Muhammad Shah
Encyclopedia
Muhammad Shah (1748 – 1702) also known as Roshan Akhtar, was a Mughal emperor of India
between 1719 and 1748. He was son of Khujista Akhtar Jahan Shah
, the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I
. Ascending the throne at 17 with the help of the Sayyid Brothers, he later got rid of them with the help of Nizam-ul-Mulk Chin Qilich Khan
. Historians nicknamed him Rangeela, meaning "joy-maker".
to prince Khujista Akhtar. Handsome and quick to learn, his mother took good care of his education, while his father enhanced his administrative abilities. During the war of Succession his father was killed, and the 12-year-old prince and his mother were imprisoned but spared from death. In 1719 many Mughal emperors briefly ascended to the throne, but the Sayyid Brothers eventually chose young Roshan Akhtar as Emperor.
in the Red Fort. His mother was given an allowance of 15 thousand rupees monthly for her needs, but the Sayyid brothers kept the new emperor under strict supervision. Chafing at this control — and learning that the Nizam-ul-Mulk was also angry with them — in 1722 the emperor ordered Muhammad Amin Khan Turani
, Mir Muhammad Amin Irani and Muhammad Haider Beg to kill the Sayyid Brothers. Previously the emperor had to fight Muhammad Ibrahim, but Muhammad Shah defeated him on 13 November 1720.
After Muhammad Shah got rid of the Sayyid Brothers, he appointed the Nizam-ul-Mulk as Grand Vizier
on 21 February 1722. He advised the new Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah to be "as cautious as Akbar and as brave as Aurangzeb
". He also advised him to help Shah Tahmasp II
of Persia; since Shah Tahmasp I had helped Humayun
in his time of need. When all these advices turned to no avail, the Nizam-ul-Mulk left Delhi and went to Deccan in 1723.
At the same time, the governorship of Deccan was given to Mubaraz Khan, who constantly fought with the Marathas. Taking advantage of it, the Nizam-ul-Mulk allied with the Marathas and defeated Mubaraz Khan. Thus, though he lost the posts of Grand Vizier
, governor of Malwa and Gujrat
, he became an independent ruler of the newly created state of Hyderabad in 1725.
During this time the Maratha War (1723–1737) began and it became a solely destructive war for the Mughals. Despite efforts to counter the rise of rebellions in 1724, by the Nawab of Awadh
Saadat Ali Khan and the Mughal
Subedar
in Bangalore
, Dilawar Khan (r.1726–1756), who established a well-protected bastion in the Malabar Coast
. All over the empire there was chaos and destruction. In Punjab region
the Sikhs were at war with the Mughals. In Ajmer
, Rana Ajeet Singh was the de facto ruler and allied himself with the Marathas. While in Deccan the Marathas had proclaimed independence and were already on the warpath. All this greatly contributed to the decline of the Mughal Empire.
Despite all the problems occurring during his reign, Muhammad Shah was somewhat the last able ruler the empire ever had. He in fact, protected the empire for so long, and stopped it from falling completely during his reign. His removing of his three hated ministers, namely Koki Jee, Roshan-ud-Daula and Shah Abdul Ghafur, is a proof of his administrative capabilities.
language had already been invented before Muhammad Shah's reign. However, during his reign it became a common language among the people and the Emperor installed it as Court language.But many writers say it was British who made Urdu the Official Language and that Urdu was never court language during Mughal Rule. Hindi
became common among the masses. Shah Waliullah
was born in Delhi. When the strength of his students increased, the Emperor built a Madrasah for them. During his reign, the Quran was translated for the first time in Persian
. Also, during his reign, the formal Tartar
dress, normally worn by the high Mughal nobility, was replaced by the Sherwani
.
It is said that Mohammad shah promoted arts like Dance and Music with great passion and almost at the cost of administrative priorities paving the way for the disintegration of governance.
After Nizam-ul-Mulk left Delhi, the Marathas had already expanded up to river Narmada
.Therefore early in 1723 they invaded the rich province of Malwa. The Mughal Emperor entrusted its defence to its governor, who failed him. Thus by winter of the same year, they reached Ujjain
, the capital of Malwa.
In 1725, the governorship of Gujarat was transferred to Sarbuland Khan. Enraged by the authority of the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah the Marathas invaded Gujarat but were routed by Sarbuland Khan and his forces. This was mainly because most of the Maratha forces, including their leader Baji Rao I
, were at the time fighting the Nizam-ul-Mulk in Hyderabad.
