Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/29

Rh for the same disposers of the throne who had made him emperor, murdered him when he had scarcely reigned three months. THEY then took Raffeih al Dowlet, brother of Raffeih al Dirjat, probably out of the same place of confinement, and placed him on the throne. The reign of this emperor was of shorter duration than that of his brother, for he died within a few days after his accession, and his death was not suspected to be the effect of poison.

MAHOMED Schah was now proclaimed by the two brothers Abdallah Khan, and Hossan Ally Khan, whom we have seen powerful enough to make four and depose five emperors of Indostan. If there were no interreigns, four of these successions happened in the space of four months.

MAHOMED Schah was son of Jehan Schah, one of the three brothers who perished in disputing the crown with their brother Jehander Schah. So that a son of each of these three unfortunate princes became emperor only to be as unfortunate as his father. BUT the greatest humiliation, if not the most tragical exit, was reserved for Mahomed Schah. But the beginning of his reign was not without a stroke of vigour in the mode of eastern politics; for his courtiers, to please him, assassinated Hossan Ally Khan, one of the two brothers whose hands had been imbrued in so much of the blood of his family. The other brother Abdullah Caun immediately appeared in arms, and opposed another emperor of his own nomination to Mahomed Schah. A battle ensued, in which Abdullah was taken prisoner. He died three months afterwards of his wounds; having, it is said, received the assurance of his pardon from Mahomed Schah; which, if true, is an example of clemency very rarely found in the politics of Asiatic monarchs.