1 SUAH ALAM BAHADUR SILAI. 179
2 His attachment to Mahomedanism seems to have been sincere ; but his nis bigotry towards
3 bigotry and intolerance towards Hindus revived religious animosities due
4 between the various classes of the population; and the disintegration of _ tts fatal conse:
5 races to which his hypocrisy gave rise, paved the way for the speedy dis- Ghpire °°
6 memberment of the once powerful Moghal monarchy in India.
7 «
8 CHAPTER XVII.
9 s
10 ' KUTB-UD-DIN MUHAMMAD MOAZZAM, SHAH ALAM
11 BAHADUR SHAH.
12 shea injunctions of Aurangzeb regarding the succession, though just in the _ contest for sove-
13 ‘i abstract, were unheeded by his sons. At the time of his death, Moaz- rlsnty among the |
14 zam, the eldest son, was viceroy of Kébul. Azam was encamped near him, °™peror.
15 and Kdam Baksh, the youngest and most beloved of his sons, was in his
16 kingdom of Bijdpair. eee
17 Moazzam, on hearing of his father’s illness, had marched from Kébul with — mouzzam assumes
18 his two younger sons, Khajasta Akhtar and Rafi-ul-kadr, and he was on his ° oval disdem,
19 route when tidings reached him of his father’s demise. He immediately as-
20 sumed the royal diadem and ascended the throne. The ceremony took place
21 on the first Wednesday of Moharram, 1119 4.4. (March 1707 A.D.), precisely
22 at midnight, this being the hour declared to be auspicious by the astrologers,
23 the sun at that time entering the sign of Leo. Azam proclaimed himself
24 emperor* in his camp, and, ordering the imperial music to strike up, took
25 command of the army. At that time Monim Khan, an able and well-inten- — sfontm khan, vice-
26 tioned officer, son of Sultan Beg Bilas, a Turkomdn noble, was viceroy of the *Y ° the Panjab.
27 Panjiéb. While Moazzam was a prince, Aurangzeb had appointed Monim
28 Khan to be his dewan, and he had managed well the prince’s jagirs in the
29 province of Lahore. On that account, as well as for his activity in the
30 cabinet, and unbending integrity, he was held in great esteem by Moazzam.
31 At the present juncture he was most active in constructing bridges over the
32 various rivers and collecting large supplies at Léhore.
33 Moazzam, descending from Kabul, effected, a junction with Monim Khan | Moazzam effects a
34 at Lahore, while his son Moz-ud-din, viceroy of Multdn, joined him with all jection sith Monim
35 the available troops and a powerful train of artillery. The prince encamped
36 at Lahore in April, and the nobles in his retinue presented their offerings
37 and paid their homage.
38 Money was coined and the khutba read in his name in Lahore, The new
39 rupee was increased half a masha in weight. Having remained at Lédhore
40 till after the new moon of Saffar, the combined armies marched to Agra, and _ Action between
41 a battle was fought for the throne of Delhi at Tajo, in which Azam was de- Mow™*msnd Azam
42 feated and slain with his two sons. Their bodies were conveyed to Delhi | Victory of Moazzam,
43 . ° ° - henceforward Baha-
44 and buried in the precincts of Himdyin’s mausoleum, The emperor em- dur Shab, 1707.
45 . * Azam Shab, on assuming sovereign authority, struck coin bearing the following inscrip-
46 ion —
47 sle 9 Eres whad a aba
48 xls hep slteao xth oly
49 ** The monarch of the dominion, Azam Shah, struck coin in the world with brarye and
50 alory.” Sri SatguruJagjit Singh JieLibrary amahariElibrary@ gmail.com