Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c42.17

v3.c42.17

We now turn to the history of these two allies after their crushing defeat on 17th June in the outskirts of Agra. From that fatal encounter Ismail Beg Hamadāni arrived in Ghulām Qādir's camp on the opposite bank with only the clothes he stood in. Nor could he find any relief here. The Ruhela's own position was unsafe, because next morning the cannon-balls of Sindhia's army began to fall into Ghulām Qādir’s camp from across the river, and the news came that the victors were attempting to cross the Jamuna higher up at Mathura and cut him off from his base in the upper Doāb. So, the two allies parted company: Ismail Beg first went towards Firuzabad, but on being sternly refused admission into Oudh territory he fled to Patparganj opposite Delhi and sent to beg an audience of the Emperor, which was at once declined and the city gates were shut against him as a precaution. So, he had to return to Ghulām Qādir.