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and the only one which was entirely under the management of the Khalsa, or exchequer-office, produced the greatest revenue to the crown, and the office of divan, or superintendant of revenue of that province, was one of the most important offices in the empire. It was at this time filled by Jafer-khan, who had been appointed in the reign of Aurengzib. At the same time a prince of the blood, Azim-ush-shan, was governor of the province and commander-in-chief of the forces, possessing authority to make war or peace without waiting for orders from court. This prince enjoyed, besides, an absolute command over the neighbouring provinces of Orissa, Behar, and Ilahabad. To lighten the burthen of so weighty a charge, and in order to reward two noblemen who had rendered services of importance, Aurengzib bestowed the government of Behar, whose capital was Azimabad Patna, on Hussein Ali-khan, and that of Ilahabad on his elder brother, Abdullah-khan. At the same time, he entrusted Jafer-khan with the military government of Bengal and Orissa, of which he was already divan, or superintendant of finance. On the demise of Aurengzib, the prince Azim-ush-shan marched to the assistance of his father, Bahadur-shah, and left his son, Ferokh-siar, with some of the ladies of the seraglio at Acbernagar, commonly called Rajmahal, a place situated on