<546 The HIS TO RT of the 
Quarters, all things might be regulated there, fo as to pre- 
vent any Delay in a Matter of fo great Importance z . Some 
of the principal Confidents of Sultan Morad could not very 
well digeft this Meffage, but fancied there was fomething 
concealed under it which might be prejudicial to their Ma- 
iler, and therefore they advifed him to return a very civil 
Anfwer to this Complement, but by all means to decline 
the Vifit. There were, however, others, who were fecretly 
in his Brother’s Intereft, who perfuaded him to go, and as 
Sultan Morad was a Prince of a very open and generous 
Difpofition, he liftened to their Advice, and went with his 
ordinary Guard, and a few of his principal Courtiers, at 
the Time appointed, to his Brother’s Tent, where he was 
received with finch high Marks of Refpe£t, and with fo 
much feeming Affection, that he laid afide all Sufpicion, 
and according to his ufual Cuftom, drank freely of feveral 
forts of excellent Wine, which were provided for him ; but 
as for the pious Aurengzebe , he, for a Principle of Confid- 
ence, could not tafte a Drop of that prohibited Liquor, 
and therefore drank Water only. At laft Sultan Morad , 
having got his full Dofe, fell fall afleep, and was, by his 
Brother’s Command, immediately removed into another 
Tent, attended only by his faithful Eunuch, who could 
not by any means be perfuaded to leave him. 
In the mean time the Officers and Courtiers of Morad , 
were entertained in another Tent by Perfons of equal Rank 
with themfelves, who were known to have ftrong Heads, 
and could bear drinking. The Guards all the time at- 
tended round the Tent, and all the Mufick of the Camp 
playing, as if the Brothers had fpent the Night together in 
Feafting. Aurengzebe early in the Morning went with fix 
of his Guards into the Tent, where Sultan Morad and his 
Eunuch were ftill fall afleep, and having caufed them to 
be bound before they were well awake, he ordered them 
to be put in two clofe Litters, and fent away privately, 
one to the Citadel of Dehly , and the other to that of Agra. 
When all was over, he directed a Meffage, in his Brother’s 
Name, to fuch as were to aflift at the approaching Corona- 
tion, importing, that the folemn Proceffion to the Mofque 
was to be made from the Tent of Aurengzebe at a certain 
Hour, and therefore they were to be ready by that Time 
in the Temple. When the Hour fixed for the Coronation 
came, the greateft Part of both Armies were drawn up in 
perfedt Order, under Colour of preventing Difturbances 
without Arms. On a iudden they were furrounded by 
feveral choice Squadrons of Horfe from the Army of Au- 
rengzebe , who, as foon as the Proceffion began to move, 
made the firft Declaration of the Change by brandifhing 
their Swords, and crying out, May the Emperor Aureng- 
zebe ^ live for ever. The reft of the Army were exceedingly 
aftonilhed at firft, but they were foon forced to join in the 
Cry, from an Apprehenfton, that thefe Troops might 
trample them down, and put them to Death, if they dis- 
covered the leaft Signs of Difobedience. As foon as they 
joined in the Acclamations, Aurengzebe himfelf appeared, 
fat down for a Moment on the Throne prepared for his 
Brother, and having invefted himfelf with the Enfigns of 
the Imperial Dignity, prefently withdrew, the whole Army 
ihewing the greateft Joy at his Acceffion, which is a Proof, 
that in arbitrary Governments there is no fuch thing as 
Loyalty ; for Slaves reverence Power , and not Right , which 
ought to tender Princes as careful of their Subjedts Privi- 
leges as of their own Prerogatives, becaufe both ftand upon 
the fame Foundation. 
In the midft of all this Succefs, Aurengzebe ran a great 
Hazard of being dethroned, or at leaft of feeing the War 
revived from a Quarter which, with all his Cunning, he 
never fufpedted, He had fent his eldeft Son Sultan Mo- 
hammed to Agra to 'execute his Orders with refpedl to Shah 
Johan , which he performed very punctually, fince as foon 
as he entered the Prefence of his Grandfather, he told him 
in very Jew Words, that he was grown old, and incapable 
of managing the Empire, and ought therefore to leave it to 
him, who in fuch a Conjuncture was belt able to fuftain it; 
Book I. 
