

Vol, 1V, No. 10.] The Later Mughals. 543 
[N.S.] 
legally appointed governor, loyally fighting for his sovereign’s 
rights.! 
answers were sent to the emperor’s farmdan and to 
Husain ‘Ali Khan’s letter. As usual in such cases, the comedy 
of outward deference was played through unblushingly to the 
end, After thanks for his new appointment, he met the accusa- 
tion that he had left Malwah without orders, by the audacious 
assertion that his action was due to the disorders caused b th 
ahrattahs round Aurangabad, which led him to fear for the 
safet of Burhanpur and even of Malwah ; still more, for the 
safety of the family of the Amir-ul-umara, Husain ‘Ali Khan. 
he great distance precluded his asking for orders or awaiting 
an answer, and for this reason he had castes’ at once, and the 
Mahrattahs had dispersed at his approach. His acts had been mis- 
represented. ewly-risen men, who had not yet learnt the 
reverence due to His Majesty's high rank,? might be guilty of 
such things; to ancient servants like himself, whose every lmb 
and very bones were built up of the salt that he had eaten, they 
were impossible. His Majesty knew the disordered state of the 
Dakhin, in spite of all that the Dweller in Paradise (‘Alamgir) 
had done. As it was now devoid of a ruler, cae more likely 
than that some disaster ype happen there? The only remedy 
was a hasty advance. It had been his desire, for many a day, 
t ape 
sovereign’s wishes he held to be far above the worship of God, 
he would soon be on the spot, and by God’s help and His 
Majesty’s good fortune, would carry out the necessary mea- 
sures.3 
To the Amir-ul-umara, Husain ‘Ali Khan, after quoting the 
letter sent to him, in which he was told that Dilawar ‘Ali Khan 
- ad oie sent only to fetch the Sayyid’s family from Aurangabad, 
In 
rote: ‘‘ Nawab Amir-ul-umara! May you be preserved ! 
spite of his knowing your kindness — friendly feeling, and of 
‘‘ my writing several times and my se trusty messengers, 
‘“‘ the said Khan (Dilawar ‘Ali) would ‘iat listen to reason, and in 
‘‘the end brought on himself what happened to him. My feel- 
‘‘ings of friendship you remain unchanged.” He then 
repeats the story about marching to the Dakhin merely to protect 
Aurangabad and save the Amir-ul-umara’s family from dishon- 
our, the latter involving the suggestion, a very galling one toa 
proud and high-placed man like Husain ‘Ali Khan, that he was 
too weak to protect them himself. ‘“ Praise be to God! all has 
. passed off harmlessly. As soon as my troops arrived the rebels, 
making no stand, fled in all directions. The envious have 


1 Shia Das, 406; Mhd Qasim, Lahori, 327. 
2 This is perhaps intended as a covert sneer at the Sayyids. 
8 Shit Das, 41¢. 
