Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c21.s7.8

v2.c21.s7.8

Imad's plan was to detach Ahmad Khan Bangash from Shujā-ud-daulah by transferring to the former Shuja's province of Allahabad by an imperial letter-patent. Shujā, on hearing of it, strengthened the defences of Allahabad fort and took post on his frontier with a vast force and a large park of artillery, to oppose his enemy's crossing. At this Ahmad Bangash "did not venture to issue from his own city of Farrukhabad and gave up the idea of going out to assume the subahdari of Allahabad.” [TALS. 79b, 83a.] Nāgar Mal and Najib Khan now intervened, the former keeping Suraj Mal back from going to Shujā’s assistance and the latter inducing Ahmad Bangash to publicly disavow all desire for the Allahabad province. So, peace was made, c. 11 November 1756, when Abdali was already thundering at the western gate of India. These internal dissensions ceased, but no attempt was made by the chiefs of the empire to unite and oppose the alien invader.