The war with Hyderabad, however, proceeded favourably for the Marathas. In 1728, during February, the Nizam was decisively defeated at the Battle of Palkhed
. Although the Nizam had managed to add Traimbek Rao, Dhabedi and Sanbhoji to his side, they were all defeated in 1731 at the Battle of Bhelapur. Thus the Nizam's plot was revealed. However, Baji Rao wanted peace in the south so that he could expand in the north. A treaty was signed between the two in which both agreed to help each other. The Nizam could expand to the south while Baji Rao could expand in the north. With peace secured, Baji Rao attacked Gujarat with full force and finally drove out Sarbuland Khan by 1735.
During this course, the Mughal forces were badly defeated at Ahmedabad
in 1731. In 1736, the Marathas sent an ultimatum to Delhi and demanded the Emperor to give up Mathura. The demand being evaded, he invaded Mathura but was defeated by Imperial forces under Saadat Ali Khan. At this time, it may be noticed that the Jats under Suraj Mal seized a sizable portion of Agra
and Mathura districts. The Emperor now asked the Nizam-ul-Mulk for help, who immediately broke the treaty with the Marathas on behalf of the Mughal Emperor. Both forces fought the Marathas at Bhopal
in 1737 but were defeated. The following year (1738), the Imperial forces were defeated at Agra and the Marathas now captured Agra and Mathura. At Ferozabad the Mughals lost yet another battle. The Emperor now set out himself against the Maratha leader Baji Rao but was still near Delhi when Baji Rao attacked and surrounded him at Delhi. The Imperial army was routed and Baji Rao entered Delhi. The Emperor became his puppet for several weeks.
According to the terms of the treaty signed by the two leaders, the Mughal Emperor gave Baji Rao 5 million rupees and made him the permanent governor of Malwa. The area between rivers Narmada and Chambal
was given to the Marathas. Baji Rao returned the excess area back to the Mughal Emperor.
In 1739, Nadir Shah invaded Delhi
and looted it. It is an event of macro importance in Indian History as it resulted in the fall of the Mughal Empire.
rebels led by the Ghilzai
tribe in the region around Kandahar
. He therefore requested the assistance of the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah to close the frontiers around Kabul
and the Indus Valley so that the rebels may not flee or seek refuge. The Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah gave a confirming reply to Nadir Shah but didn't do any thing practically, because the local Subedar
s and Faujdar
s sympathized with the Afghan
and reject the reign of the Shea
Persians. Outraged by this, Nadir Shah sent an ambassador to the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah. The Mughal Emperor did not provide a positive response and kept the Persians marginalized Delhi for an entire year. Thus Nadir Shah became furious with the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah, he knew that the Mughals had become weak and decided to capture the rich treasures of the Mughal Empire
in Delhi
and Agra
.
On the basis of the above reasons, Nadir Shah invaded India and decided to attack from Afghanistan. In May, 1738 he attacked Northern Afghanistan. In the same month, he captured Ghazni
, in June he captured Kabul and in September Jalalabad
also fell to him. In November he surrounded the fortress of Peshawar
and completely razed it to the ground. Finally in January 1739, he captured Lahore
, the former capital of the Mughal Empire.
Now Nadir Shah had captured territory up to Attock
and Muhammad Shah and his courtiers could not close their eyes from further danger. They finally understood that Persian Emperor
was not the sort of enemy that could be bought off with the loot of a province. Furthermore he had devastated the area he just conquered. The cities of Wazirabad
, Emanabad and Gujrat
were not only sacked but razed to the ground, its population murdered.
In February 1739, Nadir Shah captured Sirhind and moved towards the field of Karnal
, a battle destined to be fateful to the Mughal rulers. On 13 February, the battle of Karnal was fought. Emperor Muhammad Shah had over a hundred thousand force against Nadir Shah's 55,000 men but was still decisively defeated. In the event, the Khan Doran died and wrote a will that the Mughal and Afsharid emperors should not meet but Nadir Shah should be turned back from there at all costs. His will was disregarded and the Emperor himself met Nadir Shah in his camp and abdicated on 26 February, thirteen days after the Battle of Karnal
. He handed over the keys of the Delhi gate and entered Delhi with him.
