of whom he
delegated the command of a province. Dara-Sha, the eldest,
superintended the district of Delhi, and remained near his father's
person; Sultan-Sujah was governor of Bengal, Aureng-Zebe of the Decan,
and Morat Bakshi of Guzerat. It happened, that Sha-Jehan being
exhausted by the excesses of the Haram, a report of his death became
current in the provinces, and proved the signal for insurrection and
discord among his children. Morat Bakshi possessed himself of Surat,
after a long siege, and Sultan-Sujah, having declared himself
independent in Bengal, advanced as far as Lahor, with a large army.
Dara-Sha, the legitimate successor of the crown, was the only son of
Sha-Jehan, who preferred filial duty to the prospect of
aggrandisement. He dispatched an army against Sultan-Sujah, checked
his progress, and compelled him to retreat. But Aureng-Zebe, the third
and most wily of the brethren, had united his forces to those of Morat
Bakshi, and advancing against Dara-Sha, totally defeated him, and
dissipated his army. Aureng-Zebe availed himself of the military
reputation and treasures, acquired by his success, to seduce the
forces of Morat Bakshi, whom he had pretended to assist, and, seizing
upon his person at a banquet, imprisoned him in a strong fortress.
Meanwhile, he advanced towards Agra, where his father had sought
refuge, still affecting to believe that the old emperor was dead. The
more pains Sha-Jehan took to contradict this report, the more
obstinate was Aureng-Zebe in refusing to believe that he was still
alive. And, although the emperor dispatched his most confidential
servants to assure his dutiful son that he was yet in being, the
incredulity of Aureng-Zebe could only be removed by a personal
interview, the issue of which was Sha-Jehan's imprisonment and speedy
death. During these transactions Dara-Sha, who, after his defeat, had
fled with his treasures to Lahor, again assembled an army, and
advanced against the conqueror; but, being deserted by his allies,
defeated by Aureng-Zebe, and betrayed by an Omrah, whom he trusted in
his flight, he was delivered up to his brother, and by his command
assassinated. Aureng-Zebe now assumed the throne, and advanced against
Sultan-Sujah, his sole remaining brother; he seduced his chief
commanders, routed the forces who remained faithful, and drove him out
of Bengal into the Pagan countries adjacent, where, after several
adventures, he perished miserably in the mountains