but at the fame time informed him, that his Father intended 
no Hurt to his Perfon, but was content to allow him a Pa- 
lace, his Seraglio, and fuch Amufements as might content 
an old Man. The Eunuchs and the Women fet up a land 
Outcry at this barbarous Meffage ; but Shah Johan bore it 
calmly, and with great Patience. He did ftill more, for 
he gave the ftrongeft Proof of the Falihood of this Pre- 
tence, and of his Capacity for governing at a Time when 
his rebellious Children treated him as a Doatard. He 
retired as Sultan Mohammed commanded, and as foon as he 
was fixed in his new Apartment, he fent to defire another 
Vifit from his Grandfon, whom, as foon as he faw coming 
at a Diftance, he threw himfelf on his Knees. The young 
Man coming to lift him up, he addreffed him in thefe 
Words : “ Since it is fo, fince I rnuft be dethroned by 
“ my own Children, I fubmit to my Fate ; but be you 
“ courageous enough to fnatch the Crown of the Indies 
“ from him, who is moft unworthy to wear it. The City 
“ of Agra is yours, you have in it a powerful Army de- 
ct voted to your Service ; revenge then my Wrongs, and 
fecure yourfelf from the Cruelty of a Parent who will 
“ never ffiew Affedlion to his Son, after treating a Father 
“ as he has done me A Sultan Mohammed was ftruck 
with this Difcourfe ; but as he knew that all the Officers 
under his Command were entirely devoted to Aurengzebe 9 
he durft not purfue his Grandfather’s Advice, which, 
however, made fuch an Impreffion on him, that he never 
forgot it, or obeyed his Father afterwards but with Re- 
ludlance. 
The People however, more fufceptible of Pity than of 
Duty, could not help murmuring at the harlh Treatment 
of fo great a Monarch. Aurengzebe was no looner in- 
formed of it; than he caufed a Letter to be written in his 
Father’s Hand, addreffed to Sultan Dara , in which he 
directed him to march with what Forces he could 
gather, towards Agra, promifing him to engage Au- 
rengzebe to make him a Vifit, and caufe him to be mur- 
thered in his Apartment. The forged Letter had its Ef- 
fect upon the Mob, who immediately pronounced the 
Ufage of the old Emperor to be what he deferved, and 
admired the Wifdom and Humanity of Aurengzebe. 
That artful Prince, having thus fettled all Things behind 
him, and having, out of the Treafuresof his Father, re- 
warded, even beyond their Hopes, all who had hitherto 
affifted him in his Enterprizes, found himfelf at Leifure to 
purfue Sultan Dara , who had again drawn a formidable 
Army together in the Neighbourhood of Labor. That 
Prince was now happy in a faithful and able General, 
whofe Name was Daut-Khan. Aurengzebe attempting to 
corrupt him, failed for the firft Time ; upon which he 
caufed a Letter to be forged in the Hand of Daut-Khan , 
importing a Defign to betray his Mafter, and contrived 
the Matter fo, that it fell into the Hands of Sultan Dara , 
who, having fuffered fo much through ill-placed Confi- 
fidence before, became now unreafonably fufpicious. On 
the Sight therefore of this Letter, he difmiffed his faithful 
General ; upon which the reft of his Officers, and foon 
after his whole Army abandoned him, and he was forced 
to fly into the Provence of Guzaraty from whence he pro- 
pofed retiring into Perfia, 
Aurengzebe took this Opportunity of turning his Force* 
againft his other Brother Sultan Sujah , who being inform- 
ed of his March northwards, began immediately to move 
with his Army towards Agra. But Aurengzebe returning 
with a furprizing Celerity, prevented that Capital from 
falling into his Hands. However, Sultan Sujah had 
polled his Troops fo advantageoufly that he was not to be 
forced in his Camp, and kept a Communication open, 
with feveral Towns, from whence he was well fupplied 
with Provifiuns, while his Enemies wanted all Neceffaries, 
and even Water, which they were forced to bring to their 
Camp upon the Backs of Camels from the Ganges , which 
lay at twenty Miles Diftance. In this Diftrefs Aurengzebe 
ordered it to be given out, that he would decamp the next 
* It is ftill the Cuflom in moft Eaftern Countries, but efpecially in China, Perfia, and the Indies, to confult Aftrologers upon all great Events, 
and to be guided by them in the Choice of lucky Hours. Shah J eh an was ftrangely addicted to thefe Superllitions, and became thereby the Dupe of 
thefe Fortune-tellers to the laft Degree They once perfuaded him to leave his Capital, upon pretence, that the enfuing Month would be fatal to the 
chief Perfon in Dehly. He left the chief Juftice to prefide in his Abfence, and the Aftrologers took care to poifen him before his Return, by which. 
they verified their Prediction, and kept the Emperor ever after in the moft flavifh Dependance upon them. 
Morn- 
