The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c20.147

v4.c20.147

The Sayyid brothers were first separated by the Rājput campaign. Ajīt Singh Rāthor had taken advantage of the wars of succession following the death of Bahādur Shāh to expel the imperial officers from Jodhpur, forbid cow-killing and the call to prayer in his territory, and even to capture Ajmer. Husain ‘Alī Khān, the head paymaster, was appointed to chastise him. But Farrukh-siyar, with the low cunning of weak minds, while publicly issuing orders in support of the expedition, sent secret letters advising the enemy to oppose and thwart the imperial general and even to assassinate him, with promises of the emperor’s favour if he was successful. Leaving Delhi early in January, 1714, Husain ‘Alī marched to Ajmer and thence to Merta, the gateway of Mārwār. His army underwent great hardship from the sandy deserts they had to cross and the want of water on the way. Ajīt Singh, terrified by Husain ‘Alī’s military reputation (earned in Aurangzīb’s days) and the vigorous advance of his army, fled further and further into the desert of Bīkāner. The country now occupied by the Mughuls was settled, the peasants conciliated, and outposts established, as Husain ‘Alī advanced. In spite of the approach of the hot weather and scarcity in his camp, the Mughul general resolved to make a forced march on Jodhpur. But just then Ajīt Singh made an abject surrender. He promised to give one of his daughters in marriage to Farrukh-siyar, to send his son Abhay Singh to attend at court, and himself to serve in the emperor’s army when called upon (May). Thus fully successful, Husain ‘Alī returned to Delhi, after restoring order in the province of Ajmer. But during his absence from the capital, his enemies, led by Mīr Jumla, had obtained entire control over the emperor. Sayyid ‘Abdullah was a rough soldier who now pursued pleasure only and left all the state affairs in the hands of his subordinates, particularly a *baniā* (grocer) named Ratan Chand who used to look after the Sayyid’s private estates. This man, abusing his influence over the sleepy minister, used to extort large bribes from office-seekers, as the price of issuing letters of appointment under the imperial seal to them. But Mīr Jumla, in rivalry with the minister, used to affix the seal to letters of appointment, without passing them through the minister’s office. Thus, the minister suffered in both influence and emoluments, and this circumstance further strengthened the ranks of his enemies. While Husain ‘Alī was absent in Rājputāna, ‘Abdullah felt that power was slipping out of his grasp at court and that Mīr Jumla was acting as *de facto* minister. Farrukh-siyar even went so far as to urge him to resign his office. On hearing of these things, Husain ‘Alī hurried back to the capital (16 July, 1714).