Part 11 of 15
[Section XIII. The Reign of Alla Ul Dien, called Secunder Sani.]
ALLA I.
INTELLIGENCE of the murder of the King having reached Ahmed Chip, who was advancing with the army, he retreated to Delhi. Malleke Jehan, the wife of Ferose, and Queen regent, imprudently, and without consulting the chiefs, raised to the diadem Ruckun, her youngest son; Arkilli, the elder son, being then at Moultan. She accompanied him from Kilogurry to Delhi, and placed him on the throne in the green palace, though as yet but a boy, and altogether unacquainted with the affairs of state. She also divided the provinces among her own party. Arkilli, who was the true heir to the empire, and possessed all the qualities of a king, was greatly afflicted at this news, but thought proper, for the present, to remain at Moultan.
Alla, upon receiving intelligence of those transactions at Delhi, laid aside his intended expedition to Bengal, and prepared to march to the capital, though it was then the rainy season. He raised a great army in his government, and conferred titles and rewards upon his friends. Almass was honoured with the title of Elich Chan, Nuserit of Jallisiri with that of Nusirit Chan, Malleck Hiziber was distinguished with the name of Ziffer Chan, and Sinjer, Alla's wife's brother, received the title of Acta. They all received estates upon their advancement to those honours. Alla, by the advice of Nuserit, distributed presents among the army, and wherever he encamped he amused himself with throwing gold from a sling among the people. This liberality, in a short time, brought a world of soldiers under his banners.
The Queen-mother was thrown into great perplexity, by the advices she daily received concerning Alla. She dispatched an express to Moultan, for her son Arkilli; but that prince returned for answer, that now the time was lost, for that, before he could arrive, the imperial troops would join the enemy; that therefore his coming would be of no real service: that the stream might have been diverted at its source, but when it became a river, no dams could oppose it.
Alla made no delay on his march. He crossed the Jumna, and encamped without the north-east gate of Delhi. Ruckun, fluttering like a solitary fowl, collected all his forces, and marching out of the city, paraded it before the enemy. But when he saw them preparing for battle, he retreated into the city. He was that night deserted by a great number of Omrahs, who went over with their forces to Alla. Ruckun saw now no safety but in flight. Taking therefore his mother, the Haram and treasure, with him, he set out for Moultan, accompanied by Rijib, Olavi, Ahmed, and Jellal.
The citizens, after the departure of the young King, crowded forth to pay their respects to Alla. He immediately ordered the current money to be struck in his own name, and making a triumphant entry into Delhi, in the latter end of the year 695, ascended the throne, and kept his court at the red palace. He exhibited shows, and made grand festivals, encouraging every species of riot and debauchery; which so pleased the unthinking rabble, that they soon lost all memory of their former King, and the horrid villainy of the reigning Emperor. He who ought to have been hooted with detestation, became the object of admiration, to those who could not see the darkness of his deeds, through the splendor of his magnificence.
Whilst he gained, by these means, popularity among the vulgar, he secured the great with titles, and bought the covetous with gold. The office of vizier was bestowed upon Chaja Chatire, a man renowned for his virtue in those degenerate times. Arif was made chief justice of the court of equity, and Omdat was raised to the office of principal secretary of the Divan, being a man of great learning and genius, and a favourite of the King. Nuserit was appointed chief magistrate of Delhi, Kudgi was raised to the dignity of chief justice in the courts of law, and Ziffer to that of chief secretary of the empire; with many others, to high offices, which are too tedious to mention.
Alla, having advanced six months' pay to his whole army, began to concert means to extirpate the descendants of Ferose. He dispatched Elich, his brother, and Ziffer, with forty thousand horse, towards Moultan, who, upon their arrival, invested that city. After a siege of two months, the citizens and troops betrayed the cause of the prince Arkilli, and gave up the place to the enemy. The two unfortunate brothers, being driven to great distress, surrendered themselves at last to Elich, upon promise of personal safety.
