The long expected impending war broke out. S0 long the apprehension of imminent danger was weighing clown the minds of the citizen: of Agra. and Delhi and all people, young and old, inhabiting that locality. The mysterious murder affair oi Delhi, the more wonderful, blood-carding incident of Fatehpur Sikri,--all these events had so much captured the imagination of the people: that the new: of the breaking out of immediate
war was too heavy 2. below for them to bear. War was not on unusual event in those days We are speaking oi—-in some part of this great Indian continent war of some description existed at all times} and the horrors and miseries incidental to it were ever pretends
. In this more peaceful age we have In idea how terribly the country was effected by it,-'-the life of the -punt peasants were considered no better ihan etrur, and those who couici clilp-E the severity oi plunder and pilllgc took shelter in the wilderness with their wives
and children, leaving their poor house: for ever. The ethical code of war did not then attain that perfection, and, as a matter of consequence, at the end of the war, the victorious soldiers let loose upon the innocent and inoffensive people, and had no scruple of conscience. Plunder, pillage and ravages were every-day incidents in those days. Though this was the order of the day, the locality of, and around Delhi was comparatively immune from the ravages of war. Even we can safely say without
fear of contradiction that the district of Agra and many parts of the country were enjoying peace for the time being, as jahangir the Emperor used to pass his days in pleasures and amusements, giving himself up to
drinking almost day and night and had no time to
waste his energies in warlike adventure. Moreover
there was no immediate necessity of his being dragged into war, as the haughty and unruly chiefs of Rajputana had already acknowledged his suzerainty. Indeed the
people of that district were happily passing their days without being interrupted in their daily advocations of life; but they were fully familiar with the horrors of war. Now the declaration of war filled their mind with utmost consternation, and the entire population——rich wd poor. young and old, passed their days in a sense of insecurity and fear.


Mughal Library