, began by his intrigues to sow the seeds of dissension among
the nabobs, that he might be the better able to fish in troubled waters.
Nizam Almuluck, the mogul's viceroy of Decan, having the right of
nominating a governor of the Carnatic, now more generally known by the
name of the nabob of Arcot, appointed Anaverdy Khan to that office, in
the year one thousand seven hundred and forty-five. The viceroy dying,
was succeeded in his viceroyalty, or subaship, by his second son
Nazirzing, whom the mogul confirmed. He was opposed in his pretensions
by his own cousin Muzapherzing, who had recourse to the assistance
of M. Dupleix, and obtained from him a reinforcement of Europeans and
artillery, in consideration of many presents and promises, which he
fulfilled in the sequel. Thus reinforced, and joined by one Chunda Saib,
an active Indian chief, he took the field against his kinsman Nazirzing,
who was supported by a body of English troops under colonel Laurence.
The French, dreading an engagement, retired in the night; and
Muzapherzing, seeing himself abandoned by all his own troops, appealed
to the clemency of his cousin, who spared his life, but detained him as
a state prisoner. In this situation, he formed a conspiracy against
his kinsman's life, with Nazirzing's prime minister, and the nabobs
of Cadupab and Condaneor, then in his camp; and the conspirators were
encouraged in their scheme by Dupleix and Chunda Saib, who had retired
to Pondicherry. Thus stimulated, they murdered Nazirzing in his camp,
and proclaimed Muzapherzing viceroy of Decan. In the tents of the
murdered viceroy they found an immense treasure, of which a great
share fell to M. Dupleix, whom Muzapherzing the usurper at this time
associated in the government. By virtue of this association, the
Frenchman assumed the state and formalities of an eastern prince; and
he and his colleague Muzapherzing appointed Chunda Saib nabob of Arcot;
Anaverdy Khan, the late nabob, had been, in the year one thousand seven
hundred and forty-nine, defeated and slain by Muzapherzing and Chunda
Saib, with the assistance of their French auxiliaries; and his son
Mahommed Ali Khan had put himself under the protection of the English
at Madras, and was confirmed by Nazirzing, as his father's successor in
the nabobship, or government of Arcot. This government, therefore,
was disputed between Mahommed Ali Khan, appointed by the legal viceroy
Nazirzing, supported by the English company,