At first every thing was cordial among the two emperors. However rumours spread throughout Delhi that Nadir Shah was assassinated. The masses attacked the Persian force and slaughtered 900 Persian soldiers. At this Nadir Shah massacred the populace, and at least 30,000 people died. The Emperor, Nizam-ul-Mulk and Grand Vizier
Nawab Qamar-id-Din Khan Bahadur went to Nadir Shah to plead for mercy and thus he stopped the massacre and turned into looting the Mughal treasury. The famous Peacock throne
, the Darya-e-Noor
diamond and unimaginable wealth was looted. In addition, elephants, horses and every thing that was liked was taken. Muhammad Shah had to marry his daughter Jahan Afruz Banu Begum to Nadir Shah's youngest son.
Now Muhammad Shah was crowned as emperor by Nadir Shah himself on 12 May, and Muhammad Shah ceded the area west of river Indus to Nadir Shah, although the Nawab
of Sindh
, Main Noor Mohammad Kalhoro
continued to fight the Afsharids. Nadir Shah then looted the Koh-i-Noor
diamond and other famous treasures. And later Nadir Shah and his Afsharid forces returned to Persia.
s and Sikh
s, this invasion destroyed what was left of the Mughal Empire
and neared it to its end. The weakness of the Mughal army was clearly portrayed after this invasion. The Nawab
s clearly could not even relieve their captured city of Delhi, which was the seat of their authority. The Mughals were completely looted of their wealth, and rebellions became commonplace. However, Nadir Shah's campaign against the Mughal Empire
, caused the Ottoman
Sultan
Mahmud I
to initiate the Otttoman-Persian War (1743-1746), in which the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah closely cooperated with the Ottomans and their ambassador Haji Yusuf Agha until his death in 1748.
After Nadir Shah's invasion, the Mughal Empire disintegrated rapidly. Nawab Alivardi Khan
of Bengal
proclaimed independence in 1740. In 1748, Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded India. Ahmad Shah Bahadur
, Nawab Qamar-ud-Din and his son Mueen-ul-Mulk were sent with 75,000 men after the defeat of Shahnawaz Khan in Lahore. At the Battle of Sirhind, Ahmad Shah's 15,000 men were defeated and he was forced to retreat. There was a great rejoicing for this event in Delhi.
However, this victory was at a cost. The Grand Vizier
Qamar-ud-Din
had died at the battlefield. Initially this was kept a secret. However, when the news reached the Mughal Emperor, he could not speak, suddenly became sick and did not come out of his apartments for three days. During this course he fasted. His guards could hear him crying out loud and saying: "How could I bring about anyone as faithful as he Qamar-ud-Din
". He died due to grief on 26 April 1748, his funeral was attended by visiting Imam
s from Mecca
.
. He married her on 8 December 1721 at Delhi, and gave her the title Nawab Malika-uz-Zamani (Queen of the Era). On this occasion there was a great ceremony lasting for weeks. She bore him his first son, Shahriyar Shah Bahadur, who died young on 19 July 1724. She was the most influential of all wives of the Emperor and exercised her opinions on him. Muhammad Shah married Mahal Begum on the same day as the first one and gave her the title Nawab Malika-i-Jahan (Queen of the World). She was also his most favourite. His third wife was Udhambai
, also called Kudsiya Begum, who bore him his future successor, Ahmad Shah Bahadur
on 23 December 1725. She was a formerly dancing girl and also a mansabdar of 50,000. He married his fourth wife Sufiya Sultan Begum later on. For some time during his early reign, her mother, Qudsiya Begum, also exercised power of the Empire. Muhammad Shah had three sons and three daughters, of which Badshah Begum died on 14 December 1724.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
between 1719 and 1748. He was son of Khujista Akhtar Jahan Shah
Jahan Shah I
Khujista Akhtar Jahan Shah was the fourth son of Emperor Bahadur Shah I. He was made Subahdar of Malwa and raised to an Imperial Mansab of 30,000 Zat and 20,000 Sawar. After his father's death, he sided with his brother Ma'az-ud-Din and defeated his other brother, Azim-ush-Shan in 1712...
, the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I
Bahadur Shah I
Bahadur Shah was a Mughal Emperor, who ruled India from 1707 to 1712. His original name was Qutb ud-Din Muhammad Mu'azzam later titled as Shah Alam by his father. He took the throne name Bahadur Shah in 1707. His name Bahādur means "brave" & "hero" in Turko-Mongol languages...
