Page:Letters of Aurungzebe - tr. Bilimoriya - 1908.djvu/99

87 Letter addressed to

Amir-ūl-Umará Sháyasta Khán A general of Shah Jehan and (maternal) uncle of Aurungzebe of whom he was a great supporter in Shah Jehan's court. He was the son of Asaf Khan, Nur Jehan's brother, after whose death Shah Jehan appointed him his minister. 1641. Shah Jehan appointed him governor of Berar in 1638 and governor of Gujarat in 1652. During Shah Jehan's reign he took part in the Deccan War with Aurungzebe who gave him the title of Khan Jehan in 1656. In 1658 his nephew conferred on him the title of Amir-ul-Umara when he came to his side by deserting Shah Jehan and Dara. (Cf. Introd.). He was appointed governor of Agra in the same year. At the time of the victory gained over Shuja at Cujwá he was governor of Akbarabad (Agra) acting for Aurungzebe. Afterwards Aurungzebe made him viceroy of the Deccan (1659) and ordered him to punish Shivaji. At Poona he was surprised, when sleeping at night, by a party of Mahrattas under Shivaji in a marriage procession; and he narrowly escaped death with the loss of some of his fingers. 1663. Then he was recalled from the Deccan by the emperor and made governor of Bengal in place of the late Mir Jumla. 1666. Here he subdued the pirates of Arakan in the Bay of Bengal who used to disturb Bengal. Here he proved himself to be a great tyrant. His name is proverbial in Bengal as a despotic and tyrannous ruler. In 1679 he returned from Bengal to Delhi and was appointed governor of Akbarabad (second time). He died in 1694. (Cf. Let. CXXVII1). His original name was Mirzá Mūrád. "He was, without doubt, by his birth and connections, the first subject of the empire, not of the royal blod; and Aurungzebe treated him as such to the end of his life." He was an invaluable coadjutor of Aurungzebe. "He had the reputation of writing the most insinuating letter, and using the most persuasive eloquence, of any man in Hindostan." (Bernier). ,

Governor of Akabarábád. 1659. LETTER XCI.

Faithful friend of auspicious nature, may you live under the protection of the Exalted God. I am anxious for you. On Tuesday, the 20th inst. of Rabi-ūl-Awal —