[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Mughals (1526–1857)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal) › [Later Mughals (1707–1857)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later) › [Muntakhab al-lubāb](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab) › [Muntakhabu-l Lubab, of Khafi Khan (Elliot & Dowson, extracts)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot) › 174 # Muntakhab al-lubab 174: The Mahrattas. Muntakhabu-l Lubáb, of Kháfí Khán (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 174 - **Language:** English ### The Mahrattas. ### [174.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot.174.1) \[Text, vol. ii. p. 781.\] The Emperor Aurangzeb having resolved upon the reduction of the fortresses of the Dakhin, spent long time and great treasure in the work. He took the forts of Sattara, Parnala, Rajgarh, and others, thirty or forty in number, all fortresses of strength and repute, and deprived the Mahrattas of house and home. The chiefs of this race of robbers, knowing that the Imperial territory was now vacant, and the Emperor far away, showed greater boldness than in former years. With large armies they invaded the subas of the Dakhin, and Ahmadabad, and Malwa, for the purpose of collecting the chauth, and they plundered and ravaged wherever they went. To cities and large towns they sent messengers and letters, demanding payment of the chauth from the governor or zamíndár. Or the mukkaddams and zamíndárs of the towns and villages hastened out to meet the Mahratta army, undertaking to pay the chauth, and begged for protection. Taking back with them a messenger (harkára) and a horseman, to protect the village and the cultivation, instead of showing their total rent to be one or two thousand (rupees), they made it out to be four or five hundred. But whatever sum was settled, they promised payment, and gave sureties, called ol in the language of India. They thus saved themselves from violence and plunder. ### [174.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot.174.2) When the faujdárs or zamíndárs of a place refused to pay the chauth, and made no propositions, the Mahrattas attacked the place and thoroughly ravaged it. If, after investing a place for some days, they found themselves unable to take it, they moved away. In this way the towns of Nandurbár, Sultánpur, Jámud, and many other well-known towns of Burhánpur, Birár, and other súbas of the Dakhin, were invested by twenty-eight thousand horsemen for two or three weeks, who were finally beaten off. The Mahrattas treated caravans just in the same way, and many were plundered. The commanders of their bands did their best to settle the amount of chauth to be paid, and were not willing to pillage. Their men, on the contrary, strove to prevent any arrangement of the chauth, so that they might be free to plunder. For, if an agreement was arrived at, and the chauth was settled without plundering, it belonged to the chiefs, and the men got nothing. But, if it came to plundering, each man kept what he could lay hands upon, and the chiefs did not gain so much. Towards the end of the reign of Aurangzeb, Rání Tára Bái, widow of Rám Rája, kept up a state of warfare with the Emperor for ten or twelve years after her husband's death. She then offered to make peace upon condition of receiving a grant of the sar-deshmukhí of the six súbas of the Dakhin, at the rate of nine per cent. For the honour of Islám, and for other reasons, Aurangzeb rejected this proposal. ### [174.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot.174.3) In the reign of Bahadur Shah the vakils of Raja Sahu and the Rani made proposals, and obtained a grant of the sar-deshmukhi, upon certain conditions, which have been stated in the history of that reign. But differences arose between the Rani and Raja Sahu, so that Bahadur Shah's intentions were never carried out. Neither did the arrangement as to the sar-deshmukhi take effect. In the time of Daud Khan, while he was acting as deputy of Zu-l fikar Khan, a treaty and friendly agreement was made between him and the enemy, in which it was stipulated that the jagirs of the princes and Daud Khan should not be molested; but that as regarded the remaining tenures of the great nobles, Daud Khan's deputy, Hiraman, should arrange for the payment of the chauth. Caravans were not to be molested. So they simmered together like milk and sugar, and matters went on without hitch or evasion. ### [174.