Page 172 - Lohgarh

Chapter 11

Third Mughal Expedition

Against the Sikhs

Murder of Jahandar Shah : Farukhsiyar Becomes The Emperor
Although Jahandar Shah had killed all his brothers and nephews before
wearing the crown, one of his nephews, Farukhsiyar (son of Azimushan),
was still alive; at that time he was at Patna. On 27 March 1712, he
declared himself as new Emperor. Sayyad Hussain Ali Khan was the
deputy Governor of Bihar at that time. When Farukhsiyar declared
himself as the ‘Emperor’, Hussain Ali Khan was not present at Patna.
Farukhsiyar’s mother went to the mother of Hussain Ali Khan and
requested her to impress upon her son to help Farukhsiyar in capturing
Delhi. She (Farukhsiyar’s mother) reminded Hussain Ali’s mother that it
was her husband (i.e. Farukhsiyar’s father, Azimushan) who had played
major role in getting high offices for Hussain Ali Khan and his brother
Sayyad Abdullah Khan (Kutub-ul-Mulk). When Hussain Ali Khan’s mother
did not make any promise for helping Farukhsiyar, she (Farukhsiyar’s
mother) began wailing. This created sympathy in the mind of Hussain
Ali Khan’s mother and she agreed to help her. 1
After some days Hussain Ali Khan too reached Patna. Farukhsiyar
and his mother visited him and said, “Either arrest me and send me as
a prisoner to Jahandar Shah, or help me in getting the reigns of the
Mughal Empire. As and when I get control of Delhi, I shall give the two
highest offices to you and your brother, i.e. the office of chief minister
and the first noble (Amir-ul-Umra). This way, you will be the real rulers
of the Mughal Empire.” 2
Although at first Hussain Ali Khan was a bit reluctant but when his
mother told him that she had given a word to the mother of Farukhsiyar,
he agreed to help Farukhsiyar. Later, Abdullah Khan, who was then the