The object of this expedition being thus completed, Elich wrote to his brother an account of his victory, which was read in all the public pulpits after divine worship, and great rejoicings were ordered to be made upon the occasion. Elich proceeded in triumph with his army and state prisoners to Delhi. He was met on his way by Nuserit, chief magistrate of the city, who had been sent by the Emperor to put out the eyes of the prisoners. This cruel order was executed upon the two princes, upon Alaghu, the grandson of the great Zingis, upon Ahmed Chip, and others of less note, and all their effects confiscated. The two unfortunate princes were then confined in the fort of Hassi, where, soon after, they were both assassinated; and the Queen-mother, with all the ladies of the former Emperor's seraglio, and his other children, confined at Delhi.
In the second year of this reign, Chaja Chatire, not falling entirely in with Alla's policy, was dismissed from the office of vizier, which was conferred upon Nuserit, chief magistrate of Delhi. This minister redemanded all the sums which the King, upon his accession, had bestowed upon the nobility and people, which occasioned great disgust and disturbance.
During these transactions, advices came to Delhi, that Dova, king of Maver-ul-nere, had sent an army of one hundred thousand Moguls, with a design to conquer Moultan, Punjab, and the provinces near the mouth of the Indus: that they were advancing with great expedition, carrying all before them with fire and sword. Alla immediately ordered his brother Elich, with a great force, to expel them. The two armies having met in the districts of Lahore, a bloody conflict ensued, in which the Moguls were defeated, with the loss of twelve thousand men, and many of their principal officers, besides a number of prisoners of all ranks, who were put to the sword some days after, without sparing the poor women and children who had been taken in the Mogul camp.
These two victories raised the fame of the Emperor's arms to a high pitch of reputation, established his authority at home, and overawed his foreign enemies. Alla, about this time, by the advice of his brother Elich, seized upon many Omrahs, who, in the late revolution, taking advantage of the distresses of the prince Arkilli, and the Queen-mother, had extorted great sums of money for their services. He ordered the extortioners to be blinded, and their estates to be confiscated, which brought great wealth into the treasury.
In the beginning of the year 697, Elich, the King's brother, and Nuserit the vizier, were sent with a great army to reduce Guzerat. They accordingly laid waste that country with death and rapine, took the capital city Narwalla, which was deserted by its prince, who fled and took protection under Ramdeo, king of Deogire, in the Decan. By the aid of that prince he soon after returned and took possession of Buckelana, one of the districts of Guzerat, bordering upon Ramdeo's dominions. But his wives, children, elephants, baggage, and treasure, fell into the hands of the enemy when he fled.
The vizier, with a part of the army, proceeded then to Cambaat, which being a rich country, and full of merchants, yielded a prodigious treasure to those sons of cruelty and rapine. When they had sufficiently glutted their avarice, and quenched their thirst for blood, they appointed subas to the provinces, and leaving part of the army for their defence, returned with their plunder towards Delhi.
The two generals having, on the march, made a demand of the fifth of the spoil from the troops, besides what they had already extorted from them, a mutiny arose in the camp. Mahommed, general of the mercenary Moguls, with many other chiefs, at the head of their several divisions, attacked Malleck Eiz, the brother of the vizier, and having slain him and a number of his people, continued their march. Elich, the Emperor's brother, fled in the disguise of a footman, to the tent of the vizier. The mutineers rushing in, killed the King's nephew, and the son of Elich, whom he had left upon the couch asleep, supposing him to be Elich.
The vizier immediately ordered the drums of war to be beat and the trumpets to be sounded. All who had not been concerned in the mutiny imagined that the enemy was coming upon them, and quickly formed the line. The mutineers divided and dispersed themselves all over the camp, and escaping in the confusion, fled, by different routes, to a place of rendezvous. They were, however, closely pursued the next day, and forced to retreat with some loss, to the districts of the Indian prince of Rintimpore, where they took protection. Elich and the vizier continued then their march to Delhi.
Alla, upon seeing Cumlade, the captive wife of the prince of Guzerat, who, for her beauty, wit, and accomplishments, was the flower of India, took her in marriage. But this did not satisfy his abominable lusts. Chaja Cafoor, a slave who had been taken on that expedition, engaged his unnatural passion, which he publicly indulged, to the disgrace and debasement of human nature.
