Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c38.s10.11

v3.c38.s10.11

The soldiers of Afrāsiyāb were in open mutiny in fear of losing their arrears of pay. They stopped the bier of the Mir Bakhshi when about to be sent to Fathpur Sikri for burial. But Sindhia pacified them by taking on himself the satisfaction of their claims. They next demanded that they should continue in the service of the State and enjoy their present jagirs. This also Sindhia promised to recommend to the Emperor. Then he distributed some money of his own to relieve the pressing needs of the contingents of Himmat Bahadur and Nārāyandās, and thus brought these two forces and their artillery over to his side. It was urgently necessary to crush Hamadani without delay. That general was busy with intrigues for seducing Afrāsiyāb’s officers, telling them “Afrāsiyāb is dead. Patil Bābā will now manage the empire and the Emperor’s State will pass into Hindu hands. Your master is dead. For whom will you remain there now? Come over to me and I shall pay you.” A plan was also formed for cutting Zain-ul-abidin out of Sindhia’s camp, giving him the Mir Bakhshi’s post in name, and the actual government of the empire to Hamadani and the Kashmiri managers of Afrāsiyāb, and driving Sindhia away!