ferry of Chár Khájari, while troops went in pursuit of the fugitive. One account* states that Muhammad Khán adjusted the matter by exacting a contribution, bnt his own letters do not state how the affair ended.

Muhammad Khán does not appear to have taken part in Muzaffar Khán's campaign of the 16th year (1146-1147 Sept. 1733-Sept. 1734), or in that of the 17th year (1147-1148) under Kamr-ud-dín Khán. About this time Muhammad Khán had a dangerous illness, and for fourteen days he could eat or drink nothing but a little rice-water.

In 1148 H. (May 1735-May 1736), or 1149 H. (May 1736-April 1737), Muhammad Khán reported to His Majesty that the son of Báji Ráo with other leaders was in Bundelkhand. A party of them with two or three hundred horse came to the banks of the Jamna, and ascertained several places where the river was fordable. The rumour was that they intended to cross into the Duáb. In reply the Emperor wrote that the sons of Chattarsál were in league with the enemy, and had given them a passage. It was expected that they would ravage Korá, Kálpi and Itáwah. Sarbuland Khán Mubáriz-ul-Mulk had received orders to prevent their crossing, while Muhammad Khán, instead of remaining idle, should proceed towards Gwáliár. The Emperor intended to go to Akbarábád in person.

Muhammad Khán's reply to this command was, that he had no means to raise an army, that he still owed his men the pay for their second year in Málwá. In his beggared state he had not thought it advisable to go to Gwáliár, he was moreover ill, but he hoped his son, Akbar Khán, would In another letter to the wazír he declines be appointed faujdár of Gwáliár. to attend, as he does not wish to appear at Court solitary and without friends. He sent his son, Káim Khán, with such troops as he had. If the Emperor appointed him to a subah and granted him ten kror of dám, he could raise as many men as was desired. To meet the enemy fifty thousand men were required, and the revenues of a subah would be absorbed. To go with an insignificant force to Gwáliár, and there to sit with hands. drawn into sleeve and feet into skirt, would only encourage the invaders.

Next Khán Daurán Khán Amír-ul-Umrá writes two letters to Muhammad Khán. It was reported that Chimná Jí had advanced beyond Gwáliár via Sironj and Bundelkhand, after ejecting Rájah Jai Singh from Málwá, and had plundered the country. Muhammad Khán should collect a large army from the country near Akbarábád, and a subsidy would be allotted. Burhan-ul-Mulk had orders to proceed to Akbarábád and was advancing by daily marches. Fakhr-ud-daula, brother of Khán Daurán Khán

* That of the "Sa'adat-i-Jáwed" in Dowson's Elliot, VIII, 342. See also Elliot, VIII, 50, and Supp. Glossary, p. 326. From the Hadikat-ul-Akálim, Second Clime, art. Itáwah, we learn that the Wazir had hurried to Dehli, to thwart a combination between Khán Daurán, Burhán-ul-Mulk, and Mubáriz-ul-Mulk.

1

was also on his way with a strong force. Ráo Badan Singh Ját would soon be at Akbarábád. All these would aid in the protection of the city. Nasrat Yár Khán and Ráe Shiu Dás, the náibs of the Názim (Rajah Jai Singh Sawáe), would also assist. The great object was to defend the subah, to tranquillize the city, and to preserve the name and fame of Hindústán. Mubáriz-ul-Mulk would soon arrive at Gwáliár, and the Bhadauriya Rájah, if freed from anxiety about his home, would also join.

Rájah Jai Singh Sawáe also opened communications with Muhammad Khán, and tried to induce him to quit his retirement. At first Muhammad Khán's only reply was to taunt Jai Singh, pointing out that he held onethird of Málwá, one-fourth of the Delhi subah and the whole of the Akbarábád Nizámat, besides his native country, which produced an income equal to that of a Subah. The Mahrattas in the Jaipur territory pretend to be one in aim and object with the Rájputs and Bundelas. This is only deceit (filosofi), who knows where they will stop, not only have they reached Hindústán but they are spread abroad in Bangálá. The Rájah might be quite sure that, whenever they had made safe their position elsewhere, they would throw him over, and demand the very places which they then professed to protect.

By the offer of jágirs and money payments, Rájah Jai Singh succeeded in overcoming Muhammad Khán's reluctance to serve again. Before he appeared in the field, however, the Mahrattas, having crossed the Jamna at the ferries opposite Aurúyah and Saráe Ajít Mall in the Etawah district, had plundered Khánpur, Derapúr, Mangalpur, Sikandrah and Shiuganpur.* Their collectors had recovered khanḍi from the zamindárs and faujdárs of the Duáb. Other parties were scattered in the country of Gwáliár, Bijipúrt had been surrounded and the inhabitants of Antrit had taken refuge in Gwáliár. The latter were suspected of being in league with the invaders. The zamindárs of Raojhá (?) had been defeated.

