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CHAPTER 4*
EXPANSION OF MARATHA POWER
BALAJI BAJI RAV
Early succees in the north.
BAJI RAV DIED IN APRIL 1740 AND WAS SUCCEEDED in the Pesvaship by his son Balaji then twenty years old, The Chief Minister, by now, ruled in the Raja’s name the central region of Maharastra, north Konkan recently wrested from the Portuguese and levied cauth on Khandes, Malva, Bundelkhand and territories beyond. He commanded the largest army in the Maratha State and his resources were very great. This gave the Pesva family a preponderance in the Raja’s council and therefore the succession of the son to his father’s post was never in doubt. The story of the opposition of Raghuji Bhosle and Babuji Naik to the succession of Balaji Rav first accepted by Grant Duff and implicitly followed by later writers on the authority of Bakhars, appears to be an attempt made by the Pesva’s protagonists to defend his attack on the Nagpur Chief three years later and has little basis in fact.
The succession of Balaji Baji Rav marked no ostensible change in-policy. The new Pesva indicated that he would follow his father’s expansionist policies in all respects and expressed his desire to maintain cordial relations with Rajput princes who had facilitated Maratha entry into Malva and their subsequent successes in Hindustan. The Nizam’s humiliating defeat at Bhopal (1738) had brought the whole of Malva under Maratha control, but the imperial grants which would put the seal of authority on the transfer had been delayed. Young Balaji, therefore, within four months of his investiture marched into Hindustan to renew friendly contacts with the Rajput Chiefs and undo the mischief created by the Nizam during his three years’ stay in the imperial capital. The Nizam’s influence at Delhi, however, was on the wane and the old man, powerless for mischief any more, was hard put to hold his own against his son in the Deccan. He was coming south to meet the threat of Nasir Jang’s revolt and his position looked almost hopeless. The Pesva was anxious to obtain the wizard’s good-will for his northern projects and instead of exploiting the situation of a civil strife in
- This Chapter is contributed by Dr. V. G. Dighe. (^1) Grant Duff, Vol. II, pp. 3-4 (1912 Ed.); (^2) Hingne Daftar, Vol. I, pp. 15-19.
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the family of his neighbour, he went out of his way to call on the Navdb at Edalabad (on the Purna) on 17th January 1741 and assure him of his support to quell the revolt. The friendly assurances caused dismay in the ranks of the rebels and helped the Nizam to overcome his son without difficulty.
The Pesva marched northward levying Couth on his new conquests and arrived at Dholpur on 12th May. Here he met Savai Jai Singh and concluded with him a pact for mutual aid. Both parties swore loyalty to the imperial throne; Jai Singh presented the Pesva a sum of fifteen lakhs of rupees to meet his expenses and promised to obtain for him imperial sanads for the subhedari of Malva. The Pesva on his side agreed to present himself before the Emperor, prevent other Maratha chieftains from crossing the Narmada and raiding imperial territory and send four thousand troops for the imperial service 1. Jai Singh’s negotiations were approved and the grants for Malva were issued in September. The whole of the province now passed into Maratha possession. The Pesva’s chiefs put their seals to the treaty later in 1743.
The Pesva however was not satisfied with the Subhedari of merely one province. As expressed in one of his famous declarations he desired the golden river from the north flow southward to enrich the regions of Maharastra, to utilise the resources of the empire to make his country strong and rich. Next year he again appeared in Bundel-khand and sent envoys to claim cauth for Agra, Allahabad, Patna and Bengal. The imperial court afraid to refuse the Pesva, called on him to fulfil the promise of protecting imperial domains from the disturbances caused by Raghuji Bhosle’s invasion of Bengal and involved him in a dispute with that chief. The Bengal episode is narrated in greater detail later and need not detain us here.
In 1744 there was again trouble in Bundelkhand. The Bundela chiefs were not very happy about the growing demands of the Pesva and rose all over. Two years back they had with great audacity attacked a Maratha revenue collector and put him to death. The terrible retribution this called on them did not prevent these chiefs from revolting once more. Military posts at Jhansi and Sagar were permanently established in this rugged region and put under able Commanders. Bhilsa was recovered from the Navab of Bhopal in March 1745 and Jaipur, the storm-centre of Bundela disaffection, was stormed in 1746 May.
In 1748 the Pesva visited Hindustan for the last time. Abdali had invaded Punjab and there was rift among Pesvas chiefs about the policy to be followed in respect of Jaipur succession. The Pesva visited Delhi and then entered Jaipur territory to bring about a settle ment in the dispute of Jai Sing’s sons. The expedition was barren of results.