The vizier, by the Emperor's order; basely massacred all the families of those Moguls, or others, who had been concerned in the late mutiny. He pitied not the weeping mothers, nor the smiling infants who clung to their breasts. This was a new species of tyranny at Delhi, and occasioned some private murmuring, but those slaves possessed not the virtue or bravery to shake off the tyrant.
About this time, Jildoo, a Mogul chief, and his brother, came down with a considerable force, and took the fort of Seostan. Ziffer marched against him, and having invested the place, he took it. Jildoo, and about two thousand Moguls, were taken prisoners, and sent in chains to Delhi. But Ziffer had distinguished himself so much as a brave commander in this expedition, that his fame awaked the jealousy of Alla. He therefore designed to deprive him of his government, but was prevented from this measure, by a great invasion of Moguls, under Cuttulich, the son of Dova, king of Maver-ul-nere. The army of the invaders consisted of two hundred thousand horse, and they promised to themselves the entire conquest of Hindostan. Cuttulich, accordingly, took possession of all the countries beyond the Indus in his march, and protected them from all violence. He then crossed the river, and proceeded to Delhi, without opposition, Ziffer retreating with his army before him.
The whole country, in terror of the Moguls, crowded into the city. The crowd became so great, that the streets were rendered impassable, and all business and communication were interrupted. This however was but the beginning of their misfortunes. In the space of a few days, the consumption being great, and no supplies procured, a dreadful famine began to rage, and distraction to stare in every countenance.
Alla, upon this pressing occasion, called a council of his Omrahs, and, having regulated his plan of action, prepared for battle, notwithstanding they all endeavoured to dissuade him from it. He left the care of the city to the noble Alla, marched out at the Budaoon gate, with three hundred thousand horse, and two thousand seven hundred elephants, besides foot without number. He drew up in order of battle on the plains beyond the suburbs; where the enemy were already formed to receive him. From the time that first the spears of Islam [The Mahommedans.] were exalted in Hindostan, two such mighty armies had not joined in fight.
Alla gave the command of his right wing to Ziffer, the greatest general of that age, where all the troops of Punjaab, Moultan, and Sind, were posted. The left was entrusted to his brother Elich, and to Akit his brother-in-law. The King posted himself in the centre, with twelve thousand independent volunteers, who were mostly gentlemen of ruined families, and soldiers of fortune. With the choice of his elephants, he formed a tremendous line in his front, and he supported his rear with another chosen body of cavalry, under the vizier. Ziffer began the action with great impetuosity on the right, and breaking, with his elephants, the enemy's line, commenced a dreadful slaughter, and bore them like a torrent before him. Inclining then to the left, he pressed upon their flank, and put their whole army to flight, before the action was well begun in the centre.
Alla, seeing the victory complete, ordered his brother Elich, who commanded on the left, to advance and pursue the enemy. But the perfidious man, jealous of the glory of Ziffer, stopt at a small distance, while Ziffer continued the slaughter for upwards of thirty miles. One of the Mogul chiefs, who commanded the left, seeing Ziffer was not supported, rallied with ten thousand horse, and sending advice to his general Cuttulich, he also returned with ten thousand more, and attacked Ziffer in the rear. The brave general saw into his error, but it was now too late to retreat. He drew up his troops, which were not half the enemy's number, divided into two squadrons, and again renewed the conflict, exhibiting wonders by his own valour. At last his horse's leg being cut off by a sabre, he fell to the ground. He however rose again, seized a bow and quiver, and being a dexterous archer, sent death on the wings of his arrows.' The most part of his men were, by this time, either killed or fled; and Cuttulich, admiring his bravery, called out to him to submit, and his valour should be rewarded with such honours as he deserved. Ziffer replied sternly, “I know no greater honour than to die in discharging my duty.” Then he began to deal his arrows around. The Mogul prince, upon this, ordered a party of horse to surround him, and endeavour to take him alive; but Ziffer refused to submit, and was at last cut in pieces, with a few trusty servants who stood by him to the last.
