Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c21.s6.6

v2.c21.s6.6

So, this trouble ended. The Marathas being gone and Intizām pacified, the wazir turned to reassert the authority of the Government on its own subjects. The first rebel to be attacked was Qutb Shah, who was not a Ruhela by birth, but was popularly known as such by reason of his being a constant associate and honoured religious guide or *pir* of the Ruhelas, (whence his title of *Shah* or Lord Spiritual). He had, soon after Alamgir’s accession, obtained an imperial grant for some lands in the Saharanpur and Mirat districts, east of the Jamunā. But when six months later the wazir transferred these villages to the Marathas, Qutb crossed the river, entered the Sarhind district, and began to seize villages there without any legal title. The wazir sent his Sindāgh regiments to drive him away, but these lawless soldiers merely plundered the innocent people of Panipat and other towns as they advanced. On 11 March 1755, they reached a place four miles north of Karnal and attacked Qutb.* The small rebel force (about 2,500) was on the point of being routed by the superior numbers of the Turks (11,000), when a sandstorm blew into the faces of the Sindāgh men, the Afghans promptly charged the confused enemy ranks and signally defeated them. The wazir's men fled away in panic to Sonipat, abandoning their baggage and tents to plunder. The victorious rebel, laden with his spoils, marched towards Thāneshwar, putting a strong garrison in Karnal and taking tribute from the richer villages on the way. At his approach, Sadiq Beg Khan, the faujdar of Sarhind, was deserted by his Afghan troops, and fled away to Adina Beg in the Panjab. Qutb by a forced march reached the masterless city and established his own rule over it and the surrounding district. "He did not molest the poor, but repressed the strong refractory men, so that within his jurisdiction the roads became safe and his followers were held back from practising oppression." [TALS. 44b.]