Chap. IV.] REIGN OF SHAH JEHAN. 287
recesses of the harem, exercised considerable political inlkience. Padshah a.d. lesr. Begum, the eldei', was her fatlier's favourite, and exerted herself to the utmost to further the interests of Dara. Roushanara, the younger, though not possessed, either in person or intellect, of the accomplishments of her sister, surj)assed her as a skilful intriguer, and thus proved a powerful coadjutor to Aurungzebe, to whom she was strongly attached.
Such was the position of Shah Jehan's family in 1657, wlien he was seized Preparations
fiT ii'i*° contest
with a severe illness, destmed apparently to prove fatal. Dara, that he might the succes- be able to make the necessary preparations to insure the succession, endeavoured to stop all tlie avenues of communication through wliich his brothers might become acc^uainted with his father's state ; but the fact was of too public and important a nature to admit of concealment, and a very short time elapsed before they were made thoroughly acquainted with it. Shuja was the first to act. Immediately assuming tlie title of king, he assembled a body of troops and began to march in the direction of the capital. Murad, in like manner, assumed the regal title, but instead of quitting his province, endeavoiired to provide the sinews of war by seizing the district treasuries and laying siege to Surat, where he expected to find a still richer deposit. Aurungzebe acted with less precipi- tation, and at first rested satisfied with collecting his forces and encamping with them near his northern frontier. While here he had the satisfaction of seeing Dara and Shuja engaged in hostilities, which only wasted their strength. He at last declared against Dara, but, with his usual dissimulation, endeavoured to disguise his real object by pretending to place his hostility to his eldest brother on religious grounds. For himself, if he had ever entertained ambitious thoughts, he had now laid them aside, and was desii'ous, as soon as an orthodox successor to the throne was appointed, to retire from the world and spend the remainder of his days at Mecca. Murad was stupid enough to be imposed upon by this siiallow pretence, and at once leagued his arms with those of Ain-ungzebe, in the belief that, in the event of their success, he was to be rewarded with the imperial crown. Dara was tiius exposed to two formidable attacks — the one from Shuja, advancing from Bengal, and the other from Aurungzebe and Murad, advancing from the Deccan. Against Shuja he sent his son Soliman Sheko, who encoun- tered him near Benares, and gave him a defeat which compelled him to retrace his steps to Bengal. Against his otlier brothers lie sent the Rajpoot rajah Jeswant Sing. The encounter took place on tlie banks of the Sipra, near Oojein, in Malwah, and ended in Jeswant's complete discomfiture. The gallantry of Murad had mainly decided the victory ; and Aurungzebe, not satisfied with complimenting him upon it, hypocritically humbled him.self before him as in token of the homage which he felt due to his future sovereign.
While his sons were thus warring with each other for the succes.sion to the Aurungzebe crown. Shah Jehan himself, contrary to expectation, liad nearly recovered his vktorious. usual health. Dai'a at once resigned his power. A very difierent spirit ani-
