New History of the Marathas v2.c27.39

v2.c27.39

Abdali, however, did not want a war on his hands; and desiring to settle matters amicably he sent his envoy Kalandar Khan to Delhi in October 1756. But Ghazi-ud-din paid no attention to him. So the Shah arrived at Peshawar in November and sent his son Taimur Shah and his general Jahan Khan ahead to capture Lahore. Adina Beg was defeated in a fight and retired, and the Afghans came on conquering and plundering the territory right up to the banks of the Satlaj. On 5th January the Abdali's general Jahan Khan reached Sarhind without the least opposition. When such a state of weakness at Delhi was reported to the Shah at Peshawar, he himself left the place and came by quick marches right towards Delhi. The news of Abdali's sudden advance threw the people of Delhi into extreme consternation. The well-to-do gentry of the city went into the country with their valuables. Many retreated to Mathura thinking themselves safe at that holy place. The Maratha commander Antaji Mankeshwar who was then near Gwalior, was summoned to repair to Delhi quickly. He came immediately with his band of five thousand troops. Woeful was the suffering of those who had left their homes at Delhi. They were robbed by the Jats and wild bandits on the way. The Wazir Ghazi-ud-din was powerless to cope with the situation. He visited Mughlani Begam and humiliated himself before her, to induce her to meet the Shah on the way and arrange for his return on payment of a heavy fine. Upon this Abdali's envoys came to the Wazir on 14th January asking for two crores and all the territory between the Indus and the Satlaj as the price of his return. In the meantime Najib-ud-daula joined Jahan Khan, the commander of Abdali's advance troops at Panipat.