When the Marathas had in 1771 placed Shah Alam on the throne of Delhi, they turned their attention to the conquest of the Rohilla country. Alarmed by their approach. the Rohillas temporized with them, and meanwhile proposed an alliance with the Nawab of Oudh. In 1772 an alliance offensive and defensive (No. I) was concluded, by which the Rohillas agreed to pay to the Nawab forty lakhs of rupees, on condition of his expelling the Marathas.
After the Marathas had extorted from the Emperor the grant of the districts of Allahabad and Kora, the Nawab became thoroughly alarmed and applied to the Eng1ish who were bound by Treaty to assist him. At a conference with Warren Hastings at Benares, the Nawab procured the promise of troops to assist him in his designs against the Rohillas, who were unable to resist the Marathas and who had failed in their pecuniary obligations. The Wazir also made a treaty with the Emperor, in which it was stipulated that the Emperor should assist him in the expedition, and receive a share of the conquered territory.
The Rohillas who resisted the invasion of their country, were defeated after a most gallant struggle in which Hafir Rahmai was slain. Faizulla Khan withdrew with the remains of the Rohilla army to the hills, and after some negotiations and petty skirmishes, an Agreement (No. II) known as the Treaty of Lal Dhang, was made between him and the Nawab in 1774 under the British guarantee, by which he was secured in the State of Rampur, on condition of military service to the Wazir. In 1783 the obligaticn of service was commuted (No. III) under the guarantee of the British Government to a cash payment of Rs. 1500,000.
On the death of Faizulla Khan disturbances broke out in the family. Muhammad Ali Khan, the eldest son, was murdered by his brother, Ghulam Muhammad Khan, who usurped the jagir. As the State was held under British guarantee, the aid of British troops was given to the Nawab of Oudh in ejecting the usurper and installing Ahmad Ali Khan, the son Of Muhammad Ali Khan. A preliminary Agreement (No. IV) was executed in 1794 between the British Government, the Nawab, and the Rohilla tribe, after which in the same year Ahmad Ali Khan was restored by Treaty (No. V) under British guarantee to a portion of the State, the rest being annexed to Rohilkhand.
On the cession of Rohilkhand to the British Government in 1801 the family were continued in their possessions.
