Etext prepared by Ken West, maghreb@pcisys.net
The Fall of the Moghul Empire of Hindustan, by H. G. Keene
1887
Two editions of this book having been absorbed, it has beenthought that the time was come for its reproduction in a formmore adapted to the use of students. Opportunity has been takento introduce considerable additions and emendations.
The rise and meridian of the Moghul Empire have been related inElphinstone's " History of India: the Hindu and Mahometan Period;" and a Special Study of the subject will Also be found in the "Sketch of the History of Hindustan" published by the presentwriter in 1885. Neither of those works, however, undertakes togive a detailed account of the great Anarchy that marked theconclusion of the eighteenth century, the dark time that camebefore the dawn of British power in the land of the Moghul. Noris there is any other complete English book on the Subject.
The present work is, therefore, to be regarded as a monograph onthe condition of the capital and neighbouring territories, fromthe murder of Alamgir II. in 1759 to the occupation of Dehli byLake in 1803. Some introductory chapters are prefixed, with theview of showing how these events were prepared; and an account ofthe campaign of 1760-1 has been added, because it does not seemto have been hitherto related on a scale proportioned to itsimportance. That short but desperate struggle is interesting asthe last episode of mediΎval war, when battles could be decidedby the action of mounted men in armour. It is also the sine quanon of British Empire in India. Had the Mahrattas not beenconquered then, it is exceedingly doubtful if the British powerin the Bengal Presidency would ever have extended beyond Benares.
The author would wish to conclude this brief explanation byreproducing the remarks which concluded the Preface to his secondedition.
"There were two dangers," it was there observed; "the first, thatof giving too much importance to the period; the second, that ofattempting to illustrate it by stories such as those of Cliveand Hastings which had been told by writers with whomcompetition was out of the question. Brevity, therefore, isstudied; and what may seem baldness will be found to be aconciseness, on which much pains have been bestowed."
"The narrative," it was added, "is one of confusion andtransition; and chiefly interesting in so far as it throws lighton the circumstances which preceded and caused the accession ofthe East India Company to paramount power in India." The authorhas only to add an expression of his hope that, in conjunctionwith Mr. S. Owen's book, what he has here written may help toremove doubts as to the benefits derived by the people of Indiafrom the Revolution under consideration.
Finally, mention should be made of Mr. Elphinstone's posthumouswork, "The Rise of British Power in the East." That work doesnot, indeed, clash with the present book; for it did not enterinto the scope of the distinguished author to give the nativeside of the story, or to study it from the point of view herepresented. For the military and political aims and operations ofthe early British officers in Madras and Bengal, however,Elphinstone will be found a valuable guide. His narrative bearsto our subject a relation similar to that of the "Roman de Rou"to the history of the Carling Empire of Northern France.