Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c21.s5.9

v2.c21.s5.9

The realization of the second moiety, 42½ lakhs, was out of the question. As the resident Maratha envoy at Delhi wrote to his master (Oct. 1754), “For these 13½ lakhs we are daily dunning the wazir. There is no money in the Emperor’s house, there is not a pice with the wazir, their soldiers are dying of starvation, daggers and knives are being plied every day. In such a state of things we are pressing for our money. No cash, no jewel is available. In the last resort the wazir is asking us to take assignments for 13½ lakhs on the revenue of the lands round Delhi which were set apart for feeding the Emperor and the wazir.”