128 W. Irvine — The Bang ash Nawabs of Farrukhabad. [No. 2, 



told him to take it. Najib Khan, said, " Steel should not be received for 

 nothing ;" so he sent for apaisa (copper coin) and, putting it on both hands, 

 offered it with mock respect to Nawab Ahmad Khan. The Nawab taking 

 it up said, "It is right and proper that you should offer me a nazar, for 

 " you were once in my father's service." This was true, for Najib Khan 

 began life as a Jaina'ddr on five rupees a month under Muhammad Khan 

 Ghazanfar Jang and then entered the service of the elder Ghazi-ud-din 

 Khan on seven rupees a month. The first interview was accorded to Nawab 

 Ahmad Khan, and by special permission he was allowed to take in with 

 him three persons to hold him up. They were Fakhr-ud-daula Bakhshi, 

 Mihrban Khan Diwan and Daim Khan. Shah Wali Khan, the Wazir, 

 being of the same clan, had recommended Ahmad Khan, and in this way 

 he obtained the first entry. When all the other amirs were admitted, the 

 king gave Ahmad Khan the order to sit down. 



Visitors to Farrukhabad. 



During the latter part of Ahmad Khan's life, from 1759 to 1771, there 

 were a number of distinguished visitors to Farrukhabad. Many of the Delhi 

 nobles sought shelter there, on the breaking up of the imperial court and the 

 occupation of the capital by the Mahrattas. When 'Abdullah Khan, son of 

 'Ali Muhamnad Khan, Rohela, attempted to assassinate Hafiz Rahmat Khan, 

 it was to Farrukhabad that he fled, and it was through Ahmad Khan's inter- 

 cession that he obtained pardon, and the parganah of Aujhani was granted for 

 his subsistence.* And, owing to the grant of the parganahs of Shikohabad, 

 Phaphond and Itawah, made to the Rohelas by Ahmad Shah on his departure 

 from India, Hafiz Kahmat Khan in 1762 passed through Farrukhabad with 

 his son, on his way to visit his new territory. f Again, after the battle of Bak- 

 sar on Oct. 23rd, 1764, Shuja'-ud-daula came for a time to Farrukhabad. 

 Ahmad Khan could at one time boast of having two ex-Wazirs of the 

 Empire encamped at opposite gates of his city — 'Imad-ul-Mulk at one and 

 Shuja'-ud-daula at the other gate. 



The most important group of visitors, however, was composed of Ghazi- 

 ud-din Khan 'Irnad-id-Mulk, his relations and friends, who for many years 

 found an asylum with, and lived upon the bounty of, Nawab Ahmad Khan. 

 Of each of these we proceed to give such details as are known. 



1. Ghazi-ud-din 'Imdd-ul-MnUc. 

 Mir Skahab-ud-din was the son of Mir Muhammad Shah, entitled 

 Ghazi-ud-din Khan Fimz Jang, eldest son of the celebrated Nizam-ul- 

 Mulk Asaf Jah. His mother was a daughter of the well known Wazir, 



* Life of Hafiz Rahmat Khan, pp. 46, 47. 

 f Life of Hafiz Rahmat Khan, pp. 67, 77, 79. 



