The Fall of the Moghul Empire of Hindustan by H. G. Keene

Author:H. G. Keene
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: history, india, indian, Mughal, Moghul, empire, 19th century, south asia, south asian
ISBN: 9781781668405
Publisher: Andrews UK Limited 2012
Published: 2012-06-20T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER V.

A.D. 1786-88.

Gholam Kadir - Pillars of the State - Siege of Raghogarh - British policy - Measures of Sindhia - Rajput Confederacy - Battle of Lalsaut - Muhammad Beg's death - Defection of Ismail Beg - Greatness of Sindhia - Gholam Kadir enters Dehli - Is checked by Begam Sumroo and Najaf Kuli Khan - Gholam Kadir pardoned; joins Ismail Beg - Battle of Chaksana - Rajput Embassy - Emperor takes the field - Shahzada writes to George III. - Najaf Kuli rebels - Death of Shahzada - Emperor's return - Battle of Firozabad - Confederates at Dehli - Their difficulties - Sindhia inactive - Benoit de Boigne.

1786. - The eldest son of the deceased chief of the Bawani Mahal was that Gholam Kadir, whom we have seen already in the character of a captive and a page. It does not appear under what circumstances he had recovered his liberty; but, on the death of Zabita Khan, he at once succeeded to his estates, under the title of "Najib-ud-daulah Hoshyar Jang." As in the lower empire of Byzantium, so in the present case, in proportion as the State crumbled, the titles of its unserviceable supporters became more sonorous, until at last there was not a pillar of the ruinous fabric, however weak and however disengaged from the rest of the body, but bore some inscription equally "imposing" in both senses of the word. Daulah or Daulat means "The State," and the Musalman nobles were called Arkan-i-Daulat - "Columns of the Commonwealth." Of these one was its Sword, another its Asaph (the "Recorder" of David and Solomon), a third its Hero, and a fourth its Shield. The young "Najib" Gholam Kadir Khan, was now the most prominent representative of the Hindustani Afghans. Among the Moghuls the leading spirit was Mohamad Beg of Hamadan, for whom the Patel provided employment by sending him with an army into Malwa, where he was for some time occupied by the siege of Raghogarh. This was a very strong fort, held by a colony of Kachwaha Rajputs since the times of Najaf Khan, and commanding one of the main roads between Hindustan and the Mahratta country. It had resisted the Mahrattas when they first invaded Malwa, and it was destined to resist Sindhia's successors almost down to our own times. It is now a peaceful market town, and the traces of its former strength are all that it retains of a military character.

Sindhia's progress in the Doab was more rapid, nor was it long before Musalman jealousy began to be aroused. The Patel opened negotiations with Mirza Jawan Bakht, having the object of inducing. that prince to return to the capital; but from this he was strongly dissuaded by the Viceroy Vazir, acting under the advice of Major Palmer, the British Resident at Lucknow. That gentleman considered the interests of the Company and of the Vazir as deeply bound up in the fate of the prince. Whilst he remained under their joint protection, the Mahratta

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