Selections from the Peshwa Daftar 2.intro.6

2.intro.6

Raghunathrao's expedition of 1755 and his sudden return to the south, Jayappa Scindia's entry into Marwar and his murder in July 1755, are subjects already well known and authenticated in history. The circumstances of his murder and the manner in which it was avenged are given in several letters (Nos. 48-56). Then followed a fierce struggle resulting from the invasion of India by Ahmadshah Abdali in the winter of 1756-57 (Nos. 68, 69, 71). His southern progress was, however, suddenly arrested by the stubborn Jats near Agra (No. 72) and he returned to his country in the summer, committing frightful atrocities on the way (No. 71). Thereupon the Rohilla Chief Najibkhan, who is described as a secret agent of the Abdali, is seen making overtures to Raghunathrao (No. 77). Affairs began to take a serious turn after Raghunathrao had left for the south, in the autumn of 1758, without having finally settled the affairs of Northern India. No. 88 contains a warning. The coming danger to the Maratha policy was foreseen and measures suggested for averting it (No. 89). Mismanagement of Maratha affairs becomes evident when responsible officers like Hingne and Antaji Mankeshwar came to be severely handled by the Peshwa (Nos. 91, 97, 98, 105). Najibkhan in the meantime was not idle; he was for a long time creating mischief. But what we learn for the first time in these papers is (No. 103) that Abdali did not rashly enter into a conflict with the Marathas. He tried his utmost to come to some amicable and workable understanding with them. The Peshwa at Poona did not realise the gravity of the situation in the north, being engrossed in schemes for gathering money anyhow to pay his debts in the south. He should have realised that in the distracted condition of affairs he could hardly expect to get his coffers filled.

The final struggle

Raghunathrao's penetration into the extreme west of the Punjab as far as Attock in the summer of 1758, changed the whole situation. The Punjab had long been coveted by the Abdali, and if his officials had not been driven away by the Marathas, the Sutlaj would possibly have been fixed as dividing the spheres of influence of the Afgan and the Maratha powers and the dispute would possibly have been amicably settled. Dattaji Scindia again entered the Punjab and established his outposts in the west, so that it became a point of honour with both powers, the one to keep what was once conquered, the other to reclaim what was lost. The Abdali however was fully conscious of the Maratha strength and almost up to the last moment tried his utmost to come to an understanding with them. No. 106 contains an account of the first move of Abdali who sent his agent Yakub-Ali-Khan to Delhi during the monsoon of 1759 to settle matters in the Emperor's presence between all the contending parties, the Rohillas, the Rajputs, the Jats and others. Although this agent Yakub-Ali-Khan stayed in India for some two years on this mission, he was not able to achieve any tangible results (No. 108). It was unfortunate that the Peshwa himself, his brother and his cousin, who were mainly responsible for the general policy in the north, did not promptly proceed to Delhi to settle the affairs of the empire, into which a further disturbing factor was introduced by the growing estrangement between Scindia and Holker.