164 W. Irvine— Later Mughals (1707-1803). [No. 2, 
Mumin Khan, (24) ‘Achsem’ (A‘zam?) Khan, perhaps this is Tradat 
Khan, Wazih, to whom ‘Azimu-sh-shan had given this title, (25) Saif 
Khan, The following men were dismissed from office and their goods 
confiscated: Jani Khan, ‘ Astni’ (?) Khan, Rae Bhéla Mall, Hakimn- 
1-Mulk, Rade Rayan, Yasin Khan, ‘Mobesser’ Khan, ‘Abdu-r-rahman 
Khan, Shér Afgan Khan. 
8. ‘ABDU-S-SAMAD KHAN, SKETCH OF HIS CAREER. 
The history of ‘Abdu-s-samad Khan, who in the reign of Farrukh- 
siyar assumed a more leading position, isa striking instance of the 
vicissitudes to which such soldiers of fortune were subject. He was a 
native of Samarqand, descended from the Naqshbandi saint ‘Abdullah 
Ahrar,! and had served long in the Dakhin during ‘Alamgir’s reign 
without attracting any great notice. In Bahadur Shah’s reign he came 
more to the front and strengthened his position by forming a marriage 
connection with the powerful Mughal family represented by Muhammad 
Amin Khan, Cin. One day, towards the end of Bahadur Shah’s reign, 
‘Abdu-s-samad Khan pressed his claims on prince ‘Azimu-sh-shan, who 
was then all-powerful. The prince disliked the man and gaye an 
evasive answer. ‘Abdu-s-samad Khan lost his temper and used dis- 
respectful language. Ona complaint to Bahadur Shah, ‘Abdu-s-samad 
Khan was ejected from the imperial camp and ordered to start on a 
pilgrimage to Mecca. Reduced to the one horse he himself rode, he 
left the camp with his wife and family and halted at a little distance, 
hoping to negotiate a loan to pay his travelling expenses. These efforts 
had met with little success, when suddenly Bahadur Shah passed away 
and the contest for the throne began. Zi-l-fiqgar Khan knew that ‘Abdu- 
s-samad Khan was a brave soldier, and his recent quarrel with ‘Azimu- 
sh-shan made him a still more fitting instrument for the coming strug- 
gle. He was therefore sent for and given the rank of 7000 and placed 
in command of Jahandar Shah’s vanguard. From this time his fortunes 
were made. # 
1 Khwajah Nasiru-d-din ‘Abdullah, son of Mahmud, son of Shahabu-d-din, 
Ahbrar, a descendent of Khwajah Muhammad Baqi of Baghdad. At first he lived 
in Shash (now Tashkand). His mother was a descendent of Shekh ‘Umr of 
Baghistan, which is a village belonging to Tashkand. Shékh ‘Umr is descended in 
the 16th generation from ‘Abdullah, son of ‘Umr, son of Alkhitab Khalifah Sani. 
Ahrar left Tashkand for Samargand and Bukhara, and dying on the 29th Rabi‘ 
I, 895 H. (20th Feb. 1490), aged 89, was buried at Samargqand. Khazznatu-l-asfzyah, 
I, 582-585, Beale, 5 (‘Abdullah) and 275, where he spells ‘Ubzdullah, and gives 
the date as Rabi‘ II, 896 H. (Feb. 1491). 
: Warid, 124 a, 
