Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c16.s3: § 3. New Maratha army arrives in the North; its policy
Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c16.s3
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§ 3. New Maratha army arrives in the North; its policy
v1.c16.s3.1
At the outbreak of Safdar Jang’s rebellion, the Peshwā had received an appeal for help from the Emperor and repeated letters from his agents in Delhi to send a strong force to Hindustan in order to maintain the Maratha position there, retain hold of the concessions previously granted, and to improve them by taking advantage of the civil war. Both sides sent agents to bid for Marātha armed support, but the Peshwā wisely decided not to back the rebel wazir. Of his troops, however, only 4,000 had reached Delhi early enough to take part in the opening battles and to receive regular pay from the imperial Government. These were reinforced later by fresh detachments, probably not exceeding 6,000 horse. The main Maratha army, however, was directed to sit on the fence, watch for the end of the civil war and then join the victor or take advantage of the exhaustion of both sides, so as to increase the Maratha domination in the North. This main army, led by the Peshwa's younger brother Raghunāth Rāo, was joined by Malhar Holkar on the Narmadā (22 Sep.-5 Oct., 1753), traversed a part of Malwa, and then crossed the Mukundarā pass (29 Oct.) into Jaipur territory, because he heard that peace had been made between the Emperor and Safdar Jang. But a body of 4,000 horse under Khandoji, the son of Malhar Holkar, arrived near Delhi and encamped at the tank of Kishandās on 21 November.
v1.c16.s3.2
By this time Safdar Jang had withdrawn from the field, and now began a shameful scramble between Intizām and Imād for winning this Maratha force over to his side. Imād visited Khandoji the day after his arrival. On the 25th the wazir sent Rajah Jugalkishor to the young Marātha chief, who refused to see him, saying, "Malharji has sent me to the Mir Bakhshi. I have nothing to do with any one else." On 1st December, the Emperor called Bāpu Rao Hingané, Antāji Mānkeshwar and other Marātha agents in Delhi and held a prolonged discussion with them and the wazir. The wazir desired that the Marātha generals who had come should dissociate themselves from the Bakhshi, and follow the wazir's directions. The Deccanis refused, as they wished to be friendly with the Nizām's family for guarding their interests in the South and had designs against Suraj Mal whose protector was the wazir and enemy the Bakhshi. So they ended the conference with the evasive reply, "After the arrival of Raghunāth Rao and Malhar whatever is considered expedient by them will be done." Not daunted by this rebuff, the Emperor led by his wazir, sent to Khandoji 22,000 gold coins and robes of honour and other presents on 10th December; but the Maratha scornfully rejected them with the remark, "I am not a servant of the Emperor that he should bestow *khilats* on me. I have come here at my father's order to join the Bakhshi in his campaign against Suraj Mal. My father will arrive after a few days. Speak to him and give him what you have to say and to give." The gold coins offered as an inducement for his going back from Delhi and saving the environs from daily pillage, were also rejected, at the Bakhshi's instigation. Three days later, the desperate wazir sent Rajah Devidat to the *diwān* of Khandoji to negotiate for an alliance with him. Nothing could kindle a sense of shame in this degraded Court. On the 23rd the Emperor sent a eunuch to sound Khandoji, but he answered as before that he had come to assist the Bakhshi and had no concern with the Emperor's service. Then the Emperor appealed to Imād, and Aqibat was sent to persuade Khandoji to visit the Emperor. [*TAh.* 88a-98b.]