Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c25.s2.5

v2.c25.s2.5

Meantime, when the dreaded Abdali was known to be out of India and the prospect of his return seemed remote, Raghunath from Jaipur had called upon Najib Khan (*c.* 10 June) to pay the customary *chauth* as in the reigns of Muhammad Shah and his son, on the ground that the lands assigned to the Marathas in lieu of *chauth* having been occupied by Najib he was responsible for the amount in cash. This letter was accompanied by the arrival of their vanguard consisting of detachments from the contingents of Naro Shankar (from Jhansi) and Sakharam Bapu (from Jaipur) in the Agra district. These men, on coming to the fort of Wer, demanded tribute from Suraj Mal, who agreed to pay it. The subahdari of Agra had been given by the Peshwa to Malhar Holkar, who nominated Vital Shivdev as his deputy there (*c.* 27 May.) From Agra as a base, the Marathas crossed the Jamuna and sent a network of detachments to occupy the Doab up to the bank of the Ganges (June and July), as we have seen in Ch. 16. Though the Marathas avoided Delhi at first, their coming caused great trembling and scarcity of grain in the capital. The wazir joined them. To the demand for *chauth* the Emperor had replied that the Afghan plunderer had left him nothing for payment to the Marathas. Najib advised him to prepare for boldly opposing the Marathas if they offered force.