A History of the Mahrattas v1.c27.41

v1.c27.41

Nizam Ally, soon after he reached Burhanpoor, exacted a heavy contribution from that city, and Mohummud Anwar Khan, the person who, forty years before, had contributed by his advice to obtain the Chouth and Surdeshmookhee for the Mahrattas, is said to have died in consequence of the harsh treatment to which he was subjected. With the money thus obtained, Nizam Ally began to raise troops. He was shortly after again joined by Ibrahim Khan Gardee with his corps, when he quitted Burhanpoor and took up a position about one hundred miles south of that city, at the town of Basum. The minister, Busalut Jung, instigated Janojee Bhonslay, Sena Sahib Soobeh, to attack his brother; accordingly, Bappoo Kurundeea, one of Janojee’s officers, intercepted his artillery, which was coming to join him from Burhanpoor, and took the whole of it. In consequence of this aggression, Nizam Ally made a sudden march towards Ankolah, which he surprised and plundered, but being attacked by a superior force, under Janojee in person, he retired on Burhanpoor, for the purpose of equipping some guns for Ibrahim Khan. As soon as he had furnished himself with this auxiliary, invaluable against Mahrattas, he returned, attacked, and completely defeated Janojee’s army. His success soon obtained him friends; Janojee concluded an alliance with him, and he had received encouragement from the Peishwa. He had also been courted by the English, not in consequence of his victory, but as a son of Nizam Ool Moolk, who, beyond reconciliation, had committed himself with their enemies the French. As soon therefore as he understood that Sulabut Jung had quitted Hyderabad, for the purpose of assisting the garrison of Mausulipatam which was besieged by the English, Nizam Ally, after taking possession of Aurungabad, moved towards the capital.¹