62 HINDOOSTAN. 
laying fchemes for the affaffination of the brothers; and 
at another, making the moil abjeft fubmiffions to them. 
Tiie emir ul omrah, in the mean while, having placed 
his own troops in fucb fortreffes of the Deccan as he chofe 
to retain, gave up the remainder to the Mahrattas, as the 
price of their friendlhip ; and began his march to Delhi, 
with an army of thirty thoufand horfe, ten thoufand of 
whom were Mahrattas. Meeting with no obltruftion in 
his way, he encamped dole to Delhi, near the minaret of 
Ferofe Shahand, contrary to the rules of etiquette, 
which did net admit of any fubjeft keeping a band with¬ 
in twenty-four miles of the prefence, he commanded his 
mulicians to play on his entering his tents; faying, that 
he no longer confidered himfelf as a fervant of the empe¬ 
ror, and would not regard the royal ceremonials. 
Ferokhfere, upon intelligence of this mark of difre- 
fpeft, was overwhelmed with indignation ; but (till at a lofs 
how to ad. At one time he refolved to exert his autho¬ 
rity, and take the field ; but his fears overcame his cou¬ 
rage, and he had recourfe to mediation and entreaty. The 
rajah Jey Sing again advifed him to leave the palace, and 
encamp; alluring him, that he would inftantly be joined 
by the imperial fervants, who would double the force of 
the brothers in number, and punilh their infolence; that 
it was molt probable their own followers would defert 
them, Ihould they fee his majefty refolved, and join the 
imperial ftandard, when the minilters muft fubmit to his 
pleafure, or fly. But Ferokhfere could notberoufed to ac¬ 
tion. He agaip determined to give himfelf up to the will 
of the two brothers, the Syeds, and even commanded all 
the nobility to receive their orders, and aft under their au¬ 
thority. At length he received a meflage from Abdallah 
Khan, that if he would difmifs the rajah Jey Sing from 
court, and confer the offices immediately about the royal 
perfon on their dependants, and admit a guard of their 
troops into the citadel, he and his brother would come 
and pay their obeifance with fidelity and loyalty. Fe¬ 
rokhfere in reply, allured them that he would confer the 
above offices on Abdallah Khan, and other Syeds, and 
receive their vifit on the feftival of the noroze, which 
would begin in a few days. Jey Sing, having received 
the royal orders to quit Delhi without delay, retired to 
his zemindary of Ambere, unable to affift his degenerated 
fovereign. 
The unhappy Ferokhfere, having confented to the de¬ 
mands of the Syeds, on the eighth of Februaiy 1719, their 
troops were admitted into the palace, and the royal guards 
withdrawn ; when Abdallah Khan, with Maharajah Ajeet 
Sing, the emperor’s father-in-law, entered, and polled their 
dependants where they thought proper, to prevent fur- 
prife. The emir ul omrah, Houffein Ali Khan, in 
princely* fplendour and parade, attended by his army, 
marched through the city, and entered the palace towards 
evening, his troops remaining under arms. He was kind¬ 
ly received by the emperor, who ihed tears, and placed 
his own turban upon his head ; conferring upon him alfo 
all the jewels he had upon his drefs; but the emir ul 
omrah behaved haughtily, refufed part of the gifts ; and 
having upbraided his majefty with want of confidence in 
himfelf and his brother, who had been the inftruments of 
his exaltation to the throne, took his leave, neglefting 
the cuftomary ceremonial of refpeft at his departure, and 
returned to his camp. At the fame time the vizier, with 
his followers, left the palace, and the royal guards were 
re-admitted to their Rations. 
