Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c15.s8.14

v1.c15.s8.14

From the beginning of March 1753 Delhi was shaken by frequent rumours of an impending clash between the wazir and Intizām, the Emperor discreetly pretending to be a peace-maker between the two and an open supporter of Safdar Jang. Great confusion and alarm reigned in the city almost every day. On the 13th of that month, the wazir sent his eunuch Tamkin at midnight to the Emperor to say, "I have heard that Intizām wants to make a night attack upon me. I too have got my troops ready." The Emperor sent two slaves of his own to Intizām, who denied having made any hostile preparations or even wishing for such a thing, but the reply did not pacify Safdar Jang. Next morning, when the news of the incident became public, the bazars were filled with tumult and clamour, the traders removed their goods from their shops to places of greater safety; every one collected in his house what armed guards he could hire; the Marathas assembled before the mansion of Intizām. In the belief that the riot might overflow into the palace, the men of the artillery and the mansabdars of the imperial body guard and retinue (khās-chauki and jilau-i-khās) flocked into the fort for its defence, and thus there was a large gathering of soldiers around the Emperor. In the course of the next three days, the two rivals, in obedience to the Emperor's repeated orders, withdrew their troops from the city, and that particular tumult ceased.