Storia do Mogor : or, Mogul India, 1653-1708 / by Niccolao Manucci, Venetian ; tr., with introduction and notes, by William Irvine.

Storia do Mogor, or, Mogul India, 1653-1708 / by Niccolao Manucci, Venetian ; tr., with introduction and notes, by William Irvine.

  • Manucci, Niccolò, 1639-approximately 1717.
Date:
1907-08
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Storia do Mogor, or, Mogul India, 1653-1708 / by Niccolao Manucci, Venetian ; tr., with introduction and notes, by William Irvine. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    prince had barely time to carry off his family and the chief valuables lying in his tents. Aurangzeb then ordered Rajah Jai Singh and Bahadur Khan to pursue Darà ; their orders were to seize him, dead or alive. After the flight of Darà, Shàh Nawàz Khàn was left under the shade of some trees somewhat distant from the battle-field, believing that no one would interfere with him in such a place, where he was quite passive. For he neither wanted to fight nor to defend himself, nor to fly along with Dàrà. His great reliance was on his being Aurangzeb’s father-in-law. For all these reasons he held that he would not be interfered with. But one who did not blush at tyrannizing over his own father, his brothers, and his sons, would hardly forgive his father-in- law for having allowed Dàrà into Gujaràt and having followed him into the field of battle. For this reason Aurangzeb had given express orders to Daler Khàn that, wherever he might find the old man, Shàh Nawàz Khàn, he should take his life without any compunction. Daler Khàn learnt that the old man was at the spot mentioned, and went at once with his soldiers, to whom he gave orders not to harm any of those in Shah Nawàz Khàn’s suite. On beholding the unhappy old man seated upon a carpet spread on the ground [244], he hastened his elephant's pace, and when near enough killed him impiously and cruelly by repeated arrow-shots. It happened at this time that the victorious soldiers who were pursuing Dàra lighted upon a carriage in which was the Dutch factor who had come in Dàrà’s train, hoping that if he took the field he would be rewarded for this extra devotion. He was now retreating on his way to the city of Ahmadàbàd. The soldiers attacked the carriage on all sides, ordering him to give up his arms and all he had with him. The factor im- prudently attempted resistance, and putting hands on his two pistols, made as if he intended to fire, imagining that thereby he would frighten those surrounding him. But at that moment these let fly at him a shower of arrows, and thus he came to lose his life and the goods that he had meant to protect.^ ' Archives is a letter from Leonard Winninex to the Seventeen dated fiom Surat, October 6, 1659, which confirms Manucci. ‘Willem Verstegen