(^1) S.P.D., Vol. XV, p. 97; (^2) Rajwade Vol. VI, p. 267.
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aid of Raghuji Bhosle,and marching back with a small Maratha detachment, reoccupied Cuttack, but was again defeated and fell back on Nagpur with his Maratha allies (December 1741).
Raghuji Bhosle by this time had returned from Karnatak. His resounding successes in that region had greatly added to his strength and raised his prestige at the Maratha Court. He immediately plunged into the Bengal adventure. In April 1742 a strong force under Bhosle’s Divan, Bhaskar Ram, advanced swiftly into Bengal through Pacet and entered the Bardvan district. Alivardi Khan in an effort to save his capital threw himself across the invader’s path, was promptly surrounded and barely escaped with his life. The whole of Bengal West of the Ganga passed into Maratha hands; Mursidabad, the Navab’s capital, was raided on 6th May and Hughli, Bengal’s chief port, was seized in July. The Marathas spread over the country demanding tribute wherever they went. A lurid picture of Maratha atrocities during the period of occupation is drawn by the Bengali poet Gangaram in Maharastra Puran. The picture is obviously painted in deep shades and has done grave injustice to Maratha character.
Bhaskar Ram made Katva his headquarters and in the security provided by the swollen rivers and by his light horse, was celebrating Durga Puja, the national festival of Bengal, in September. On the 27th of that month in the early hours of the morning while the Maratha camp was resting after the night’s festivities, it was surprised by the Navab’s troops. Bhaskar Ram who was for some time apprehending danger, immediately broke up his camp and abandoning his equipage and property beat a hasty retreat towards the forests of Chattisgad. His detachments also vacated Bardvan, Hughli, Hijli and other places. Near Medinipur he made an attempt to hold up his pursuers, but failing, withdrew to Nagpur. Bhosle’s first attempt to levy cauth on Bengal and bringing the province under Maratha influence ended rather ingloriously (December 1742).
Raghuji Bhosle immediately fitted another force and personally led it into Bengal. The new Pesva was campaigning in Bundelkhand and was known to be negotiating with the Moghal Darbar for the cauth of Bengal. Raghuji was ill at ease and was anxious to know the Pesva’s intentions. He met the latter at Gaya but the Brahmin minister was too deep for the forthright Maratha and refused to divulge his plans. On the Bhosle’s return to his camp at Katva the Pesva advanced into Bengal and met Alivardi Khan at Plassey. Here they agreed that the Navab should pay Sahu Raja, the cauth for the province through the Pesva’s agency besides 22 lakhs of rupees to the Pesva himself for his expenses. In return the Pesva stipulates that he would settle with Raghuji and not allow him to disturb the peace of the province. He then immediately started in pursuit of the Bhosle. Raghuji broke up his camp at Katva and hastily retired in the direction of Nagpur. The Pesva however by rapid movements
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overtook the Bhosle’s rearguard at one of the passes near Pacet and captured his camp equipage. The Pesva had succeeded in humbling his rival but unwittingly gave a lease of life to the tottering rule of the Moghal Subhedar.
Raghuji now realised the hopelessness of succeeding in Bengal in face of the Pesva’s hostility. He met the Pesva at the Rajas Court and came to an understanding with him obtaining for himself the untrammelled lease of the eastern province (31 Aug. 1743). There was a show of burying the hatchet but both parties remained suspicious and continued scheming against one another.
In 1744 February a fresh force under Bhaskar Ram took the field and entered Bengal by way of Orissa and Medinipur. Bhaskar Ram this year was in a grim mood and struck out in a determined manner. Alivardi Khan was at his wits’ end to meet this fierce onslaught. His submission to the Pesva’s demands had brought him little comfort. The three years’ continuous fighting had exhausted his treasury and drid up his revenues; the large armies raised by him were in arrears and therefore sullen. The Navab was in a desperate mood ; finding himself unable to oppose the Marathas in the field he invited Bhaskar Ram and his colleagues to a conference to discuss peace terms and had them all murdered as they were entering the tent (31 March 1744). Treachery succeeded where arms could not and the Maratha army threatening Bengal melted away giving the Navab a breathing respite.
But Raghuji Bhosle would not allow Alivardi Khan’s base treachery to pass unavenged. There were serious mutinies in the Navab’s army and as soon as Raghuji heard of them he crossed into Orissa (March 1745) occupied Cuttack and then advanced into Bihar. A heavy indemnity of three crores of rupees was demanded for the murder of Maratha generals. Alivardi contrived to beguile the Maratha until he had suppressed the mutinies. Fighting was then resumed and Mursidabad was raided by Maratha light troops on 21 December 1745. Four days later the Navab succeeded in coming up with the main Maratha army near Katva and dispersed it with his cannon. Fighting went on intermittently till the end of the campaigning season.
