Later Mughals v2.c14.s17.1

v2.c14.s17.1

In the course of our narrative (Ch. iv. Sec. 38) we have already seen a Mahratta army appear at Dihli in the train of Sayyid Husain Ali Khan and take a somewhat inglorious part in the street riot following upon the deposition of Farrukh-siyar. From 1721 we shall find them year by year encroaching more upon Hindustan, that is India north of the Narmada, until at the end of the eighteenth century they became absolute masters in all but the name of the shrunken remnants of the once mighty Empire of the Mughals. During the early years of Muhammad Shah and onwards, these Dakhin marauders occupy a large space in this piteous drama of decay and downfall ; and thus it seems desirable to introduce at this point a brief sketch of their previous history. Fortunately, the history of the Mahrattas having once for all been written by Captain Grant Duff (1826) under such favourable circumstances as can never recur,[*] it is unnecessary for me to burthen myself with much research on the subject. What I have to say about it is derived mainly from Grant Duff, though I may occasionally be able to correct or give greater precision to his statements from Muhammadan sources not available to him.