THE REBEL ADMIMSTRATION OF DELHI 27 These attempts were still far short of the requirement to control the plunders and some of the sepoys, who were openly disobeying orders of the civil authorities.20 Apart from attempting to strengthen the city administration, endeavours were also being made to raise troops. Accordingly on 15 May orders were issued to recruit horsemen at a salary of Rs.30 and infantry at Rs.10 per mensem.21 The fast declining law and order situation necessitated the formal involvement of the princes in undertaking military responsibilities to contain the uncontrolled elements in the city. Bahardur Shah assigned various offices to them.22 Mirza Muhammad Jawan Bakht was appointed wazir of the empire perhaps on paper, practically he did not function, and Mirza Zahiruddin Bakht (Mirza Mughal) was appointed "Commander-in-Chief" of the forces (infantry, cavalry and other branches of army). Mirza Abul Hasan alias Abdullah, Mirza Sohrab, Mirza Muhammad Khizr Sultan, Mirza Kochak Sultan and Mirza Muhammad Abu Bakr were assigned different military positions.23 The expectation, perhaps, was that their royal prestige would enable the princes to enforce authority over the rebels. But none of the princes had the ability to discharge the responsibility with competence. Moreover, soon intrigues and conspiracies among the rival factions of the princes further distracted the fledgeling administration. The princes began to exert such authority as they obtained, by proceeding to violate all norms of regular administration. In the meantime, the sepoys captured the king' s private office. They placed guards on the Diwan-i Khas and substituted the king' s personal staff with their own.24 Bhadur Shah was thus surrounded by the sepoys. It is not yet clear that how the princes reacted to the new situation. Their silence, however, suggests their connivance behind the capture of king' s office. Armed with new authority, the princes' greed for money encouraged their troopers to exact money from the leading city bankers. In one of the petitions, two mahajans, Jugal Kishore and Sheo Prasad, drawing the attention of the king urged upon him to prohibit all the princes particularly Mirza Mughal, Mirza Khizr Sultan, Mirza Abu Bakr and Mirza Abdullah from deputing Tilangas or sepoys to their residences for realising money. They also requested the king for deputing soldiers (Najibs) for their protection.25 Though the king ordered Mirza Mughal to comply with the request'26 its implementation, however, seems doubtful.