Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c15.s12.13

v1.c15.s12.13

In the meantime the Emperor in utter helplessness had appealed to Mādho Singh the Rajah of Jaipur, as the greatest of his feudatories, to come and save him, while this quarrel between his wazir and Bakhshi was threatening to ruin his State. Mādho Singh started with a large army, took bonds on the way from the zamindars of Rewāri for 50 lakhs (afterwards reduced by the Emperor to four lakhs) for the expenses of his troops, and arrived at Nagla on the Jamunā, south of Delhi city and due east of Raisina, on 10th October. He interviewed the Emperor during a ride on the 15th. Then, Mādho Singh, seated on the same elephant with the wazir, was led to the Diwān-i-khās and had audience of the Queen-mother, receiving a fringed pālki and the māhi and marātib decorations. On the 18th he and his officers were formally presented to the Emperor in the Diwān-i-khās, the Emperor advancing on foot to the door of that hall to welcome him. On 23rd October, Mādho Singh paid a business visit to Ahmad Shah and the two held a long and secret consultation. The Emperor appealed to him, "In view of the loyal services of your forefathers, it is the duty of an old hereditary servant like you to save the empire in such a crisis; otherwise, nothing but dust would remain on earth as its name and mark." He then complained of the ingratitude of the three—Safdar, Intizam and Imad, who had been brought up by Muhammad Shah as his children, but were now working against him. Mādho Singh, being a man of experience, consoled the Emperor. [TAh. 80, S. P. D. xxvii. 83.]