Tempo:
CHAP. V
BHANGI MISAL PRE-EMINENT
105
tendered his submission. Dehsu Singh, of Kaithal, rm-5. was seized and heavily mulcted, ^nd the army approached Patiala. Amar Singh promised fealty and tribute, and Baghel Singh seemed sincere in his mediation; but suddenly it was learnt that a large body of Sikhs had marched from Lahore, and the Mughal troops retired succeeds in with precipitation to Panipat, not without a suspicion ^^^^ °"^^" that the cupidity of the minister had been gratified with Sikh gold, and had induced him to betray his master's interests. Amar Singh died in 1781, leaving a minor ^^^^ son of imbecile mind. Two years afterwards a famine p "^^, °^ desolated Hariana; the people perished or sought other dfes^ nsi homes; Sirsa was deserted, and a large tract of country passed at the time from under regular sway, and could not afterwards be recovered by the Sikhs.^ In the Doab of the Ganges and Jumna, the Sikhs zabita rather subsidized Zabita Khan, the son of Najib-udff^N^^jb"" daula, than became his deferential allies. That chief ud-dauia" had designs, perhaps, upon the titular ministry of the aided in his empire, and having obtained a partial success over the designs on imperial troops, he proceeded, in 1776, towards Delhi, ^^^ niiniswith the intention of laying siege to the city. But ^'^^ ^^ *^^ when the time for action arrived he mistrusted his power; the emperor, on his part, did not care to provoke him too far; a compromise was effected, and he was confirmed in his possession of Saharanpur. On this occasion Zabita Khan was accompanied by a body of Sikhs, and he was so desirous of conciliating them, that he is credibly said to have adopted their- dress, to have received the Pahul, or initiatory rite, and to have taken the new name of Dharam Singh.-
Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, when compelled to fly to the '^^^ ravages
Punjab by the Kanhaya and Ahluwalia confederacies, °^ ^^ ^^^^ was aided by Amar Singh Phulkia in establishing him- ^^^ Rohnself in the country near Hissar, whence he proceeded khand to levy exactions up to the walls of Delhi. In 1781 a under Babody of Phulkia and other Sikhs marched down the ghei singh Doab, but they were successfully attacked under the ^^°^^ walls of Meerut by the imperial commander Mirza f^gf.g^^' Shafi Beg, and Gajpat Singh of Jind was taken pri- ^he sikhs soner. Nevertheless, in 1783, Baghel Singh and other defeated at commanders were strong enough to propose crossing Meerut. the Ganges, but they were deterred by the watchful- ^'^^• 1 Manuscript histories, and Mr. Ross Bell's report of 1836, on the Bhattiana boundary. Cf. Francklin, Shah Alam, pp. 86, 90, and Shah Nawaz Khan's Epitome of Indian History, called
Mirrit-i-Aftab -
Numa.
Cf. Forster, Travels,
i.
325;
and Francklin, Shah Alam, p. 72.
Browne, India Tracts; ii.
29;
BHANGI MISAL PRE-EMINENT
105
tendered his submission. Dehsu Singh, of Kaithal, rm-5. was seized and heavily mulcted, ^nd the army approached Patiala. Amar Singh promised fealty and tribute, and Baghel Singh seemed sincere in his mediation; but suddenly it was learnt that a large body of Sikhs had marched from Lahore, and the Mughal troops retired succeeds in with precipitation to Panipat, not without a suspicion ^^^^ °"^^" that the cupidity of the minister had been gratified with Sikh gold, and had induced him to betray his master's interests. Amar Singh died in 1781, leaving a minor ^^^^ son of imbecile mind. Two years afterwards a famine p "^^, °^ desolated Hariana; the people perished or sought other dfes^ nsi homes; Sirsa was deserted, and a large tract of country passed at the time from under regular sway, and could not afterwards be recovered by the Sikhs.^ In the Doab of the Ganges and Jumna, the Sikhs zabita rather subsidized Zabita Khan, the son of Najib-udff^N^^jb"" daula, than became his deferential allies. That chief ud-dauia" had designs, perhaps, upon the titular ministry of the aided in his empire, and having obtained a partial success over the designs on imperial troops, he proceeded, in 1776, towards Delhi, ^^^ niiniswith the intention of laying siege to the city. But ^'^^ ^^ *^^ when the time for action arrived he mistrusted his power; the emperor, on his part, did not care to provoke him too far; a compromise was effected, and he was confirmed in his possession of Saharanpur. On this occasion Zabita Khan was accompanied by a body of Sikhs, and he was so desirous of conciliating them, that he is credibly said to have adopted their- dress, to have received the Pahul, or initiatory rite, and to have taken the new name of Dharam Singh.-
Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, when compelled to fly to the '^^^ ravages
Punjab by the Kanhaya and Ahluwalia confederacies, °^ ^^ ^^^^ was aided by Amar Singh Phulkia in establishing him- ^^^ Rohnself in the country near Hissar, whence he proceeded khand to levy exactions up to the walls of Delhi. In 1781 a under Babody of Phulkia and other Sikhs marched down the ghei singh Doab, but they were successfully attacked under the ^^°^^ walls of Meerut by the imperial commander Mirza f^gf.g^^' Shafi Beg, and Gajpat Singh of Jind was taken pri- ^he sikhs soner. Nevertheless, in 1783, Baghel Singh and other defeated at commanders were strong enough to propose crossing Meerut. the Ganges, but they were deterred by the watchful- ^'^^• 1 Manuscript histories, and Mr. Ross Bell's report of 1836, on the Bhattiana boundary. Cf. Francklin, Shah Alam, pp. 86, 90, and Shah Nawaz Khan's Epitome of Indian History, called
Mirrit-i-Aftab -
Numa.
Cf. Forster, Travels,
i.
325;
and Francklin, Shah Alam, p. 72.
Browne, India Tracts; ii.
29;
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