Aurungzebe. without any previous warning of hostility, set out ostensibly on