Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c26.s3.2

v2.c26.s3.2

But such a task was really impossible for him. Apart from his own constitutional lethargy and incapacity, he was severely handicapped by his utter lack of resources and his constant friction with his great lieutenant. The Peshwa had inherited from his dashing father Baji Rao vast territorial claims, but also a crushing legacy of debt, which he had only increased by following a policy of aggressive expansion during 15 years, and he looked to this north-Indian expedition as his only possible means of relief. He had therefore been unable to fit out Raghunath in proper strength. Raghunath’s own force (led by Vital Shivdev) was 4,000 and Malhar’s contingent 2,000, making a total of 6,000 men immediately under his banners. And even counting the scattered detachments of Shamsher Bahadur and Naro Shankar and Antaji’s army (which last was really an imperial service corps), the full Maratha strength in the north did not exceed 16,000 men. But their leader had no money, nor any prospect of getting money soon; the Rajput States were themselves impoverished and merely negotiated to gain time. In consequence, Raghunath and his soldiers were starving. Far from being able to remit tribute to the Peshwa, he constantly begged for funds from Puna, in order to subsist! As he writes, “I am feeding myself only by looting villages. In this country most places are fortified, and not a grain of food can be obtained without fighting. I have no money, and cannot even raise a loan. My soldiers have been fasting for one or two days at a time.” He laid on Malhar the entire blame for the failure to clinch matters with the Rajput Rajahs and hasten the collection of tribute. [Raj. i 52, 67, 71.]