Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c13.s3.11

v1.c13.s3.11

"After Ahmad Shah's accession, in the course of time matters came to such a pass that a descriptive list of all articles in the imperial stores,—the arms, carpets, cooking utensils and dinner plate, books and band-instruments, and of every other *kār-khānah*,—was prepared and these articles were sold to the shop-keepers and pedlars, and most of the money thus realised was spent in paying the troops. This opened the door to the most unseemly and unspeakable mockery and insult by the public. . . . Opulence was turned into distress. The Central Asian (*vilāyati*) soldiers and the Emperor's household troops forcibly carried off the valuable articles of all kinds from the houses of wazirs, *āmirs*, *sāhus*, traders and artisans, to the shops [and sold them], thus reducing the nobles to disgrace. The *āmirs* had no help but to wear only the clothes they stood in and to eat off earthen plate. . . . When the Emperor ordered an inquiry, it was found that the soldiers' salary was three years in arrear. What chance was there of a farthing remaining in the Treasury? It became a reign of petty tribal chiefs (*muluk-ut-tawāif.*) [Shākir, 34.]