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot.174.4) The government of Nizamu-l Mulk, as we have recorded, began in peace, and ended with war, which lasted for one year and five months, and inflicted chastisement upon the enemy. Two or three years of Husain 'Ali Khan's government passed in quarrels with the Emperor, so that, although he raised a large army, he could not show the vigour that was necessary, nor effect such a settlement as he himself desired and the character of the Saiyids of Barha required. In the year 1130 A.H., acting upon the advice of Anwar Khan, one of the shaikh-zadas of Burhanpur, who were patronized by the Saiyids, and upon the counsel of other trusted nobles, he availed himself of the services of a Brahman named Sankaraji. This man had been one of the principal servants of Sivaji and Sambhaji, and in their confidence. After the conquest of Jinji, he entered the Imperial service, and acted as vakil of those Mahratta chiefs who had submitted and of some who had not. He was not wanting in the intelligence which is helped by fortune. Through Balaji Bishwanath and Jamnaji, brahmans, and most intelligent generals of Raja Sahu, a proposal of peace was made on these terms. There was to be paid to the officers of Rája Sáhú a fourth part of what the amíns, krorís, and shikkdárs collected as land revenue, and as sáïr from the government lands and from the jágírdárs. ### [174.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot.174.5) It was also settled that, in addition to the fourth share which they were to get from the receipts of the jágírdárs, they were to receive from the raiyats ten per cent. as sar-deshmukhí. Altogether they were to receive thirty-five per cent. upon the total collections, (and also) upon the abwábs called faujdárí, shikkdárí, ziyáfat, and other charges, as shown in the gross account of the collections. According to this account they were to receive nearly half the total revenue recorded in the Government rent-roll, and (the collections) were thus shared by the domineering collectors of Rája Sáhú. This arrangement, by which they were to collect all taxes, fell very hard upon the raiyats, and the government officers and jágírdárs; for in every district there were two collectors—one called the kamáïshdár, the other the gumáshta of the sar-deshmukhí. On the roll of the collections the signature of the sarrishtadár of the sar-deshmukhí was first placed, and what was required by the rules on that account was to be taken separately. The position and life of the officers of Government and of the jágírdárs became (irksome). Besides these, there were two separate collectors of the ráhdárí (road duties) in each district. ### [174.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot.174.6) In consequence of the negligence of the faujdárs and the dominance of the enemy, these had for some time taken their positions in different places, and exacted half a rupee, or one rupee, for each bullock and cart, from merchants, and whatever they pleased from other persons. They exacted twice or three times more than (the most) tyrannical faujdárs. Now also, since the days of the peace, the former grievance remained, but it was aggravated by more taking part in it. In the present state of things there were in each district three regular collectors of Rája Sáhú, with parties of horsemen and footmen stationed at the office, the guard-house where the land-revenue the sáïr and the tolls were collected. ### [174.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot.174.7) Besides this there were in many places villages which had been laid waste by the Mahrattas, and which had been again brought into cultivation under special agreements, such as the districts about Nandurbar, in Khandesh, in Bivar, and in other places. They paid no heed to the special contracts made by Husain 'Ali Khan; but, conceding the third share belonging to the jagirdar, they made the following arrangement. They recognized three shares; one was for the jagirdar, one they took themselves, and the third they left to the raiyats. In revenue and civil matters the orders and the action of the enemy prevailed over the authority of the faujdars and jagirdars. At the time of the peace Husain 'Ali Khan determined, and issued strict injunctions that the rahdari should not be exacted, as in the days before the peace, from merchants and travellers at the rate of three (rupees) or four upon each bullock and cart, as if faujdars and harsh officials were acting. But it was no good. In several districts there was no longer any plundering of villages and caravans; but, as in former days, travellers and wanderers paid the rahdari, and went on in peace without interruption. Villages which had been ravaged by plunderers, or made completely desolate by the tyranny of rapacious managers, were now restored to cultivation. ### [174.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot.174.8) Husain 'Ali delivered a sanad containing the conditions of peace, under his seal, to the vakils of Raja Sahu, and made no delay in writing for a royal farman confirmatory of this document. He introduced the agents of Raja Sahu everywhere, and he settled that Balaji Bishwanath and Jamnaji, two of the highest officers of Raja Sahu, should stay with a suitable escort in Aurangabad as deputy and vakil of the Raja, so that all civil and revenue matters might be settled through them. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot.174](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.later.muntakhab-al-lubab~en-elliot.174) · Pramāṇa