Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c11.s2.4

v1.c11.s2.4

Thus, in both the theatres of war, the armies of the empire failed to achieve any decisive result and were, indeed, hard put to it to defend and feed their unwieldy numbers. The smaller Marātha forces had completely rendered them immobile and powerless. At last, the wazir offered a bribe of five lakhs to Pilāji for vacating Mālwa. In Rājputāna, Khān-i-Daurān, after wasting many weeks at Bundi in utter inaction, listened to Jai Singh’s advice and induced the Marāthas to retire beyond the Narmadā by promising them on behalf of the Emperor 22 lakhs as the chauth of Mālwa. This understanding was effected on 22nd March at a meeting between Khān-i-Daurān and the two Marātha generals through the mediation of Jai Singh,—the camps of Khān-i-Daurān and Jai Singh being then at Kotā and that of the Marāthas at Bundi.* (S. P. D.,