Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c9.s6.2

v1.c9.s6.2

A third cause of disagreement was the *chauth* of Bengal, twelve *lakhs* of Rupees a year. This was paid annually to the Marāthas by the Nawāb’s Government up to 1758. The English, having now taken charge of the defence of Bengal, withheld the *chauth* and opened negotiations with the Court of Nāgpur for a guarantee that if the money was paid no part of the Nawāb’s dominion would be troubled by a Marātha force. As that Court could give no really effective assurance, the *chauth* was not paid for some years after. This led to angry diplomatic protests and threats of invasion on the part of the Marāthas, and even a few incursions into the Medinipur and Bardwān districts during the interregnum between the downfall of the Nawāb’s independence and the open assumption of the Government of Bengal and Bihār by the English.