Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c28.s1.25

v2.c28.s1.25

Najib's Baluch protegees formed a line of defence along the south-western frontier of his domain; but this very fact made a war to the death between him and the Jat Rajah inevitable, as we shall see in Chapter 23. The middle Doab also formed a debatable land between him and the Jats who had crossed the Jamunā, recovered their possessions lost to Abdali in March 1759, and rushed in to fill the void caused by the late Maratha withdrawal from that region. Like a wise man of business, Najib seized the substance of power in the Delhi Government, leaving it to Imad and Shuja to fight over the title of wazir—now reduced to a mere shadow, without the least significance in Indian politics. He extended his own sway over the three regions described above and confirmed it beyond challenge by the ruthless sack and massacre of two prominent villages,—Buāna and Bhiwāni,—which struck as much terror and were as effective in cowing all opposition throughout the country, as Cromwell’s massacres at Drogheda and Waterford. With his immense income from the land, he set himself to build a new capital of his own at Najibabad—adorned with splendid mansions, mosques, etc.—and a strong fort at Pathargarh.