Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c15.s7.11

v1.c15.s7.11

When the days of mourning for Ghāziuddin were over, Safdar Jang took Shihābuddin to Court and persuaded the reluctant Emperor to appoint him Mir Bakhshi (Paymaster-General of the Empire) with the titles of Ghāzi-ud-din Khān Bahadur, Firuz Jang, Amir-ul-umārā, Imād-ul-mulk (12 Dec. 1752) and later Nizām-ul-mulk, Asaf Jāh. Thus a boy of 15, absolutely untrained in war, who had come straight out of the hands of theological tutors and eunuchs, became the executive head of the army of an empire threatened by Afghāns on the west and Marāthas on the south. Ahmad Shah of Delhi and the people of the empire, no less than Safdar Jang, lived to rue this choice. Safdar Jang at first rejoiced that he had brought under his banner the second natural leader of the Turāni party and bound him for ever to his own side by the tie of gratitude, and thus set up the most effective check on Intizām-ud-daulah. But he was destined to be undeceived in a few months and to know that this smooth-spoken helplessly clinging lad was the deadliest viper that he ever nursed in his bosom; two successive Emperors of Delhi were put to death by him and the heir to the throne could find safety from him only in exile.