Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c12.s3.6

v1.c12.s3.6

Bakht Singh, though scornfully cast aside by his ally the Mir Bakhshi, got his chance a few months later, when Khush-hal Singh Champawat, the premier noble of Mārwār, was insulted by Ram Singh and came to Bakht Singh in search of revenge. Their combined army met Ram Singh near Luniāwās, 11 miles s.s.w. of Merta, on 27th November 1750, when 1,500 to 2,000 men fell on the field, the most notable of them being Sher Singh Mertia and one or two other leaders on the side of the Jodhpur Rajah. The havoc was specially severe among Bakht Singh’s allies from Bikānir, who lost 6 or 7 captains. Bakht himself was wounded by spear and bullet and at the first onset had to fall back four miles; but in the end Ram Singh lost the day and fled away to his capital. Unable to hold it, he took refuge in Jaipur, while Jodhpur opened its gates (8th July 1751) to Bakht Singh, who crowned himself there. Bakht Singh also took possession of the city of Ajmir and raised a large army to keep the Marathas out of his realm. But when encamped at Sindholiyā he died of cholera (c. 23 Sep. 1752), though the popular belief in Rajputana was that he had been done to death by his niece, the Rāthor queen of Mādho Singh, by means of a poisoned robe,—the familiar device of popular legend.* His son Bijay Singh succeeded to a realm that was greatly divided and weakened by Maratha rapacity, and harried by Ram Singh for years afterwards. Unable to recover his father's throne even with Maratha help, Ram Singh was at last glad to accept the Sambhar district for his maintenance and died a refugee at Jaipur in 1773.