Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/701

 Chap. XII.J REAPPEARANCE OF THE SHAZADA. 667

merely nominal sovereignty, while the reality was to be exei'cised by Meer Cos- a.d. neo.

sim, his son-in-law. Mr. Vansittart, as a stranger, was naturally disposed to be gxiided by the local experience of his council, and on their representations, much more than his own independent convictions, concurred in the proposed revolu- tion. Before proceeding to explain its nature and results, it will be necessary to turn for a little to some important military operations.

Calliaud had arrived from Madras with a reinforcement of troops, toward Theshazada the end of November, 17o9. As the reappearance of the shazada on the fron- withtitieof tier had spread general alarm, he set out for Moorshedabad with 350 Europeans, 1000 sepoys, and six pieces of cannon. He was there joined by 15,000 horse and twenty-five pieces of cannon, under the command of Meerun, and proceeded in the direction of Patna. During the march, intelligence arrived that the Emperor Alumgeer 11., during the confusion produced by a new invasion of the Abdallees, had been murdered by his vizier, Ghazi-u-din, and consequentl}^ that the shazada had become the legal possessor of the imperial throne. His former title was therefore exchanged for that of Shah Alum, and it was now impo.ssible to resist him on the same grounds as formerly. He could no longer be regarded as a fugitive from his father's court, but as invested with all the rights of the Mogul. The empire, however, was completely dismembered, and the different nabobs and governors, though still to some degree overawed by the name, con- tinued to pursue any course which seemed most conducive to their own. interest, as if totally unaffected by the change in succession which had taken place. Tiie only individual of political importance who espoused the cause of the new emperor was the Nabob of Oude. He had been invested with the office of vizier of the empire, and behoved at least to make some show of espousing his cause. He did it, however, with so much lukewarmness, that Shah Alum was little benefited, and soon found liis resources totally inadequate to any great enterprise. He was able, with some difficulty, to make his appearance once more before Patna. Ramnarain, the governor, whose fidelity to Meer Jaftier had been suspected during the previous attack, seemed now to be animated with a superabundant zeal, and, contrary to the express injunctions of Calliaud, who had warned liiiii ajjainst risking an engagement till he himself siiould an'ive, marched out, in the hope of gaining glorv. and only su.stained a disgrace- ful defeat. Patna itself woidd probably have fallen had not Calliaud hastened His oiwrn- forward, and completely repaired the disaster. The emperor in his flight reached patnafms the town of Behar, and thei-e took the bold step of marching directly into Bengal. ["'iHami' Calliaud, thus left behind, no sooner became aware of his movements, than he hastened back as fa.st as the perverse delays of Meerun would allow ; and by the aid of boats, which carried his infantry rapidly down the Ganges, while the horse followed by land, came up with the enemy on the 7th of March. The emperor, thus brought to bay, dexterously avoided .an engagement by striking into a mountainous tract; and, after many hardships, made his appearance on