. Ascending the throne at 17 with the help of the Sayyid Brothers, he later got rid of them with the help of Nizam-ul-Mulk Chin Qilich Khan
Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I
Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi was a Mughal nobleman the founder of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. He established the Hyderabad state, and ruled it from 1720 to 1748...
. Historians nicknamed him Rangeela, meaning "joy-maker".
Origins and youth
Roshan Akhtar was born in 1702 at Fatehpur SikriFatehpur Sikri
Fatehpur Sikri is a city and a municipal board in Agra district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Built near the much older Sikri, the historical city of Fatehabad, as it was first named, was constructed by Mughal emperor Akbar beginning in 1570...
to prince Khujista Akhtar. Handsome and quick to learn, his mother took good care of his education, while his father enhanced his administrative abilities. During the war of Succession his father was killed, and the 12-year-old prince and his mother were imprisoned but spared from death. In 1719 many Mughal emperors briefly ascended to the throne, but the Sayyid Brothers eventually chose young Roshan Akhtar as Emperor.
Succession and early reign
On 29 September 1719, Prince Roshan Akhtar was given the title Abu Al-Fatah Naseer-ud-Din Roshan Akhtar Muhammad Shah and enthronedPeacock Throne
The Peacock Throne, called Takht-e Tâvus in Persian, is the name originally given to a Mughal throne of India, which was later adopted and used to describe the thrones of the Persian emperors from Nader Shah Afshari and erroneously to Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi whose throne was a reconstruction of...
in the Red Fort. His mother was given an allowance of 15 thousand rupees monthly for her needs, but the Sayyid brothers kept the new emperor under strict supervision. Chafing at this control — and learning that the Nizam-ul-Mulk was also angry with them — in 1722 the emperor ordered Muhammad Amin Khan Turani
Muhammad Amin Khan Turani
Muhammad Amin Khan Turani , was the Grand Vizier of the Mughal Empire during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah and cousin of Kilich Khan Bahadur. He is known to have served the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb during his early years....
, Mir Muhammad Amin Irani and Muhammad Haider Beg to kill the Sayyid Brothers. Previously the emperor had to fight Muhammad Ibrahim, but Muhammad Shah defeated him on 13 November 1720.
Personal reign
Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
on 21 February 1722. He advised the new Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah to be "as cautious as Akbar and as brave as Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
". He also advised him to help Shah Tahmasp II
Tahmasp II
Tahmasp II was one of the last Safavid rulers of Persia . Tahmasp was the son of Husayn , the Shah of Iran at that time. When Husayn was forced to abdicate by the Afghans in 1722, Prince Tahmasp wished to claim the throne. He fled to Tabriz where he established a government...
of Persia; since Shah Tahmasp I had helped Humayun
Humayun
Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun was the second Mughal Emperor who ruled present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of northern India from 1530–1540 and again from 1555–1556. Like his father, Babur, he lost his kingdom early, but with Persian aid, he eventually regained an even larger one...
in his time of need. When all these advices turned to no avail, the Nizam-ul-Mulk left Delhi and went to Deccan in 1723.
At the same time, the governorship of Deccan was given to Mubaraz Khan, who constantly fought with the Marathas. Taking advantage of it, the Nizam-ul-Mulk allied with the Marathas and defeated Mubaraz Khan. Thus, though he lost the posts of Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
, governor of Malwa and Gujrat
Gujrat
Gujrat is a city in Pakistan. It is the capital of Gujrat District and the Gujrat Tehsil subdivision in the Punjab Province. People living in Gujrat refer to themselves as Gujratis, which sometimes leads to confusion with people from the Indian state of Gujarat which adjoins Pakistan...
, he became an independent ruler of the newly created state of Hyderabad in 1725.
Nawab of Awadh
The Nawab of Awadh is the title of rulers who governed the state of Awadh in India in the 18th and 19th century. The Nawabs of Awadh originated form Persia-Establishment:...
Saadat Ali Khan and the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Subedar
Subedar
Subedar is a historical rank in the Indian Army, ranking below British commissioned officers and above non-commissioned officers. The rank was otherwise equivalent to a British lieutenant and was introduced in the East India Company's presidency armies, to make it easier for British officers to...
in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, Dilawar Khan (r.1726–1756), who established a well-protected bastion in the Malabar Coast
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain...
