The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c13.5

c13.5

According to their agreement, the Marathas made an expedition against the Rohilla chiefs, and it was at the instance of the latter that Abdali made his second expedition to India, which resulted in the conquest of the Punjab. The Rohillas were hardly a match for the Marathas. But, while common danger cemented a union among the threatened Muhammadan chiefs, the Marathas failed to pursue a common plan, for they were more anxious to secure their personal ends than to serve the common interests of the empire. Sindhia and Holkar, the two principal chiefs who were expected to look after the Maratha interests in the North, did not always agree; Hingne, the diplomatic agent stationed at Delhi, had no confidence in his military colleague Antaji Mankeshwar; and the military force employed in Hindustan was not always adequate;