Page:History of the French in India.djvu/392

 368 BUSSY TO 1754. chap, removed the necessity for further negotiations. Living ' > at Aurangabad in the ancient palace of the Subadars 1751. was one of the widows of Nizam-ul-Mulk — she who had borne him bat one son, the next in order to Salabat Jang, Nizam All. All the hopes of this lady were con- centrated in the ardent desire to see this son sitting on the viceregal seat of his father. Between that wish and its accomplishment there were however two obstacles. One of these, Salabat Jang, was out of her reach ; the other, Ghazi-ud-din, was at Aurangabad. To thrust him out of the path she wished her son to follow she had no scruple as to the means by which such a result might be obtained. She accordingly invited Ghazi-ud- din to a feast, and in a dish of which she persuaded him to partake, telling him truly that it had been pre- pared with her own hands, she poisoned him. Ghazi- ud-din died that night. The commission of this crime left Salabat Jang with- out an avowed competitor for the office of Subadar of the Dakhan. He had still, however, before him the whole force of the Marathas, not only the army of the Peshwa, but, united with it, those of Holkar and the Bhonsla. The ruler of the Muhammadan state of Burhanpur, who had before declared for Ghazi-ud-din, now announced his intention to stand by his engage- ments with the Marathas. There remained then to Salabat Jang the alternative of a murderous and doubt- ful war, or the resignation to the Marathas, offered by Ghazi-ud-din, of the territory west of Birar from the Tapti to the Godavari. The decision was left by the Subadar to Bussy, and he regarding a solid peace on such conditions as more favourable alike to the interests of the French and the Subadar than a doubtful war, recommended compliance with the terms offered, stipu- lating only that the Bhonsla should retire beyond the Wainganga river. This stiuulation was agreed to, and peace was proclaimed.