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.

    501/512 (page 379)
    SULAIMAN SHUKOH BETRAYED 379 mind the occasion when his father, Shàhjahàn, sent the small army of thirty thousand horse and one hundred thousand foot into the country of Srinagar ! Most of these issued from the said mountains without noses, the rest losing their lives. Further, let him know that he who could cut off noses could equally cut off heads. In this matter Aurangzeb might come to any decision he liked, but he would neither make over, nor permit the making over, to him of the fugitive prince. On being informed of the rajah’s decision, Aurangzeb re- solved to make use of the rajahs adjoining Srinagar to create a war against it, seeing he was not capable himself of doing it any harm. With this in view, he sent an order to Rajah Jai Singh [276] that by gorgeous presents and large promises, added to persuasive words, he should act on the minds of the said rajahs, so that they might wage war on the Rajah of Srinagar. He (Aurangzeb) said he would give him (Jai Singh) more territory if only he could compel the Rajah of Srinagar to surrender Prince Sulaiman Shukoh. The Rajah of Srinagar was an old man with a youthful son. The latter, looking forward to a speedy succession, hoped for favours from Aurangzeb, and opened negotiations for the delivery of Sulaiman Shukoh, in opposition to the wish and opinion of his father. His plan was to make his delivery secretly into the hands of Aurangzeb’s men, then actually present at the foot of the hills. Prince Sulaiman Shukoh heard of this plot of the rajah’s son, and resolved to absent himself from Srinagar. He seized an occasion of going out shooting, as he ordinarily did, with the intention of making off into Tibet, a large pro- vince belonging to Great China. He went away with this intention. When his departure was reported to the rajah’s son, he started after him with a sufficient number of men, giving no information of this project to the rajah his father. Overtaking Sulaiman Shukoh, he seized him, put irons on his feet and handcuffs on his wrists, then transferred his captive to the men of Aurangzeb. He sent by them a message that he had done this act of friendship to the Emperor of the Moguls