grandeur. Hafiz Rhamut had borne a part in the actions of his countrymen in India; he had feen that no limits are affixed to power, and that no duties, prefcribed for the guidance of men, impede the ftrides of ambition. The death of Saud Ullah Khan, which happened in 1761, at Owlah, contributed to fix the power of Hafiz Rhamut, and relieved him from his proportioned payment of the fum, that had been affigned for the maintenance of that chief. THE want of established facts for defcribing in regular order the History of the Rohillas, confined me to the use of such materials, as immediately mark their military progress, or lead to the effential changes of their government. In my Rohilla papers it is mentioned, that on Sufdar Jung's death,* Ghaze-ud-Dein, the Vizier of the Empire,† joined by Ahmed Khan Bungush,‡ marched an army into Oude, and commenced hostilities against Shujahud-Dowlah, who had refused to make any pecuniary acknowledgments to the court on the event of his acceffion, or render an account of the personal estate of his father.§ Shujah-ud-Dowlah, aware of his inability to refift this attack alone, folicited the aid of the Rohilla states, who affenting to the request, came into Oude He died in the year 1754. + Ahmed Shah then fat on the throne of Delhi. The Navaab of Furruckabad. § In Mahometan ftates, the prince on the death of a subject, becomes the heir of his property; which is often remitted to the family on the payment of a moderate fine. with a large force. The Rohilla chiefs ultimately effected a ceffation of hoftility between the contending parties; and being chofen to decide on the claims preferred by Ghaze-ud-Dein, it was ftipulated, that Shujah-ud-Dowlah should appropriate certain districts of the annual value of five lacks of rupees, to the use of the Imperial family. Nor was this engagement acceded to by Ghaze-ud-Dein, until Saud Ullah Khan had agreed to become fecurity for its performance.*- Saud Ullah Khan, in 1760, had accompanied the Rohilla army to the relief of Najeb Khan, one of the Rohilla chiefs, who was invested by a body of Mahrattas at Sookertal; and this appears to be the last public act which Saud Ullah performed. THAT you may view more comprehensively the fituation of the Rohillas at the period of Saud Ullah's death, it is necessary to lay before you a brief defcription of thofe officers; who at that time held poffeffions in Rohilcund. Dhoondy Khan, in the partition of lands which were assigned to the chiefs, obtained the districts of the Biffouly, Morababad, Chaundpore, and Sumbul. He died previously to the Rohilla war, 1774, leaving three fons, the eldest of whom, Mohubbullah * It was on this occafion, I believe, that Shujah-ud-Dowlah and Saud Ullah made an exchange of their turbans. This ceremony is obferved by the Mahometans in India as a pledge of friendship, and sometimes it is practifed in the ratification of treaties. + The name of a village, and ford of the Ganges. See Rennell's Map. Towns in Rohilcund.-See Rennell's Map. Khan, Khan, fucceeded to the largest portion of his territory.* Mullah Surdar Khan, to whom the districts of Sunejah Kote,† and fome other adjacent lands had been affigned, left fix fons; amongst whom diffentions arifing about the divifion of the inheritance, the two eldeft, Ahmed Khan and Mahomet Khan, had recourse to arms, for the decifion of the contest. Ahmed Khan, supported by Hafiz Rhamut, defeated his brother in an action, and took him prifoner. Futtah Khan, one of the early affociates of Ali Mahomet, who had accumulated much wealth from the office § he had fo long filled, held the districts of Bandaum, Auffete, and Heffinpour. This officer, who died before the expulfion of the Rohillas, was fucceeded in the territorial property, by his eldest fon Ahmed Khan.¶ The widow of Saud Ullah Khan, held in high estimation for a liberality of difpofition and pious deportment, refided in the town of Owlah, which had been by the confent of the chiefs, committed to her immediate charge. After the *This chief, confiding in an engagement made with the Vizier, in which it was ftipulated that he should not be molested by the combined army, did not appear in arms during the Rohilla War, 1743. But the Vizier violating the agreement, ftripped him of his territory and treasure. Situate at the diftance of forty-four computed miles to the weftward of Bareily. Vide Rennell's Map. Ahmed Khan commanded part of the Rohilla army in the war, 1774. Towns lying in the wet and fouth quarters of Rohilcund. Ahmed Khan, the fon of Futtah Khan, after the defeat of the Rohillas in 1774, joined the army of Fyze Ullah, at Laldong, and retired with that chief to Rampour. death death of Saud Ullah, when the common authority of the government had devolved on Hafiz Rhamut, it is not feen that the Rohilla arms were extenfively employed, or that any important revolution affected their state. They had previously to the Vizier's invafion of Rohilcund, carried on a defultory war with the Mahrattas, and feized on certain of their districts in the Duab, which continued a short time in the Rohilla poffeffion. The Mahrattas who afterwards came in great force, expelled the Rohillas from the Duab, and laid waste the eastern quarter of Rohilcund. As a short history of the life of Shujah-ud-Dowlah will be annexed in which the principal events of the Rohilla war are noticed, a difcuffion of them in this place becomes unnecessary. THE form of government adopted by the Rohillas in India, of near affinity to that which exifts in their native country, may be denominated feudal. The fucceffors of Daoud Khan poffeffing flender hereditary pretenfions, and furrounded by the men who had effentially aided in the first conqueft, held but a limited fway. Sundar Khan and Futtah Khan, two of the most respectable of the Rohillas, never ceafed to oppose the progrefs of Hafiz Rhamut, which was confpicuously directed to sovereign rule and by a zealous attachment to the party of Saud Ullah's widow, who was beloved by the people, they formed a moderate counterpoife to the encroaching power of that chief. Here it becomes my duty, whether as the compiler of Rohilla tracts, or a recorder of common fame, to briefly delineate the ; character character of Hafiz Rhamut. Born and reared to manhood in a country,* where its people are taught to confider a military as the only laudable profeffion, and that the fword conveys an irreproachable title to every acquifition, Hafiz Rhamut, conftitutionally brave, became an enterprifing foldier. His government was founded on the common basis of an active system; but flourished from the knowledge he poffeffed of its resources. He seems to have maintained a general good faith in public transactions, and though in the attainment of power he trampled on another's right, his genius and valor preserved the allegiance, and perhaps the love of his people; who faw in him a master, whose hand was equally prompt to indulgence or protection. And here I am impelled to fay, that Shujah-ud-Dowlah alone, would never have dared Hafiz to the field. Hafiz Rhamut, like most of the chiefs or princes of a country, where fucceffion falls to the strongest arm, was unfortunate in his family: Enayat Khan his eldest son, took up arms against him, was defeated, and obliged to seek shelter with Shujah-ud-Dowlah, in whose army he served at the Battle of Buxar.+ Diffentions had arisen also amongst the descendants of the other Rohilla officers, which involved the country in general commotion, and on the arrival of the united forces of the English and Shujah-ud-Dowlah in Rohilcund, the * Afghanistan. + He afterwards returned to Rohilcund, where he died before the last Rohilla war. |
