Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c36.s1.1

v3.c36.s1.1

While Mirzā Najaf Khan was engaged in war with the Jats from May 1775 to January 1777, his rivals at the imperial Court were busy plotting his overthrow. But so despicable was the character of these intriguers, that their plans proved utterly futile, and the natural reaction of their failure was to leave the Emperor even more dependent upon the Mirzā than ever before. We have seen how Hisām-ud-daulah, envying the rise of a mere youth and new-comer like Najaf, had induced the Emperor (in January 1773) to reject Najaf’s advice and appoint Zābita Khan Mir Bakhshi. By this single stroke of policy he hoped to placate Zābita’s patron Tukoji Holkar and also to baulk Najaf of the second highest office in the Empire.