This advantage however did not dispel the fears of the Moguls. They continued their retreat, and evacuated India with all expedition. The bravery of Ziffer became famous among the Moguls. When their horses started, or were unruly, they used wantonly to ask them, whether they saw the ghost of Ziffer? Alla, it is said, esteemed the death of this great general as a second victory, and could not help expressing his satisfaction upon the occasion; and thus displayed his own base ingratitude, for that brave life which had been thrown away in his unworthy service. Great rejoicings were made at Delhi, to celebrate the victory; and the principal officers were rewarded with titles and governments, according to their behaviour and interest at court. Some who had behaved ill were disgraced, particularly one Omrah, who was led upon an ass all round the city.
In the third year of the reign of Alla, when prosperity shone upon his arms, he began to form some extraordinary projects. One of these was the formation of a new system of religion, that, like Mahommed, he might be held in veneration by posterity. He often consulted upon this scheme his brother Élich, Nuserit his vizier, and Akit, over a bottle; from which we may suppose he had no design to prohibit the use of wine. His other design was equally romantic. He proposed to leave a viceroy in India, and, like the great Secun-der [Alexander the Great.], to undertake the conquest of the world. In consequence of this project, he assumed the title of Secun-der Sani [Alexander the Second.], which was struck upon the currency of the empire.
Notwithstanding these lofty ideas, Alla was so illiterate, that he even did not possess the common knowledge of reading and writing; yet he was so obstinate in his ridiculous opinions, that men of learning, who disdained to prostitute their judgment, avoided the court, or stood silent in his presence. There were not however wanting slaves, who, though they knew better, extolled his every word to the skies, and seemed to feed upon his crude imaginations.
Alla-ul-Muluck, the chief magistrate of the city, who was an old man, and so fat that he was not able to attend the court above once a month, being one day sent for by the King, to give his advice about the execution of his religious project, he determined, however fatal the consequences might be, to oppose every measure against the doctrine of the Mahommedan faith, and to dedicate the few years he had to live, by the course of nature, to martyrdom. With this firm resolution he waited upon the King, whom he found drinking wine with a great number of his principal Omrahs. The King beginning to confer with Alla upon the occasion, the old man told him, he had something to say to him in private, and would be glad he should order the wine and the company away. The King smiled, and desired all the company to retire except four.
The old magistrate then fell upon his face, and having kissed the ground at his feet, rose up and thus spoke: “O King! Religion is the law of God, by his spirit inspired in his prophets, nor depends it upon the opinions of mortals. We are taught by his word to believe, that the spirit of prophecy ended with Mahommed, the last and greatest messenger of God. Since this therefore is known to great and small, to all nations and degrees of people, should your intentions against their faith be once known, it is impossible to conceive what hatred should rise against you, and what blood and disturbance must ensue. It is therefore advisable, that you should erase with the chisel of reason, those conceptions, from the surface of your blessed mind, as the accomplishment of your intention exceeds all mortal power. Did not Zingis, the most powerful of monarchs, and his successors, labour for ages to subvert our faith, that they might establish their own? What rivers of blood were spilt in the contest, till at length the spirit of truth prevailed, and they became proselytes to that religion which they had laboured so long to destroy!"
The Emperor having listened with attention, replied, “What you have said is just, and founded on friendship and reason. I will for ever lay aside all thoughts of this scheme, which has so long engaged my attention. But what do you think of my project of universal conquest?”
The venerable magistrate replied, “Some Kings, in former ages, formed the same great resolution which your Majesty does at present, and your power, personal bravery, and wealth, gives you at least equal hopes of success. But the times are not so favourable, and the government of India seems not to stand upon so firm a basis, as to support itself in your absence. Perfidy and ingratitude daily appear. Brothers become traitors to one another, and children against their parents conspire. How much is this degenerate age unlike to the virtuous times of Secunder! Men were then endued with honourable principles, and the cunning and treachery of the present times were then held in utter abomination. Your Majesty has no counsellors like Aristotalice [Aristotle.], who kept, by his wisdom and policy, not only his own country in peace and security, but brought other nations, by voluntary consent, under his master's protection. If your Majesty can put equal confidence in your Omrahs, and can depend so much upon the love of your people, as Secunder, you may then carry your scheme into execution; if not, we cannot well reconcile it to reason.”
