Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c22.s7.7

v2.c22.s7.7

In the morning of the 18th Aghā Razā and Yaqub Ali came back from Abdali with the message that he desired the Emperor and his wazir to visit him, when the peace terms would be directly discussed. So, three hours before the next morning (19th January), Imād secretly left his mansion on horseback followed by only four attendants, and reaching Badli in 4 1/2 hours entered the camp of Abdali’s wazir Shah Wali Khan, by whom he was most kindly received, and next day (20th) presented to Abdali. The Afghan monarch was wrathful with the Delhi wazir for his having married a dancing-girl’s daughter (Gannā Begam) in preference to his betrothed, the nobly born Umda Begam, whose suit had been pressed by Abdali for the sake of Umda’s mother, Mughlāni Begam. The conqueror also asked with surprise and contempt how the first officer of the empire of Hindustan could make an abject submission without striking even one blow to save the nation’s credit. Imād explained how he had to marry Gannā in order to keep his earlier promise to that girl’s family, whereas Mughlāni Begam had insisted on his divorcing his other wife as a condition of marrying Umda. As for resisting Abdali by arms, it was a task beyond Imād’s power, owing to Najib’s defection, as “except that noble there was within the empire no other renowned commander with an army.” Ahmad Shah then told Imād that his rival Intizām had offered two *krores* of Rupees as a consideration for giving him the wazirship, but that Imād could retain that post if he agreed to pay one *kror* only. Imād replied, “This slave cannot lay his hands upon even one *lakh*. Whence can I produce a *kror*? . . . I cannot collect even a *kror* of broken pebble-stones in Delhi. What chance then of getting Rupees?” So, he then and there resigned the chancellorship of a State that had no army and no treasure. Abdali now issued a rescript conferring the post on Intizām, and carried Imād about in his train as a captive, because he was sure to call his Maratha allies back to Delhi if set at liberty.*