HAJEE AHMED hastened to Moorshedabad, where he proclaimed his brother Soobahdar, and in his name promised free par­don and protection to every one. Yeasseen Khan, at his command, secured the public officers of Sirafraz Khan, and all his treasures, together with the haram.

Alyvirdy Khan was sensible, that if he had marched his troops into the city, immediately after the victory, it would have been impossible to have restrained them from plundering the treasure and effects of Sirafraz Khan. He therefore remained encamped at Gowbereh* three days, and on the fourth entered the city in triumph, held his court as Nazim, and took possession of crores of rupees, that had been amassing from the time of Jaffer Khan.

Alyvirdy Khan always kept constant to one lawful wife, and took no delight in the company of other women, wherefore the Hajee and his dependants got possession of all Sirafraz Khan’s women, amongst whom were above a thousand beautiful girls. Alyvirdy Khan sent to Jehan­geernagur the wives and children of Sirafraz Khan, and allowed them a maintenance out of the Khass Talook. Nefeeseh Khanum, the sister of Sirafraz Khan, had adopted her infant nephew Aka Baba*; and she, having entered into the service of Nowazish Ahmed Khan*, the Hajee’s eldest son, to regulate the affairs of his haram, was thereby the means of preserv­ing the lives of her brother’s children, who would otherwise have been all sacrificed to the policy and ambition of the Hajee.

When Mohammed Shah received intelli­gence of the death of Sirafraz Khan, and the usurpation of Alyvirdy Khan, he appeared much affected at the relation; but afterwards acted in a manner very unbecoming the dignity and duty of an emperor; for, instead of punishing the traitor, he had the meanness to par­ticipate of his plunder; and in return conferred upon him the nizamut of the three soobahs. Out of the estate of Sirafraz Khan, Alyvirdy Khan sent Mohammed Shah forty lacks of rupees, together with a peishkush of fourteen lacks. Kummereddeen Khan, the vizier, had three lacks, and Nizam ul Mulk, one lack. He stipulated with government for the accustomary revenue of one crore and thirty lacks. But from the zemindars he collected a con­siderable nuzziraneh; and exacted from them, in the name of the emperor, a peishkush amount­ing to twice the sum that he actually remitted to Dehly on that account.

Alyvirdy Khan made also the following arrangements. The office of bukhshee he con­ferred upon Meer Mohammed Jaffer Khan*, who had married the Nazim’s sister in law, and was highly respected for his valour, and generous disposition. The office of dewan of the nizamut, with the title of Royroyan, were con­ferred upon Chine Roy*, who had been a mohurrer in the jageer of Jaffer Khan, and was universally esteemed for his integrity and piety. Mohammed Reza Khan, the Hajee’s eldest son, and who had married a daughter of Alyvirdy Khan, obtained the title of Nowazish Ahmed Khan*, Shehamet Jung*, with the office of dewan of Bengal, and Naib soobahdar of Jehangeernagur, Islamabad, Tipperah, and Syl­het; Hashem Aly Khan, the Hajee’s third son, who had also married a daughter of Alyvirdy Khan obtained the title of Zeineddeen*, Ahmed Khan, and the naib soobahdary of Bahar. And all the rest of their relations and depen­dants obtained munsebs, and jageers.

The licentious conduct of Alyvirdy Khan’s army, particularly of the Afghans and Beh­leah*, who plundered wherever they came, and violated every right human and divine, was a disgrace to his government.

At the commencement of the invasion, Aly­virdy Khan had applied to Moorshed Kuly, the naib soobahdar of Orissa, to join him; but, from an inveterate hatred, he had neglected to pay any attention to the requisition: and therefore, as soon as he heard of the death of Sirafraz Khan, being apprehensive for his own safety, he aug­mented his troops, and put himself in a pos­ture of defence. But willing, if possible, to conciliate matters, he sent to Moorshedabad Mekhless Khan*, son-in-law to the Hajee, who had been long in his service, to negotiate a reconciliation. The two brothers wrote an artful letter to Moorshed Kuly Khan, giving him hopes of an accommodation, whilst they sent back Mekhless Khan, with instructions to endeavour to seduce his troops. Alyvirdy Khan, shortly after, marched into Orissa, at the head of a very large army. Upon his approach, Moorshed Kuly Khan conveyed his wife and his son Yahia Khan to the fort of Barahbatty, and then marched from Cutteck to Bala­sore*.

He threw up an intrenchment from the mountains of Neelgury* to the river, and there waited the arrival of Alyvirdy Khan, unsuspicious of the treachery of Mekhless Khan.

Alyvirdy Khan arrived at Midnapoor by rapid marches; and, after engaging in his interest the zemindars of that quarter, proceeded to Jelasore, where he encamped. At Rajghaut, on the opposite side of the river Sebunrekha, the Moorbunge rajah had garrisoned another tan­nah, and thrown up an intrenchment. All Alyvirdy Khan’s attempts to gain him were inef­fectual: but at last, Alyvirdy Khan ordered his artillery to cannonade the place, when the rajah and his men deserted the post, and retreated into the jungles. He then marched forward, unmolested, to Ramchunderpoor*, between four and five cose* from Moorshed Kuly Khan’s intrenchment. Frequent messages passed between them for near a month, during which time Moorshed Kuly Khan never stirred out of his intrenchment. Alyvirdy Khan was at last so much distressed by the want of grain, for his army, which consisted of near one hun­dred thousand men, whilst the periodical rains were near at hand, that he began to apprehend they would fall a prey to famine and the enemy; and therefore was undetermined whether to make peace, or to go back to Bengal, and return again after the rains. But Mustafa Khan, who commanded his Afghans, was decidedly against pacific measures, and advised him to canton his army in Orissa during the rains.