Gaster MS Misc 1501 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)

Summary of Contents: Basāwan La‘l bin Nansuk’h Rāy Kāyat’h Saksēnah Bilgrāmī, pen named ‘S̲h̲ādān’ first composed the Amīr'nāmah (Book of the Prince), a biography of his patron, the first Nawāb of Tonk,Amīr Khān (b. 1768, r. 1806–1834), in 1240 AH (1824–1825 CE). In his preface, he describes how he had then served the Nawāb for twelve years as Nā'ib Munshī (Associate Secterary). This manuscript, completed by ‘Nā’ib Amīr Munshī’ for the Nawāb of Tonk's son and successor Muḥamamd Wazīr Khān (b. 1807, r. 1834–1864) on 12 Jumādà I 1277 (26 Nov 1860) suggests that the author copied this manuscript himself much again later in life, when he had served for some forty-eight years, hence it may be a later revised and extended redaction.