268 Capt. Franklin's Memoir on Bundelkhund. 



times, the troops which garrisoned it, being kept in arrears, mutinied for 

 want of pay, and sold their charge to Rdjd Hridaya Sah. 



Rqjd Hridaya Sah was succeeded by his son, Sabha Sinh, during whose 

 time also this portion seems to have suffered no diminution. He left three 

 sons, Aman Sinh, Hindupati, and KnfeT Sinh; of whom Hindupati acquired 

 the ascendency and succession, by killing his elder brother in battle near 

 Durgdtdl, and by the seizure and confinement of his younger brother, 

 Khet Sinh. 



During the lifetime of Rdjd Hindupati, the affairs of his country were 

 prosperous and flourishing. He encouraged commerce, and is said to have 

 derived considerable revenue from the diamond mines of Panna ; and 

 Challerpore ^Chhatrajyur), under his auspices, became an opulent town and 

 a great mart for commerce. He left three sons, Sernaid Sinh, the eldest, 

 (issue of a second marriage), and Aniruddha Sinh and Dhocal Sinh (issue 

 of his chief Rdni). This circumstance is of importance amongst the 

 Rajputs in cases of succession ; and accordingly he nominated by will Ani- 

 ruddha Sinh to be his successor; and during his minority, he appointed his 

 Dewan, Beni HuztJRi, and Khemji Chore, Kiladar of Callinger, to the 

 office of guardians and managers : and to Sernaid Sinh he gave Rdjnagar 

 and its dependencies, as a provision for him, independent of his brother. 



The jealousy, which arose between the guardians, each aiming at the sole 

 management, induced Khemji Chore to support with all his influence the 

 claim set up by Sernaid Sinh to the succession ; and hence they became 

 declared enemies. A desperate battle was fought between them, without 

 either party gaining the ascendancy ; and their resources being exhausted, 

 they suspended hostilities: and on the death of Aniruddha Sinh, which 

 happened shortly afterwards, they found their interest in agreeing to elevate 

 his brother, Dhocal Sinh, who being a minor, they were thereby enabled 

 to retain the whole authority in their own hands : the Chubd possessing the 

 fort of Callinger, with the country around it, and Bixi HuztjRi the re- 

 mainder of the territory. 



Sernaid Sinh, being disappointed in his hope of establishing his claim 

 through the means of Khemji Chore, applied to NtJ.vi Arjun Sinh, the 

 guardian of the minor Rdjd of Bdndd; and the result of this application, as 

 will be shewn in the sequel, proved fatal to the interests of his family, 

 without advancing his own. Here it is necessary to take up the history of 

 Rdjd Jagat Raj, the second son of the late Rdjd Chhatrasal. 



