Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c15.s8.9

v1.c15.s8.9

The danger came still nearer. On 5th February 1753, an envoy from the Afghan king arrived at Delhi with a letter from his master and escorted by 2,000 horse. Abdāli was halting on the frontier at Attock and demanded 50 *lakhs* of Rupees as tribute for the present year, otherwise he would advance in force upon Delhi. The envoy was received in audience on the 13th. The Emperor asked him to wait eight days for a reply and held a council. All his nobles told him, “The Marathas have undertaken to fight Abdāli. You have given them the two provinces of Agra and Ajmir, and the *chauth* of all the 24 *subahs*. You have paid them money and placed all authority in their hands. Ask them what should be done now.” The wazir assured his master that the Maratha force at Delhi would be augmented to 10,000 in a fortnight and with his own contingent of 30,000 men, would constitute an army 40,000 strong for fighting the Pathan king. While thus preparing for hostilities, the wazir detained the envoy under various pretexts, and then (22nd March) sent him away when the internal quarrel of the Delhi Court was about to burst into a civil war. [S. P. D., xxi. 53, 54, 55; D. C.; TAh. 46b, 49a.]