English
2 Subsequently, the garrisons of the outposts evacuated their outlying posts, but the Rajah’s daughter stayed behind with the tribute, as the Rajah refused to take her back into his household. 1 After the rains set in, the Rajah of Assam with his army came down from the hills of Kararnp, and gavo some trouble to the Imperialists, who suffered also from ague and diarrhoea. At length, the Rajah sued for pcaco> and the Khan-i-Khanan, who had fallen ill, granted it on the following terms (Aiding irna in ah, p. 808):— 1. That the Rajah should send his sister and a daughter of Rajah Patam together with 20,000 tolas of gold, and 20,000 tolas of silver, and 20 elephants by way of tribute, besides 16 elephants for the Khan-i-Khanan. and 5 elephants for Diler Khan. 2. That in courso of next 12 mouths, the Rajah of Assam should send 3 lak tola of silver and 90 elephants to the Emperor, and that every year he should send 20 elephants to the Emperor, and that till the payment of tho indemnity, 4 leading Assamese noblemen should be given as hostages. 3. That Darang (in the Uttarkul) and Biltali and Domariah (in the Dakhinkul) should be subject to the Emperor, and that in the Dakhinkul, tho delimitation line between Assam and the Imperial dominions should bo the river Kalang, and in the Uttarkul it should be Alibarari. Rahmat Banu, a daughter of the Assam Rajah, was given in marriage to Prince Muhammad Azam, her dower being one lak and Be. 80.000. (See Maasir-i-Alamgiri, P 3 See Alamgimamah, p. 812. He was Viceroy of Bengal from 1668 to 1663. He died near Dacca in 30th March, 1663. In 1661, he had threatened to expel the English merchants from Hughli.—These, however, prudently submitted and were pardoned, on their tendering an apology through their Hughli agent, Trivisa, on their agreeing to pay Its. 3,000 annually, bee Wilson’s Early Annals of the English in Bengal, Vol. II, p- 36. 227 VICEROYALTY OF NAWAB AMIR-UL-UMARA SHAISTA KHAN. After the Khan-i-Khanan’s death, the office of Snbadar of Bengal being conferred on Arnir-ul-Umara Shaista Khan, the latter arrived in Bengal. For some years devoting himself to administrative work, he administered justice and promoted the welfare of the people. Bestowing grants of villages and lands on widows of nobles and others in straitened circumstances, lio made them well-off. Spies informed the Emperor, whereon Shaista Khan 1 himself went to the latter and explained the true state of things. As the alleged dissipation of the Imperial revenue was unfounded, he was re-invested with the Khcllat- of appointment, and sent back to Bengal. 8 But as the Khau was 1 Shaista Khan was a son of Eminu-d-danlah Asaf Khan, and a brother of Mamtaz Mahal, wife of Shah Julian. His nnmo was Mirza Abi Talib, and his titles wero “ Ainir-ul-Uraara Shaista Khan. ” In the reign of Shah- jahan, he became a Panjhaiari and Nazim of Bnlaghat in the Dakhin, and subsequently Subadar of Bohar and Patna, when ho invaded Palaon (Palainn) and subdued Partab, Zamiudcx of Palaon (Palamu). He then became Suba¬ dar of Malwah and Gujrat and snbsoquently Viceroy of all the Snbnhs of the Dakhin. He rendered good services to Aurangzeb in the latter’s fightings with Dara ghekoh and Salaiman Shekoh. On the death of Mir Jumla, ho became Viceroy of Bengal in 1664 A.C. He ohastised thoroughly tho Mag pirates who harried the coasts of Bengal, and wrested from them fchiefly through the exer¬ tions of his own son. Buznrg Urned Khan) tho fort of Chittagong, and named it Islamabad ( Alamgimamah , p. 940). He subsequently became a Hafthaiari and Viceroy of Agra, where ho died in 1105 A.U. He was held in high esteem by Emperor Aurangzeb, who lavished on him high privileges nud semi-regal honours. With all his greatness, Shaista Khan was meek and hamble, courteous and affable, just and liberal, brave, noble, and enlightened. Ho established mosques with madrassas, rest-houses, bridges, and roads throughout India, and bis charities wore wide. He was married to a daughter of ghih Nawas Khfin, son of Abdnr Rahim Khnn Khanan. He forms a prominent figure in connection with the early commercial enterprises of the English East India Company. (See Wilson’s Early Annals of tho English in Bengal, Vol. l,pp. 48—99 an,. *11, and Hunter’s “ Histoij of British India,” Vol. 2, pp. 238—266). Nawab ghiiata Khim’B Vioeroyalty in Bengal forms a brilliant chapter in the Mughal annals of Bengal, as daring it many useful puhlio works, such as serais, bridges, and roads were constructed, and the ecoDomio and agricultural condition of the people attained an uniquo degree of prosperity, in that a maund of rioe sold in the haw for two annas only (See A/aarir-i-Alarngiri, pp. 167 and 368, and Xaasirnl.umar<i, Vol. 2, p. 690). * ghaista Khan was Aurangteb’s Viceroy of Bengal for a quarter of a 228 Tiot desirous of staying in this