Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c56.s8.5

v4.c56.s8.5

But long before this unexpected and bloodlessly-achieved success Wellesley had been perfecting his preparations for the inevitable war against Bāji Rao’s overgrown feudatories and their European-led armies. His first step was to create a belt of British territory on the western flank of Oudh, so as to intercept any Maratha invasion from Sindhia’s part of Hindustan and also to enable British forces to penetrate into “Perron’s French kingdom” without delay. By a treaty forced on Nawab Sādat Ali Khan (on 10th November 1801), he secured for occupation and administration by the British the nine districts of Rohilkhand, Mainpuri, Etawa, Cawnpur, Allahabad, Azamgarh, Basti, Gorakhpur, and Farrukhabad (this last being ceded by its Bangash Nawāb a year later.) This territorial gain enabled the English to make a large addition to their forces kept ready on that frontier, at the expense of the Oudh Nawab.