The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c21.146

v4.c21.146

In 1758 Bussy was recalled by Lally from the Nizām's service, and a quarrel broke out between Nizām 'Alī, the brother of Salābat Jang, and the Peshwā. Bālājī, knowing that without their famous French commandant the Hyderābād troops would be easy to deal with, determined to attack them. He first scored two bloodless triumphs. Ahmadnagar, the Nizām's great fortress and place of arms in the Deccan, was taken without a blow, the commandant, Kavi Jang, having been bribed to open the gates to the Marāthās. This deprived the Hyderābād army of its advanced base. Secondly, Ibrāhīm Khān Gārdī, the commandant of the Nizām's artillery, a soldier of fortune who had been trained by Bussy himself, was induced to enter the Peshwā's service. The two brothers, Salābat Jang and Nizām 'Alī, were in no condition to fight: their troops were in arrears and mutinous: but they could not afford to neglect the challenge, when they saw the ancient stronghold of the Nizām Shāhī kings, which had cost the Mughuls so much blood and treasure to capture, filched away in this treacherous manner. The Peshwā put the Marāthā army, 40,000 strong, under the command of his cousin, Sadāshiv Rāo, son of Chimājī Appa. With it marched Ibrāhīm Khān Gārdī, with 5000 regular sepoys and his famous French artillery. Battle was joined on 3 February, 1760, at Udgīr, 200 miles east of Poona. The Mughuls fought bravely; but their crowded ranks were decimated by the Gārdī's artillery, and a smashing cavalry charge decided the action.¹ The Mughul army fell back in disorder upon the fortress of Ausā, where, after a four days' siege, the two brothers sued for peace. Seldom had the Marāthās won a more spectacular victory, and Sadāshiv Rāo insisted on terms which were calculated to cripple the state of Hyderābād for ever. Territory round Bijāpur, Bīdar and Aurangābād, to the extent of an annual income of six million rupees, together with the key fortresses of Daulatābād, Asīrgarh, Bijāpur, Ahmadnagar and Burhānpur, were to be surrendered.