The King, after musing a while, said, “What you have told me bears the face of sincerity and truth. But what availeth all this power in armies, in wealth, and in kingdoms, if I content myself with what I already possess; nor employ it in acquiring conquest and glory?”
Alla-ul-Muluck replied, “That there were two undertakings in which his treasure might be expended to good purpose. The first was, the conquest of the southern kingdoms of Hindostan; and the second, the reduction of all the western provinces, which had been invaded by the Moguls, and lay beyond the Indus. This, said the chief magistrate, would secure the peace of Hindostan, and procure to the King immortal honour, in bestowing happiness upon his people; a thing greater in itself, than if he should consume the world in the flames of war; but even to succeed in this project, it is requisite that the King should abstain from excess of wine, and from luxurious pleasures."
The Emperor, contrary to the old man's expectations, took all this advice in good part, and, praising him for his fidelity, presented him with a royal honorary dress, ten thousand rupees, two horses caparisoned, and two villages in freehold. The other Omrahs, though they themselves wanted the virtue or resolution to speak their minds, were extremely pleased with the Cutwal, and sent him also presents to a great amount.
The King, in the year 699, according to the advice of Alla-ul-Muluck, called his brother Ælich from Semana, the vizier from Kurrah, and others from their respective subadaries, and sent them, with a great army, against the Indian prince of Rintimpore. They soon took the fort of Jain, and afterwards invested the capital. Nuserit the vizier, advancing near the wall, was crushed to death by a stone from an engine. And the Raja, at the same time, sallying with forty thousand men, drove Elich back to Jain with great loss.
Elich wrote to Delhi the particulars of this defeat. Alla flew into a violent rage, and immediately took the field. Upon his march he halted for a day at a place called Jilput, and went out a hunting. Having wandered far from his camp, in the chace, he remained with his attendants all night in the forest. In the morning, before sunrise, he placed himself upon a rising ground, where he sat down with two or three attendants, and commanded the rest to hunt in his view. Akit observing this, recollected that it was now in his power to cut off the King, in the same manner as the King himself had cut off his predecessor. He thought, that being nephew and brother-in-law to the Emperor, he might claim by that, and the influence he had by being chief secretary of the empire, the same title which Alla himself had to the throne [Alla was himself nephew and son-in-law to Ferose, whom he had murdered.].
Akit imparted his resolution to a few chosen horsemen, who accompanied him on this party. They immediately rode up to the King, saluted him with a flight of arrows, two of which entered his body, so that he lay for dead on the ground. Akit, upon this, drew his sword, and ran to cut off his head; when he was told by one of the King's attendants, that he was quite dead; that therefore to cut off his head would be an unnecessary piece of cruelty.
Akit being thus prevailed upon to desist from his intentions, set out for the camp with all expedition, mounted the throne, and proclaimed the King's death. The army was thrown into great confusion; but where loyal affection and patriotism are things unknown, mankind are satisfied to bow their necks to any new master. The great men assembled to pay their court and present their presents upon the occasion; the customary service was read from the Coran; the Chutba was proclaimed aloud, and the singers ordered to extol his praise. Akit then rose from the throne, and proceeded towards the Haram; but Dinar, the chief eunuch, with his guard, stopped him at the door, swearing, that till he showed him Alla's head, or put him to death, he should not enter.
Alla, in the mean time, recovered his senses, and, having his wounds bound up, imagined that Akit's treason and treachery was a preconcerted conspiracy of the Omrahs. He signified his intentions to fly to his brother Elich at Jain, with about sixty servants, who still attended him. Malleck Hamid, deputy porter of the presence, advised the King against this resolution. He told him, that he ought immediately to go to his own camp, and there show himself to his army; for that the usurper had not yet time to establish himself: and that, upon seeing the Emperor's umbrella, he doubted not but the whole army would immediately return to their duty. He observed, at the same time, that the least delay might render his affairs irrecoverable.