On the 7th Ramzan, 1148 H (10th Jan. 1736), the Nawáb's troops began to cross the Jamna. Muhammad Khán had fixed the 14th Shawwal for his own advance, but as the Mahrattas were reported to have gone off towards Delhi, the inhabitants of Akbarábád and Ráe Shiu Dás, náib, became frightened. The army of the invaders in Bhadáwar might see their opportunity, and crossing the river might invest the city.

Reports now came in that one force of Mahrattas had advanced beyond Núrábád§ in the direction of Akbarábád, and that another party was near

trict.

* The first is, I suppose, our Cawnpore, the other places are in the Cawnpur disThere is, however, a kasbah Khánpur just south of Aurúyah.

† Lat. 26°, 2′. Long. 77o, 28′, fifty-two miles S. W. of Gwáliár.

Twelve miles S. of Gwáliár.

§ Fourteen milos N. W. of Gwúliár.

Antri in the country of Bhadáwar. Accordingly on the 21st Ramzan, 1148 H. (24th Jan. 1736), a division of two thousand horse and two thousand foot, under Zabardast Khán, Rasul Khán and others, was sent to Dholpur to protect the ferries on the Chambal. The zamindárs of the Dandota, Satgír, Ardwar, Túnpuri and Gujar clans were granted khila'ts, and posted from point to point (nákabandi) to guard the routes. This task was efficiently performed, although the náib faujdár of Dholpúr had retreated. A party of the enemy posted themselves at Núrábád and came daily to the ferries, but found they were unable to cross. Muhammad Khán exercised similar vigilance in Akbarábád; at length the Mahrattas went back to Bhadáwar, and there rejoined their other army. Gwáliár was held by 'Umr Khán, with two thousand men from Mau under Kále Khán Khaţak, Sher Khán Warakzai and Ahmad Khán Afrídi, added to one thousand men of Gwáliár itself.

The usual complaints now commenced of want of means, and of difficulties about the pay of the troops. Yakut Khán, Khán Bahadur, was sent home to bring five lakhs of rupees, but after great difficulty he provided 1,20,000 rupees. This was like a drop of water on a fire. Muhammad Khán, though ready and willing, professed to have no money, and for a year had been waiting in Akbarábád, put off from day to day with promises.

Muhammad Khán's efforts were further paralysed by doubts of the policy favoured at Court. He exclaims that he could not find the word to the enigma; while he waited for orders to march on Dholpur, the infidels resorted to Delhi, where they received audience of His Majesty. They were received as friends, and money was bestowed on them. Should he march to Dholpur and fight the enemy, he might be told by the ministers that peace had been concluded, and that he had only thrown matters into confusion.

He reports that Báji Ráo had one hundred thousand horsemen in Bundelkhand, Bhadáwar and Gwáliár. Part of them had gone towards Kálpi intending to plunder Korá. The sons of Chattarsál and Bhagwant (of Gházipúr in the Fathpur district) had agreed to pay them lakhs, and to levy krors of rupees for them in that country; other Hindu Rájahs and zamindárs beyond the Jamna and Chambal had pricked up their ears, and even some parties of Muhammadans from Málwá had entered their service. The Bhadauriya Rájah like the rest had come to terms with the invaders. In no way had Báji Ráo quitted the service of Rájah Sáhú, nor had the Mahrattas ceased to harry the Imperial territory. At such a critical moment, the Nawab could not understand why Burhán-ul-Mulk was sent to his Subah, and Rájah Abhai Singh of Márwár to his home.

At length Rájah Jai Singh Sawáe wrote to say that, on the 8th Rabi I, 1149 H. (5th July, 1736), Báji Ráo and his son had submitted to the Imperial authority. With Ránújí Sendhia, Mulhár Holkar, Baswant Ráe Punwár, and other companions, he sought an interview with the Rájah at

Dholpur. He gave an agreement under his seal, with sureties, not to act contrary to his word. Báji Ráo left on the 13th of the same month, while Rájah Jai Singh proceeded towards Subah Ajmer, where the Ráthors had raised disturbances. Apparently this was the occasion on which Báji Ráo received the appointment of náib Názim of Málwá.

Shortly afterwards, in the same year, the Mahrattas crossed over into the Duáb and plundered Firúzábád, 'Itimádpur and Jalesar. Burbán-ulMulk, without waiting for the rest of the Imperial forces, attacked and defeated them near Jalesar. Khán Daurán Khán then advanced from Delhi with a large force, accompanied by Muhammad Khán at the head of twelve thousand men. They met Burhán-ul-Mulk near Mathura early in Zi'l Hajj 1149 H. (March-April, 1737). As they were returning to Delhi the Játs of the village of Mitrol, between Kodal and Palwal, fell on and plundered their baggage. By the Emperor's order Muhammad Khán returned to protect Akbarábád. †

Muhammad Khán asks for Bengal and Patna, but gets Allahábád.

