Saiyid 'Abdu-llah sent Shujá'at 'Alí Khán and Murtazá Khán to the capital, and he also wrote to Najmu-d dín 'Alí Khán, Súbadár of Dehlí, for the purpose of raising soldiers. On the 8th Zí-l hijja the news reached Najmu-d dín. But before the news became public, he first put forth a statement the opposite of the information he had received, and sent a body of men, horse and foot, under the Kotwál, to the house of I'timádu-d daula, and the work of investing it went on for a watch or two of the night. The people in the house, who had received news beforehand, threw up defences and showed themselves resolved to defend it. The news spread and became the common talk in every street and market.
A letter now came from Saiyid 'Abdu-llah forbidding all injury to the family and establishment of I'timádu-d daula, or else the Súbadár thought better of his futile proceeding and recalled his men. On the day of the 'Íd-i kurbán Najmu-d dín 'Alí Khán went in tears to the prayers, and when he returned he sent the envoys of Saiyid 'Abdu-llah Khán to the residence of the sons of Jahándár Sháh, to make provision for the government of the State. The young men had the door shut against the envoys Murtazá Khán and Shujá'atu-llah Khán; but after a good deal of pressing, they admitted them and asked the reason of their coming; and when they were informed of it, they gave a sharp answer, flatly refusing. It is reported that after the envoys returned unsuccessful, they went to Nekú Siyar, and received the same answer. Next they went to Sultán Ibráhím, son of Rafí'u-sh Shán, and urged him to accept the proposition, saying that his acceptance would save the lives of the party of the Saiyids. After some conversation he consented.
[Text, vol. ii. p. 914.] On the 9th Zí-l hijja, 1132 (1st October, 1720 A.D.), Sultán Muhammad Ibráhím was raised to the throne with the title of Abú-l Fath Zahíru-d dín Muhammad Ibráhím. Two days afterwards Saiyid 'Abdu-llah arrived and paid his homage. He received the title of Gházíu-d dín Ghálib Jang, the position of Amíru-l umará with the duties of Mír-bakhshí, and a mansab of 8000. Najmu-d dín Khán was made second bakhshí, Salábat Khán third bakhshí, and Bairam Khán fourth, each one obtaining an advance in rank. A number of courtiers of the time of Rafí'u-d Daraját, who were in confinement, or had no mansabs, or despaired of promotion, were sent for and received mansabs and sums of money for their expenses. They were directed to enlist horsemen at the rate of eighty rupees per month for each man, and a sum of thirty or forty thousand rupees was advanced for this purpose. Hámid Khán Bahádur, uncle of Nizámu-l Mulk, who was deprived of his jágír when the war with the latter broke out, was restored to it, and received a sum of money. I'tikád Khán and * * other nobles of Farrukh Siyar's days all received favours, and had expectations held out to them. [Enlistment of horsemen.]
[vol. ii. p. 917.] On the 17th Zí-l hijja Saiyid 'Abdu-llah came out of Dehlí with Sultán Ibráhím and went to the 'Íd-gáh. Here he was joined by Ghulám 'Alí Khán from the royal army, by Tahawwur 'Alí Khán from Ágra, and by others. * * Intelligence arrived that the Emperor Muhammad Sháh, being freed from all trouble about Husain 'Alí Khán, was marching to the capital by the Rájpút road. Saiyid 'Abdu-llah made his second and third march towards the dargáh of Kutbu-d dín; but when he heard of the Emperor's march from Ágra, he took the road to Farídábád, where he waited in expectation of Saifu-d dín 'Alí Khán and others with their Bárha soldiers. A very extraordinary fact was that, notwithstanding the large outlay of money, the royal domestics and officials in the train of Sultán Ibráhím rode horses with no saddles. At every stage parties of Bárha soldiers, Afgháns with their troops, and zamíndárs on elephants, joined the army of Sultán Ibráhím. Soldiers of Husain 'Alí Khán, who had entered the service of Muhammad Sháh and received a month's pay, deserted when they found an opportunity, and came over every day in parties of three or four hundred to join Saiyid 'Abdu-llah. Such was the eagerness to enter the service that one horse (yábú) would receive the dágh (brand) two or three times.
Sultán Ibráhím reached Niyúl, thirty-five kos from Dehlí. Here he was joined by Saifu-d dín 'Alí Khán, brother of Saiyid 'Abdu-llah, and others, who had been sent by Husain 'Alí Khán to raise forces in the neighbourhood of Bárha. They brought with them altogether ten or twelve thousand horse, also 150 carts full of Bárha Saiyids, each of whom thought himself equal to twenty well-accoutred horsemen, and had come in the expectation of making himself an amír, an elephant-rider, and a general. Each of these demanded one year's pay, a horse, and a robe. * * On the 10th Muharram, 1133 (1st Nov. 1720 A.D.), as the author has ascertained from the rolls of the Bakhshí, and as he heard from the mouth of Saiyid 'Abdu-llah Khán, more than 90,000 horsemen had been entered in the lists. Of these fourteen or fifteen thousand perhaps were recruits, who rode ponies (yábú); some of the old soldiers were dispersed about the vicinity, and the remainder were present. Afterwards there were the followers of the traitor Chúráman, of Muhkam Singh, and sundry other of the adherents of Husain 'Alí Khán, and the zamíndárs of the neighbourhood. According to report, the number exceeded 100,000 horse. All around as far as the eye could reach the earth seemed covered with horsemen.
Chúráman Ját arrived with his brother, bringing three elephants and several camels, that he had cut off from the royal army. These were offered as an introduction to Saiyid 'Abdu-llah, who gave them to that good-for-nothing fellow (Chúráman). One matter of great discouragement to the old followers of Saiyid 'Abdu-llah, and of favourable influence on the fortunes of the Emperor, was this. Notwithstanding all the lavish distribution of the money, which had been collected by carts full from house to house, and which had been extorted in bribery or with violence by Ratan Chand from the wretched raiyats, and laid up for a time like this, when it would be spent in vain;—notwithstanding all this, the old soldiers wanted two months' pay in advance, that they might free themselves from their liabilities to the bankers, and provide themselves with warm clothing, arms, and harness. They were satisfied with the promise of one month's pay, and at last money for the pay of ten days of Muharram was somehow raised, but they could not get the balance. It was very different in the royal army, where Haidar Kulí Khán Bahádur Násir Jang had won the hearts of the artillerymen by exerting himself to the best of his ability to obtain the settlement of their pay.
On the 19th Muharram the royal army encamped at Sháhpúr. * * The army was not half as numerous as that of the enemy, and it waited for the arrival of Saifu-d daula, 'Abdu-s Samad Khán Bahádur Diler Jang, and Rájádhíráj Jai Singh. But although intelligence of their approach was brought, distance and other obstacles delayed their arrival. Muhammad Khán Bangash came in with two or three thousand horse. 'Azíz Khán Rohilla, Sábit Khán, and Báyazíd Khán Mewáttí joined with their forces, and three or four thousand horse arrived from Rája Jai Singh. Some zamíndárs of the country round also joined. * * Two or three leading men, who deemed it expedient to stay with the royal army, such as Muhkam Singh and other protegés of the two brothers, kept up a correspondence with Saiyid 'Abdu-llah, assuring him that they would join him at the proper time. The wretched Chúráman Ját, who belonged to a race of traitors, * * communicated with Saiyid 'Abdu-llah, who urged him to set fire to the powder magazine, or to make a dash and bring the artillery bullocks over to him. The rascal did his best to accomplish this, but he was foiled by the vigilance of Haidar Kulí Khán.