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
This statement of the condition of the Empire is interesting, as
being given by a contemporary writer in all respects the best
able to judge. He concludes by an urgent appeal to the British
monarch for assistance "to restore the royal authority, punish
the rebellious and re-establish the house of Timur, and, by this
kind interposition, to give repose to the people of God, and
render his name renowned among the princes of the earth."
Among the pressing disturbances noted by the prince was
undoubtedly the defection of Najaf Kuli Khan, whom we have lately
seen combined with the Begam in the protection of the Emperor
against the insults of Gholam Kadir, but who had since gone into
open rebellion, upon an attempt made by the faction in temporary
power to supplant him in his government by one Murad Beg. This
Moghul officer having been put in charge of some part of the
convert's territorial holding, the latter not unnaturally
regarded the act as a menace to his whole power, waylaid the
Moghul on his way to his new post, and put him in confinement at
Rewari.
But the men who had given the advice which led to this misfortune
did not stop there, but proceeded to strike at the prince
himself, whom they accused to the Emperor of designs upon the
throne. He obtained however the titular office of Governor of
Agra, and seriously attempted, with the aid of Ismail Beg, to
obtain possession of the fort and province. Foiled in this, and
escaping narrowly an attempt upon his person by Gholam Kadir, he
ultimately retired to the protection of the British at Benares,
where he died a mortified and heartbroken man on the 31st May, in
the eventful year 1788. It is not quite clear, from the records
of these transactions, why the prince, experienced statesman as
he was, attempted to ally himself to those Musalman malcontents
rather than to the Mahratta Chief, whose ability and resources
must have been well known to him. It must, however, be admitted
that Sindhia was just then showing an inaction which was
calculated to arouse Jawan Bakht's suspicions, and we can trace,
in the letter quoted a short time back, signs of hostility in his
mind against that wily politician. Idle as the speculation may
now appear, it is difficult to refrain from a passing thought on
the manner in which his choice of associates affected the fate
not merely of his royal Father, but of Hindustan and the British
power there. United with Sindhia he would in all probability have
drawn off Gholam Kadir and changed the whole fortunes of the
country. Dis aliter visum.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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