New History of the Marathas v2.c26.51

v2.c26.51

During Muhammad Shah’s rule Zakaria Khan governed the Punjab for long with conspicuous ability. He died on 1st July 1745, leaving two sons Yahiya Khan and Shah Nawaz Khan, between whom a dispute immediately started for the succession. Qamr-ud-din Khan, the Wazir of the Emperor and his able son Mir Mannu supported the claim of Yahiya Khan, who was the Wazir’s son-in-law and who ran to Delhi, for protection after his father’s death. The younger brother Shah Nawaz Khan had an able assistant named Adina Beg, who sought the help of Shah Abdali and invited him to invade the Punjab. Abdali readily accepted the offer and led an expedition into this country in January 1748. He captured Lahore on January 20 and after completing his military preparations, proceeded further on towards Delhi during the next month. Emperor Muhammad Shah was at this time ailing, but he sent his son Shahzada Ahmad with the Wazir and other grandees like Safdar Jang, the Mir Bakhshi, and Ishwari Sinh of Jaipur with large forces and plentiful treasure. A stiff action between the imperial troops and those of Abdali took place at Manupur ten miles northward of Sarhind on 21st March, in which the Afghan Shah was completely routed; but at the beginning of the action a chance shot killed the Wazir Qamr-ud-din Khan.¹