Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c8.s1.3

v1.c8.s1.3

Raghuji Bhonslé's ambition of ruling at Satārā as his master's master in the place of the Peshwā having been defeated by Bāji Rāo's superior education and inborn genius for war and organisation, he naturally pursued the path of expansion left open to him in the north-east and east of his domain of Nāgpur, namely by raiding Bengal, Bihār and Orissā across the intervening jungles and hills. And soon he received invitations from domestic enemies of that subah on the eastern-most frontier of the Mughal Empire. It was a God-send to Raghuji. His recent Karnātak venture had brought him no gain owing to too many greedy rivals having entered that field; his raids into the Peshwā’s spheres of influence had failed; and he was now sunk over head and ears in debt from his inflated army expenditure. Only one path of relief seemed to be open before him, namely the plunder of Bengal, whose wealth was proverbial throughout India and which had paid no *chauth* to the Marāthas up to now.