Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c53.s1.5

v4.c53.s1.5

The next step was to remove Chitnis's brother Gopāl Bhāu from the supreme command in Northern India and appoint the Shenvi generals, Lakhwā Dādā and Jagu Bāpu to that charge. The news of the intended change reached the Marātha camps in Hindustan, and then began almost daily rows by the soldiers for their arrears of pay, while lawless men raised their heads on all sides and plundering bands began to roam through the country without fear. Both the factions courted De Boigne, the master of Sindhia’s invincible brigades. Lakhwā Dādā’s agent Imām Bakhsh waited on De Boigne for a month, soliciting him to join the Pāgnis party, but the General frankly told him, “Daulat Rao is our master. I shall obey any one whom he appoints as his prime minister.” So the envoy returned with failure.