Lehal Library

Ahmed Shah Abdali 137 any area tbey chose. The Bhangis and Sukerchakias took over the Rechna and Chaj Doabs; the Kanhayas and Ramgarhias. the land between Amritsar and the Himalayas; the Singhpurias and Ahluwalias, territory on both sides of the river Sutlej. At Lahore the sordid intrigues continued. Several attempts were made to oust Mughlani and her eunuchs, but she proved more than a match for her adversaries and even outwitted the wily Adjna Beg Khan by ejecting his deputy with the help of the Afghans. At last, in March 1756, Mughlaru was arrested on the orders of the Wazir and removed to Delhi. The district of Lahore was fanned out to Aclina Beg Khan. Although Mughlani Begam was kept in close confinement, she was able to send word to Abdali exhorting him to reconquer India. She promised to help him loot all her rich relations. 'l know that goods and cash worth crores of rupees lie buried in the palace of my late father-in-law, besides heaps of gold and silver stored inside the ceilings.... If you invade India this time. the Inman Empire with all its riches will fa.lJ into your bands,' she wrote. 15 Mughlani was not the only one to invite the Afghans. Independently of each other, the Mughal emperor, and the Robilla chief, Najibuddaulah. also sent letters pressing Abdali to come to India. Fourth Afghan Invasion, 1756-7: Marathas in the Punjab, 1758 In November 1756 Ahmed Shah Abdali crossed the Indus for the fourth time. The Sikhs let the Afghans through and Adina Beg Kb.an retired to safety to watch which way the wind would blow. 'From Lahore to Sirhind not a village was left tenanted: all men high and low having fled away in all directions.' 10 The Afghans spent twelve days in Lahore before resuming their march on Delhi. They entered the imperial capital on 28 January 1757 and without any provocation began to plunder the 15 Aliuddin, Tbrat Nfimii., 114. 16 Tarikh-i-Al.amgir Sanl; Sarkar, Fall of the Mughal Empin, u, 61-2.