Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c40.s3.1

v3.c40.s3.1

The history of the Kachhwa kingdom under Sawāi Pratāp Singh is a sickening tale. Even during the ten years’ rule of his predecessor a rapid decay had set in in that Government. As an eminent Rājasthani historian writes, “This Rajah was a minor, and hence the ladies sitting within the harem dominated the State affairs, with the result that mismanagement prevailed in the public administration” [Vir Vinod, p. 1306.] Matters became even worse at the accession of Pratāp Singh. His father Mādho Singh had, on his death-bed, advised his queen not to dismiss Khush-hālī Rām Bohrā as he was well versed in affairs and loyal to his master. But this minister had made many enemies among the hereditary nobles as he did not care to flatter fools. Their intrigues brought about his arrest and confinement in Amber fort. But in the hour of the country's danger from the treacherous attacks of the Narukā and the open threats of the Delhi Government, Khush-hālī Rām was felt to be the only man who could save it, and he was therefore released and restored to the head of the administration. Thus, we find him prime minister again at the accession of Pratāp Singh in April 1778 and then going on an embassy to the camp of Najaf Khan and to the Emperor's Court in order to make terms both for his own Rājah and the Narukā chief. Soon afterwards, he had to take the aid of an imperial force for punishing the ungrateful Narukā, as we have seen in Ch. 30, § 2.