Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/465

 Chap. IV.] POLITICAL STATE OF THE CARNATIC. 431

Sufder All, was arrived at man's estate, and several daughters, one of whom a.d. 1732. was married to Mm-teza Khan, or Mortiz Ali, his brother's son, and another to a distant relation of the name of Chunda Sahib, whose daughter by a former DoastAU. mamage was the wife of the above Gholam Hussein, Doast All's dewan. Chunda Sahib, thus son-in-law to the nabob and father-in-law to his minister, naturally ])0ssessed great influence at com-t. His ambition tempted, and his talents enabled him to make the most of it. Ere long, under a pretext of assisting his father-in-law in administering the office of dewan, he had managed to supplant him. Not satisfied with the civil power thus placed entirely in his hands, he aspired to military power also, and obtained it by ingratiating himself with the soldiers.

The Rajah of Trichinopoly had died, like Saadut Oolla, in 1732, and, like Ti.e R.ijai.

_ of Tricliiiio-

him, also without issue. He had destined the succession to his first wife, but it i)oiy. was claimed by a collateral male heir, who, by the support of the commander- in-chief, pushed the ranee, or queen, to the desperate step of soliciting the aid of the Nabob of Arcot. It was readily granted ; and an army entered the rajah- ship, ostensibly for the purpose of collecting the accustomed tribute, but with a secret understanding that it was to support the queen. It was commanded by Sufder Ali and Chunda Sahib, and gradually ap])roached the capital, where the (^ueen still held possession, but by a tenure so precarious, that the admission of a portion of the nabob's troops was deemed necessary to her safety. She was weU aware of the danger which she thus incurred, and took what she conceived to be an effectual secm-ity against it, by requiring Chunda Sahib, who con- ducted the negotiation, to take an oath on the Koran, that the admitted troops should be employed solely to re-establish her authority, and then be withdrawn. He took the oath, but having no intention to keep it, took it only on a brick wrapped up in the usual splendid covering of the Koran, and no sooner gained possession than he made the ranee prisoner, and hoisted the Mahometan flag. Measures had been so effectually taken, not only in the fortress of Trichinopoly, but at various other stations, that the whole country submitted without resistance to this abominable treachery.

Sufder Ali retm'ned home, leaving Chunda Sahib as governor. The office Treacher>- "of dewan of Ai'cot having thus become vacant, was conferred on Meer Assud, sauiu. Sufder All's preceptor, who, well aware of Chmida Sahibs ambitious character, quickly perceived the serious blmider which had been committed in making liim ruler of Trichinopoly. It was more than probable that he would be tempted to revolt, and then the tribute withheld would be the least part of the loss, as the independence of the nabobship itself would be endangered. These representations had their full effect on Sufder Ali, but were lost on his father, Doast Ali, who, besides being of an indolent temper, was disposed to judge Chunda Sahib more favom'ably, and refused to sjxnction an}' proceedings agaiiLst him. The fact, however, that such proceedings had been urged, was not lost on