There were again serious disturbances in the Navab’s army from 1746-1748. The Pathan chieftains who formed the backbone of his military strength, revolted one after another and made Alivardi’s rule precarious. The Navab however showed great steadiness and courage in fighting and overcoming the rebels. The Pesva in the meanwhile had renewed his attempts to obtain the cauth of Bengal for himself and put the Bhosle on the alert. The result was Raghuji was unable to take advantage of the Navab’s difficulties. Orissa however remained with him and from Cuttack as his base he made annual incursions into Bengal by way of Medinipur. The Navab built a cantonment at this place and posted himself there for over a year to prevent the Marathas breaking into Bengal. In
HISTORY – MARATHA PERIOD 73
of the Maratha objective of Hindu pad-padsahi or revival of Hindu power. The new Pesva however could not provide this type of leadership; his shifting and grasping policy in Rajputana ended the traditional Maratha-Rajput alliance and alienated the Rajputs from the Marathas.
Isvari Singh, the elder son of Savai Jai Singh, on coming to the Gadi promised his younger brother Madho Singh an appanage of 24 lakhs of rupees. Madho Singh being born of a Udaipur princess would not be satisfied with this. He contested the succession with his brother and demanded the partition of the Jaipur principality. With the aid of Udaipur troops he invaded Jaipur. Isvari Singh who had secured the help of Sinde and Holkar easily beat off the attack and repudiated the agreement. At this stage Madho Singh succeeded in winning over Malhar Rav Holkar by heavy bribes and renewed the contest. At the battle of Rajmahal in March 1747 the allies were once more defeated and Madho Singh’s levies were completely routed. Both parties sent their agents to the Pesva. Sinde had already protested against breach of the plighted word, but Holkar’s persistent pleading of Madho Singh’s cause and the latter’s promises of considerable cessions to the Pesva made the Pesva shift his ground and he advised his generals to support Madho Singh and press Isvari Singh to cede him 24 lakhs worth of territory. He argued that thus both the princes would be satisfied and Maratha interests would be served.
In May 1748 the Pesva entered Jaipur State with a formidable army. Isvari Singh assumed a very submissive tone and sent his envoys to treat with him. The latter’s demands rose very high. He pressed for a partition of the Jaipur Kingdom and demanded a war indemnity of fifty lakhs of rupees. When Isvari Singh pleaded his inability to satisfy these demands his territory was invaded by Holkar’s troops, and Isvari Singh after some protracted fighting agreed to cede to Madho Singh five paraganas. Malhar Rav Holkar was appeased with a heavy bribe and promises of indemnity.
The tribute promised by Isvari Singh was never received. The Rajput prince had neither his father’s intelligence nor his bravery. His dispute with his brother was draining his treasury. The gathering misfortunes unbalanced the Rajas already weak mind. He now surrounded himself with low domestics and sycophants and removed his capable ministers from office. When therefore a fresh Maratha army invaded Jaipur at the end of 1750 for demanding arrears no courtier would come forward to meet the infuriated Maratha leaders and treat with them. In a mood of despondency the Raja swallowed poison and to ensure that it may not fail caused a cobra to bite him. The Maratha army arrived before Jaipur next day when the city lay lifeless before them. Soon it became known that Isvari Singh out of sheer desperation had put an end to his life and was beyond the reach of his tormentors.
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Holkar and Sinde now invited their protege Madho Singh to Jaipur and seated him on the Gadi. They would not rest content now with arrears and a war indemnity. They demanded cession of one fourth of Jaipur territory. The horrible death of their prince had already embittered the Rajputs against the Marathas and the hitter’s desire to profit by their misfortunes infuriated them. Madho Singh no longer desired Maratha protection and was anxious to shake off his erstwhile friends. His secret schemes of killing the Maratha leaders with poisoned food did not succeed, but the populace rose against the invaders and in a riot in the city three thousand Deccanis were massacred. A truce was patched up by which the Marathas were promised compensation for the lives lost and property plundered and also obtained orders on bankers for ransom.
The Pesvas rapacity had cost him the friendship of the Rajputs and estranged them from the Maratha cause. The results of the estrangement were to show themselves with greater intensity in the decade to follow.
War against the Nizam.