Káim Khán was now at Court, and through his influence, the Emperor promised to appoint Muhammad Khán to Patna and Bangálá. To conceal the matter from Mahábat Jang, the then Subahdár of Bengal, no sanad was to issue for that Subah, a note in the Emperor's hand-writing being taken instead. Muhammad Sháh was never long of one mind, and he soon began to raise difficulties. Muhammad Khán then proposed that Káim Khán should be made Názim of 'Azímábád-Patna, while he should be made náib of Bengal under the heir-apparent. He offered to remit to Court all the property confiscated by 'Ali Wardi Khán, and to pay regularly ten or fifteen times the revenue forwarded by Sarfaráz Khán,‡ signing any undertaking that might be demanded. Notwithstanding these promises, the negotiation seems to have fallen through.

Allahábád was then asked for, but a formidable rival arose in Burhánul-Mulk, who offered a peshkash of fifteen lakhs of rupees. Muhammad Khán's claims appear, however, to have had some weight. His conditions were, that he should obtain the Subah, free of all interference, including Jaunpur, Gházipur, Kuhna Saráe, Banáras, Hádah, Mánikpur, Ghorá, Kálinjar etc.; that Korá and Kanauj should be made over to him as dependencies; and that Sarkár Gwáliár should be given to Khizr Khán as Súbah, with Muhammad Khán as Názim. Without entering Korá, he could not bar the way to the sons of Chattarsál and Bhagwant, and if he had no

* Grant Duff, 234, 235.

+ Dowson's Elliot, VIII. 54, 55, 56.

Son of the former Subahdár, Nawab Shuja'-ud-daula. He had beon ousted by ’Ali Wardi Khán Mahábat Jang.

jurisdiction there, his interference would occasion never-ending disputes. Kanauj, which was in the hands of a stranger, the Bhadauriya Rájah, was his home country, and till he held it he could never feel himself safe while absent in Allahábád. At length the farmán of appointment was forwarded by Kamr-uddin Khán Chín ’Itimád-ud-daula, the Wazir, and Muhammad Khán was ordered to attend Court at once with five hundred horse.

It was in the beginning of Rajab 1148 H. (Nov.-Dec. 1735), that Muhammad Khán was restored to the Súbah of Allahábád. A few months afterwards, on the 4th Muharram, 1149 H. (4th May, 1736),* Sarbuland Khán was restored. Muhammad Khán seems to have obtained afterwards promises of re-instatement, but his claims were postponed to those of Amír Khán 'Umdat-ul-Mulk, who was appointed to Allahábád in the year 1739.† On Amír Khán's assassination in 1159 H. (Jan. 1746 to Jan. 1747), the Súbah passed to ’Abd-ul Mansúr Khán Safdar Jang.§

On relinquishing his government into the hands of Sarbuland Khán, Nawab Muhammad Khán strongly recommended to his protection Rájah Jaswant Singh, zamindár of Bhadoi|| who when at Court had been made a Sihhazári, 2000 horse, with the title of Rájah and the gift of kettle-drums. He was appointed to the charge of the rahdári from Banáras to Allahábád, and he performed well the duty of keeping the roads open. Rájah Jai Singh of Maudah had, however, interfered, and had collected much money from Bhadoi. Rájah Jaswant Singh would he hoped be preserved from further oppression.

Muhammad Khán's interest in Rájáh Jaswant Singh arose from the fact that the Rájáh had given to the Nawáb a daughter in marriage. Jaswant Singh had also taken the field on one occasion in Muhaminad Khán's cause. In 1148 H. when Muhammad Khán was re-appointed to Allahábád, Sarbuland Khán wrote secretly from Sháhjahánábád to his son and deputy, Sháh Nawáz Khán, directing him to oppose the entry of the new Subahdár. On the other hand, Jaswant Singh, at the instigation of Muhammad Khán, marched from Bhadoi towards Arail, having with him 2000 horse and 20,000 matchlockmen. He was joined by Lál Bikramájít, son of Jográj Gahilwár, Rájáh of Bijipur and Kantit. The allies then prepared to attack Sayyad Muhammad Khán, ruler of Arail. On hearing of this rising, Sháh Nawáz Khán left the fort of Lál Jálwah in parganah Sangror with 1000 horsemen, Shekh Allahyár, author of the Hadikat-ul-Akálím, having

* Both dates are taken from the "Tabsírát-un-Názirín.” † Dow, II, 438, ed. 1803.

Miftáh-ut-tawárikh, p. 489.

§ 'Amád-us-Sa'dat, p. 50.

|| In the Mirzápur district, on the left bank of the Ganges.

¶ Both in the Mirzapur district.