First Bakhshi at Agra
Zulfiqar Khan came to Agra in July 1707 with his father, the former Wazir Asad Khan, escorting the Emperor's sister Zinat-un-nissa Begam and the household of the defeated Azam Shah from Gwaliyar. The page records that "Asad Khan and Zulfiqar Khan presented themselves with their hands bound," their bonds untied by Bahadur Shah and by his son Jahandar Shah respectively (vol. I, p. 37). In the redistribution of offices that followed, "his son was raised to 7,000 (7,000 horse), with the titles of Samsam-ud-daulah Amir-ul-umara Bahadur Nusrat Jang, his old office of First Bakhshi being confirmed to him" (vol. I, p. 39).
Though his father held the superior title of Wakil-i-mutlaq, working power at court stayed with the son. Once Asad Khan was eased into retirement at Dihli, the page records that "his son, Zulfiqar Khan, remained at Court as his deputy with charge of the Wakil's seal to the end of the reign," a seal affixed to every warrant even though "in no way had Asad Khan any longer the least influence in the affairs of the realm" (vol. I, p. 39).
Murder before Farrukh Siyar
Zulfiqar Khan's fall came in the first days of Farrukh Siyar's reign, in February 1713. Brought before the Emperor over the deaths of rival princes, he saw that "his death was resolved on, and that any further display of meekness would avail him nothing," and, defiant, told Farrukh-siyar, "If you want to kill me, kill me in any way you like, what is the use of all this talk" (vol. I, p. 253).
The killing followed at once: "Lachin Beg and several Qalmaq slaves fell upon him, threw him to the ground, twisted the strap from a shield round his throat and strangled him," and, "to make quite sure a dagger was plunged into his body several times" before ropes dragged the corpse "to the outside of the railing in front of the public audience-hall," where it was left exposed (vol. I, p. 253). The same page records the sequel: the official case against him, "as found in Ijad, whose narrative was corrected weekly by Farrukh-siyar himself," presented the very letters used to lure him to court as "an exhibition of consummate policy and statesmanship" (vol. I, p. 253). He died on "the same day that saw the end of Zulfiqar Khan (16th Muharram, 1125 H., 11th Feb., 1713)" as Jahandar Shah, whose body was laid that evening "alongside the body of Zulfiqar Khan" at the entrance to the Emperor's tents (vol. I, p. 254).