. All over the empire there was chaos and destruction. In Punjab region
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
the Sikhs were at war with the Mughals. In Ajmer
Ajmer
Ajmer , formerly written as Ajmere, is a city in Ajmer District in Rajasthan state in India. Ajmer has a population of around 800,000 , and is located west of the Rajasthan state capital Jaipur, 200 km from Jodhpur, 274 km from Udaipur, 439 km from Jaisalmer, and 391 km from...
, Rana Ajeet Singh was the de facto ruler and allied himself with the Marathas. While in Deccan the Marathas had proclaimed independence and were already on the warpath. All this greatly contributed to the decline of the Mughal Empire.
Despite all the problems occurring during his reign, Muhammad Shah was somewhat the last able ruler the empire ever had. He in fact, protected the empire for so long, and stopped it from falling completely during his reign. His removing of his three hated ministers, namely Koki Jee, Roshan-ud-Daula and Shah Abdul Ghafur, is a proof of his administrative capabilities.
Cultural advancements
UrduUrdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
language had already been invented before Muhammad Shah's reign. However, during his reign it became a common language among the people and the Emperor installed it as Court language.But many writers say it was British who made Urdu the Official Language and that Urdu was never court language during Mughal Rule. Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
became common among the masses. Shah Waliullah
Shah Waliullah
Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlvi was an Islamic scholar and reformer. He was born during the reign of Aurangzeb. He worked for the revival of Muslim rule and intellectual learning in South Asia, during a time of waning Muslim power...
was born in Delhi. When the strength of his students increased, the Emperor built a Madrasah for them. During his reign, the Quran was translated for the first time in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
. Also, during his reign, the formal Tartar
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
dress, normally worn by the high Mughal nobility, was replaced by the Sherwani
Sherwani
Sherwani is a long coat-like garment worn in South Asia, very similar to an Achkan or doublet, and is traditionally associated with the Muslim aristocracy of the northern Indian subcontinent....
.
It is said that Mohammad shah promoted arts like Dance and Music with great passion and almost at the cost of administrative priorities paving the way for the disintegration of governance.
Maratha War
Narmada River
The Narmada , also called Rewa is a river in central India and the fifth largest river in the Indian subcontinent. It is the third largest river that completely flows within India after Ganges and Godavari...
.Therefore early in 1723 they invaded the rich province of Malwa. The Mughal Emperor entrusted its defence to its governor, who failed him. Thus by winter of the same year, they reached Ujjain
Ujjain
Ujjain , is an ancient city of Malwa region in central India, on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River , today part of the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative centre of Ujjain District and Ujjain Division.In ancient times the city was called Ujjayini...
, the capital of Malwa.
In 1725, the governorship of Gujarat was transferred to Sarbuland Khan. Enraged by the authority of the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah the Marathas invaded Gujarat but were routed by Sarbuland Khan and his forces. This was mainly because most of the Maratha forces, including their leader Baji Rao I
Baji Rao I
Shrimant Baji Rao Balaji Bhatt , also known as Baji Rao I, was a noted general who served as Peshwa to the fourth Maratha Chhatrapati Shahu from 1719 until Baji Rao's death. He is also known as Thorale Baji Rao...
, were at the time fighting the Nizam-ul-Mulk in Hyderabad.
The war with Hyderabad, however, proceeded favourably for the Marathas. In 1728, during February, the Nizam was decisively defeated at the Battle of Palkhed
Battle of Palkhed
The Battle of Palkhed was fought on February 28, 1728 at the village of Palkhed, near the city of Nashik, Maharashtra, India between the Maratha Peshwa, Baji Rao I and the Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad...
. Although the Nizam had managed to add Traimbek Rao, Dhabedi and Sanbhoji to his side, they were all defeated in 1731 at the Battle of Bhelapur. Thus the Nizam's plot was revealed. However, Baji Rao wanted peace in the south so that he could expand in the north. A treaty was signed between the two in which both agreed to help each other. The Nizam could expand to the south while Baji Rao could expand in the north. With peace secured, Baji Rao attacked Gujarat with full force and finally drove out Sarbuland Khan by 1735.
