Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c10.s5.8

v1.c10.s5.8

On 22nd December Muhammad Shāh learnt that Abdāli had begun his march from Peshāwar towards Lāhor with a strong force. But even then the urgency of the case was not brought home to his mind. By this time his malady had progressed too far to permit him to move, and yet he would not allow his only son, Prince Ahmad, to go in his place at the head of this expedition. So, all the State treasuries were emptied and 60 *lakhs* of Rupees were thus collected which were distributed among the nobles to enable them to equip themselves for this campaign. That aged drunkard and smooth-tongued advocate of utter inaction, the wazir Qamruddin Khān, was appointed supreme commander, with Safdar Jang (*subahdār* of Oudh), Ishwari Singh (Rājah of Jaipur and chief of the Rajput feudatories), and Nāsir Khān (late governor of Kābul) as his assistants.