Province, he used constantly to writo letters to the Emperor, requesting permission to kiss the Royal feet, and begging deputation of some other officer to assume the office of Subadar of this Province. At first his resig¬ nation was not accepted ; but at length, owing to Shaista Khan's importunities, the Nizamat was bestowed on Nawab Ibrahim Khan, a son of ‘Alimardau IQian Yar Ofadar. Traces of the beneficent administration of the Nawab Amir-ul-umara are known not only in Bengal, but throughout Hindustan. One is this, that during his Nizamat the cheapness of food-grains was so great that for a damri ,' one seer of rice could be purchased iu the market. At the time of his return to the capital Shahjahanabad (Delhi), he caused the following inscription to be engraved on the western gate of Jahangiruagar (Dacca): “ Let him only open this gate that can Bhew the selling rate of rice as cheap as this.” From his time on¬ ward till the regime of Nawab Shujaud-din Mubammad Khan, this gate remained closed. In the period of the Viceroyalty of Nawab Sarfaraz Khan, the gate was again opened, as will bo mentioned hereafter. The Katrah and other buildings of the ‘Amir-ul-umara 8 up to this day exist iu Jahangirnagar (Dacca).” 3 century with a short break, that is, from 1664 to 1680 A.C. He died in 11694 in hia 93rd lunar year. For his parwana of pardon to the English in 1687, sec Hunter’s History Vol. 2, p. 260, f.n. 1 A dam was equal to tho fortieth part of the rupee, and a anmri was equal to one-eighth part of a dam (See Ain-i-Akbari, Vol. I, p. 31). that is, 320 damris made op one rnpee. Therefore, daring Shaista Khan s Viceroyalty in Bengal, for one rnpee 8 mannds of rice could bo had, in other words, the price, per mannd, of rice was two annas only. 8 The Maasir-i-Alamgiri (p. 368) is highly eulogistio in praise of Nawab Shaista Khan. It says that he established numerous caravansernis and erected numerous bridges thronghont India. His great achievements m Bengal were (1) tho Conquest of Chittagong whioh was named by him Islama¬ bad (for details see Alamgirnamah, p. 940); (2) the extirpation of the Mag pirates - (3) the improvement of the economic and agricultural condition or Bengal - and (4) construction of nnmerons useful public works. (>ee a bo mZ'U™™, p. 690, Vol. II). Doriog hi. Viceroy^, Mta *£>* Ruiah of Tibat (through the exertions of Saif Khan Subadar o — ’ M^ Khin. of f.bat-i-Khord, „d K*—•* §Sa -*> submitted to Aurangzeb (pp. 921-922, Alamgirnamah). ^ 8 It is stange that the author of the Rxyaz in his accou * of Nawab Shaista Khan should have omitted all mention of *• Nawab’s greatest military achievements in Bengal, mt., the chastiBemen 229 VICEROYALTY OF NAWAB IBRAHIM KHAN.' Nawab Ibrahim Khan on being invested with the Khillat of the Nizamat of the Sabah of Bengal, arrived at Jahangirnagar the Mag and Portugese pirates and the rc-cnnqnost of Chittagong. I there¬ fore translate freely the following contemporary account from tho Alnmyir- namah (Pore, text, p. 943) :— As the Mags emerging from Arrakan on wnr-vessel* (fsnwnrnh) and taking advantage of the straggle for supremacy between Anrangzcb and Shrill Shuj'a, harried the coasts of Bengal, Einpcror Aurangzeb sent out orders to hie Bengal Viceroy, Nawab Shaista Khin, to take immediate steps f<r chastising the Mags. With this object in view, Nawab Shaista Khan first took steps to guard and fortify his southern frontier ont-posts. Ho appoint¬ ed an Afghan named Said with 500 rocketeers and musketeers to charge of the Noakhali oat-post, Muhammad Sharif, Faujdar of Hngbli, with 500 rocketeers, 1,000 infantry and 20 guns to defend tho out-post of Sanlcram-Kadah, and set Muhammad Beg Abaknsh and Abul ITassail with tho Imperial war-vessels which lay at Siripur to patrol the river. From Siripiir to 'Alaragimagar covering a distance of twenty-one fcroh, an embanked road so that it might not bo flooded during the rains was also constructed under tho Nawab’s order, for military purposes. The Nawab then ordered Abul Hassan to bring round Dilawar, zamindar of Sacdip, or to punish him, as tho latter secretly sided with the Mags. Abul Hassan attacked Sandip and fought with Dilawar, who being hit by an arrow fled to tho jungles. Meanwhile, tho Arrakanese fleet came up to Saudip to render assistance to Dilawar. Abul Hassan prepared to assault the Arrakanese fleet, which withdrew, and then Abul Hasan, not pursuing it, retired to Noakhali. Nawab Shaista Khi in. on hearing of this, sent another fleet consisting of 1,500 gunners and 400 cavalry, commanded by Ibn-i-Husain, Superintendent of the Nawarah (Fleet), 1 Ibrahim Min was the eldest son of Amir-ol- Cmara ‘Ali Mardnn Jftno. Oa his father's death, he was made a CKahar hazari, and snbsequently a Panjhaiari. He became SQbadar of Kashmir, of Lahor, of Bohar, and of Bengal in qaiclc succession.