Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c55.s6.1

v4.c55.s6.1

Mahādji Sindhiā after gaining the regency of the Delhi Empire, tried to come to an understanding with the Sikhs who had been dominating the Cis-Satlaj portion of the Delhi subah and raiding the upper Doab every year. (Ch. 35, § 8.) On 9th May 1785, a treaty of alliance with them was concluded, the mediators being Ambāji Inglé on the Marātha side and Mohan Singh and Dulchā Singh on behalf of the Sikh sardārs. Its terms were, (i) The Sikh sardārs were to join the imperial army with a contingent of 5,000 horse and receive in return a jāgir of ten lakhs of Rupees (in the Karnāl district), (ii) They undertook not to disturb the territory outside the limits of their jāgir, nor to levy rākhi (blackmail) in any possession of the imperial Government. But the Sikhs did not abide by the terms, and they could be hardly expected to do so, when we bear in mind their anarchical organisation under hundreds of petty captains, with no central authority to unite them or control their individual predatory activities. The boundary between the two powers was roughly a line west to east through Karnāl on the right bank of the Jamunā and another line through Shāmpur—Muzaffarnagar—Mirāt, on the left bank.