New History of the Marathas v2.c26.49

v2.c26.49

Nadir Shah was assassinated on 19th June 1747 and his power and kingdom were usurped by his capable lieutenant Ahmad Shah Abdali. Born in 1724, Ahmad had enlisted in Nadir Shah's service at the age of 13 and accompanied that monarch into India in his famous expedition of 1739. He had gained in Nadir Shah's service the most valuable experience of leading armed forces into distant lands, and developed a greed of conquest, and more than once distinguished himself for valour, love of adventure and statesmanship. Within a few months of Nadir Shah’s death he organized his rule at Kabul with the help of another able soldier and diplomat Shah Wali Khan, whom he appointed his minister. Shah Pasand Khan was another captain of ability whose services he secured, so that these three names became famous in future Indian history. Nadir Shah’s immense wealth fell into Ahmad Shah’s possession and enormously increased his power. These Pathan soldiers of fortune had close correspondence with their Indian brethren the Rohillas and the Bangashes, from whom they constantly acquired information of the conditions in India particularly of the Mughal Court. Thus Ahmad Shah early in his career conceived the plan of enriching his poor resources by draining away the wealth of India and particularly that of the Punjab, which he coveted as an outpost dominating the politics of Delhi. He never entertained the idea of obtaining for himself the crown of the Indian Empire. The Punjab alone being contiguous to his home in Afghanistan, he dearly prized as a paying adjunct of his western dominion.