Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c42.19

v3.c42.19

The Emperor and the capital again trembled. A feeble attempt at defence was made through Himmat Bahadur, the only faithful general left to him, but the attempt failed through the Sovereign’s lack of personal courage and will force, the disloyalty of his nāzir and the treachery of his Mughalia troops, who were now the only garrison of Delhi. A troop of Maratha horse, only 2000 strong, had been sent up by Mahadji from Mathura (8th July), under Rāvloji and Bhagirath Rao (his clansmen), and these reached Bārāpulā, 10 miles south of Delhi three days later, and interviewed the Emperor. But events now moved too fast, and the Ruhela, working in secret concert with the eunuch nāzir Manzur Ali and the grocer Rām Ratan Modi who dominated the Emperor's mind, anticipated the Marathas in the possession of the capital. These two traitors sent 200 ox-loads of powder and shot from the fort-stores to Ghulām Qādir, and intrigued for his success.