A History of the Mahrattas v2.c54.46

v2.c54.46

his troops, and to command the services of those who owed him allegiance, he might, at Jeswunt Rao’s death, have made himself complete master of Holkar’s dominions; but intrigues were substituted for military force, and these were counteracted. Although the chiefs were not at war, the troops of the Rajpoots and of Umeer Khan, and those of Sindia, Holkar, the Powars of Dhar, and the Pindharees, fought frequent battles amongst each other, when plunder was in dispute; all which had no other effect than that of rendering yet more miserable the already unhappy country, and stirring up materials for predatory power, on which Umeer Khan and Sindia began to found higher hopes, when they foresaw a prospect of support from the head of the empire.