Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/419

 C/iAr. T] REIGN OF BAHADUR SHAH. 080

voured to prevent it by apportioning his dominions among his three sons. To ad. itos. Moazzim, the eldest, he destined the northern ?ind eastern provinces, with the title of emperor; and to Azim, the second son, all the provinces to the south and south-west, including the Deccan, with the exception of the conquered kingdoms of Bejapoor and Golconda These he left to his third son, Cambaksii. This proposed partition, which would have been injudicious under any circumstances, threw away the only chance which remained of once more consolidating the Mogul power. The Mahrattas had shaken it to its verj^ centre — the leading Rajpoots had made themselves almost independent — and many other tributaries were watching the opportunity to imitate their example. The confusion was, iiowever, destined to be even worse than Amamgzebe s will would have made it. The brothers, without paying any regard to that document, no sooner heard of his death than they flew to arms. Azim, who was nearest to the capital, took .advantage of his position, and was immediately proclaimed sovereign of all India. suoce9.si,,i, of Cambaksh, instead of questioning his title, formally acknowledged it, and was shau. confirmed in possession of the kingdoms which his father had allotted him. Moazzim, though the true heir, was not indisposed to a compromise, and offered it on favourable terms ; but Azim, strong in actual possession, refused to listen to any decision but that of the sword. Moazzim accordingly advanced from Cabool, where he had been residing as governor, while two of his sons — the eldest from Moultan, and the second from Bengal — hastened to join him. In the battle which ensued, Moazzim gained a complete victory. Azim, with his two grown-up sons, were slain in the field, and his only other son, an infant, was taken prisoner. It might have been supposed that the struggle for the suc- cession was now at an end ; but Cambaksh, who had submitted so readily to his second, rose in rebellion against his eldest brother. Moazzim, therefore, had no sooner mounted the throne in June, 1707. under the title of Bahadur Sliah, than he found it necessary to march into the Deccan at the head of an army. His good fortune again attended him, and in a battle fought near Hyderabad, in February, 1708, Cambaksh was not only defeated, but fell mortally wounded.

On quitting the Deccan, Bahadur Shah conferred the viceroyalty on Zul- DiMmion fikar Khan, who had earned it by an opportune desertion of Azim, previous to Maumttas. the battle which decided his fate. Zulfikar immediatel}' endeavoured to effect an accommodation with the Mahrattas. The circumstances were favourable. Saho, the legitimate rajah, after a long captivity, had been set at lil>erty by Azim, and had immediately laid claim to the Mahratta sovereignty. He was resisted by Tara Bai, the widow of his uncle. Rajah Ram, wlio claimed it for her infant son. Both claimants were strongly supported; and Zulfikai-, taking advantage of the disunion thus produced, had made considerable progi'ess in a negotiation with Saho. He was obliged, however, before concluding it, to repair to Delhi ; but his deputy, Daoud Khan Panni, following out his views, procured exemption from Mahratta forays, by agreeing to lev}- the clunit by Vol. I. 43