From 1748 A. D. affairs in the Deccan engrossed the attention of the Pesva to the exclusion of those of Hindustan. The great Nizam-ul-mulk passed away in May 1748. After his last retirement from Delhi the Navab had very wisely avoided contest with the Pesva and confined his attention to the organization of his authority in the Karnatak. In the scheme of Maratha expansion the southern region had been assigned to Fateh Singh Bhosle and Bapuji Naik and other smaller chieftains and their incapacity and indolence had prevented the conquest of this region and its integration with the Maratha Svaraj. A number of polygars, petty rajas and navabs dotted the Karnatak. In 1743 Nizam- ul-malk had invaded this region, put his own authority as overlord on a firm footing and had ejected the Marathas from Tricinopoly. After that, playing on the mutual jealousies of the Maratha feudatories he had effectively barred their progress southward. Thus though the treaty of 1719 had granted the Marathas overlordship over the Deccan and recognised their right of levying cauth and Sardesmukhi over the six provinces of the subha, the strong personality of the Nizam had prevented the proper realization of the engagement and the Marathas continued to nibble away at the Nizam’s territory. The great Moghal diplomat passed away in 1748 and thereafter his state became the scene of a protracted fratricidal war. This was too great an opportunity to be missed by the Pesva to assert the treaty rights and out of his attempts to do so arose the war which, with short interludes of peace, lasted over a decade.
The issue was complicated by two factors; one was the death of Sahu Raja in December 1749 and the efforts of the ladies of his family, Sakvar Bai and Tara Bar, to seize power and oust the
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Bussy’s first hurdle before he could entrench himself at Hyderabad was the large Maratha army that had moved into the Raicur Doab under the Pesva. Circumstances however favoured the Frenchman. Reports of the revolt of Damaji Gaikvad reached the Pesva while he was on the banks of the Krsna, which made him anxious to return to Satara. When therefore Salabat Jang under Bussy’s advice offered to pay the Pesva seventeen lakhs of rupees as cauth the latter closed with the overtures and marched back with the utmost expedition (March 1751).
The small tribute of seventeen lakhs of which only two had been paid in cash and the rest in promises, was a mere flea-bite when the Pesva was planning the dismemberment of the entire dominion of the Nizam. War was again resumed in 1751 November. The Nizam’s opposition under Bussy’s influence had stiffened; the payment of the balance of the tribute of the last year had been put off and the new Divan Raghunath Das had started subtle intrigues at Satara to eject the Pesva. A treasure of five lakhs sent from Delhi for the Pesva’s use, was seized by the Nizam’s officials and detained at Aurangabad. In the meanwhile the Pesva had succeeded in persuading Gazi-ud-din, the Nizam’s eldest son, to claim his father’s patrimony and contest the Navabship for which he promised him his aid. In return he only asked for the recognition of the treaty of 1719 and cession of the districts of Aurangabad and Burhanpur. Gazi-ud-din, with Nasir Jang and Muzaffar Jang removed from the scene, readily fell in with the scheme and started for the Dccean. The Pesva concentrated his troops on his northern frontier near Ahmadnagar to be able to join his nominee and prepared to seize by force the districts of Burhanpur and Aurangabad.
For Bussy this was a critical situation. To prevent a junction of Salabat’s enemies he planned a bold strategy. Instead of vainly pursuing the light Maratha horse he proposed a direct inarch on Poona. Moving by way of Ahmadnagar the Moghals engaged the Marathas near Parner on 20th November (1751). On the next day during the lunar eclipse while the Pesva was busy with rituals, Bussy’s infantry advanced under cover of darkness, surprised the Pesva’s camp on the Kukdi river and plundered his equipage including gold and silver utensils used by him at the time of worship. Though the casualties in the battle of Kukdi were slight, the defeat was a blow to Maratha prestige and immensely increased French reputation. The Moghal troops advanced devastating Ranjanganv, Taleganv, Dhamdhere but suffered a reverse near Koreganv on 27th November, On 20th December another engagement was fought near Ranjanganv Sandas. Reports also arrived that Raghuji Bhosle’s troops had crossed into Berar and seized a number of posts. These setbacks and mutinous condition in the Moghal army abated Bussy’s ardour to advance on Poona. The Muslim officers in the Moghal army had
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become jealous of the growing influence of the Frenchman. Gazi-ud-din was reported to have started on his southern trek. Bussy became solicitous to come to terms with the Pesva and Salabat acting on his advice accepted the propositions in favour of peace and a treaty was concluded on 7th January 1752 at Singve near Rahuri ceding the Pesva, Jagir worth four lakhs of rupees 1.