Alla saw the propriety of this resolute advice; and mounting his horse, with great difficulty, spread the white umbrella, which lay on the field, over his head, and, with his small retinue, proceeded towards the army. When he appeared in sight, being joined by some foraging parties on the way, he was now guarded by about five hundred men. He ascended an eminence, in full view of the camp, where he was at once seen by the whole army. They crowded in thousands towards him; and the court of the usurper was immediately broke up, and in a few minutes he found himself alone. In this situation he mounted his horse, and, distracted with fear, fled towards Binour.
Alla now marched down from the eminence towards the royal pavilion, and mounting the throne, gave public audience; sending, at the same time, a party of horse after the usurper. They soon came up with him, and brought back his head. The King ordered the usurper's brother Cuttulich, and the chief conspirators, to be put to death.
When Alla recovered of his wounds, he continued his march to Rintimpore, where he was joined by his brother Elich, and began to besiege the place. But the Hindoos so well defended themselves, that numbers of the imperial army daily fell. Alla however continued his attacks with redoubled obstinacy, while detachments of his army ravaged the adjacent territories of Malava and Daar. But the siege being protracted for some months without much effect, Omar and Mungu, who were both nephews to the Emperor, and held the governments of Budaoon and Oud, rebelled, and raised a great army. Alla wrote letters to the several Omrahs of those provinces whom he thought loyal, as also to the neighbouring subas and zemindars, and they levied forces, engaged, defeated, and took the rebels, and sent them both prisoners to the royal camp. The Emperor ordered their eyes to be put out, and then to torture them to death, as a barbarous example to others.
Notwithstanding this severity, one of the most extraordinary conspiracies recorded in history was under- taken by one Mola, the son of a slave of the old chief magistrate of the city, who died in the former reign. This ambitious youth, seeing Alla busied in the siege of Rintimpore, began to form the scheme of a revolution in the empire. He was perhaps moved to this scheme by the murmuring of the citizens against the chief magistrate's deputy, Tirmazi, who, in his master's absence in camp, oppressed the people, having the government entirely in his hands. The first thing, however, that Mola publicly did, was, in the heat of the day, when every body was gone to rest, to collect a mob of citizens, by a forged order from the King. With these he hastened to the house of Tirmazi, and sent in to tell him that a messenger had arrived with an order from the King. Tirmazi, out of respect to the imperial order, hastened to the door, when the young impostor, showing him the paper in one hand, cut him down with the other. He then read aloud the forged mandate for that purpose.
The mob now increasing, Mola sent parties to secure the city gates, and dispatched a person to Alla Eaz, who was chief magistrate of the new city, to come and see the King's order. This magistrate however, having heard of the disturbance, paid no regard to the message, but shut his own gates. Mola, in the mean time, with his mob, entered the red palace, and released all the state prisoners, taking out all the arms, treasure, and valuable effects, which he divided among his followers. He then, by force, placed Allavi, one of the prisoners, who was descended from the Emperor Altumsh, upon the throne, and imperiously commanded all the principal men of the city to pay him allegiance.
The Emperor, having advice of these strange transactions, was struck motionless with astonishment, but stirred not a step from the siege. He however wrote to Hamid, his foster-brother, who, raising a party in the city, seized the Budaoon gate the seventh day after the usurpation, and took the field, where he was joined by a great multitude from the new city and the country around. With these he again, by surprise, entered the city at the Ghizni gate, but he was met at the second gate, called Beder, by Mola and his associates, and a sharp conflict ensued. Hamid being dismounted, run up to Mola, who was leading on his party with great bravery, and pulling him from his horse, threw him down in the street, and slew him. He himself, in the mean time, received several wounds; but the faction of Mola, dispirited by his death, gave ground, and dispersed them- selves all over the city. Hamid then proceeded to the red palace, dragged from thence the unfortunate Allavi, and sent his head round the city upon the point of a spear, which put an end to this strange conspiracy.
Elich, the Emperor's brother, was in the mean time sent by Alla to Delhi, to punish all who were supposed to have had any hand in this rebellion. The sons of the chief magistrate, and the old Cutwal himself, were put to death merely on suspicion, as the rebel had been one of their dependants. But the most probable cause was their great wealth, which was confiscated to the King.
