Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c8.s6.10

v1.c8.s6.10

After fording it, he advanced to Magror, rescued the Afghāns and their property, and by this junction of forces gathered round himself an army of 14,000 men consisting of swift tireless Marātha light horse (10,000) and redoubtable Afghān fighters (2,000 men under Mustafa Khān’s son Murtaza and 2,000 troops of Pathān zamindars.) Next passing into Bhojpur (the Arrah district in West Bihār) he laid a contribution of one *lakh* on its Rājah, a portion of which was paid down and the balance was being arranged for when news came of the Nawāb’s arrival at Patna. The Bhojpur chief immediately stopped further payment. Raghuji and his allies recrossed the Son at Arwāl and moved north towards Patna, when they sighted the enemy two marches from that capital. [S. P. D., xxvii 7; *Siyar*, ii. 151.]