The Pesva could not rest satisfied with a treaty which deprived him of his main objective. He had been duped by Salabat’s Divan and humiliated by his French force. He now awaited the arrival in the Deccan of Sinde and Holkar with the new claimant Gazi-ud-din. The Pesva’s intrigues were bearing fruit; the native troops of Salabat Jang were on the point of mutiny and in an affray killed his Divan Raghunath Das in April 1752. The French were losing ground in the Karnatak and in September Gazi-ud-din arrived at Aurangabad, and in return for aid promised to cede to the Pesva the districts of Aurangabad and Burhanpur. The Pesva’s forces were joined by those of Sindes and Holkars and the partisans of Gazi-ud-din and the stage was set for an attack on Salabat Jang and his French allies. But just then Gazi-ud-din came to a sudden end. He was poisoned by a widow of the late Nizam-ul-mulk and died on 16th October 1752. The Pesva’s plans once more went awry.
The concentration of huge Maratha forces at Aurangabad, however, overawed Salabat Jang. Gazi-ud-din as the eldest son of the Nizam had the prescriptive right to succeed and his challenge had caused serious dissensions among the Muslim nobility. Salabat Jang on the advice of Bussy wisely proposed to yield to the Pesva the districts of Aurangabad and Burhanpur and avoid hostilities. A treaty was concluded at Bhalki on 3rd November 1752 which advanced the Maratha frontier from Junnar to the banks of the Tapi in the Khandes. The forts in the districts however were retained by the Moghals though Trimbak, Dhodap and five other forts were seized by the Marathas in 1751.
From Bhalki the Pesva marched into the Karnatak. Sripat Rav Pratinidhi had already suggested the conquest and consolidation of Maratha rule in Karnatak. But this had been delayed by the incompetence of Maratha leaders in this region. As most of the Karnatak troops were now involved in the struggle between the French and the English raging round Tricinopoly, the region was denuded of troops. The Pesva marched upto Srirahgpattam calling on the petty Rajas and polygars to pay cauth. The forts of Dharvad and Hole Honnur were occupied and the Pesva returned to Poona about the beginning of the monsoon in 1753.
(^1) The account of the campaign given by Kincaid and Parasnis drawn from Malleson’s ‘French in India’ is all wrong and needs to be scrapped up. I have used the more reliable original correspondence in Vol. I of Rajwade’s ‘ Marathyancya Itihdsaci Sadhane ’. No. 372 of Purandare Daftar, Vol. I, gives valuable details of fighting.
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were moving from Bhalki to join Salabat Jang at Aurangabad and had reached Sindkhed. Dattaji Sinde marched to Sindkhed and invested Jadhav’s force. Nizam Ali with his trained battalions under Ibrahim Khan Gardi hastened to the support of the beleaguered force. When however the besieged tried to break out they were fiercely attacked by Sinde (Dec. 12-16) and overpowered. Nizam Ali then sued for peace and concluded a treaty granting to the Pesva territory worth twenty five lakhs of rupees and the fort of Naldurg 1.
Bussy against whom the intrigues of Sah Navaz and Nizam Ali had been directed had kept aloof at Hyderabad. He now arrived at Aurangabad and to put an end to the plots, demanded his own Karbhari Haidar Jang to be appointed Divan. This proposal would have put all powers into the hands of the French Commander. The enraged Nizam Ali invited Haidar Jang to a personal meeting and murdered him. He then flew to Burhanpur and in the tumult that followed Sail Navaz Khan was killed. The Pesva used the occasion for seizing Sivneri the birth place of Sivaji.
Bussy was again the master of the situation. He made Basalat Jang the Divan of the Nizam and proposed to govern through him. But while Bussy was struggling to save Salabat Jang the English had fought and won Plassey and conquered Bengal De Lally, the new French Governor anxious to concentrate his troops for an attack on Madias recalled Bussy and on 21st July 1758 the Frenchman who had bolstered up the Nizam’s power left Hyderabad forever leaving a clear field for the Pesva.
Immediately on Bussy’s departure Nizam Ali, Salabat Jang’s brother, returned to power and refused to carry out the terms of the treaty concluded only a year ago. He also refused to become the Pesva’s subordinate ally. The Pesva therefore prepared for war and in 1759 November seized the strong fort of Ahmadnagar. This act led to an open rupture between the two powers. Early in December 1759 the war began in earnest. Sadasiv Rav Bhau the Pesvas cousin, brought to the field forty thousand cavalry, five thousand infantry trained under Ibrahim Gardi and a fine pack of ‘artillery. The Moghals were attacked near Udgir on 3rd February 1760 and routed. Nizam Ali now surrendered to the Pesva territory worth sixty lakhs of Rupees and the great forts of Asirgad, Daulatabad, Bijapur and Burhanpur. The power of the Nizam was completely broken and the Pesva confidently expected to make the rest of the Nizam’s country part of his dominion within two or three years. The districts of Khandes’, Nasik, Ahmadnagar, Solapur and Bijapur formed the new addition to his already extensive Government 2.
