Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/26

18 ACBAR succeeded his father Homaion, and died, after a reign of near 50 years, in 1605. He extended the empire, but not so far to the southward as to prevent him from vouchsafing to stile the king of Portugal his neighbour, in virtue of the territories possessed by this nation near Goa on the coast of Malabar. TO Acbar succeeded his son JEHANGUIR, who died, in 1627. A weak prince, enslaved by the influence of his mistress Nourjehan, confined in his person, and constrained in his government, by the ambition of his son Gehan Schah. Sir Thomas Roe was sent embassador to Jehanguir by king James the first.

SCHAH GEHAN succeeded to his father Jehanguir; and after a reign successful until the change of his fortunes, to which a sickness of languor occasioned by intemperance in his seraglio gave rise, was deposed and confined by his son Aurengzebe, and died in 1666. THERE is not a more curious piece of history than that of the rebellion of Aurengzebe against his father, written by Mr. Bernier. After having murdered his three brothers and some of their children, to acquire the throne, Aurengzebe maintained himself in it near 50 years, with so strict an attention to the government of his empire, as entitles him to be ranked with the ablest princes, who have reigned in any age or country. He conquered more than half the provinces of the Peninsula of India in person, and his viceroys conquered or subjected almost all the rest, the sea coasts of Malabar excepted. The revenues of the empire amounted in his time to near thirty-eight millions of pounds sterling. He died in 1707.

BUT all the abilities of Aurengzebe did not give him the power of securing his crown to one of his sons in preference to the rest, and it appears by his will that he foresaw the contests which ensued amongst them after his death. His sons Azem Schah, 'and Mahomed Mauzm, fought at the head of armies not equalled since the time of Tamerlane.