Later Mughals v1.c9.s29: Section 31.—Husain Ali Khan's Start from the Dakhin.
Later Mughals v1.c9.s29
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Section 31.—Husain Ali Khan's Start from the Dakhin.
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On the 1st Muharram 1131 H. (23rd November, 1718) an official report reached the Court that in the previous month Husain Ali Khan had started from Aurangabad. On the 22nd Muharram (14th December, 1718) he left Burhanpur, and Ujjain on the 4th Safar (26th December, 1718), continuing his route via Mandeshwar.* Before this time he had put forward a pretext that the Dakhin climate did not agree with him, and had asked to be recalled. Farrukh-siyar said he might try a change to Ahmadabad, and if he did not recover, he might then return to Hindustan. About this time Husain Ali Khan also reported that Muin-ud-din,† a reputed son of Prince Akbar, the rebel son of Alamgir, had been captured by Rajah Sahu, the Mahratta, and made over to him, on the condition that he obtained the release of the Rajah's mother and brother, who had been prisoners since the year 1101 H. (15th Muharram 1101 H., 28th October, 1689) and were still at Dihli. Farrukh-siyar ordered the Bakhshi to send the pretended Prince to Dihli.‡
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† Ahwal-ul-khawaqin, 1b, 127a, refers to the pretended Prince as Jawan Bakht, who had come to the Karnatak from Iran when Prince Akbar died. Yahya Khan, 124a, says he was called a son of Kam Bakhsh.
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‡ Kamwar Khan; Shiu Das, 20a; Khafi Khan, 793, 795.
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Compliance with this order did not fall in with Husain Ali Khan's plans; for his brother's, Qutb-ul-mulk's, letter had already warned him that his presence was necessary at Court. He had already made up his mind to return to Hindustan, and the fiction of having found a son of Prince Akbar was only part of this design, and in fact a mere excuse. He had given out in open darbar that he expected the arrival from Satara of a Prince, Muin-ud-din Husain, son of Prince Akbar. When Prince Akbar, after rebelling against the Emperor Alamgir, left India for Isfahan, this son had been, it was said, left behind. Equipage suitable for a Prince of the Gurgani family was prepared; scarlet tents, a throne, and a crown were made ready. The Mir Bakhshi at the same time announced that he was about to pay a visit to Hindustan. The youth selected for the rôle of royal pretender was the son of a Qazi in one of the Dakhin towns, good looking, talented, and with some external resemblance to the Princes of the royal house. Muazzam Khan, a *jamadar*, was deputed to bring to camp the so-called Prince. The news-writers and intelligencers asked for instructions as to what entry they should make. The Nawab replied that he would in a short time make a report, and himself write detailed letters to Court. Next day the tents were pitched outside the city; more soldiers were enlisted and a month's pay given to them in advance. Terms were come to with Rajah Sahu, and payment to him of the *chauth*, or one-fourth of the revenues of the Dakhin, was agreed to. Husain Ali Khan also obtained the services of Mahrattas at the daily rate of one Rupee for each man, to be paid from the time of crossing the Narmada until their return home. After three or four days, Muin-ud-din Husain was placed on an elephant in a high-sided canopy, with a white cloth over it to keep out the dust. Red and white tents were erected, a deep ditch was dug all round his camp, sentinels were set, and all the externals of royalty were assigned to him. To keep up appearances, Husain Ali Khan went daily to have a *mujra* or ceremonious interview with his prisoner, such as would be necessary in the case of a real Prince. [Kamraj 64*b*.]
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∗ Mandeshwar, Thornton, 645, now in Sindhia's dominions, Lat. 24°1', Long. 75° 9'.
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Finally on the 15th Shawwal (10th September, 1718) Husain Ali Khan appointed his brother, Saif-ud-din Ali Khan, to the command of a vanguard of 4,000 to 5,000 men, and sent him towards Burhanpur to collect artillery and other stores. Alim Ali Khan,* his nephew and adopted son, was named as his representative during his absence. Saif-ud-din Ali Khan temporarily replaced Jan Nisar Khan as governor of Khandesh, and Sadat Khan, an old officer now blind of both eyes, was sent as commandant of the fort at Ahmadnagar. Alim Ali Khan was put under the tutelage of Shankara Malhar, a trusted agent of Rajah Sahu. About November, 1718, Husain Ali Khan started himself,* accompanied by Sayyid Asadullah (Nawab Auliya), the sons of Jan Nisar Khan Iwaz Khan, deputy governor of Berar, Asad Ali Khan, the one-handed, the Ali Murad Khani, Dil Diler Khan (brother of Lutfullah Khan Sadiq), Ikhtisas Khan (grandson of Khan Zaman), Haji Saif-ullah Khan, Zia-ud-din Khan, diwan of the Dakhin, Firuz Ali Khan Barha, the Amir-ul-umara's Bakhshi, Diyanat Khan (grandson of Amanat Khan Khafi), Rajah Jai Singh Bundela, Rajah Muhkam Singh, one of the chief employés, and Khizr Khan Panni (sister's son of Daud Khan Panni).† In all there were twenty-two imperial commanders, many of whom followed unwillingly. There were 8,000 or 9,000 of his own troops and 11,000 or 12,000 Mahrattas, besides Bhils and Telingas. He carried with him nearly all the civil establishments of the Dakhin, and any one who made excuses and turned back was punished by the loss of his jagir. The total force was 25,000 horsemen, besides the artillery, and 10,000 to 11,000 infantry armed with matchlocks. At the head of the Mahrattas were Balaji Wiswanath, the Peshwa, Khandu Rao Dhabariya, Santa,‡ and some others. These leaders received horses and elephants, robes of honour, and money for expenses, with many promises of future reward in addition to the release of Rajah Sambha's wife and son. These promises included ratification of the treaty for a grant of the chauth, or one-fourth share in the revenues of the Dakhin, a grant of the sardesmukhi or ten per cent. on the collections, and a confirmation of the hereditary Mahratta territory, or swa-raj. Each Mahratta trooper was to receive from the viceroy's treasure-chest half a Rupee, or, as some say, a Rupee a day. A number of zamindars and their levies also joined. The most disturbing rumours as to the fate of Qutb-ul-mulk, passed from mouth to mouth throughout Aurangabad. [K. K. 794—803.]
