The six voyages of John Baptista Tavernier, Baron of Aubonne through Turky, into Persia and the East-Indies, for the space of forty years : giving an account of the present state of those countries, viz. of the religion, government, customs, and commerce of every country, and the figures, weight, and value of the money currant all over Asia : to which is added A new description of the Seraglio / made English by J.P. ; added likewise, A voyage into the Indies, &c. by an English traveller, never before printed ; publish'd by Dr. Daniel Cox

CHAP. I. A Relation of the last Wars of Indolstan; which gives an insight into the present Estate of the Empire and Court of the Moguls.

IHave written this History in such manner, as I knew things to be trans∣acted, during my stay in the Country; leaving it to the Reader to make his own reflections as he pleases; it being sufficient for me to make a faith∣ful description of the Potent Empire of the Moguls, according to the Observations I have taken upon the place.

This great and vast Empire, which contains the greatest part of Indolstan, and which extends from the Mountains on this side the River Indus, to the Mountains on the other side of Ganges; borders Eastward upon the Kingdoms of Aracan, Tipra, and Asia. Toward the West upon Persia, and the Usbeg Tartars. Southward upon the Kingdoms of Golconda and Visapour. Northward it runs up as far as the Mountain Caucasus. North-Eastward the Kingdom of Bantam, whence comes our Musk, parts it. North-Westward it borders upon the Coun∣try of Chegathay, or the Usbegs.

They are call'd Moguls, that is, white of complexion; for the last Conque∣rors of the Indies were Whites; the Natives being all Brown, or Olive-colour.

Aureng-zeg, the present Emperor, is the eleventh in a direct line, of the Descendants from the great Temur-Leng, commonly call'd Tamerlane; the ex∣tent and renown of whose Conquests, from China to Poland, has exceeded all the actions of the greatest Captains of the former Ages. His Successors com∣pleated the Conquest of all India between the two Rivers, with the destruction of several Kings. So that Aureng-zeb has at this time under his Dominion, the Territories of Gouzerat, Decan-Dehly, Multan, Lahor, Kashemire, Bengala, and many other Territories; not to mention several Raja's, or petty Kings, who pay him Tribute, and are his Vassals. The Succession of the Kings of India is as follows:

1. Termur-Leng, that is to say, the Lame, because one of his Legs was shorter than the other, lyes buried at Samarchand, in the Country of Chegathay, or the Usbeg Tartars, being the place of his Nativity.

2. Miram-Cha, the Son of Temurleng.

3. Sultan Mahomet, the Son of Miram-Cha.

4. Sultan Abousaid-Mirza, the Son of Mahomet.

5. Hameth-Sheck, the Son of Sultan Abousaid.

6. Sultan Babur, that is, the Valiant Prince, the first Mogul thatwas of greatest power in India. He dy'd in the year 1532.

7. Homajon, that is, the Happy, the Son of Sultan Babur, dy'd in the year 1552.

8. Abdul Feta Gelal-Eddin Mahomet, commonly call'd Akabar, that is, the Great, reign'd fifty four years; and dy'd in the year 1605.

9. Sultan Selim, otherwise call'd Jehan-guir Patsha, that is, the Victorious Emperor of the World, succeeded Akabar his Father, and dy'd 1627. He had four Sons, the eldest nam'd Sultan Kosrou, the second Sultan Kourom, the third Sultan Perviz, the fourth Cha-Daniel.

10. Sultan Kourom, the second of the four, succeeded Jehan-guir his Father; and was acknowledg'd by all the Nobility, at the Castle of Agra, by the Name of Cha-Bedin Mahomed, but he would be call'd Cha-jehan, that is, King of the World.

11. Aureng-zeb, that is, the Ornament of the Throne, is the present Mo∣narch.

The following Figure shews you what sorts of pieces the Kings cause to be thrown among the people when they come to the Throne. They repre∣sent the Arms or Signets of the Kings which I have nam'd. The biggest, in the middle, was Cha-jehan's, the tenth King. These pieces are most of them Silver; there being very few of Gold. And as for Aureng-zeb, he never coln'd any particular pieces to throw away at his Coronation.

[illustration]

The Great Mogul is without all question the richest and most potent Mo∣narch of Asia; the Territories which he possesses, being his own Hereditary Possession; and being absolute Master of all the Territories whence he receives his Revenues. For in the Territories of this Prince, the great Lords are but the Royal Receivers, who give an account of the King's Revenues to the Governours of the Provinces, and they to the chief Treasurers and Controllers of the Ex∣chequer.