nadir shah and the afghans, 1732–47Shah Wali Khan and Sardar Jahan Khan kept the king’s death a secret
by placing the body on a palanquin shrouded with thick curtains. They
then left the king’s mountain retreat for Kandahar, taking with them as
much treasure as they could lay their hands on. As the procession made
its way to the Durrani capital, Shah Wali Khan announced to everyone
that the king was ill and had given strict orders that no one should disturb
him, except one or two of his most trusted officials. To make the deception
even more credible, Yaqut Khan, Ahmad Shah’s chief eunuch, pretended
to converse with the king and even brought food for the ‘sick’ ruler. 3
A day’s march from Kandahar Sulaiman Mirza came out to perform
the customary reception of the king, only for Shah Wali Khan to inform
him that his father was dead. Despite opposition from ‘Abd Allah Popalzai,
Ahmad Shah’s diwan begi, and other Durrani chiefs, Shah Wali Khan
proclaimed Sulaiman Mirza as king. Yaqut Khan, however, was a secret
supporter of Timur Mirza and sent a confidential messenger to Herat to
inform the prince of his father’s death and his brother’s revolt, urging him
to march on Kandahar. Timur Mirza immediately set out at the head of
a sizeable army and by the time he reached Farah support for Sulaiman
Mirza had collapsed. In a desperate attempt to save their lives, Shah Wali
Khan and Sardar Jahan Khan went to Timur’s camp to plead for mercy,
but their appeals fell on deaf ears. Angered by their refusal to admit him to
his father’s deathbed, Timur Mirza denied them the customary audience
to sue for clemency. Instead he sent for his executioner and the two men,
Kandahar, the tomb of Ahmad Shah as seen c. 1880.