Rintimpore had now been closely besieged for a whole year, and Alla, after trying all other means, fell upon the following expedient to take the place. He collected together a great multitude of people, and provided each of them with a bag, which they filled with earth, and having begun at some distance from the rock, with immense labour, formed an ascent to the top of the walls, by which the troops entered the place, and put the Indian prince Amir Deo, his family, and the garrison, to the sword. This fort is esteemed the strongest in Hindostan.
Mahommed, the Mogul general, who had taken refuge in Rintimpore, after the mutiny at Jallore, having lost most of his men in the defence of the fort, was himself lying ill of his wounds when Alla entered the place. Alla, finding the unfortunate Mahommed in this condition, asked him, in an insulting manner, “What gratitude would he express for his lord, should he command his wounds to be immediately cured?"The Mogul fiercely replied, “I would put him to death for a tyrant, and endeavour to make the son of Amir Deo, to whom my gratitude is due, King.” The Emperor, enraged at this reply, threw him beneath the feet of an elephant. But considering afterwards that he was a brave man, and one of whose gallant behaviour he himself had been often witness, he ordered his body to be put in a coffin, and interred with decent solemnity. “Alla then commanded that the Raja's vizier, who had deserted over to him with a strong party during the siege, should, with all his followers, be massacred; saying, upon the occasion, that “Those who have betrayed their natural lord, can never be true to another!” Having bestowed the government of Rintimpore, with all the riches taken in it, upon his brother Elich, he returned with his army to Delhi. But Elich, about six months after, fell sick, and died on his way to the capital.
Alla being, in the course of this year, apprehensive of conspiracies and insurrections, called together the Omrahs who were most renowned for their wisdom, and commanded them to give their opinion without reserve, how he should conduct matters, so as to prevent disturbances and rebellions in the empire. He, at the same time, desired them to explain what they thought were the principal causes of the disorders. The Omrahs, after consulting among themselves, replied, that there were many causes concurring in á state from which convulsions, disagreeable in their consequences, proceeded; that, as those misfortunes could not be obviated at once, they would only mention, for that time, a few of those evils, from which danger to the empire must have arose.
"At the head of this list,” said the Omrahs, “we must place the King's inattention to advance the good, or to redress the wrongs of the people. The public use of wine is the source of many disorders; for when men form themselves into societies for the purpose of drinking, their minds are disclosed to one another, while the strength of the liquor, fermenting in their blood, precipitates them into the most desperate undertakings. The connections formed by the great men of the court, are pregnant with danger to the state. Their numerous marriages, and the places in their gift, draw the strength of the government into the hands of a few, who are always able, by associating themselves together to create revolutions in the empire. The fourth, and not the least cause of disturbance is, the unequal division of property; for the wealth of a rich empire is circulated in a few hands, and therefore the governors of provinces are rather independent princes, than subjects of the state.”
Alla approved so much of the remarks of his Omrahs, that he immediately began to carry into execution the plan which they laid before him. He first applied himself to a strict inquiry into the administration of justice; to redress grievances, and to examine narrowly into the private as well as public characters of all men of rank in the empire. He laid himself out to procure intelligence of the most secret discourses of families of note in the city, as well as of every transaction of moment in the most distant provinces. He executed justice with such rigour and severity, that robbery and theft, formerly so common, were not heard of in the land. The traveller slept secure upon the public highway, and the merchant carried his commodities in safety from the sea of Bengal to the mountains of Cabul, and from Tillingana to Cashmire.
He published an edict against the use of wine and strong liquors upon pain of death. He himself set the example to his subjects, and emptied his cellars in the street. In this he was followed by all ranks of people, so that, for some days, the common sewers flowed with wine.
He issued out orders that no marriage, among the nobility, should be ratified without a special licence from him: that no private meetings or conversation should be held among the Omrahs; which proved a severe check on the pleasures of society. This latter order was carried into such rigorous execution, that no man durst entertain his friends without a written permission from the vizier.