1 Insurrection at Agra,
2 The effects of Nur
3 Jahan Begum and.
4 Mumtaz Mahal.
5 ( 190 )
6 CHAPTER XxX.
7 SHAMS-UD-DIN ABUL BARAKAT RAFI-UL-DARAJAT,
8 A GENERAL amnesty having been granted on the accession of Rafi-ul-darajat™
9 he received the congratulations of Kutb-ul-mulk Sayad Abdulla and other
10 grandees of the empire. The poll-tax on the Hindus, which had been reviv-
11 ed during the reign of the late emperor, at the instance of his secretary,
12 Inayatullah, was abolished, and assurances of security and protection were
13 given to the people throughout the country. The two Sayad brothers Kutb-
14 ul-mulk Abdulla and Amfr-ul-omerah Husein Ali, governed the empire, but
15 the puppet king died of consumption within three months of his accessiou.*
16 NO '
17 RAFI-UD-DOULA, SHAH JAHAN II.
18 On the death of Rafi-ul-darajat, the Sayad brothers, the king-makers,
19 raised his younger brother, Rafi-ud-doula, to the throne, under the title of
20 Shah Jahdn IT. Like his deceased brother, he had no part in the government
21 of the country and was placed under the direction of HTimmat Khan, an amir
22 who directed all his affairs, public and private, and arranged for his food and
23 clothing. He was not allowed to go to the mosque for prayers on Friday, or
24 to go hunting, or even to talk to any of the grandees of the court, except in
25 the presence of one of the Sayads or his guardian. Neko Sere, younger son of
26 Prince Akber and grandson of Aurangzeb, assisted by the officers of Agra
27 and the militia of the neighbourhood, assumed independence and proclaimed
28 himself king. Amfr-ul-omerah Husein Ali gave him battle and made him
29 prisoner. At the fort of Agra immense treasures, consisting of jewels and
30 valuables, fell into the hands of the victor. Among the rest were the effects
31 of Nur Jahdn Begum and Mumtaz Mahal, amounting to two or three kavors
32 of rupees, There was a sheet of pearls prepared by Shah Jahan for his be-
33 loved queen, Mumtaz Mahal, which was spread over his tomb on the anni-
34 versary of her marriage and on Friday nights. There was also the ewer of
35 Nur Jahan and her cushion of woven gold and precious pearls, with borders of
36 valuable garnets and emeralds. The booty created a quarrel between the
37 Sayad brothers, and it was not until Ratan Chand, the minister of Abdulla,
38 had intervened that, four months after, Husein Ali grudgingly surrendered
39 twenty lacs of rupees to his brother as his share of the spoil.
40 After a nominal reign of three months and some days, Rafi-ud-doula
41 died of dysentery and mental disorder. Like his brother, he was buried
42 within the precincts of the mausoleum of Khwdéja Kutb-ud-din.
43 * According to Mr. Rodgers, this king struck coin with the following inscription :—
44 S52 wie Ye srypo bho 35
45 wlaydJ] es) See wat Sy wanls
46 ** Rafi-ul-darajat, the monarch of land and sea, °
47 Struck coin in India, with thousands of blessings.”
48 t
49 ze Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com