Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c16.s3.1

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.