Tarikh-i Hindi 18: Twenty-Second Year of the Reign.
Tarikh-i Hindi, of Rustam 'Ali (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 18
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Twenty-Second Year of the Reign.
18.1
Two krors of rupees and three hundred elephants were sent to His Majesty by Shuja'u-d daula, governor of the province of Bengal. After Nadir Shah had gone away, Amir Khan was raised to the rank of 7000 and the office of third bakhshi, and Is'hak Khan to the diwani of the khalisa. They were also received into the favour of the Emperor, on which account Nizamu-l Mulk, again having recourse to his fox-like habits, and being displeased, left Dehli. He spent some days at the village of Tilpat, and at last, with the advice of Mihr-parwar, the grandmother of the Emperor, and on condition that Amir Khan should come out to meet him, returned to the city. Amir Khan son of Amir Khan senior, one of the chief nobles, was appointed Governor of the province of Allahabad, where he applied himself to the work of administration.
18.2
A body of Jats from Mahaban, having raised their heads in rebellion, put Hakim Kazim, the Faujdar of the pargana of Firozabad, to death, and carried off all his property and treasure. The chief of these insurgents proclaimed that he had assumed the name of Wantar Shah, and more than 5000 men having flocked round him, he raised great tumult and alarm. Zahiru-d daula 'Azimu-llah Khan went against him with a body of 6000 horse, and having made an end of him, determined to cross the Chambal, proceed to the territory of Bhadawar, and place Raj Singh, son of Amrat Singh, on the masnad of that principality. But on account of the river being too full, he could not cross it, and returned to Dehli. An army of more than 100,000 Mahratta horse attacked Nasir Jang, son of Nizamu-l Mulk. He, unlike his father, who always assisted the enemy, was the most virtuous man of his time, and possessed great courage and humanity. They burnt villages in the environs of the city of Aurangabad. Upon which Nasir Jang equipped an army, which some say did not exceed 8000 horse, and sallied out from the city. Nasir Jang fought very bravely, and despatched a great number of the enemy to hell, so that, not being able to stand their ground, they took to flight. Nasir Jang pursued them, and at the distance of a few kos, the enemy again made a stand, when the Musulmans put a great number of them to the sword.
18.3
By the favour of Almighty God the enemy again fled, and Baji Rao, chief of the miscreants, was greatly surprised at the courage of that lion of the field of heroism. With great ignominy and shame, he stopped on the banks of the Nerbadda, and as the Mahrattas had suffered great loss in the battle with Nasir Jang, they turned towards Hindustan, in the hope of ravaging that country; because they had been informed that, although they themselves had before now reached to the very suburbs of Dehli, and so many ravages had been committed by Nadir Shah, yet the Emperor was still equally as negligent and indifferent as ever. With this idea they gladly crossed the Nerbadda. Malharji, Pilaji, and other chiefs of the enemy's army, which, according to some, was no less than 50,000 horse, came through Bundelkhand as far as the banks of the Jumna; but suddenly, on hearing that Baji Rao, having fallen into the claws of death, had gone to the deserts of hell, they returned, without accomplishing anything, towards Sattara-garh to meet Raja Sahu. Raghu, nephew of Raja Sahu, at the head of 80,000 horse, fought with Nasir Jang, to avenge the defeat of Baji Rao. Nasir Jang in this battle also gave a complete repulse to the infidel enemy.
18.4
One of the nobles, by name Shuja'u-d daula, who was a very good man, and governed the province of Bengal with the utmost justice, died a natural death. As he was a great protector of his subjects, and exceedingly just, the country, by virtue of these qualities, flourished greatly, and the revenue had so much increased that every year he sent two krors of rupees to the Emperor; besides which, thirty thousand horse and an immense body of infantry received their pay from him. He also sent thousands of presents to the saints in all parts of the country and cities. The Emperor Muhammad Shah, and the ministers of the throne, having shut up the path of justice, and stretching out the hand of rapacity upon the subjects, devoted themselves to amassing wealth, which at last all fell to the lot of the enemy, and there was even a deficiency in the fixed revenue of the khalisa.