1 JAHANDAR SHAH, 185
2 at Léhore, through the agency of Hidayat Kesh Khan, and beheaded in
3 the emperor’s presence. Ali Tabar, son of Azim Shah, Ferozmand, the two
4 sons of Kém Baksh, and other princes of the blood were all murdered. After
5 these transactions the emperor marched from Lahore and made his entry
6 into Delhi-with all the pride of a conqueror.
7 Jahdéndar Shah was a weak and indolent prince, effeminate, licentious _ the incapacity of
8 and fond of ease. He was addicted to low vices, unworthy of royalty, and he 7*ésr Shab.
9 made himself the abject slave of the whims of a public courtesan. This
10 woman, named Ldl Kaur, obtained such an ascendancy over the king that: he He becomes the
11 became her tool, and, ‘forgetting his own dignity and decency, surrendered iL i ota
12 himself entirely to her society and influence. She received the title of
13 Imtiyaz Mahal Begum (the most accomplished of the ladies), and an annual
14 allowance of two karors of rupees for her household expenses, exclusive
15 of her clothes and jewels, She also received the distinction of riding close
16 to the emperor on an elephant covered with a canopy, a privilege enjoyed
17 only by princes of the royal blood. The emperor's foster brother, Gokal
18 Tash Khan, was raised to the dignity of Amir-ul-omerah, or lord premier,
19 with the title of Khan Jahdu Bahddur. Her brother, Khushdl, was made
20 commander of seven thousand horse, and her uncle, Niamat, received the
21 command of five thousand. A woman named Zohra, keeper of a vegetable — Zohra, tho keopor of
22 stall, one of L4l Kaur’s particular friends, was promoted to high rank; iad hase
23 with a suitable jagir. She shared in the sweets of her friend’s elevation,
24 and appeared in the streets on an elephant,-richly caparisoned, with a
25 retinue equal to that of the first noble of the empire, which she established
26 close to the apartment of the royal ladies. The grandees and courtiers
27 who sought favour, sent their presents to the royal favourite through Zohra.
28 The emperor frequently rode with Lél Kaur in a chariot through the streets,
29 where they purchased sometimes jewels, gold, silks and fine linen, and at , Tho mporor a por-
30 other times greens, fruits and the most trifling articles. The detestable jaunts peer
31 of the emperor and his mistress at last reached such a pitch, that, on a
32 certain night, after spending the whole day in merriment and roaming in
33 different gardens near the capital, they retired to a tavern, where they became
34 insensible. After rewarding the tavern-keeper with a large sum and the
35 grant of a village, they returned to the palace in a state of intoxication,
36 But only the mistress entered the apartments, where, neglecting her sovereign,
37 she slept heavily. The coachman, who had shared in the carousal of his royal A scandal.
38 master, without examining the coach, carried it to the stable. The next
39 morning, the officers of the palace, not finding the emperor, were alarmed,
40 and a search was made for his majesty, who, to the amazement of all, was
41 found fast asleep in the arms of Zohra, one of his companions of the night, in
42 the-wagon, two miles from the palace. This scandalous event gave great
43 offence to the nobles, but it excited only laughter in the weak Jahdndar Shah
44 and his abandoned favourites. The emperor became so dead to all feelings of
45 shame and honour, that, in passing through the streets, he seized the wives
46 and daughters of the lowest tradesmen, who were quite helpless. Once,
47 in accordance with a vulgar superstition, he went, with his mistress, to bathe
48 in the tank of Charaghi Delhi,in the hope that this ceremony would pro-
49 ~ mote pregnancy. The mistress had the insolence to insult Zeb-ul-nissa. _ Insult offered to
50 the learned daughter of, the Emperor Aurangzeb, because she would not (oppusshs oe
51 pay her compliments to her. She complained of this to the emperor, but Avrnszeb.
52 the royal lady rejected the proposal of the base monarch with scorn, and
53 resolutely maintained her own dignity.
54 While the king abandoned himself to dissoluteness and indulged in most _ Tho paramount
55 power of Zulfikar
56 Iting vj ir-ul, i
57 revels Vea Gatgurel fag SIA] aL Biany 2 °*°*RSACSERRERIS Gsirtom
58 t