Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c28.s5.12

v2.c28.s5.12

But the return of the Deccani myriads ten years after Panipat alarmed Najib with good reason. His protector Ahmad Shah Abdali was dying; the Peshwa had by now healed his domestic discord and made peace with the Nizam and Haidar Ali, and was free to devote all the resources of his Government to his northern interests. The Marathas could not have forgotten that Najib had been the cause of their ruin in 1761. The house of Sindhia bore sleepless vindictiveness towards Najib and was sure to annihilate him if it could. As Najib wrote to his son, after unfolding the political situation, "Not one of the potentates of Hindustan has the courage to gird up his loins for opposing them. I cannot bear on my shoulders the heavy burden of this task without the aid of troops from the Durrani kingdom." He had lost his old health and strength, and could no longer ride forth on campaigns as in the past. No succour was to be expected from the house of Durrani, now involved in domestic brawls.