Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c15.s1.2

v1.c15.s1.2

This was no easy task, as the civil war between Zakariyā Khan's sons for the governorship of Lāhor and the subsequent Afghan invasion had completely disintegrated the provincial administration, swept away the imperial authority, and introduced anarchy. After the battle of Mānupur, Prince Ahmad and Muin marched towards Lāhor, and arriving on the Satlaj near Ludhiāna halted for 22 days, at the end of which they heard that the Abdali had crossed the Indus at Attock and gone away towards Qandahār, vacating the province. But at the same place came (9th Apr.) a letter of recall from the Emperor and the prince set out (12th April) with the imperial army for return to Delhi, sending Muin as *subahdār* to Lahor under orders of the Emperor. This step left Muin with no resources except his personal contingent,—the remnant that had survived the Afghān onslaught at Mānupur—to support him in controlling the unruly province of Lāhor. In the camp on the Satlaj he went to the tents of the old captains and comrades of his father and begged them to accompany him. But love of family and the attraction of the easy life of the capital prevailed over ambition and gratitude; they refused and returned to Delhi with the heir apparent.