[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Mughals (1526–1857)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal) › [Later Mughals (1707–1857)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later) › [Muntakhab al-lubāb](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab) › [Muntakhabu-l Lubab, of Khafi Khan (Elliot & Dowson, extracts)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot) › 106 # Muntakhab al-lubab 106: The Mahrattas. Muntakhabu-l Lubáb, of Kháfí Khán (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 106 - **Language:** English ### [106](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot.106) \[Text, vol. ii. p. 457.\] Niba Sindhia and other officers of Ram Raja, with an army of eight thousand horse, came to the district of Nandurbar, and attacked and burnt several villages. When he heard that Husain 'Ali Khan was approaching from Thalir, he suspended his operations against Nandurbar, and went to meet him. Husain Khan had only seven or eight hundred horse and two or three thousand provincial musketeers and archers; but he went forth to meet the enemy. They encountered each other at two kos from the town of Thalir, and a fierce action ensued. \* \* The number of Sindhia's forces enabled him to surround Husain 'Ali Khan, about three hundred of whose men were killed. The day went against Husain 'Ali, and he had received two or three wounds. Dripping with blood, he threw himself from his elephant; but he had no strength left for fighting, so he was surrounded and made prisoner. All his baggage, his men, and elephants were captured. In addition to the cash and property which they had got by plunder, the enemy fixed two lacs of rupees as the price of the ransom of the prisoners. After much exertion, nearly one lac and 80,000 rupees was raised from the jagirs, and from the property which had been left in the town of Thalir. To make up the balance, the sarrafs and merchants of Nandurbar were importuned to raise a sum, small or great, by way of loan. But they would not consent. The inhabitants of the town of Nandurbar had not paid the chauth to the Mahrattas, and being supported by the faujdar, they had closed their gates, which greatly annoyed the enemy (Mahrattas). Husain 'Ali Khan also was greatly incensed by their refusal to assist him ; so he took counsel with the enemy, and agreed that after a siege of a day or two, and some exhibition of force, he would open the gates to them. He made it a condition that the raiyats should not be plundered, but that the great and wealthy men, the sarrafs, the merchants, and the mukaddams, might be put to the rack and tortured until the balance of the ransom due to the Mahrattas was discharged. The result was that a sum of one lac and forty thousand rupees was paid to the Mahrattas instead of eighty thousand, and that Husain 'Ali Khan himself realized nearly thirty thousand rupees. When (the result of the action) was reported to Aurangzeb, he was very angry, and said that there was no use in fighting when too weak to win. - [Previous: 105](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot.105) - [Next: 107](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot.107) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot.106](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot.106) · Pramāṇa