The Seven Cities of Delhi
be cut by a lancet, which had a disfiguring effect, or could be seared by a red-hot wire pencil. Which method was adopted in this case does not matter, but blinded the emperor was, and consigned to the state prison at Salimgarh. He disappears from history, and the date of his death is not known, nor the place of his burial,although
one account places it near the Kadam Sharif.
The new emperor was the son of Jahandar Shah, and ascended the throne with the title of ALAMGIR SANI, the "second conqueror of the world." As a matter of fact, he was not even master of his capital ; Ghazi-ud-din was the virtual ruler without fear of a rival, for Safdar Jang died at this time, a.d. 1754. The empire had been reduced to a few districts around Delhi,the Punjab was gone, the Deccan and Oudh were separate kingdoms, and practically all the rest of India belonged to the Mahrattas, except the gradually increasing territories of the Honourable East India Company. The battle of Plassey was fought in the fourth year of Alamgir's reign, on June 23, 1757.
Alamgir was now foolish enough to intrigue against his master, and thought he saw a good way to undermine the power of GhazI by calling in the Durani, who indeed did not require much invitation, for he had been greatly incensed by240
