Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c8.s5.27

v1.c8.s5.27

Hitherto the Nawāb’s right-hand man had been Ghulām Mustafa Khān, the foremost of his Afghān officers. Mustafa’s personal achievement in defeating the first year’s Marātha raid and his successful *coup* in destroying Bhāskar in the third year, had raised him almost to a position of equality with Alivardi. His reputation as a brave man and veteran general was deservedly unrivalled, and he had gathered in his own command a compact body of 9,000 Afghān horsemen besides a force of infantry. His armed strength, capacity and ambition made him a formidable danger to the Nawāb's throne.