Delhi in Moghal Times
a successful raid of Ghazi-ud-din on Lahore. When Ahmad Khan arrived within twenty miles of Delhi, Ghazi moved out against him, but the
intrigues of Alamgir caused the desertion of a great part of his troops, whereupon Ghazi made the most of his personality to ingratiate himself with the invader, succeeding so well that he at
once got into great favour with him. Ahmad Khan entered Delhi on January 20, 1757, and assumed the government, extorting money from
the unhappy people, and inflicting on them indignities which must have almost made them sigh for Nadir Shah. After a stay of two months Ahmad Khan proceeded to Muttra to sack that place, and lay waste the Jat territories, leaving Ghazi-ud-din as powerful as ever in Delhi, and Alamgir, as we may suppose, deeply regretting his arrant folly, his failure in intrigue, and the enmity which he had aroused in Ghazi's breast. That individual had in him a vein of great cruelty which overshadowed his better nature, and he now commenced a general oppression, backing his power by the employment of a horde of Mahratta mercenaries, the payment of whom came from his unfortunate enemies in the state.
In 1759 Ahmad Khan Abdali again invaded the country, and Ghazi did not feel at all comfortable at his approach ; he determined to rid241
