The Fall of the Moghul Empire of HindustanKeene, H. G. (Henry George)
History
The Fall of the Moghul Empire of Hindustan
Keene, H. G. (Henry George)
India -- History -- 18th century; Mogul Empire -- History
It need hardly be observed that the firing on the palace was an
act of gross disrespect, and, unless explained, of rebellion. Nor
was the young chief blind to the importance of basing his
proceedings on an appearance of regularity. He accordingly
entered into a correspondence with the above mentioned Manzur Ali
(a nominee, it may be remembered, of the late Mirza Najaf Khan).
By the agency of this official, Gholam Kadir was introduced to
the Diwan Khas, where he presented a Nazar of five gold mohurs,
and was graciously received. He excused his apparent violence by
attributing it to zeal for the service of his Majesty, formally
applied for the patent of Amir-ul-Umra, and with professions of
implicit obedience withdrew to cultivate the acquaintance of the
courtiers, retiring at night to his own camp. Matters remained in
this condition for two or three days, when Gholam Kadir,
impatient perhaps at the non-occurrence of any circumstance which
might advance his designs, re-entered the Palace with seventy or
eighty troopers, and took up his abode in the quarters usually
occupied by the Amir-ul-Umra.
Meanwhile, Begam Sumroo, who was with her forces operating
against a fresh rising of the Cis-Satlaj Sikhs, hastened from
Panipat and presented herself in the palace. Awed by this loyal
lady and her European officers, and finding the Moghul courtiers
unwilling to enter into any combination against them, the baffled
Rohilla retired across the river, and remained for some time
quiet in his camp. Francklin, indeed, states that the cannonade
was renewed immediately on Gholam Kadir's return to his camp; but
it is more probable that, as stated above, this renewal did not
occur until the arrival of Najaf Kuli Khan. The Emperor showed on
this occasion some sparks of the temper of old time, before
misfortune and sensual indulgence had demoralized his nature. He
sent Moghul chiefs to keep an eye on the Pathan, while he
increased his household troops by a levy of 6,000 horse, for the
pay of whom he melted a quantity of his personal plate. He also
despatched messengers to the converted Rathor, Najaf Kuli Khan,
who was on his estate at Rewari, urging his immediate attendance
in Dehli.
Rewari is in what is now the district of Gurgaon, and lies about
fifty miles S.W. of Dehli. It is a country of mixed mountain and
valley; the former being a table-land of primitive rocks, the
latter the sandy meadow land on the right bank of the river
Jamna. Here, in a district wrested by his former patron from the
Jats, Najaf Kuli had been employed in endeavours to subjugate the
indigenous population of Mewatis, a race professing Islam like
himself, but mixing it with many degrading superstitions, and
resembling their neighbours the Minas of Rajputana and the
Bhattis of Hariana in habits of vagrancy and lawlessness, which
above half a century of British administration has even now
failed to eradicate.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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