Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c7.s6.20

v1.c7.s6.20

A night attack attempted by the enemy on 20th May was repulsed by the imperial artillery. But the rainy season was expected to begin in a month's time, when the swollen rivers would cut off the food supply of the imperial camp while Bangarh was still untouched. The wazir therefore induced the Emperor to patch up a peace with Ali Muhammad in order to be able to hurry back to his capital. He himself settled the terms as intermediary, presented Ali Muhammad to the Emperor (23rd May), and secured pardon for him. The Ruhela chieftain agreed to surrender his usurped fiefs to a new imperial officer (Farid-ud-din Khān, the son of Shaikh Azmatullah Khān of Murādābād) and to dismantle the fortifications of Bangarh. After a short time he was given a 4-hazāri mansab and sent to Sarhind as the imperial faujdar of the place, but two of his sons were detained at Court as hostages for his fidelity. Anandrām, who saw him at the time of his surrender, describes him as a man of medium height, with a fair complexion, blooming face and open forehead, about forty years old, but looking youthful and dauntlessly brave. (P. 261.)