During this course, the Mughal forces were badly defeated at Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
in 1731. In 1736, the Marathas sent an ultimatum to Delhi and demanded the Emperor to give up Mathura. The demand being evaded, he invaded Mathura but was defeated by Imperial forces under Saadat Ali Khan. At this time, it may be noticed that the Jats under Suraj Mal seized a sizable portion of Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
and Mathura districts. The Emperor now asked the Nizam-ul-Mulk for help, who immediately broke the treaty with the Marathas on behalf of the Mughal Emperor. Both forces fought the Marathas at Bhopal
Battle of Bhopal
The Battle of Bhopal was fought between the Mughal and Maratha empires near Bhopal in India in December 1737, and was arguably the largest pitched battle fought in India in the 18th century. The battle resulted in decisive Maratha victory mainly through the swift tactics of Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao...
in 1737 but were defeated. The following year (1738), the Imperial forces were defeated at Agra and the Marathas now captured Agra and Mathura. At Ferozabad the Mughals lost yet another battle. The Emperor now set out himself against the Maratha leader Baji Rao but was still near Delhi when Baji Rao attacked and surrounded him at Delhi. The Imperial army was routed and Baji Rao entered Delhi. The Emperor became his puppet for several weeks.
According to the terms of the treaty signed by the two leaders, the Mughal Emperor gave Baji Rao 5 million rupees and made him the permanent governor of Malwa. The area between rivers Narmada and Chambal
Chambal River
The Chambal River is a tributary of the Yamuna River in central India, and forms part of the greater Gangetic drainage system. The river flows north-northeast through Madhya Pradesh, running for a time through Rajasthan, then forming the boundary between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh before turning...
was given to the Marathas. Baji Rao returned the excess area back to the Mughal Emperor.
Invasion of Nadir Shah
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and looted it. It is an event of macro importance in Indian History as it resulted in the fall of the Mughal Empire.
Causes
Nadir Shah wanted to subdue AfghanAfghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
rebels led by the Ghilzai
Ghilzai
Ghilzai are the largest Pashtun tribal confederacy found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They are also known historically as Ghilji, Khilji, Ghalji, Ghilzye, and possibly Gharzai...
tribe in the region around Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
. He therefore requested the assistance of the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah to close the frontiers around Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
and the Indus Valley so that the rebels may not flee or seek refuge. The Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah gave a confirming reply to Nadir Shah but didn't do any thing practically, because the local Subedar
Subedar
Subedar is a historical rank in the Indian Army, ranking below British commissioned officers and above non-commissioned officers. The rank was otherwise equivalent to a British lieutenant and was introduced in the East India Company's presidency armies, to make it easier for British officers to...
s and Faujdar
Faujdar
Faujdar/Fouzder/Fouzdar/Foujdar was a title awarded by Muslim rulers to people who had responsibility of protecting some territory.In pre-Mughal times, the term referred to a military officer but did not refer to a specific rank. With the administrative reforms performed by Mughal emperor Akbar,...
s sympathized with the Afghan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and reject the reign of the Shea
Shea
Vitellaria paradoxa, also classified as Butyrospermum parkii and B. paradoxa, commonly known as shea tree, shi tree, or , vitellaria or karité, is a tree of the Sapotaceae family indigenous to Africa, occurring in Mali, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Togo, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan,...
Persians. Outraged by this, Nadir Shah sent an ambassador to the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah. The Mughal Emperor did not provide a positive response and kept the Persians marginalized Delhi for an entire year. Thus Nadir Shah became furious with the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah, he knew that the Mughals had become weak and decided to capture the rich treasures of the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
.
Course of the war
Ghazni
For the Province of Ghazni see Ghazni ProvinceGhazni is a city in central-east Afghanistan with a population of about 141,000 people...
, in June he captured Kabul and in September Jalalabad
Jalalabad
Jalalabad , formerly called Adinapour, as documented by the 7th century Hsüan-tsang, is a city in eastern Afghanistan. Located at the junction of the Kabul River and Kunar River near the Laghman valley, Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province. It is linked by approximately of highway with...
also fell to him. In November he surrounded the fortress of Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
and completely razed it to the ground. Finally in January 1739, he captured Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, the former capital of the Mughal Empire.
