The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c21.s1.61

v4.c21.s1.61

The Marāthās claimed the right to levy *chauth* and *sardeshmukhī* in the three provinces of Bengal, Bihār and Orissa, and they had for some time been anxious for a composition. They proposed that Orissa should be absolutely ceded to them in place of the rights claimed in all three. ‘Alī Vardī Khān admitted no right, but he could not exclude the Marāthās, who treated the provinces as an enemy’s country, and destroyed what they could not carry off. The viceroy’s advisers had long urged him to purchase peace for his unfortunate people. He had hitherto scornfully rejected this advice, but he was now seventy-five years of age, his health was failing, he had for twelve years been engaged in ceaseless and fruitless warfare, and a great part of his territory lay waste. He gave way and in November, 1751, ceded Orissa, salving his pride by the fiction of appointing Mīr Habīb Raghūjī’s agent, as *his* governor of the province. He also saved the district of Midnapore, which had hitherto been included in Orissa, and fixed the Subarnarekha river as the boundary of the Marāthā province. Orissa thus passed finally out of the hands of the viceroy of Bengal and the land had peace.