The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c21.s1.42

v4.c21.s1.42

Mu'īn-ul-Mulk had been the maternal uncle of Ghāzī-ud-dīn, who was betrothed to his daughter. Arriving at Ludhiāna he requested his aunt to fulfil the contract of marriage. The widow, suspecting nothing, sent her daughter to Ludhiāna, where Ghāzī-ud-dīn married her in due form. He had expected the mother to accompany the daughter, and he was resolved to seize her and thus gain the government of the Punjab. He was already in league with Ādīna Beg Khān, the traitor who had for many years past been at the bottom of every trouble in the Punjab. He sent a picked force under trustworthy officers, who by a forced march arrived at Lahore, more than a hundred miles away, in little more than twenty-four hours. Eunuchs arrested the lady before she was awake, and next day the troops conducted her to Ludhiāna. The government of the Punjab was then conferred on Ādīna Beg Khān, who paid three million rupees for the appointment. Ghāzī-ud-dīn was unable to pacify his infuriated mother-in-law, who heaped abuse on him, and predicted that the outrage would bring him calamity. This impudent aggression aroused the wrath of Ahmad Abdālī, who marched on Lahore. Ādīna Beg Khān fled in terror and hid in the waterless district of Hissār and Hānsī, whither, he hoped, no army could follow him. From Lahore the Afghān advanced by forced marches on Delhi. Even Ghāzī-ud-dīn was alarmed and prevailed on his mother-in-law to intercede for him. As a suppliant, forty miles from the city, he met Ahmad, who at first rated him, but afterwards pardoned and confirmed him as minister. So low was the empire fallen that the disposal of its great offices of state was in the hands of the Afghān. The real offender thus escaped unscathed, but Ahmad Abdālī demanded reparation for the insult to his authority, and an innocent people had to suffer for the fault of a headstrong youth.