In the reign of Bahádur Sháh the vakíls of Rája Sáhú and the Rání made proposals, and obtained a grant of the sar-desh-mukhí , upon certain conditions, which have been stated in the history of that reign. But differences arose between the Rání and Rája Sáhú, so that Bahádur Sháh's intentions were never carried out. Neither did the arrangement as to the sar-deshmukhí take effect. In the time of Dáúd Khán, while he was acting as deputy of Zúl-l fikár Khán, a treaty and friendly agreement was made between him and the enemy, in which it was stipulated that the jágírs of the princes and Dáúd Khán should not be molested; but that as regarded the remaining tenures of the great nobles, Dáúd Khán's deputy, Híráman, should arrange for the payment of the chauth. Caravans were not to be molested. So they simmered together like milk and sugar, and matters went on without* hitch or evasion.

The government of Nizámu-l Mulk, as we have recorded, began in peace, and ended with war, which lasted for one year and five months, and inflicted chastisement upon the enemy. Two or three years of Husain 'Alí Khán's government passed in quarrels with the Emperor, so that, although he raised a large army, he could not show the vigour that was necessary, nor effect such a settlement as he himself desired and the character of the Saiyids of Bárha required. In the year 1130 A.H., acting upon the advice of Anwar Khán, one of the shaikh-zádas of Burhánpúr, who were patronized by the Saiyids, and upon the counsel of other trusted nobles, he availed himself of the services of a Brahman named Sankarájí. This man had been one of the principal servants of Sivají and Sambhájí, and in their confi­dence. After the conquest of Jinjí, he entered the Imperial service, and acted as vakíl of those Mahratta chiefs who had submitted and of some who had not. He was not wanting in the intelligence which is helped by fortune.

Through Bálájí Bishwanáth and Jamnájí, brahmans, and most intelligent generals of Rája Sáhú, a proposal of peace was made on these terms. There was to be paid to the officers of Rája Sáhú a fourth part of what the amíns, krorís, and shikkdárs collected as land revenue, and as sáir from the government lands and from the jágírdárs. It was also settled that, in addition to the fourth share which they were to get from the receipts of the jágírdárs, they were to receive from the raiyats ten per cent. as sar-deshmukhí. Altogether they were to receive thirty-five per cent. upon the total collections, (and also) upon the abwábs called faujdárí, shikkdárí, ziyáfat, and other charges, as shown in the gross account of the collections. According to this account they were to receive nearly half the total revenue recorded in the Government rent-roll, and (the collections) were thus shared by the domineering collectors of Rája Sáhú. This arrangement, by which they were to collect all taxes, fell very hard upon the raiyats, and the government officers and jágírdárs; for in every district there were two collectors—one called the kamáíshdár, the other the gumáshta of the sar-deshmukhí. On the roll of the collections the signature of the sarrishtadár of the sar-deshmukhí was first placed, and what was required by the rules on that account was to be taken separately.* The position and life of the officers of Government and of the jágírdárs became (irksome).

Besides these, there were two separate collectors of the ráhdárí (road duties) in each district. In consequence of the negligence of the faujdárs and the dominance of the enemy, these had for some time taken their positions in different places, and exacted half a rupee, or one rupee, for each bullock and cart, from merchants, and whatever they pleased from other persons. They exacted twice or three times more than (the most) tyrannical fauj-dárs . Now also, since the days of the peace, the former grievance remained, but it was aggravated by more taking part in it. In the present state of things there were in each district three regular collectors of Rája Sáhú, with parties of horsemen and footmen stationed at the office, the guard-house where the land-revenue the sáir and the tolls were collected.

Besides this there were in many places villages which had been laid waste by the Mahrattas, and which had been again brought into cultivation under special agreements, such as the districts about Nandurbár, in Khándesh, in Birár, and in other places. They paid no heed to the special contracts made by Husain 'Alí Khán; but, conceding the third share belonging to the jágírdár, they made the following arrangement. They recognized three shares; one was for the jágírdár, one they took themselves, and the third they left to the raiyats. In revenue and civil matters the orders and the action of the enemy prevailed over the authority of the faujdárs and jágírdárs. At the time of the peace Husain 'Alí Khán determined, and issued strict injunc­tions that the ráhdárí should not be exacted, as in the days before the peace, from merchants and travellers at the rate of three (rupees) or four upon each bullock and cart, as if faujdárs and harsh officials were acting. But it was no good. In several districts there was no longer any plundering of villages and caravans; but, as in former days, travellers and wanderers paid the ráhdárí, and went on in peace without in­terruption. Villages which had been ravaged by plunderers, or made completely desolate by the tyranny of rapacious managers, were now restored to cultivation.

Husain 'Alí delivered a sanad containing the conditions of peace, under his seal, to the vakíls of Rája Sáhú, and made no delay in writing for a royal farmán confirmatory of this docu­ment. He introduced the agents of Rája Sáhú everywhere, and he settled that Bálájí Bishwanáth and Jamnájí, two of the highest officers of Rája Sáhú, should stay with a suitable escort in Aurangábád as deputy and vakíl of the Rája, so that all civil and revenue matters might be settled through them.

Transactions at Court.

[Text, vol. ii. p. 790.] Husain 'Alí Khán's letter commu­nicating the terms of the peace, and asking for a confirmatory farmán, reached the Emperor. Several well-wishers of the State urged that it was not well to admit the vile enemy to be over­bearing partners in matters of revenue and government. So Farrukh Siyar rejected the treaty. [The Emperor makes several appointments to the Dakhin which Husain 'Alí does not carry into effect.] The news from the Dakhin increased the annoyance of the Emperor.

In these evil days there was at Court a Kashmírí of low origin, named Muhammad Murád, an idle babbler of disreputable character, who was the common talk of everybody, high and low. In the reign of Bahádur Sháh he had obtained, through the interest of Jahándár Sháh, a mansab of 1000 and the title of Wakálat Khán. ^{* *} He was introduced to Farrukh Siyar, and, availing himself of the opportunity, ^{* *} he obtained such an ascendency over him that in a short time he received the title of Ruknu-d daula I'tikád Khán Farrukh Sháhí, and an increase of his jágír from 1000 to 7000 and 10,000 horse. He became the Emperor's confidential adviser, and joined in recommending the overthrow of the rule of the Saiyids of Bárha. Not a day passed without his receiving jewels of great value, ornamented weapons, dresses, or some great gift.

It was now resolved that Sarbuland Khán should be recalled from Patna, and Nizámu-l Mulk Fath Jang Bahádur from Murádábád, where he had chastised the rebels, and restored the district to peace and security. Rája Ajít Singh was also sent for from Ahmadábád. Hopes of high promotion and royal favour were held out to them, and they all conspired together for the overthrow of the Bárha Saiyids. The strangest part of the matter was that when Nizámu-l Mulk was recalled from Murád-ábád, he received no other appointment; but the jágír which he there held was taken from him, the name of Murádábád was changed to Ruknábád, it was erected into a distinct súba, and the súbadárí and the jágír were granted as an áltamghá to Ruknu-d daula I'tikád Khán. When these nobles assembled, Rája Ajít Singh received the title of Mahárája and other honours, but he became the ally and companion of Saiyid 'Abdu-llah Khán.