Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c28.s10.14

v2.c28.s10.14

Badan Singh followed one most ancient and legitimate method of enhancing his political strength, by marriage alliances with the heads of other groups of families who were once the equals of his forefathers. In addition, he kept a prodigious number of women of all castes and tribes,—a mark of his wealth. His ancient predecessor on the royal seat of Mathura, the divine cow-herd of Hindu mythology, was girt round by a hundred blooming young women.* Badan Singh improved upon it and kept a harem of 150, some secured by consent, some by force. Of his sons, thirty were known to have become heads of villages in his territory, and there were at least as many more of whose future career nothing was known. “The swarm was so large that he had difficulty in recognizing his own offspring; each of them had to announce his mother’s name and his own age and place of residence, when he came to do his father reverence!” [Wendel.]