Tavernier says that Shah
Jahan was obliged to give up his intention of completing a silver
ceiling to the great hall in the palace, because Austin de Bordeaux
had been killed, and no other person could venture to attempt it.
Ustan [_sic_] Isa, in all the Persian accounts, stands first among
the salaried architects. [W. H. S.] Tavernier's words are, 'Shah
Jahan had intended to cover the arch of a great gallery which is on
the right hand with silver, and a Frenchman, named Augustin de
Bordeaux, was to have done the work. But the Great Mogul, seeing
there was no one in his kingdom who was more capable to send to Goa
to negotiate an affair with the Portuguese, the work was not done,
for, as the ability of Augustin was feared, he was poisoned on his
return from Cochin.' (_Tavernier_, transl. Ball, vol. i, p. 108. )
The statement that Austin had 'finished the palace at Delhi, and the
mausoleum and palace of Agra' is not warranted by any evidence known
to the editor.
20. Akbar erected his works on the site of an older fort, named
Badalgarh, presumably of Hindu origin, 'which was of brick, and had
become ruinous.
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