Ferokhfere, though thus ffiamefully treated by his mi- 
nifters, took no meafures for the fafety of his perfon. It 
is probable, he thought the brothers would be contented 
with the powers of government, and leave him the name 
and pageantry of emperor; and that he had refolved to 
itruggle no longer for greater privileges of royalty. On 
the eighth day after the interview, the vizier and Ajeet 
Sing again introduced themfelves to the emperor, and de¬ 
manded certain conceffions and appointments for them¬ 
felves and friends. Abdallah Khan, in angry terms, fet 
forth, that, in return for the fervices performed by him. 
felf and his brother, they had met with ill-founded ;ts- 
loufies, and treacherous attempts upon their lives; of 
which the royal orders to Daood Khan and others to de- 
ftroy them, were clear proofs; that they could not any 
longer fubmit to his authority, unlefs they had fecurity 
for their perfonal fafety, by all the offices of the palace 
being committed to the hands of their own friends, upon 
which they muft infill. Ferokhfere, notwithftanding he 
faw himfelf entirely in the power of his enemies, again 
delired they would wait till the approaching feftival, when 
their requefts ffiould be complied with; which the vizier 
refufed, and proceeded to violence. Ferokhfere retreated 
to the apartments of the women, which he hoped would 
be held facred. Night was advanced, and day, like the- 
fallen Itar of the emperor, funk in darknefs. The gates- 
of the citadel were clofed upon his friends ; troops of the 
emir ul omrah, with ten thoufand Mahrattas, remained 
under arms. Early in the morning, a rumour prevailed 
that the vizier had been killed by Ajeet Sing, who had 
refolved to proteft the emperor, his fon-in-law; upon 
which feveral noblemen prepared to rife againft the emir 
ul omrah ; and their troops were aftually put in motion. 
The friends of the emir ul omrah, alarmed at the gather¬ 
ing ilorrn, were in a wavering ftate, when their courage 
was revived by intelligence of the vizier’s fafety. This 
was foon fpread abroad, and the emperor’s friends were 
difperfed with little bloodffied or refinance. It was now' 
confirmed that Ferokhfere had been taken pril'oner ; and 
that Ruffeh ul Dirjaut had been nominated to the throne 5 
which appeafed the tumult, and order was reftored. 
It is faid, that Abdallah Khan repeatedly requefted Fe¬ 
rokhfere to quit the private apartments, and defigned to 
leave him in poffeffion of the throne, if he would confent 
to certain reftriftions 5 but the emperor would not truft 
his perfon from the harem. While meffages were carry¬ 
ing on between him and the vizier, the tumult began 
without; Abdallah Khan received information from his 
brother, that no time was to be loft, as there was danger 
of a general revolt in the city. He therefore forced the 
doors; and after much fearch, found the emperor, fur- 
rounded by his mother, wife, daughter, and other prin- 
ceffes. He was forced from among them in the moft pe¬ 
remptory manner, and confined in a dark chamber, over 
one of the gates of the palace. Ruffeh ul Dirjaut, the 
fon of Ruffeh ul Kudder, youngeft fon of Shah Aulum, 
was then taken from confinement, and feated on the throne- 
His acceffion was announced by the found of mufic and 
firing of cannon; and in a few hours order and quiet 
were reftored to the capital. Excluding the reign of Je— 
hander Shah, which by lome writers is added to that of 
Ferokhlere, he fat on the throne of Hindooftan fix years, 
four months, and a few days, according to lunar compu- . 
tation. He was the firft of the Great Moguls whole 
father had not been emperor. 
Upon the acceffion of Ruffeh ul Dirjaut, who was yet 
in his minority, it was agreed that Abdallah Khan Ihould 
refide in the palace; which he filled with his own depen¬ 
dants and relations. The jaghires and property of all the 
dependants of the late emperor were feized, excepting 
thofe of his queen, daughter of Ajeet Sing, at whole re¬ 
quell they were fpared, and Ihe was allowed to return to 
her father. But the wretched Ferokhfere was doomed to 
various calamities. A hot iron was drawn over his eyes, 
but it did not wholly deftroy his fight. Still anxious for 
liberty, he fent repeated meffages to the brothers, the 
Syeds, begging mercy and reftoration to his throne ; offer¬ 
ing to aft in all affairs agreeably to their pleafure : but in. 
vain. Poifon was twice mingled in his viftuals without 
effeft ; but, being administered a third time, he was thrown 
into violent agonies, and continued long in torture. 
During his pangs he invoked curfes on his murderers, 
and called on God, whole name had witneffed the treaty- 
lie had made with them, to avenge his caufe by inllant 
punilhment. The brothers, upon this, ordered his death 
to be battened with the bow-ltring ; but it was with diffi¬ 
culty the executioners could olace it round his neck, as 
3 ‘ he 
