SECTION XVI.
CONTENTS.

Troubles in Adjmir—Saadat-qhan, appointed to quell those troubles, marches against the Radjpoots of that country, and is worsted—Saadat-qhan’s troops perishing with thirst, are gener­ously relieved by the Radjpoots—Saadat-qhan returns to Court, after so disgraceful a campaign, and is dismissed the service— Nasr-ed-döwlah alias Nasr-djung, Viceroy of Decan, overawes the Marhattas by the firmness of his administration—He marches against the French, at Poolchurry, and is slain by a conspiracy—Is succeeded by his cousin, Hedaïet-muhi-eddin-qhan —The French, who cut a great figure in the Decan, set up Selabet-djung, and beat the Marhattas—Ram-doss, Prime Minister of Decan, murdered—Ahmed-shah, the Abdali-monarch, marches into Hindostan for the fourth time—Mir-munnoo alias Muäin-el-mulk, Viceroy of Punjab, betrayed and defeated—Is well used by the victor—The Court eunuchs submit to an humiliating treaty with the Abdalies—The Vezir, incensed at so shameful a compromise, acts in defiance of his master—Ghazi-eddin-qhan, the Pretender to the Sovereignty of Decan, dies suddenly—Civil War in the middle of the Capital, between the Emperor Ahmed-shah and his Vezir—Mir-sheab-eddin alias Umad-el-mulk is entrusted with the business of push­ing the war against the Vezir—Old Delhi plundered by the latter’s troops, who at last comes to a compromise with his master —Mir-sheabeddin upon ill terms with his master—He orders the Monarch and his mother to be confined, and afterwards to be blinded—The late Vezir Abool-mansoor-qhan dies—Character and conduct of his son, Shudjah-ed-döwlah—The bad administra­tion of the Viceroy of Mooltan add numbers and unanimity to the Sycs—Troubles in Mooltan and Punjab—The new Vezir Sheab-eddin marches to recover Mooltan—Is insulted by his own troops, so as hardly to escape with his life—Surprises the Governess— Marries her daughter, and carries both the mother and daughter to Delhi—Strange predictions of his mother-in-law— The Abdali-king, incensed at this insult, marches into Hindostan, recovers Lahor, and plunders Delhi—Horrid cruelties of the Abdalies—He returns to his dominions—The French grow power­ful in Decan—Nizam-aaly deposes his own brother, Selabut-djung —Troubles in Decan—Daring action of Nizam-aaly— The Marhattas extort fortresses and territories from him— Nizam-aaly, worsted in several engagements, cedes to them a large territory—The fortresses of Bidjapoor, Döwlet-abad, and Assir, ceded to the Marhattas—An historical account of them—War between the English and French—P8lchurry taken by the latter—The Vezir Umad-el-mulk seizes on the Capital, and on the Emperor’s person—Some account of Prince Aaly-gohar, now reigning Emperor, under the title of Shah-aalem— His heroical retreat through a whole army—Obliged to fly from the paternal house—He is received everywhere with respect —Umad-el-mulk’s intrigues to embroil Shudjah-ed-döwlah and the Rohillas, only serve to bring them to an understanding; and they both join together and oppose the Marhattas, who had marched a mighty army to achieve the conquest of Hindostan— The Vezir murders both his uncle and the Emperor—Troubles in Mooltan and Punjab, which enable the Marhattas to extend their conquests as far as Lahor—They bring the ferocious Abdalies with their victorious King upon their backs—The Marhattas fight, and are slaughtered everywhere—Battle of Badeli, where they lose seventy thousand men—Another bloody action, in which the Marhattas are destroyed—Shudjah-ed-döwlah waits on the Abdali-monarch—His bold answer to that Prince—The Marhattas, little dismayed, send another mighty army into Hindostan, commanded by one of their Imperial Princes—They take Delhi—Appoint a pageant of an Emperor —Propose an accommodation—Are rejected by Shudjah-ed-döwlah, in an answer full of reproaches—Bloody actions between the Marhattas and Abdalies—The former blockaded in their campo, cme to at Pitched battle at Panipoot, where they lose eighty thousand men—The Abdali-monarch returns to his own domin­ions —Singular appearance of a slain young man—Shudjah-ed-döwlah appointed Vezir to Aali-gohar, now Shah-aalem— Origin of the broils that gave rise to a war between the Marhattas and the English—Nizam-aaly avails himself of them to beat the Marhattas into a very advantageous treaty— Dissensions and several engagements between Maddo-ráo, the Marhatta-ruler, and his uncle, Ragonat-ráo—The latter attempts to take Aoreng-abad, and is vigorously repulsed—Nizam-aaly gives a finishing blow to the Marhatta power—S8r8dj-mull, the Prince Djaat, takes possession of Acbar-abad-agra, with its castle and Royal furniture.