Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c39.s3.4

v3.c39.s3.4

The regency of Delhi was, therefore, forced upon Sindhia, but he manfully shouldered the burden. He had no wish to ill-treat Afrāsiyāb’s family if they acted honestly by the State and delivered without concealment or theft the public property in the late Regent’s keeping. Immediately after his first conference with the Emperor (on 17th November 1784), he had caused the title of Husain-ud-daulah Khādim Husain Khan Bahādur Ghālib Jang to be bestowed on Afrāsiyāb’s son. Next, from Halena (middle of December) he detached an escort to bring this child to the imperial camp with due care and honour. On his arrival, Mahadji paid a formal visit to his tent to offer condolences for his father’s death (18th January 1785.) A little later on the next coronation anniversary (3rd April) the boy was raised by the Emperor at Mahadji’s prayer, to the dignity of Ashraf-ud-daulah II (his father’s title) and granted fiefs worth four lakhs a year. He expected that the child’s guardians would, in return, deal with him in a fair and friendly manner. But they were determined to grasp at everything and cheat the infidel from the South. [DC. Ibr. ii. 96.]