Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c53.s3.59

v4.c53.s3.59

Meantime, Lakhwā Dādā who had been living on the plunder of Jaipur territory moved from the Ajmer frontier to Sambhar (c. 10 August), and at the end of September detached two thousand horse from his corps under Jagu Bāpu to join the Bāis in Mālwā. But the situation steadily turned against him; the Bāis could not raise funds in Ujjain, Jaswant Holkar threatened to desert their cause unless he was paid four lakhs for his expenses; three regular battalions of Sindhia from the Deccan crossed the Narmadā and moved upon Ujjain with none to oppose them, and in Rajputana, Perron’s lieutenant Louis Bourquien captured the city of Ajmer and invested its famous fortress. So, in October, Lakhwā hastened to Udaipur, and after extracting two lakhs from the Mahārānā, set off on the 16th to join Jagu Bāpu in Mālwā with the remnant of his army. The Widows’ War now ended in Rajputana and was transferred to Mālwā. Its course there can be understood only by following the history of Jaswant Rao Holkar with which it was inextricably mixed. Here it is necessary to begin a new chapter.