New History of the Marathas v2.c27.4

v2.c27.4

1. Raghunathrao before Kumbher.—At Poona the course of events was not all running smooth. The Peshwa's plan of installing a friendly Ghazi-ud-din on the seat of the Nizam, fell through on account of that grandee's sudden murder. Sindia and Holkar had both been estranged in that transaction, as they had gained nothing for all the troubles and labours they had so long undergone. Jayappa Sindia and Malharrao Holkar, were openly hostile to each other. The Peshwa had fixed his attention long since on the conquest of the Karnatak : as he was no soldier himself, he always needed to have by his side some reliable person who could discharge efficiently the duties of a general. Such a person was his cousin Sadashivrao Bhau, who possessed both a stern and valiant character, but whose independent and unyielding temperament the Peshwa always feared. So when during the monsoon of 1753 urgent calls came to the Peshwa from Delhi, he made a choice which in the end proved fatal. He knew his brother Raghunath then 18 years old, was not capable of controlling difficult situations and divergent elements. But the recent conquest of Ahmadabad was to his credit, and the Peshwa deputed him to proceed to the north with Sindia and Holkar ; and himself marched into the Karnatak with Sadashivrao Bhau. The author of the latter's bakhar thus criticizes this move :—