A History of the Mahrattas v1.c25.16

v1.c25.16

About the time that Ballajee Bajee Rao was summoned to Satara on account of Shao’s illness, Nasir Jung proceeded on the well-known Carnatic expedition, which ended so disastrously for that prince. Moorar Rao Ghorepuray and some other Mahrattas continued in the Carnatic Payeen Ghaut; but Janojee Bhonslay, Rughoojee’s son, left the army, either upon the defeat of Muzuffir Khan in March, 1750, or with Shah Nuwaz Khan, who quitted Sulabut Jung and repaired to Aurungabad during the siege of Kurnoul² in March, 1751. The fall of Nasir Jung was wrought by the intrigues of M. Dupleix.³ He gained a Bramin named Ramdass, a native of Sicacole, in the confidence of Nasir Jung, and through him raised seditions in the army, which Dupleix called into operation by an attack on the camp. Nasir Jung was treacherously shot on the 5th December, 1750, by Mohummud Khan, the Patan Nabob of Kurpa, one of the conspirators. Nasir Jung was totally destitute of his father’s prudence, and if successful in his fortunes would probably have sunk into a Mahomedan sensualist; but he was in some respects a superior person, and with a better education in a European country, he had many of the qualities to form the gallant knight and the accomplished gentleman. He possessed bravery and generosity, a taste for poetry and literature, and as he came to an untimely end his memory is cherished by the Deccan Moghuls, to whom he is known partly by his own writings, but principally from the works of his friend Meer Gholam Ally of Belgram.