Now Nadir Shah had captured territory up to Attock
Attock
Attock is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan and the headquarters of Attock District...
and Muhammad Shah and his courtiers could not close their eyes from further danger. They finally understood that Persian Emperor
Afsharid dynasty
The Afsharids were members of an Iranian dynasty of Turkmen origin from Khorasan who ruled Persia in the 18th century. The dynasty was founded in 1736 by the military commander Nader Shah who deposed the last member of the Safavid dynasty and proclaimed himself King of Iran. During Nader's reign,...
was not the sort of enemy that could be bought off with the loot of a province. Furthermore he had devastated the area he just conquered. The cities of Wazirabad
Wazirabad
AYAZ KHANWazirabad is an industrial city located in Gujranwala District, Punjab, Pakistan. Wazirabad is situated on the banks of the Chenab River nearly 100 kilometres north of Lahore on the Grand Trunk Road. It is 45 kilometres from Sialkot, 30 kilometres from the district capital - Gujranwala...
, Emanabad and Gujrat
Gujrat
Gujrat is a city in Pakistan. It is the capital of Gujrat District and the Gujrat Tehsil subdivision in the Punjab Province. People living in Gujrat refer to themselves as Gujratis, which sometimes leads to confusion with people from the Indian state of Gujarat which adjoins Pakistan...
were not only sacked but razed to the ground, its population murdered.
Karnal
Karnal is an important city and the headquarters of Karnal District in the Indian state of Haryana.Karnal is said to have been founded by the Kauravas in the Mahabharata era for the king Karna, a mythological hero and a key figure in the epic tale...
, a battle destined to be fateful to the Mughal rulers. On 13 February, the battle of Karnal was fought. Emperor Muhammad Shah had over a hundred thousand force against Nadir Shah's 55,000 men but was still decisively defeated. In the event, the Khan Doran died and wrote a will that the Mughal and Afsharid emperors should not meet but Nadir Shah should be turned back from there at all costs. His will was disregarded and the Emperor himself met Nadir Shah in his camp and abdicated on 26 February, thirteen days after the Battle of Karnal
Battle of Karnal
The Battle of Karnal , was a decisive victory for Nader Shah the emperor of Persia during his invasion of India. Shah's forces defeated the army of Muhammad Shah, the Mughal emperor in little more than three hours thus paving the way for the Persian sack of Delhi...
. He handed over the keys of the Delhi gate and entered Delhi with him.
At first every thing was cordial among the two emperors. However rumours spread throughout Delhi that Nadir Shah was assassinated. The masses attacked the Persian force and slaughtered 900 Persian soldiers. At this Nadir Shah massacred the populace, and at least 30,000 people died. The Emperor, Nizam-ul-Mulk and Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
Nawab Qamar-id-Din Khan Bahadur went to Nadir Shah to plead for mercy and thus he stopped the massacre and turned into looting the Mughal treasury. The famous Peacock throne
Peacock Throne
The Peacock Throne, called Takht-e Tâvus in Persian, is the name originally given to a Mughal throne of India, which was later adopted and used to describe the thrones of the Persian emperors from Nader Shah Afshari and erroneously to Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi whose throne was a reconstruction of...
, the Darya-e-Noor
Darya-ye Noor
The Darya-ye Noor is one of the largest diamonds in the world, weighing an estimated . Its colour, pale pink, is one of the rarest to be found in diamonds...
diamond and unimaginable wealth was looted. In addition, elephants, horses and every thing that was liked was taken. Muhammad Shah had to marry his daughter Jahan Afruz Banu Begum to Nadir Shah's youngest son.
Now Muhammad Shah was crowned as emperor by Nadir Shah himself on 12 May, and Muhammad Shah ceded the area west of river Indus to Nadir Shah, although the Nawab
Nawab
A Nawab or Nawaab is an honorific title given to Muslim rulers of princely states in South Asia. It is the Muslim equivalent of the term "maharaja" that was granted to Hindu rulers....
of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, Main Noor Mohammad Kalhoro
Main Noor Mohammad Kalhoro
Miyan Nur Muhammad Kalhoro better known as Nawab Khuda-Yar Khan reigned from 1718 to 1755. Miyan Nur Muhammad Kalhoro succeeded his father with the title of Khuda-Yar Khan...
continued to fight the Afsharids. Nadir Shah then looted the Koh-i-Noor
Koh-i-Noor
The Kōh-i Nūr which means "Mountain of Light" in Persian, also spelled Koh-i-noor, Koh-e Noor or Koh-i-Nur, is a 105 carat diamond that was once the largest known diamond in the world. The Kōh-i Nūr originated in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India along with its double, the Darya-ye Noor...
diamond and other famous treasures. And later Nadir Shah and his Afsharid forces returned to Persia.
