4G8 M, Hammer's Memoir on the Diplomatic Relations 



ness of the statement in Dovv's History,* wliere it is asserted, not only tiiat 

 Arslan Aga was himself presented with a sum of twelve thousand pounds 

 sterling, but was also entrusted with rich presents for the Sultan. On the 

 contrary, Arslan's return was distinguished in the most glaring manner, by 

 the absence of all royal presents from the Shah to the Sultan; a bottle of 

 attar of roses, two carpets, and two felts, being the only presents entrusted 

 to him by the Indian Wazlr, to be presented, on his own part, to the Sultan : 

 and the mention of this offensive present, to be offered, not from the shah, 

 nor even from his Grand Wazir, but ft-om Arslan Aga himself to his lord the 

 Sultan, was confined to a postscript.t The Grand Wazir Mustafa's answer to 

 this insulting letter is very remarkable, not only for the apology it contains, 

 and for the pride evinced, which disdains presents, and prefers to loads of 

 tliem friendly expressions, but also for tlie philosophical sentiment expressed 

 therein, that God keeps no account of the extent of empires, but of the 

 justice with which they are governed by the kings their rulers. This letter, 

 not less interesting than that of the Indian Grand Wazir, to which it is the 

 answer, was penned by the Reis Effendi Isari Abdullah, the author of the 

 valuable collection of Turkish state papers, wliich bears the title Dastur ul 

 insha (the Formula of Epistolary Composition) ; and a translation of it is 

 given in the Appendix (No. 4). 



There seems to have been no farther diplomatic intercourse between the 

 courts of Dehli and Constantinople during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim. His 

 successor, Muhammed IV., notified his having ascended the throne of his 

 ancestors by the Mutafarika Saiyad Mohi-ud-din, who received the imperial 

 letters on the fourth of Jemad ul a'a-el 1059 (l6th of May 1649), as is 

 recorded in the history of Abdipasha, the NishanjI. The same history thus 

 records, four years after, the anival of the Indian envoy Saiyad Ahmed, in 

 company with Mohi-ud-dln. 



" Arrival of 072 Indian Envoi/ 1063 (A.D. 1652)." 



" It has been related amongst the events of the year 1059 (A.D. 1649), 

 " that the Mutafarika Saiyad Mohi-iid-din, had been sent from the Sublime 

 " Porte to the Padshah of Hindustan with imperial letters, for the purpose 

 " of supporting Nasir Muhammed, the khan of the Uzbegs, and reconciling 

 " him with his son Abdulaziz, through the interference of the Indian 



* Dow, vol. iii., p. 180. f Vide Appendix, No. 3. 