- (^) Rajwade I pp. 73-1J8 and III pp. 491-500. (^2) The account of these transactions is based on S.P.D. I and 25 and letters in Rajwade Vol. I,
Nos. 165 and 166 are an epitome of the entire episode.
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Delhi Affairs.
While the Pesva was reducing the Deccan, a crisis was brewing in Hindustan. The death of the Moghal Emperor, Muhammad Sah, in 1748 marked a further stage in the disintegration of the already decaying Moghal empire. The Deccan, Gujarat, Malva, Bundelkhand and Bengal had passed outside the orbit of the; empire within the life-time of the emperor; the Rajputs gave but nominal allegiance to the shadow figure at Delhi; the subhedars of Oudh and Allahabad were assuming independent authority and the frontier province of the Punjab, on the death of its able governor Zakariya Khan in 1745, became the scene of anarchy and misrule. The state of affairs was too tempting not to excite the cupidity of India’s north-western neighbour, Afghanistan. Ahmad Sah Abdali, the ablest general of Nadir Sah had recently consolidated his hold over this region and he now thought of emulating the example of his late master. He invaded the Punjab in the early months of 1748, marched up to Lahore and obtained from that capital immense wealth and military stores. Despite a reverse at the battle of Manpur in March 1748, Ahmad Sah renewed his advance next year and in February 1750 obtained from the subhedar the revenues of the four districts of West Punjab—Sialkot, Pasrur, Gujarat and Aurangabad — formerly ceded to Nadir Sah. In 1752 Abdali again invaded the Punjab on the pretext that the tribute promised to him had fallen into arrears, seized the Subhas of Lahore and Multan and sent an envoy to Delhi to get the agreement ratified. Ahmad Sah who had succeeded his father in 1748, was a dull-witted raw youth of 22 whose education in war and administration had been totally neglected. He pursued pleasure, leaving the administration of stateaffairs to his Vazir Safdar Jang and to his Superintendent of harem, Javid Khan. The government became weak and degraded and the emperor never inquired about the realm, the soldiery or the treasury. Javid Khan was a low born upstart actuated by a vulgar greed off wealth and Safdar Jang, the Vazir, had neither the wisdom of a diplomat nor the political foresight of a great leader. The Moghal Court altogether lacked any stability or steadying influence. When Ahmad Sah Abdali threatened to march on the capital the frightened monarch immediately set his seal to the cession of West Punjab to the Afghan. At the same time he asked his Vazir to take measures to meet the Afghan menace.
The Afghan advance was a greater threat to the ambitious schemes of the Pesva than to the security of the insecure empire The Pesva’s father, the great Baji Rav had talked of establishing a Hindu dominion in India and had steadily worked towards his objective. The friendship of Savai Jai Singh and Khan Dauran had facilitated Maratha progress beyond the Narmada and had secured them powerful allies at the imperial Court. Balaji Rav had avowed his intention of following in his father’s footsteps. The leaders of
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The situation however was not as simple as it appeared on a superficial view. The empire for the defence of which the Pesva had pledged himself was a shadow of its former glory. It had no resources, no army, and was riven by internecine disputes. The Abdali was sitting astride the frontier province and menaced the safety of the empire. The situation demanded constant pressure of force and a continuity of policy. If the Pesva was to interpose successfully, he had to make up his mind about his friends at the Court and then support them unflinchingly.
The defence pact of 1752 put heavy responsibilities on the Pesva. He could levy cauth on the Punjab and Sind only by ejecting the Abdali garrison and exercise his authority at Agra and Ajmer by subduing the refractory Jats and Rajputs*.
On arriving near Delhi, Sinde and Holkar found they could not obtain the promised subsidy and started plundering the country round the capital for their provisions. A great terror hung over the capital. Malhar Rav Holkar then entered into negotiations with Javid Khan and in return for Rs. thirty lakhs to be paid by Gazi-ud-din, the new nominee for the Subhedar of the Deccan, agreed to retire. Safdar Jang who had invited the Maratha chiefs had been completely overruled and his authority flouted and Holkar had unwittingly become the instrument for his discomfiture.