Results
After the Sayyid Brothers and the rebellious MarathaMaratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
s and Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
s, this invasion destroyed what was left of the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
and neared it to its end. The weakness of the Mughal army was clearly portrayed after this invasion. The Nawab
Nawab
A Nawab or Nawaab is an honorific title given to Muslim rulers of princely states in South Asia. It is the Muslim equivalent of the term "maharaja" that was granted to Hindu rulers....
s clearly could not even relieve their captured city of Delhi, which was the seat of their authority. The Mughals were completely looted of their wealth, and rebellions became commonplace. However, Nadir Shah's campaign against the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
, caused the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
Mahmud I
Mahmud I
Mahmud I , called the Hunchback was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1730 to 1754.-Biography:...
to initiate the Otttoman-Persian War (1743-1746), in which the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah closely cooperated with the Ottomans and their ambassador Haji Yusuf Agha until his death in 1748.
Later reign
Alivardi Khan
Ali Vardi Khan was the Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa during 1740 - 1756. He toppled the Nasiri Dynasty of Bengal and took power as Nawab.-Early life:...
of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
proclaimed independence in 1740. In 1748, Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded India. Ahmad Shah Bahadur
Ahmad Shah Bahadur
Ahmad Shah Bahadur was born to Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah. He succeeded his father to the throne as the 15th Mughal Emperor in 1748 at the age of 22. His mother was Udhambai, . When Ahmed Shah came to power the rule of the Mughal Empire was collapsing...
, Nawab Qamar-ud-Din and his son Mueen-ul-Mulk were sent with 75,000 men after the defeat of Shahnawaz Khan in Lahore. At the Battle of Sirhind, Ahmad Shah's 15,000 men were defeated and he was forced to retreat. There was a great rejoicing for this event in Delhi.
However, this victory was at a cost. The Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
Qamar-ud-Din
Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I
Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi was a Mughal nobleman the founder of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. He established the Hyderabad state, and ruled it from 1720 to 1748...
had died at the battlefield. Initially this was kept a secret. However, when the news reached the Mughal Emperor, he could not speak, suddenly became sick and did not come out of his apartments for three days. During this course he fasted. His guards could hear him crying out loud and saying: "How could I bring about anyone as faithful as he Qamar-ud-Din
Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I
Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi was a Mughal nobleman the founder of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. He established the Hyderabad state, and ruled it from 1720 to 1748...
". He died due to grief on 26 April 1748, his funeral was attended by visiting Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
s from Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
.
Royal family
Emperor Muhammad Shah had four wives, but his most favourite was Badshah Begum, daughter of Emperor FarrukhsiyarFarrukhsiyar
Abu'l Muzaffar Muin ud-din Muhammad Shah Farrukh-siyar Alim Akbar Sani Wala Shan Padshah-i-bahr-u-bar [Shahid-i-Mazlum] was the Mughal emperor between 1713 and 1719. Noted as a handsome but weak ruler, easily swayed by his advisers, Farukhsiyar lacked the ability and character to rule independently...
. He married her on 8 December 1721 at Delhi, and gave her the title Nawab Malika-uz-Zamani (Queen of the Era). On this occasion there was a great ceremony lasting for weeks. She bore him his first son, Shahriyar Shah Bahadur, who died young on 19 July 1724. She was the most influential of all wives of the Emperor and exercised her opinions on him. Muhammad Shah married Mahal Begum on the same day as the first one and gave her the title Nawab Malika-i-Jahan (Queen of the World). She was also his most favourite. His third wife was Udhambai
Udhambai
Udhambai was an Indian administrator. She served as de facto regent of India from 1748 to 1754. She was the mother of Ahmad Shah Bahadur....
, also called Kudsiya Begum, who bore him his future successor, Ahmad Shah Bahadur
Ahmad Shah Bahadur
Ahmad Shah Bahadur was born to Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah. He succeeded his father to the throne as the 15th Mughal Emperor in 1748 at the age of 22. His mother was Udhambai, . When Ahmed Shah came to power the rule of the Mughal Empire was collapsing...
on 23 December 1725. She was a formerly dancing girl and also a mansabdar of 50,000. He married his fourth wife Sufiya Sultan Begum later on. For some time during his early reign, her mother, Qudsiya Begum, also exercised power of the Empire. Muhammad Shah had three sons and three daughters, of which Badshah Begum died on 14 December 1724.