320 HISTORY OF AURANGZIB. [CHAP. XIII. Knowing the prince's incapacity, Shah Jahan His wasir. Ali Naqi, had tried to remedy the mischief by sending to him. Ali Naqi as his revenue minister and chief counsellor. This officer, conscious of his own ability and honesty, and proud of enjoying the Emperor's confidence, looked down with scorn on the flatterers and boon companions who form- ed Murad's Court. He was strict even to harsh- ness in conducting the government, and his honesty and vigilant care of the public revenue raised against him a host of enemies among those who wished to profit by the prince's ignorance and extravagance. As the whole adminis- tration was under Ali Naqi's control, he was also envied by the other nobles posted in Guze- rat. His draconic punishments left him without a single friend in the province. And soon his enemies got their chance. The news of Shah Jahan's severe illness and retire- ment to impenetrable privacy, as well as of Dara's virtual usurpation of the Imperial author- ity, reached Murad towards the close of
- My account of Ali Naqi and his murder is based upon
Khafi Khan, ii. 7-9, Isardas, 10a and b, Kambu, ga. The date of the murder was most probably some day in the first week of October, as confirmation of the news reached Aurangzib (returning from Bidar) on 29th October, and the first rumours had come some days earlier (Adab, 2016). Alamgirnamah, 135-ed by Microsoft Ⓡ
