After Making
His Humble Reverence, And Answering A Few Questions, The King Forgave
Him, Caused His Irons To Be Taken Off, And Clothed Him In A New Vest Of
Cloth Of Gold, With A Turban And Sash, As Is The Custom.
The prince, Churrum, now intended to establish his honour and power on
the Deccan wars, which his elder brother
Sultan Parvis had been recalled
from in disgrace, and which the great commander, Khan-Khannan, had not
conducted prosperously, being strongly suspected of a secret
understanding with the princes of the Deccan, from whom he was believed
to receive pensions. Churrum, therefore, induced his father to recall
Khan-Khannan, who refused to obey; and wrote to the king, not to send
Churrum to the war, but one of his youngest sons, then only about
fifteen. This gave Churrum much uneasiness, as he was exceedingly intent
upon having the conduct of this war, for which reason he promised to
give the subordinate command of the army to Abdala Khan, under himself,
if he could contrive to get Khan-Khannan displaced. Fearing troubles
from the ambition and factious practices of his son Churrum, the
discontent of the two elder sons, Cuserou and Parvis, and the power of
Khan-Khannan, the king was anxious to accommodate matters in the Deccan
by accepting a peace, and continuing Khan-Khannan in his government; to
which end he wrote him a letter of favour, and proposed to send him a
vestment, as a sign of reconciliation, according to custom. Before
dispatching these, he acquainted a kinswoman of Khan-Khannan, who lived
in the seraglio, with his purpose. Whether she was false to her
relation, through the secret influence of Sultan Churrum, or was grieved
to see the head of her family so unworthily dealt with, who merited so
highly, does not certainly appear: But she plainly told the king, that
she did not believe Khan-Khannan would wear any thing the king sent, as
he knew his majesty hated him, and had once or twice already sent him
poison, which he had put into his bosom instead of his mouth, and proved
by trials. For this reason, she was confident Khan-Khannan would not
dare to put on any thing sent from his majesty. The king offered to
wear the dress himself in her presence for an hour, which she might
certify in a letter to her relative. To this she answered, that
Khan-Khannan would trust neither of them with his life; but, if allowed
to continue quietly in his command, would do his majesty good service.
Upon this, the king altered his plans, and resolved to invest Sultan
Churrum in the supreme command of the Deccan wars, and to follow after
him with another army, to ensure his reception.
Khan-Khannan, having due notice of the storm preparing against him,
practised with the Deccan sovereigns, who were at his devotion, to offer
favourable terms of peace for a season, as he saw no other way of
averting the cloud that hung over both him and them, unless by
temporizing till the king and the prince were established farther off.
For this purpose, there came two ambassadors at this time to court, from
the princes of the Deccan, bringing horses richly caparisoned as
presents.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 250 of 474
Words from 130112 to 130660
of 247546
