Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c39.s1.2

v3.c39.s1.2

All this reached Mahādji’s ears and he took his measures with marvellous patience, secrecy and exactness in timing his blows. He first crushed Muhammad Beg Hamadāni and removed that source of danger and distraction from his neighbourhood (c. 10 Nov.) Then, when the Emperor removed to the circuit of the Maratha camp (15 Nov.), he took over the control of the Emperor’s and Afrāsiyāb’s camps by posting his own disciplined battalions around them. “Without his permit none can go from one camp to the other, none can visit the Emperor, none can leave the Emperor’s camp.” [DY. i. 120, 117.] The Mughalia sardars, lately under Hamadāni, were similarly isolated by Maratha guards.