A History of the Mahrattas v1.c20.9

v1.c20.9

Accordingly, Hoossein Ally Khan, accompanied by the Emperor, having made every preparation, took leave of his brother and commenced his march southward. The Tooranee Moghuls, friends and countrymen of Nizam Ool Moolk, dreaded the event of a war in the Deccan; but stimulated by the success of Nizam Ool Moolk, whom they considered a chief of their tribe, and encouraged by the connivance of the Emperor, a conspiracy was formed against the life of Hoossein Ally Khan by three daring individuals, on one of whom fell the lot of striking the blow. The assassin effected his deadly purpose at the expense of his life. The surviving conspirators, Mohummud Amin Khan and Sadut Khan, joined by Hyder Koolee Khan, immediately placed the Emperor at the head of such troops as they could command, proclaimed their resolution of freeing him from the tyranny of the Syuds, and after considerable bloodshed obtained the ascendancy in camp. An Indian army readily changes masters, and even under circumstances of national hostility, where the commander of the vanquished has been slain and his followers accept of service from the victor, the new chief, to use their own expression, ‘ whose salt they eat,’ frequently advances at their head with as much confidence as if they had never been his enemies ; on the present occasion, although the army had previously looked on Hoossein Ally Khan as their master, they were employed under the name and authority of Mohummud Shah. The chiefs of the conspiracy, therefore, after they had prevailed over the immediate dependants of the Syuds, found no difficulty in securing the fidelity of the army, and the imperial standards were advanced towards the capital. Syud Abdoollah Khan, on hearing of this revolution, by means of the treasure at his command assembled a large army in a few days, and placing on the throne the rival to Mohummud Shah, marched forth to punish the murderers of his brother. The armies met at Shahpoor, where a bloody contest, long dubious, at length ended in the defeat of Abdoollah Khan, who was wounded and made prisoner.