Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c15.s8.7

v1.c15.s8.7

On 22nd October 1752 a Maratha force, some 3500 in number, encamped at Talkatora, four miles south-west of Delhi, and another body of 4,000 horse came to the Kālka hillock on 6th February 1753. The lawful faujdār of Sarhind was driven out by another man, but the Delhi Government took no action against the usurper. The salary of the Emperor’s household servants was nearly two years in arrears, but after a month spent in discussion the Treasury could pay their dues for four months only, as the coming of revenue from the Crownlands had been stopped by usurpation and disorder. The Court annalist laments, "From this the condition of the troops and of the nobility can be guessed. None save the wazir had a sufficiency of soldiers. How then could enemies be defeated and the country brought under control? The empire was totally ruined . . . The wazir took away what he liked from the Crownlands, so that not a pice reached the Emperor's treasury. This wazir was an impoverisher of his master." [*TAh.* 43*b*-44*b*, 47*a*.]