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
No sooner was the revolution accomplished than the young
kingmaker took effective measures to secure his position. He
first seized and imprisoned his relation the Khan Khanan, whose
office he had usurped, as above stated. The opportune death of
Safdar Jang (17th October, 1754) removed another danger, while
the intrepidity and merciless severity with which (assisted by
Najib Khan) he quelled a military mutiny provoked by his own
arbitrary conduct, served at once as a punishment to the
miserable offenders and a warning to all who might be meditating
future attacks.
Of such there were not a few, and those too in high places. The
imbecile Emperor became the willing centre of a cabal bent upon
the destruction of the daring young minister; and, though the
precautions of the latter prevented things from going that
length, yet the constant plotting that went on served to
neutralize all his efforts at administration, and to increase in
his mind that sense of misanthropic solitude which is probably
the starting-point of the greatest crimes.
As soon as he judged that he could prudently leave the Court, the
Minister organized an expedition to the Panjab, where the gallant
Mir Mannu had been lately killed by falling from his horse. Such
had been the respect excited in men's minds towards this
excellent public servant, that the provinces of Lahor and Multan,
when ceded to the Afghans in the late reign, had been ultimately
left in his charge by the new rulers. Ahmad the Abdali even
carried on this policy after the Mir's death, and confirmed the
Government in the person of his infant son. The actual
administrators during the minority were to be the widow of Mannu
and a statesman of great local experience, whose name was Adina
Beg. This man was a Hindu by origin, a, self-made man, bold and
intelligent.
It was upon this opportunity that the Vazir resolved to strike.
Hastily raising, such a force as the poor remnant of the imperial
treasury could furnish, he marched on Lahor, taking with him the
heir apparent, Mirza Ali Gauhar. Seizing the town by a coup de
main, he possessed himself of the Lady Regent and her daughter,
and returned to Dehli, asserting that he had extorted a treaty
from the Afghan monarch, and appointed Adina Beg sole
Commissioner of the provinces.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account