A History of the Mahrattas v1.c20.61

v1.c20.61

Shujaet Khan was appointed deputy governor of Guzerat by Sur Boolund Khan ; but although Hamed Khan, who had been left in charge of the province on the part of his nephew Nizam Ool Moolk, could not prevent his occupying the capital, he determined not to relinquish his government without a struggle. Having repaired to Dohud, he invited Kantajee Kuddum Bhanday, one of Shao’s officers, to join him ; an invitation which Kantajee, on promise of getting the Chouth, readily embraced. They first came to Kuppurwunj, where Hamed Khan, having established a correspondence with his friends at Ahmedabad, procured correct intelligence of Shujaet Khan’s movements, watched his opportunity, and attacked, defeated, and slew him, within a few miles of Ahmedabad, where Hamed Khan’s authority was again acknowledged. On this event, Roostum Ally Khan, the brother of Shujaet Khan, Foujdar of Surat, who had just gained some advantages over Peelajee Gaekwar in the neighbourhood of that city, made a truce with Peelajee, and invited him to join in an attack on Hamed Khan. Peelajee had been previously engaged by the emissaries of Nizam Ool Moolk to assist his uncle Hamed Khan, but accepted the overtures of Roostum Ally, until he could ascertain precisely which side was the most advantageous. He accompanied Roostum Ally towards Ahmedabad, crossed the Myhie at Fazilpoor, and had a skirmish with Hamed Khan at Arass, where Roostum Ally drove back his opponents by the fire of his artillery. By this time Peelajee had made his bargain with Hamed Khan, and recommended Roostum Ally to charge the fugitives, leaving his guns to the care of a party in the rear; a fatal advice, which Roostum Ally had no sooner followed than Peelajee overturned the gun carriages and joined in attacking his late ally. Roostum Ally defended himself with bravery, until his reduced numbers showed him the impossibility of escape, when he stabbed himself to the heart, in order to avoid the ignominious treatment he expected in case of being made prisoner.