Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c28.s12.37

v2.c28.s12.37

The baffled Jat Rajah retired to his capital, disgusted with Malhar, disgusted with Imad, and furious towards his own chiefs. He refused to pay Malhar the balance of twelve lakhs still due out of the promised 22 lakhs. He drove Imad out of his shelter in Dig to the Court of the Nawab of Farrukhabad (May, 1766.)* And he set himself to crush the traitors within his own realm. To make himself independent of the Jat tribal army which adored the old stiff-necked officers of Suraj Mal's time, he took into his service foreign soldiers, especially the contingents of Samru (June 1765) and René Madec (June 1767.) Thus furnished with mercenary tools, without any conscience or sense of nationality, he arrested with the help of these foreign troops Balarām and all other leading Jats of his father's days, as well as their families and dependants. This Balarām, once the chief minister of the State, had defied his authority by not admitting him to Bharatpur (which was in Balaram's charge) nor delivering to his new master the treasure deposited there. Balarām and another Jat grandee cut their own throats in prison, in order to escape public disgrace. Some other chiefs saved themselves by giving up their all, and others again died under beating rather than yield their wealth. Mohanrām, the ex-Chief of Artillery, had been so powerful in the last reign that all the principal places were in the hands of his relatives