Ali Gohar Shah Alam II With the murder of Alamgir II, Ali Gohar subsequently ascended the throne, under the title Shah Alam. Ahmad Shah, the Durrani king, crossed the Jamna, to fight battles with the Mahrattas, whom the people of the country were tired of. Both armies lay intrenched for several days, and the Mahrattas were driven from the field with great slaughter, their army of 80,000 was completely destroyed.

The Mahrattas The Mahrattas never lost their spirit and resolved upon a great and decisive action to maintain their supremacy in India. A formidable army, joined with about 30,000 Jats and various Rajput chiefs, marched to Delhi, which was taken over. However, the Mahrattas, unable to cope with the veterans of the Shah in the open field, retired to Panipat. In 1761, in the battle of Panipat, the Shah completely routed the Mahrattas, and they were pursued in every direction by the victorious Afghans. According to the best accounts, the number slain on the side of the Mahrattas was about 200,000.

End of Moghal Power During the absence of Ahmad Shah at Panipat, the Sikhs had again become troublesome in Punjab. The large number of Sikh horsemen swarmed around Lahore, but Ahmad Shah took no steps to counteract. In August 1788, the Emperor was blinded by Gholam Kadar, the Rohilla chief, who was eventually executed. The blind emperor was once more seated on the throne, but nothing remained of the Moghal royalty but the name. Shah Alam II died in 1807 at the age of eighty-one years, and was succeeded by his son Abul Nasar Moinuddin Akber Shah II, who died in 1821. During this period, the Moghal power essentially collapsed, with another race, the Sikhs, gaining political strength and organization in the Punjab.