LUC‘KJ'O ll' CITY. 505
Aurangzeb, now covers the holy place. The village of lnkshmanpur still stood within the memory of men now living.
The Sltaiklts, afterwards known as the Shaikhradas of Lucknow, were the earliest Muhammadan conquerors of Outlh. Later on, the Pathdns of Rzimnagar occupied the country up to the point where the Col Darwa‘za gote subsequently stood. East of this dernarcating line, the Shaikhs horc rule, and built a stronghold on the site of the present Machi Bhawan fort. A small town grew up around their castle, which bore the name of Lucknow at least as early as the reign of Akbar. In the survey carried out by that Emperor, it is described as ‘a large city pleasantly situated upon the banks of the deti, with very delightful suburbs.’ The Alia-i-At-(wri also mentions the tomb of Shaikh Mind Shah, a Musaltndn saint, to whom prayers were already offered. The lirilimans then formed a leading section of the population ; and Akbar, with his usual tolerant indifference, wishing to gratify them, caused the lidj fw‘ sacrifice to be offered, and gave them 0. MM of ru|m:s. The city grew but little before his time. and its subsequent enlargements belong to three periods, those of Akbar himself. of Saddat Ali Khzin, and of Asafvuddaula. The oldest inhabited portions of the present city are the llindu wards, lying in the immediate neighbourhood of the (Izaak. ‘l‘hc wards to the south. along the line of the drunk, were built under Akbar, who took a great fancy to the town, and did much to promote its Welfare. His son, Mina Salim Shzih. afterwards the Emperor Jahdngir, founded Mirzd Mandi, lying to the west of the enceinte of the present fort. But none of the great buildings which now adorn the city date back to an earlier period than that of the independent Oudh dynasty.
Saidat Khan, founder of the Ottdh kingdom, began life as a Persian merchant of Naishtipur, and ended it as the greatest Asiatic warrior of his age, except perhaps Ahmad Khan. He became Governor (Subah- (kit) of Oudh in I732 4.1)., and fixed his residence at Lucknow
Unlike his descendants, who built themselves the tasteless palaces which now fill the city, Saddat Khan was content with a comparatively humble dwelling. situated behind the Machi Bhawan. An open space, south-west of the fort, n0w occupied by ordnance stores, marks the site of two early buildings, the oldest in Lucknow erected by the family of Shaikhs who formerly ruled over the surrounding territory. When Saédat Khén assumed the reins of local government as Subahdzir, he hired these houses from their owners at a moderate monthly rent. At first, the money was regularly paid; but in process of time, the ruling farnfly began to regard the buildings as their own. and the rent fell into arrears. Safdat Jung and Shuji-uddaula gave written agreements to fulfil the engagement, but never kept them; and Asaf-ud-daulzi finally confiscated the houses outright, without any compensation.
