A History of the Mahrattas v1.c25.108

v1.c25.108

During these troubles, Meer Shahabodeen, who audaciously took the lead, had called to his aid Mulhar Rao Holkar and Jyapa Sindia, but they, arriving after the departure of Sufdur Jung, Meer Shahabodeen carried them with him to act against Sooruj Mull, whom he wished to punish for joining the late Vizier. The Jath Prince retired within his forts, but Meer Shahabodeen persevered in his plan and applied to the Emperor for a train of artillery. Intizam-ud-Dowlah, however, being aware of the unprincipled disposition of his relation, as well as of his talents and ambition, notwithstanding the services capriciously rendered to himself, dissuaded the Emperor from sending the guns; an advice which was supported by strong political remonstrances from Sooruj Mull. To counteract these representations, Meer Shahabodeen sent an agent to Delhi, but he, finding the Emperor disposed to follow the advice of the Vizier, enticed away a number of the soldiers belonging to the artillery, and began to plunder the environs of the capital. The Emperor, intending to succour Sooruj Mull, moved out from the city against Meer Shahabodeen and the Mahrattas. Mulhar Rao Holkar, who regarded Jyapa and Shahabodeen as young men whom he was not bound to consult on such occasions, without intimating his design, set off by himself, came upon the Imperial camp when totally unprepared, threw a few rockets, which created such confusion, that the whole army fled in terror, and Holkar gained all the advantages of a victory by the plunder of their baggage. Meer Shahabodeen on this success joined Holkar at Delhi, and obtained from the Emperor the office of Vizier for himself, to the exclusion of Intizam-ud-Dowlah. He next deposed the Emperor, raised a grandson of Jehandar Shah to the Imperial dignity, by the title of Alumgeer the Second, in the end of May, 1754, when the unfortunate Ahmed Shah was confined and deprived of sight. This revolution was soon after followed by the death of the former Vizier, Sufdur Jung, who was succeeded by his son Shujah-ud-Dowlah in his government at Oude.¹ Violence, rapine, and anarchy continued to increase in Hindoostan; but affairs of greater interest carry us back, for a series of years, to the detail of Deccan affairs directly connected with the history of Maharashtra.