Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c54.s1.8

v4.c54.s1.8

Jaswant at first declared that he was merely looting Kāshi Rao Holkar’s villages in order to force that Holkar chief to grant him an estate legitimately due for his maintenance as a younger son of the late chieftain, (as the British Resident reported in July 1798). But his plans expanded with the growth of his strength. His appeal succeeded because he appeared as the saviour of the power and dignity of Holkar from the base surrender made by Kāshi Rao Holkar to their hereditary rival. His personal ambition was somewhat sublimated by his real affection for Khandé Rao II (the infant son of Malhār Rao II), and he began to press the Peshwā, as the common master of the Marātha chiefs, to declare this infant as the lawful head of the House of Holkar with Jaswant himself as his regent and the working head of the State.