between the Cowls of Dehli and Constantinople. 465 



" at the head of tlie royal army, forced the passage of the river with his ele- 

 " piiants, and gave battle to his son, who was defeated, and fled to Beno-al ; 

 " from whence, having collected fresh troops, he returned to the sicre of 

 " Burhanpur. During this time some events took place which would be too 

 " long to relate. Finally, a peace between the father and son was broun'ht 

 " about by the intervention of some well-intentioned persons, and Shah Selim 

 " granted pardon to his son, and conferred upon him a government. He died 

 " after a reign of thirty years, and Shah Khurrum ascended his father's throne 

 " as king of Hindustan, when he assumed the title of Shah Jehan. Soon after, 

 " certain persons presuming to advocate the claim of one of the sons of prince 

 " Daniel to the crown, the King became incensed against them, and ordered 

 " them, five in number, to be put to death. Four of them were killed; but the 

 " fifth, Prince Baisanghar, avoiding the snare laid for Jiim, fled into Persia • 

 " from whence (not having been well received there) he came on to Con- 

 " stantinople, to seek refuge in the presence of Sultan Murad IV. Not 

 " being aware of the ceremonial required in the royal presence, and boast- 

 " ing of his lineage and descent, his pride displeased the imperial temper 

 " of the Sultan. A sum having been granted Iiim to defray tlie expenses 

 " of his journey, he distributed it as he came out from the audience, 

 " amongst the agas, baltajTs, and porters. This having been reported to 

 " the imperial ear, he was little regarded on account of this stupidity. He 

 " even went so far as to boast, in the Sultan's presence, of his ancestor Taimur, 

 " and to allude to him by the title Salieb Kerdni (lord of the auspicious con- 

 " junction). He was always followed by a servant, wlio carried the hide of a 

 " hart, and spread it for his master to sit upon. Tliis stupid and uncouth 

 " behaviour was the cause that the sultan left off rising on tlie prince's arrival 

 " and had no desire whatever to see any more of him. The prince continued 

 " nevertheless to solicit the aid of an army from the sultan, to seat him on 

 " the throne of India. Murad observed in private to his confidant, 'Shah 

 " Khurrum has twice sent us envoys with splendid presents, and has in no 

 " wise been deficient in demonstrations of sincerity ; but besides this, there 

 " is no motive for undergoing the hardships of a long march with a laro-e 

 " army into so distant a country : and even were it as easy as it is difficult, 

 " we know too well Baisanghar's incapacity ; were he to be established, by 

 *' assistance, on the throne, it is evident that he would soon be stripiici! 

 " again of his artificial robe of sovereignty ; according to the verse : 



" If heaven grants to you the vest, 



" Where is the body, to be drest ?" 



