Destruction of
Hindu Temples.
[p. 449] It had been brought to the notice of His Majesty
that during the late reign many idol temples had been begun, but remained
unfinished at Benares, the great stronghold of infidelity. The infidels were
now desirous of completing them. His Majesty, the defender of the faith, gave
orders that at Benares, and throughout all his dominions in every place, all temples
that had been begun should be cast down. It was now reported from the province
of Allahabad that seventy-six temples
had been destroyed in the district of Benares.
Christian Prisoners.
[Text, vol. I. P. 534.] On the 11th
Muharram, [1043 A.H.], Kasim Khan and Bahadur Kambu brought * * * * 400
Christian prisoners, male and female, young and old, with the idols of their
worship, to the presence of the faith-defending Emperor. He ordered that the
principles of the Muhammadan religion should be explained to them, and that
they should be called upon to adopt it. A few appreciated the honour offered to
them and embraced the faith: they experienced the kindness of the Emperor. But
the majority in perversity and wilfulness rejected the proposal. These were distributed
among the amire, who were directed to
keep these despicable wretches in rigorous confinement. When any one of them
accepted the true faith, a report was to be made to the Emperor, so that
provision might be made for him. Those who refused were to be kept in continual
confinement. So it came to pass that many of them passed from prison to hell.
Such of their idols as were likenesses of the prophets were thrown into the
Jumna, the rest were broken to pieces.
EIGHTH YEAR OF THE REIGN, 1044 A.H. (1634 A. D.)
The Peacock Throne.
[p. 62.] in the course of years many valuable gems
had come into the Imperial jewel-house, such one of which might serve as an
ear-drop for Venus, or would adorn the girdle of the Sun. Upon the accession of
the Emperor, it occurred to his mind that, in the opinion of far-seeing men,
the acquisition of such rare jewels and the keeping of such wonderful
brilliants can only render one service, that of adorning the throne of empire.
They ought therefore, out to be put to such a use, that beholders might share
in and benefit by their splendour, and that Majesty might shine with increased
brilliancy. It was according ordered that, in addition to the jewels in the
Imperial jewel-house, rubies, garnets, diamonds, rich pearls and emeralds, to
the value of 200 lacs of rupees,
should be brought for the inspection of the Emperor, and that they, with some
exquisite jewels of great weight, exceeding 50,000 miskals, and worth eighty-six lacs of rupees, having been carefully
selected, should be handed over to Be-badal Khan, the superintendent of the
goldsmith’s department. There was also to be given to him one lac to tolas of
pure gold, equal to 250,000 miskals in the weight and fourteen lacs of rupees in value. The throne was
to be three gas in length, two and a half in breadth, and five in height, and
was to be set with the above-mentioned jewels. The outsider of the canopy was
to be of enamel work with occasional gems, the inside was to be thickly set
with rubies, garnets, and jewels, and it was to be supported by twelve emerald
columns. On the top of each pillar there were to be two peacocks thick set with
gems, and between each two peacocks a tree set with rubies and diamonds,
emeralds and pearls. The ascent was to consist of three steps set with jewels
of fine water. This throne was completed in the course of seven years at a cost
of 100 lacs of rupees. Of the eleven
jewelled recesses (takhta) formed
around it for cushions, the middle one, intended for the seat of the Emperor,
cost ten lacs of rupees. Among the
jewels set in this recess was a ruby worth a lax of rupees, which Shah Abbas,
the King of Iran, had present to the late Emperor Jahangir, who sent it to his
present Majesty, the Sahib Kiran-i sani, when he accomplished Sahib-kiran (Timur),
Mir Shah Rukh, and Miza Ulugh Beg. When in course of time it came into the
possession of Shah Abbas, his name was added ; and when Jahangir obtained it,
he added the name of himself and of his father. Now it received the addition of
the name of his most gracious Majesty Shah Jahan. By command of the Emperor,
the following masnawi, by Haji
Muhammad Jan, the final verse of which contains the date, was placed upon the
inside of the canopy in letters of green enamel. * * *
On
his return to Agra, the Emperor held a court, and sat for the first time on his
throne. * * Yaminu-d daula Asaf Khan was
promoted to the dignity of Khan-khanan.
[Conquest by Najabat Khan of several
forts belongs to the samindars of Srinagar, and his subsequent enforced
retreat.]
The following
is the account given of the throne in the Shah-Jahan-ndmd
of Inayat Khan : “ The Nau-roz of the year 1044 fell on the Id-i fitr, when His Majesty was to take
his seat on the new jewelled throne. This gorgeous structure, with a canopy
supported in twelve pillers, measured three yards and a half in length, two and
a half in breath, and five in height, from the flight of steps to the
overhanging dome. On His Majesty’s accession to the throne, he had commanded
that eighty-six lacs, worth of gems and
precious stone, and a diamonds worth fourteen lacs, which together make a crore
of rupees as money is reckoned in Hindustan, should be used in its
decoration. It was completed in seven years, and among the precious stones was
a ruby worth a lac of rupees that
Shah Abbas Safavi had sent to the late Emperor, on which were inscribed the
names of the great Timur Sahib-Kiran, etc.”
Rebellion
of Jaihar Bundela and his son Bikramajit.
[Text, vol. ii p. 94.] His Majesty in the second year of
his reign pardoned the misdeeds of this turbulent man, and sent him on services
to the Dakhin. After a while he took leave of Mahabat Khan Khan-khanan, the
ruler of the Dakhin, and retired to his own country, leaving behind him his son
Bikramajit, entitled Jagraj, and his contingent of men. On reaching home, he
attacked Bim Narain, Zamindar of Garha, and induced him by a treaty and promise
to surrender the fort of Chauragarh. Afterwards, in violation of his
engagement, he put Bim Narain and a number of his followers to death, and took
possession of the fort, with all the money and valuable it contained. Bim
Narain’s son accompanied Khan-dauran to Court from Malwa, taking with him an
offering, and he made known to the Emperor what had happened. A farman was then sent to Jajhar Singh,
charging him with having killed Bim Narain, and taking possession of Garha,
without the authority of the Emperor, and directing him to surrender the
territory to the officers of the Crown, or else to give up the jagirs he held in his own country, and
to sent to Court ten lacs of rupees
in cash out of the money which had belong to Bim Narain.
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