Sinde and Holkar retired to the Deccan in May 1752 leaving a small contingent at Delhi for the protection of the Emperor. The position of the Navab Vazir deteriorated after the departure of the Maratha force. He became unpopular, with the Emperor and was dismissed from his post on 13 May 1753. The Pesvas Vakil at Delhi joined the enemies of the Vazir who was driven out of the capital in November. The revolution at Delhi threw the sole authority into the hands of Imad-ul-mulk or Gazi-ud-din II, a boy of eighteen and the Pesva on the advice of his Vakil at Delhi decided to leave the initiative to this young villain and support him in all his iniquitous dealings.
At the outbreak of the civil war between the Emperor and Safdar Jang, the former had sent an appeal for help to the Pesva. His Vakil at the capital had also written to him to despatch a strong force northward to watch the situation. In response to the appeal the Pesva sent a considerable force under the nominal command of his brother Raghunath Rav then aged 17. Jayappa Sinde and Malhar Rav Holkar accompanied Raghoba and the army crossed the Narmada in September 1753, entered Rajputana by way of Mukundra pass, levied tribute on the Rajput states and then entering Jaipur territory secured arrears from Madho Singh and other chieftains. The emperor’s war with Safdar Jang had ended
- The pact did not become a scrap as remarked by Sir Jadunath Sarkar in his ‘Fall of the Mughal Empire’ Vol. II, and accepted by Sardesai. It remained quite a live document as contended by Shejwalkar. See S.P.D. XXI 53, 55.
HISTORY – MARATHA PERIOD 83
by this time, but during its last phases Ahmad Sah had developed intense dislike for his new Bakhsi, the over bearing Imad-ul mulk and both sides now courted the favour of the Maratha chiefs Ahmad Sah wrote to Raghoba to dissociate from Imad-ul-mulk and follow the advice of his Vazir. But Imad had guessed properly the weakness of the Marathas. He bribed Holkar and lured his nominal chief by wild promises of rich rewards. He visited the Maratha chiefs in their camp and persuaded them to punish Suraj Mal Jat for supporting the ex-vazir’s cause. Raghunath Rav demanded from Suraj Mal a tribute of two crores of rupees. The Jat pleaded his inability to pay this huge sum and shut himself up in the fort of Kumbher. Raghoba laid siege to the place but in the absence of heavy guns could make no effect on the place. Holkar’s son Khanderav who had gone to a battery in a state of drunkenness was killed and the father vowed terrible vengeance against the Jat. Malhar Rav asked Imad to send him artillery from Delhi, but this the Emperor disallowed acting on the advice of his Vazir Sam Sam-ud-daula. On the contrary he left Delhi and marched southward to organize a confederacy against Imad and the Marathas. Hardly had he arrived at Sikandarabad when news arrived of the Marathas having concluded peace with the Jat Raja (17 May) and of their marching to Delhi. Ahmad Sah immediately abandoned his camp and fled to the capital. A column of the light Maratha horse which had obtained information of the Emperor’s movements made rapid marches and surrounded the camp on the night of 26th May. Everything was in a utter state of confusion and terror. The Royal family fell into the hands of the Marathas as also the military stores and camp equipage. Malhar Rav Holkar visited the royal prisoners the next day, comforted them and restored order. With Imad he then proceeded to the capital and was followed by the main army under Raghunath Rav. On 1st June (1754) Ahmad Sah was deposed and made way for another puppet Alamgir II. Imad-ul-mulk became the new vazir and promised his Maratha masters eighty-two lakhs of rupees as the price for putting him in power. Another revolution had been effected at Delhi making the Marathas the supreme arbiters of the empire. But they had been unable to carry with them either the general good-will or obtain co-operation of any influential party at the court. Their only ally was an upstart young lad of the most unscrupulous and ferocious nature. Never were great designs attempted with more despicable means.
Raghunath Rav next set himself to realize the tribute promised by the new vazir. This proved an impossible task and even after five months stay at the capital only about ten lakhs of rupees came into Maratha hands^1. In December Raghunath Rav marched away to Gad Muktesvar, settled contributions from the Rohillas
(^1) S.P.D. xxi 60, xxvii 90; 108.
HISTORY – MARATHA PERIOD 85
Raghoba had reached Poona in August 1755 and Sinde followed him next April. Imad-ul-mulk found himself in sole command at Delhi untrammelled by his adversaries or his supporters. He now directed his exuberant energies to the conquest of the Punjab. Mughlani Begum, the widow of Mir Mannu, had, after the death of her husband in 1753, become the virtual rider of the province and by her wild pranks had made the province a scene of anarchy and disorder and the Afghan captains of her army were scheming and plotting against her. On the invitation of the Begum to aid her, Imad entered the province, seized the Begum and appointed his own nominee at the head of the province.
