/ 104 ♦THE RISE OP THE FRENCH POWER IN INDIA. chap, dar with excuses, and, to be prepared for the worst, he , took up his residence at Vellur, whilst he deposited his 1742. treasures in the custody of the English at Madras.* But a crisis was at hand. The assessment, which the stipulated payment to the Marathas had compelled Safdar Ali to impose upon his nobility, had made him extremely unpopular, and had even caused a combina- tion amongst some of his courtiers to resist it. The unsatisfactory nature of his relations with the Subadar had induced these conspirators to believe that his over- throw would not be regarded with disfavour in that quarter. Amongst those who had joined this con- spiracy, was the other brother-in-law of Safdar Ali, Murtiza Ali by name, a man well known for his cowar- dice, his cruelty, his wealth, and his parsimony. On September 2, 1742, this man, taking advantage of the confidence inspired by the contempt which the Nawwab felt for him, seized the opportunity of Safdar Ali being with but few attendants, first, to cause him to be poisoned, and, that proving ineffectual, to have him stabbed to death. He then proclaimed himself Naw- wab, and obtaining by artful representations possession of Vellur and acknowledgment from the troops, installed himself at Arkat. But the detestation of his crime combined with the contempt felt for his cowardice to make his tenure of office extremely brief. His prin- cipal officers appealed to Murari Rao, Governor of Trichinapalli, and he declared war against him. The English were requested by the insurgent nobility to protect the family and treasure of Safdar Ali, whilst the army, the support of his power, suddenly made a tumul- tuous demand upon him for the payment of their
- Orme states that he transferred nexion which existed between
his confidence, in regard to the cus- Chanda Sahib and M. Dupleix. tody of his family and treasures, This Asad was, as has been already from the French to the English on told, the hitter enemy of* Chanda the advice of his Prime Minister, Sahib, and the author of all his Mir. Asad, who suspected the con- calamities.
