194 K. HOSTEN ON MlRZA ZU-L-QARNAIN, A CHRISTIAN GRANDEE. 



Zii-l-Qarnain's mansab of 7000, etc. Mansabs above 5000 were reserved to His 

 Majesty's " august sons." Cf. Ain (transl.), I. 237. 



Zul-Qarnain's jdglr at Hugli may be a reminiscence either of the concession 

 made by Akbar to the Portuguese in 1578-80 or of its being restored to them, perhaps 

 through the Mirza's mediation, after 1632. Cf. Bengal: Past and Present, Vol. X,Pt. I, 

 January-March 1915, pp. 48, 109. 



In Zu-1-0 a main's disappearance from the Court on the accession of Jahangir 

 we see also a distortion of the facts. He was only 14 years old at the time. The 

 facts intended are probably these. When Sikandar, his father, came from Sambhar 

 to Agra, at the end of 1605 or beginning of 1606, to congratulate Jahangir on his 

 accession, Jahangir tried to tamper with his religion, and Sikandar, fearing probably 

 that he would do the same with his two children then at the Court, took them away 

 with him to Sambhar. When at Lahore (1606), Jahangir, remarking the absence of 

 the boys, had a search made for them. They were brought back, and shortly after 

 forcibly circumcised. Sikandar on hearing of this was inconsolable. For three days he 

 wept and refused all food. One of his servants was sent to Lahore to take informa- 

 tion, and the Fathers wrote back to say that it was not safe for him to come himself. 

 After that the King acted as if nothing had happened. (Cf. Fr. Guerreiro, S.J., 

 Relagam.... de 606. & 607., foil. 152^-155^) According to Father Botelho (cf. 

 supra, p. 160), Zu-1-Qarnain disappeared after his forcible circumcision, and was at 

 last found and brought back. 



A search should be made for the Rdgmdld containing the Mirza's name. It 

 contains perhaps in addition some of his Hindustani or Hindi compositions. 



It is a curious fact that our Armenian author looked towards Chandernagore for 

 Zu-1-Qarnain's descendants. Had he not heard of the Bourbons of Narwar and 

 Shergarh and their claiming descent from him ? It is the more curious because 

 Khojamall on his tombstone in Padres Santos' Cemetery, Agra, declares : " Thomas, 

 son of Khoja Mall of Ispahan. I was servant of the Council of Chinsurat. 1789, 

 January 22nd.' ' 



Among the Catholics of Agra there is the same tradition as among the Armenians 

 about large gifts of land granted to the Jesuit Fathers and situated at Agra, and the 

 wonder is why the English Courts of law set aside the claims of the Catholic Mission 

 to these concessions. — H. H., S.J . 



R 



■1H- 



