1898.] W. Irvine —The Later Mughals (1707-1803). 159 
8. Samsamu-d-daulah, Khan Dauran, Bahadur, Mansur Jang. 
Khwaja ‘Asim’s ancestors, emigrating from a village in Badakh- 
shan, took np their residence in Agrah. Some followed the profession 
of soldiering, others gained reputation as men of learning and holiness, 
living secluded from the world. They were of the Naqshbandi sect. 
His father’s name was Khwaja Qasim: and as his birth took place 
about 1083 H., 1672-3, he was now about forty-two (lunar) years of age. 
He began life as a trooper of Prince ‘Azimu-sh-shan’s regiment, and 
when that prince, at the time of ‘Alamglr’s death, left Bengal for 
Agrah, Khwaja ‘Asim remained with Farrukhsivar in the former 
province. One author asserts that he had been a play-fellow of 
Farrukhsiyar’s, but as he was at least eleven years older, this can hardly 
be correct. His intimacy with the prince was founded, however, on his 
joining him in wrestling, archery, riding, polo playing and other war¬ 
like exercises, of which Farrukhsivar was passionately fond. He soon 
obtained such great influence with the young prince that the other 
courtiers complained to‘Azimu-sh-shan. The Khwaja was accordingly 
sent for to head-quarters at Lahor. Soon after this, Bahadur Shah 
died and Khwaja ‘Asim (now become Ashraf Khan) upon the death 
of his master, ‘Azimu-sh-shan, fled to Agrah. Here Khwaja Ja‘far, 
his elder brother, tried to make him renounce the world and thus 
save his soul. For a time he stopped at home and occupied himself 
with Shirazi pigeon-fancying and archery. When Farrukhsivar be¬ 
came next heir to the throne, Khwaja ‘Asim “ felt like a falcon newly 
moulted.” He began to collect some men, but his doings were reported 
to the governor. Being warned by a disciple of a resolve to seize him, 
he fled at midnight in the disguise of a faqir. On reaching Patnah, 
he was introduced by the two Sayyids to the prince, his former inti¬ 
macy with whom he is said to have concealed. From this point the part 
he took has already appeared in our history. 1 
Khan Dauran was the perfect type of the Indian courtier, and 
from this time until his death in 1151 H. 1738, he retained his position 
at Court, whoever was in power. He is described as a man of smooth 
plausible speech, with no learning and little knowledge of Persian, 
prefixing to every sentence the catch word Mera sahib! (my good sir). 
To conceal his limited acquaintance with Persian, he used to begin by 
speaking in elegant Urdu, so that he might charm his hearers at the 
outset and prevent their noticing his defective scholarship. He used 
to say that for a man born in India to attempt to speak Persian was to 
make himself ridiculous by his own act. But he could quote occasional- 
1 M-ul-umard , I. 817, Ahivdlu-l-khawdqin, 496, Tdrikh-i-Muhammadi (year 1151 H.) 
