Page 162 - Lohgarh

162 w Lohgarh : The World’s Largest Fort

an angry man, make strange statements, utter queer words and issue
foolish and mad orders. In fact, Banda Singh and Sikh factors had begun
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affecting him right from the 30 of November 1710, when he (Banda
Singh) had escaped from the siege of mammoth Mughal army at
Lohgarh. Reacting to Banda Singh’s escape, he misbehaved even towards
his most loyal man Munaim Khan Khan Khanan, by indirectly calling
him a dog. He had granted earlier this Munaim Khan the titles of Khan
Khana Bahadur, Jafar Jang, Wafadar and Wazir-i-Aalah, and, had
presented him several robes of honour; Khan Khana could not bear this
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insult and fell ill (and died). Bahadur Shah’s second strange command
was that of the 22 nd of August 1711, when he ordered to chain and
imprison Ghazi Khan (the former Governor of Sarhind), and, his further
declaration that if any one tried to seek mercy for Ghazi Khan would
also be imprisoned immediately. Bahadur Shah, lately, had made several
such decisions and had issued queer orders.
Soon, Bahadur Shah was confined to bed; by January 1712, he had
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become totally insane; he issued his last order on the 12 of February
1712, asking the army to kill all the dogs of the city of Lahore; in fact, he
used to call the Sikhs sagg (Persian word for dog) and by issuing such
an order perhaps he meant ‘kill all the Sikhs’; such was the fear of the
Sikhs in his mind. However, his order was translated into action and
within two days all the dogs had been killed and only those escaped
which had fled the town.
For the next two weeks Bahadur Shah’s illness went on increasing;
on the 25 th of February 1712 he held his court for the last time. But
even in this ceremonial gathering he did not say anything. For the next
three days, he did not leave his bed; he had spleen and swelling on his
face and forehead; three haqims (physicians) attended on him all this
time but there was no change in his condition; he died on the night
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between the 27 and the 28 of February 1712.
Bahadur Shah’s dead-body was wrapped in a coffin and it was
decided that it should be buried at Delhi. The body was given in the
custody of Maulvi Muradullah, Abdul Qadir and Mehfooz Khan. But, it
could not be taken to Delhi due to war of succession among the sons of