Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c30.s3.17

v2.c30.s3.17

Towards the end of October 1759, Shah Alam left Rewā, and by way of Mirzapur (12 Nov.) marched to Saseram in South Bihar (7 Dec.), and thence to Ghotauli, (5 miles north of Son East Bank railway station) (20 Dec.) At this last station he received the news of his father's murder at Delhi (on the 29th November before), and sat on the throne, proclaiming himself Emperor under the title of Shah Alam II, on the 24th, though his regnal year was ordered to be counted from the day (1st Jamadi-ul-awwal=21 Dec.) on which he heard of his father's death. He sent his trusted officer Munir-ud-daulah to Abdali to beg for his support, and offered the wazirship to Shujā. Kāmgār Khan, an Afghan of the Main clan, and zamindar of Nurhat (in the Gaya district) joined him with five thousand men, and proved a much abler and more faithful adherent than Md. Quli Khan.