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here I must observe, though it diverts the immediate object of research, that Frafer's affertion ftands unaccompanied by any detail of events, defcriptive of the benefit which Saadut Khan derived. from the invasion: nor has he quoted, in fupport of it, any specific authority. If a probable conclufion, indeed, is to be drawn from Frafer's relation of the conduct of Saadut Khan, during the Persian war, I would with little hesitation say, that the Governor of Oude held no fhare in the councils or favour of Nadir Shah, For had he obtained the protection of that Prince, to which he ftood entitled from the fervices imputed to him, it is not probable that fo large a fhare of the difafter of the Dehli army at Karnal, would have fallen on this officer,

In a paffage of Fraser's history, it is feen, I think, that Saadut Khan could not have held a confidential correfpondence with the Perfian, or experienced any portion of his indulgence. Fraser says, "Before I relate the treacherous correfpondence carried on be"tween Nizam Saadut Khan, and Nadir Shah, the invitation they 66 gave him to march towards Hindoftan, which was the princi"pal motive that encouraged him to undertake the expedition, I "fhall," &c.-- And in the other part of the book it is mentioned, that on Nadir's approach towards the capital, Saadut Khan received orders to join the Dehli army, and that he had already crossed the Ganges, when he was directed to return to Oude. It had been

There is no future mention made of the correspondence.

refolved

refolved in the councils of Mahomet Shah, which were distracted and wavering, that the army should take the field under the command of the Vizier and that the Emperor, protected by the forces of Saadut Khan, should remain at Dehli. This Omrah was required to undertake the charge, but an ill state of health at that time detained him in Oude. He arrived in February 1739, in the camp of Mahomet Shah, who receding from his former determination, had joined the army. On the day of Saadut Khan's junction* with the imperial forces, his camp was attacked and plundered by a body of Perfian troops, who flew many of his attendants. Saadut Khan, on receiving information of the disaster, left the King's apartments, where he had been in waiting, and haftened to the affiftance of his party. Khan Dowrah, the imperial general, marched to the relief of Saadut Khan, and in a fhort time, most of the imperial officers of Mahomet Shah, who commanded fepaperate bodies, came into action. Nadir Shah, seeing the contest become obftinate and ferious, appeared himself at the head of his troops, who then were irrefiftable, and a complete victory was gained over the Dehli army, which fuffered a fevere loss in men and officers. Khan Dowrah was mortally wounded: his eldest fon, with many Omrahs, were flain; and Saadut Khan fell into the hands of the enemy. In the army of Nadir it is faid, that 2500 foldiers, with seven principal officers, were killed, and that 5000

The army was encamped at Karnal, about 100 miles to the weftward of Dehli.

ment

men were wounded. After the engagement, Nadir Shah ordered a tent to be pitched near his own quarters, for the accommodation of Saadut Khan, and two other Omrahs of Mahomet Shah. The baggage of thefe officers was ftationed on the outside of the camp, together with their fervants, none of whom were permitted to attend them, nor were they allowed to make use of their own provifions. Little farther mention is made of Saadut Khan by Mr. Frafer after this affair, than that he was appointed to guard the city of Dehli, on the day of Nadir Shah's first entrance. This writer likewise fays, that Nadir Shah, fummoning Saadut Khan before him on the 9th of March 1739, reprehended him in harsh language for being the cause of impeding the collection of the imposts,* and that on the next day, Saadut Khan died, having been before weak and indisposed. Mr. Frafer concludes his relation of Saadut Khan, by obferving, that fome imagined he died through anger of the abufive reproach of Nadir; and others are of opinion, that jealousy provoked him to take poison.t

MR. Fraser's relation of the conduct of Saadut Khan, the spirit of which is strictly adhered to, now awaits a difpaffionate decifion, which is to determine the probable truth of Saadut Khan's invitation of Nadir Shah into India. This author, who has unqueftionably left us a valuable tract of Indian history, in other passages of

* A tax laid by Nadir Shah on the inhabitants of Dehli.

+ It was believed at Dehli, that Saadut died of the effects of an ulcer in his leg.

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his book, obferves, that the Perfian Prince fhewed marks of indulgence and liberality to many of Mahomet Shah's Omrahs, but no example is brought forward of his munificence, or even lenity, having been extended to Saadut Khan. On the contrary, it is seen, that Saadut Khan fuffered feverely in the action of Karnal, and was fubfequently treated with much rigour.

SUFDAR Jung, who refided at Oude at the period of Saadut Khan's death, fucceeded to the Government; an appointment, according to the tradition of the family, conferred on him by Nadir Shah yet I am induced to believe, from the liberal conduct of the Perfian to Mahomet Shah, that Sufdar Jung received the promotion at the hands of his own fovereign. Sufdar Jung, after the march of the Perfian army from Dehli, came to court, where he obtained the office of Meer Atufh, or grand mafter of the ordnance.

In the year 1746, Ahmed Shah, the Duranny, invaded Hindostan, and had advanced to Sirhend, where he was fuccefsfully oppofed by the Dehli army, in which Sufdar Jung had a confidersable charge. Soon after the acceffion of Ahmed Shah * to the throne, Sufdar Jung was advanced to the Vizarut, and his fon, Shujah-ud-Dowlah, to the command of the ordnance. frong party at court, compofed of Ghaze-ud-Dein,+ Najeb-ud

*This prince commenced his reign in 1747.

The grandfon of the great Nizam-ul-Mulck.

But a

Dowlah,

Dowlah, the Rohilla chief, and Tameid Khan, a court eunuch, prevailing against the interest of Sufdar Jung, he was compelled to leave Dehli; but not before he had cut off Janied Khan, whom he caused to be assassinated in his own house, at an entertainment given to the eunuch.

SUFDAR Jung, having collected a large force, invaded the Imperial territories, and laid fiege* to the capital, which was closely invested for the space of fix months. He is accused of committing many enormities and wanton acts of violence during the siege, particularly of cannonading the palace, the deftruction of which could not have facilitated the capture of the fort. The court of Dehli was compelled to accede to the terms of the rebel, who required a formal grant of the provinces of Oude and Allahabad, for himself and his heirs.-Sufdar Jung died in the year 1754, during the reign of Alumguir Sani, and was succeeded in the subahdarry of Oude, by his fon Shujah-ud-Dowlah,† then about twenty-five years of age. As the defign of this work does not admit of any enlargement on the subject of Sufdar Jung, it will fuffice to fay, that his difpofition was fevere, often cruel; and that his rapacious avarice threw uncommon odium on his name.

t 1

To illustrate the commencement of Shujah-ud-Dowlah's public

This event happened in 1753.

+ This domestic name of this prince was Tillah-ud-Dein Hyder. His father, who was in the Oude province during the birth of Shujah-ud-Dowlah, built, in the neighbourhood of Lucknow, the fort of Tillahabad, in commemoration of the event.

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