Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c26.s2.18

v2.c26.s2.18

Bijay Singh tried to seize the opportunity presented by the removal of Jayapa and to build up a coalition with Madho Singh, the Emperor, Suraj Mal, and the Ruhela leaders, for driving the Marathas out of North India altogether. He sent his agent to Delhi and through the wazir presented five lakhs to the Emperor, begging him to take the field against the Marathas and promising to pay him Rs 10,000 for each day of march and to join him with the Rajput tribal levies The puppet Padishah and his feeble wazir sent off letters summoning the vassal chiefs to the royal banner, and did nothing. Nearer home, Bijay Singh was more successful. Madho Singh, the Rajah of Jaipur, heartily entered into this plan of liberating his country from Deccani domination. He began to recruit new troops in Malwa and wrote to the Rajahs of Bundelkhand to join in this war of their common interest. He first got rid of the Maratha tribute-collector quartered on his capital, Govind Timaji, by encircling his house with troops and threatening to dishonour him, at which Govind took poison (September.)