New History of the Marathas v3.c37.76

v3.c37.76

Let us survey the political horizon as it was at this moment. A momentary quiet seemed to reign all over India. Mahadji Sindia and the other Maratha chiefs were occupied in looking after the imperial concerns of Delhi and collecting revenues from the north Indian districts, where the Maratha power had just been established. Ghazi-uddin Imad-ul-mulk, a friend of the Marathas, was anxious to be re-instated in the office of the Imperial Wazir which he had once held. He was now a homeless wanderer, and in order to plead his cause, he personally repaired to Poona in December 1772 to persuade the new Peshwa to undertake a fresh plan for the management of the northern affairs.³ The Emperor Shah Alam hated Ghazi-uddin bitterly as the murderer of his father and would not consent to show any favour towards this monster. But as an old friend who had materially helped the Maratha cause during pre-Panipat days, Ghazi-uddin’s present indigence was severely felt in Poona, and Nana Phadnis in due course conferred a small provision upon him in Bundelkhand, in order to honour some specious promise which Narayanrao had probably made to him personally, before he was given leave to return.