1 bbS8 WISTORY OF THE PANJAB,
2 time he forgot all State affairs, and gave himself up entirely to her com-
3 pany. He, at length, married her according to the Mahomedan. rites, and
4 the nuptials were celebrated with great pomp and splendour in a haveli,
5 specially purchased for her, between the Shahabin and Lahori gates, called
6 the Ghobarchion ka katia, close to which Moran resided.
7 She obtained a great ascendancy over the Sikh chief, and under his sanc-
8 Andcoins mouey in tion money was coined at Lahore, bearing the inscription of Moran, as the
9 her namo, favourite queen of Ranjit Singh. On one occasion the Maharaja appointed
10 lahi Baksh, a tape-maker, to the supreme command of his artillery, for no
11 other reason than that he was an adept in the exercise of the clubs, of
12 which the Maharaja was fond.
13 The negligence into which he had fallen through the fascinations of his
14 Pilgrimage toHardo- Newly married wife at last came to an end. He resumed his wonted
15 war, attention to the affairs of State; performed a pilgrimage to Hardowar (in
16 which he was accompanied by Moran); received the homage of Fatteh
17 Singh, Ahluwalia, and other chiefs; was presented with nazrdénds in cash
18 by the sardars whose territories he passed through, and distributed a lakh of
19 rupees to the poor of Hardowar.
20 The assassination of On his return from the Ganges, news reached him of the assassination,
21 Vizam-ud- L ° . 1. ed » °
22 Rab ud-din Khaw, of Sy 9 domestic fued, of Nizaim-ud-din Khan, of Kastir, by his brother-in-law
23 Wadsal Khan, Haji Khan and Najib Khan, the two former of whom were recently
24 hostages at the court of Lahore. The cause of the quarrel was the
25 resumption of the jdgirs of the murderers by Nizdm-ud-din Khan. The
26 Fourth invasion of | OCcasion appeared to favour the designs of Ranjit Singh, who, with a large
27 Kastir, 1602, force of confederated Sikhs, marched against the new chief, Kutb-ud-din,
28 brother of the deceased. He was also joined in his expedition by his ally,
29 the Ahluwalia chief. Kutb-ud-din was thoroughly prepared for Ranjit’s
30 advance, and boldly resisted it. He fortified the whole of his strongholds,
31 stationed his Afghdn troops in ambush about the country, and did every-
32 thing in his power to frustrate the Mahardaja’s designs, and in this he
33 The Pathans offer n Succeeded so far that, for several months, the invaders gained no advantage
34 Bp atee nce over the besieged. Ranjit now had recourse to his old plan of trying to
35 persuade the Afghans that all was for their benefit, and that it would be to
36 their advantage to surrender. This ruse having failed, he determined to
37 cut off their supplies, by which means he ultimately succeeded in gain-
38 ing the day. Famine caused many deaths among the besieged, and
39 eventually forced them to capitulate. As the Maharajé had no desire
40 The Maharaja retires to protract the siege, he readily consented to receive a war indemnity from
41 mat SC Rutb-ud-din Khan, as the penalty of his rebellion, and retired from the
42 country.
43 Before the troops had well recovered from the fatigues of the recent
44 campaign, the indefatigable Mahardja set out for Multdn at the head of
45 his army. The chiefs and other dignitaries of his court endeavoured to ~
46 dissuade him from carrying out his intentions with regard to Multdn at
47 The Maharaji mar- that time, representing that the troops were weary and exhausted with
48 Ree a END their recent exertions, and that they could not be expected to- resume the
49 arduous duties of war for some time. Ranjit regarded these counsels as
50 effiminate and untimely, and consequently rejected them. His sole idea
51 was the prize upon which he had set his mind. Multdn was rich, and
52 Multdn he must have at any cost, and this determined him to start on the
53 expedition without delay. When the troops entered the nawab’s dominions,
54 Muzaffar Khan sent his confidential agents to the Sikh chief to induce
55 aera aes him to withdraw on receipt of a nazrdnd and promise of future submission.
56 from the nawab, 182 The nawAb met Ranjit thirty miles from the city. The Maharajé received
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