park of artillery, served by European gunners,
were of inestimable use to Aurangzib, who had
attached them early in January. These "supplied
the much-needed means of Aurangzib's progress
towards his object, at this critical time," as the
historian Aqil Khan Razi points out.
All this time Aurangzib was intriguing actively but in secret with the Aurangzib intrigues with the nobles at Court and the generals. courtiers at the capital and the high officers in the provinces (especially Malwa). Some anecdotes have come down to us which prove that Aurangzib was regarded by the ministers and even by Shah Jahan himself, as the ablest of the princes. I find it impossibe to reject them entirely as prophecies made after the event. Of all the four sons of Shah Jahan he had the best reputation for capacity and experience; the known record of his actual performances was most varied and distinguished. Evidently all self-seeking nobles and officers recognised
(=10 lakhs of rupees) realised by Ahmad Said about Dec. 1656 {Adab, 1956, Waris, 121b.), Bijapur present of four lakhs of rupees in cash and kind brought to Aurangabad by Abul Hasan, in the 3rd quarter of 1656 {Adah, 191a). From this total must be deducted the cost of the war with Bijapur and bribes to Bijapuri deserters, against which the 12 lakhs worth of booty taken at Bidar was a partial set off. What wealth, if any, Aurangzib and Muhammad Sultan secretly took from Qutb Shah we know not; but popular report greatly magnified it.