Imad’s triumph however proved short-lived. He had roused the wrath of the Afghan chief without the means of meeting his challenge. A force from Pesavar wrested Lahore from the Vazir’s deputy in October and this was followed by the Afghan King in person in November demanding satisfaction for the unprovoked attack on his authority. Ahmad Sah arrived at Lahore on 20th December and appeared before Delhi on 23rd January (1757). He demanded two crores of rupees as indemnity, the hand of the Emperor’s daughter, and all the territory west of Sarhind as the condition of his going back. The Emperor and his Vazir powerless to fight and powerless to raise the ransom, sent piteous messages making abject surrender and pleading their inability to meet the demand. Early on 28th January the city was surrounded and Abdali entered the walls ordering a general spoliation of the Moghal capital. None was spared: Muslims and Hindus, rich and poor, were subjected to all kinds of inhuman torture to make them divulge their secret hoards and deliver them to the conqueror. Mansions of Moghal noblemen were dug up for treasure. Many took poison being unable to meet the extortionate demands and many died of wounds inflicted on them by the Afghan soldiery. Then the Sah marched southwards plundering the villages and slaying the inhabitants. Mathura and Brndaban, two places of great sanctity to the Hindus and containing many temples were put to the sword and thousands of inhabitants were massacred. Idols were broken and temples set on fire. Gokul was bravely defended by the Naga Sanyasis and then the invader beat back a hasty retreat on account of outbreak of cholera epidemic in his camp. Ahmad Sah carried away with him 12 crores of rupees in treasure and also claimed virgin tribute from the imperial Zenana. His soldiers were likewise gorged with booty.
The Pesvas main army had returned to the Deccan in August 1755 followed by Sinde in April
- The small contingent of Antaji Mankesvar could make little impression on the Pathan hordes and had retreated fighting. Govind Ballal, Naro Sankar and other revenue collectors safely kept south of the Cambal. A fresh army despatched by the Pesva under his brother Raghoba on a tribute levying expedition arrived at Indore in February 1757 but
86 MAHARASHTRA STATE GAZETTEER
was held up for want of funds. Raghoba had no definite views and no plans. Holkar on whom the young Commander relied loved procrastination and delay. Envoys from Bijay Singh of Marvad arrived in the camp suggesting annulment of last year’s settlement and undoing Sinde’s work of the last year. Two months were spent in settling the Jaipur tribute and all this while the army lived on the country. Raghoba with one eye glued to the north-west for news of the Abdali was pressing for Sinde’s despatch to Hindustan. At the end of May the Maratha vanguard entered the Doab and recovered their posts, Etava, Sukohabad, Sikandarabad, Meerut from the agents of the Delhi Court acting under Najib Khan’s instructions. Imad-ul-Mulk now joined his old friends and with Raghoha marched towards Delhi in the first week of August and began the investment of the capital.
Delhi was then held by Najib Khan Rohilla who had risen high in the estimation of the Afghan King during his last incursion and at the time of retreat he had been left in supreme command at the capital. The Rohilla had always shown himself as the right hand man of the Abdali and had acted as his right-hand man. He represented the rallying point of all the elements at Delhi that were disaffected towards the Marathas and his destruction suggested itself as the first objective of the new Maratha offensive. And yet when the Rohilla was surrounded and had little chance of escaping Malhar Rav Holkar came forward to intercede in his behalf and obtain him a pardon for his misdeeds. Najib Khan was allowed to depart with his troops and property. Raghoba entered the capital with Imad-ul-Mulk while Najib went to his jagir and kept constantly inviting the Abdali to expel the Marathas from Delhi.
At Delhi a new treaty as hollow as the earlier one was concluded by the Pesva’s representative with the Vazir by which the Pesva was to receive one-half of the revenues of the entire empire consisting of 22 Subhas. The Maratha army then re-entered the Doab; while Raghoba took a dip in the holy Ganga at Gad. Muktesvar his troops ranged over the northern Doab seizing’ Rohilla outposts and levying tribute from Najib Khan’s jagir. The Yamuna was recrossed near Karnal in January 1758 and Raghoha then commenced his invasion of the Punjab.
At the time of his retirement from Hindustan Ahmad Sah had appointed his own son Taimur Sah as Viceroy of Punjab and left with him an army of 10,000 Pathan soldiers under the command of Jahan Khan, one of his ablest soldiers. But the province which had become the scene of rapine and misrule over a long period was not going to be quelled into obedience by a small force of ten thousand. Mughlani Begum who had been cheated of the Subhedari was ever creating trouble and Admit Beg the Subhedar of Jalandar Doab, refused to bend his knee before the new viceroy. In the Sikhs they both found a useful instrument
