Capt. Franklin's Memoir on Bundelkhund. 271 



assignment on territory, promised all his influence and power in aiding the 

 conquest ; and by his means Rdjd Bijaya Behadur, then smarting under 

 the effects of Nijni Arjun Sink's invasion of Chircdri, was induced to favour 

 the design ; and Ali Behadur accordingly entered Bundelkhund with a 

 powerful army. The first efforts of the Mahrattas were decisive ; they were 

 opposed by Nuni Arjun Sinh, and a bloody battle was fought between 

 them near the fortress of Ajayghar, in which the guardian was slain, and 

 the minor Rdjd Bhacti Balli became the prisoner of the conqueror. 



It does not appear, however, that he was ever able to effect a complete 

 conquest of that country. After tliree years of harassing warfare, he pre- 

 pared to consolidate his conquests by the capture of CaUinger : but this was 

 an undertaking far beyond his means and capacity ; the siege was almost 

 immediately converted into a blockade ; and ten years of fruitless endeavour 

 had passed away, when he died, witliout the attainment of his object. 



On the death of Ali Behadur, which happened in 1801-2, Himmat 

 Behadur avowed his intentions of maintaining the government for the 

 Newab's eldest son, ShamshIr Behadur, who was at Pwid witli his mother; 

 and, during his absence, the younger son Zulficar Ali, being then in camp, 

 was elevated, as a temporary measure, under the guardianship of a near 

 relative, named Guam Behadur. In the mean time, however, affairs at 

 Puna had taken a very serious turn. The Peshwa had been driven to 

 Bassin by the rebellion of Jeswunt Eao Holcar, and the otiier Mahratta 

 chieftains; where he concluded that Treaty with the British Government, 

 which is known under tlie name of the treaty of Bassin, the stipulations of 

 which occasioned the war of 1803-i between the British Governmeut and 

 the Mahratta confederates. 



One of the hostile plans of the confederates" was to invade the British 

 dominions by the way of IJundelkhund ; and Shamshir Behadur, being then 

 at Pund, was chosen as a fit instiiiment for their plans. He was confirmed 

 in the succession of his late father's riglits, and despatched to his govern- 

 ment ; and in the meantime letters were written to Hijimat Behadur and 

 the other adherents of Ali Behadur, requiring tliem to aid in the further- 

 ance of the proposed plan of rendering Bundelkhund the nucleus of the 

 invasion of the British territories which were contiguous to it. 



HiMMAT Behadur, foreseeing in the success of the plan of the con- 

 federates the downfal of liis own autiiority, or perhaps thinking he migiit 

 be able to make better terms with tlie Englisli, resolved on abandoning the 