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∗ Alim Ali Khan had been adopted when an infant, (Kamraj, *Ibratnama*, 64b). The *farman* of appointment can be seen in *Majma-ul-insha* (litho.) p. 84. It includes the 6 *subahs* of the Dakhin with the *faujdarship* of the Karnatak and of Bijapur, and the collectorship (*tahsildari*) of the tribute (*peshkash*) due from the zamindars of Sondha and Bidnur. Mubariz Khan, Diler Khan, and the other governors were placed under him, and letters notifying this fact were transmitted to them through him.
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∗ Khafi Khan, the historian, was himself present in Husain Ali Khan's army, p.
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⁷⁹⁸ He had just been removed from the faujdari of Mustafabad.
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† Muhammad Qasim Lahori, 225. Ikhtisas Khan, eldest son of Munavvar Khan Qutbi, son of Munavvar Khan, son of Khan Zaman, Masir-ul-umara, iii. 655, Zia-ud-din Khan, diwan of the Dakhin, see Masir-ul-umara, iii. 36, and Khafi Khan, ii. 790, Diyanat Khan, grandson of Amanat Khan, Masir-ul-umara, i.
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²⁵⁸ Diyanat Khan, No. 2, id. ii. 62, Rajah Muhkam Singh (Khatri), Masir-ul-umara, ii. 330, died Jamadi II. 1137 H., Tarikh-i-Muhammadi. For the Pannis, see Masir-ul-umara, ii.
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⁶³ Instead of "Jai Singh" the Siyar has "Partit Singh."
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‡ Or Khandi. This man was Rajah Sahu's so-called subahdar in Khandesh, (Khafi Khan, ii. 798). An abstract of his career runs thus (Grant Duff, 162, 163, 196, 209): he was present at the council held after the death
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Consternation was produced in Farrukh-siyar's mind by the news of Husain Ali Khan's approach. Ikhlas Khan, who was supposed to have great influence with the Sayyid, was sent off at once to intercept him and persuade him to return.* Early in Safar 1131 H. (end of December, 1718) this envoy came up with Husain Ali Khan in the neighbourhood of Mandu in subah Malwa. Instead of loyally executing his trust, Ikhlas Khan employed his secret interviews with the Mir Bakhshi in filling his mind with stories of the peril of his brother's position, of the threatening assemblage of great nobles at Dihli, and of the overpowering influence acquired by Itiqad Khan (Muhammad Murad). Instead of being appeased, Husain Ali Khan was made only more eager than before to reach Dihli. At first, some danger was apprehended from the attitude assumed by Muhammad Amin Khan Chin, governor of Malwa, then encamped near Ujjain. Nasir-ud-din Khan Irani, superintendent of the viceroy's stables, had been sent off to interview Muhammad Amin Khan and discover his intentions, when
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of Sambhaji (1689); and took a part in the flight of Raja Ram. In 1716, after a long absence, he reappeared at the Court of Satara and was made Senapati (commander-in-chief). He died in 1712, shortly after the defeat of Alim Ali Khan. Santaji was said to be the natural son of Parsuji Bhonsla (G. Duff, 199, note). Briggs in a note (p. 178) calls him Santaji Kadam.
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*Khafi Khan, ii. 799, says Ikhlas Khan started at the end of Shawwal 1130 H. (24th September, 1718). This is too early to fit in with the other authorities. Kamraj, Ibratnama, 65a, says Husain Ali Khan was at Sarai Muhammad Azam Shah north of the Narmada river, when Ikhlas Khan joined him. He calls Ikhlas Khan the Mir Munshi.
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suddenly news was received that he had marched for Dihli without orders.*
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The *farman* carried by Ikhlas Khan, after acknowledging the receipt of Husain Ali Khan's report of his coming to Court with the son of Prince Akbar and reciting his promise to Rajah Sahu, the Mahratta ruler, (first) that the youth should not be killed, (secondly) that the Rajah's mother and brother should be released, goes on to state that the conditions asked for were accepted. For such an important business it was right for him to come, and His Majesty yearned to see him. At the same time, public affairs in the Dakhin were not in a position to admit of his absence, and the Mahrattas would seize the opportunity to give trouble. He ought, therefore, to return to his own Government. All necessary instructions had been given to Ikhlas Khan who would impart them orally; and the prisoner should be made over to him on a signed and valid receipt. As for Rajah Sahu's requests, they would be granted in whatever way Husain Ali Khan chose to lay them before the throne.
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In his reply, Husain Ali Khan admitted that to come to Court without orders was opposed to rule, but he required to represent in person certain matters pertaining to the Dakhin, and there was also the prisoner, with whose custody there was no one he could trust. He alleged that he had left a trustworthy deputy in the Dakhin. When, on reaching Malwa, Ikhlas Khan had delivered to him the *farman*, he had at once made ready to return. But the officers of the Mahratta Rajah, who were in his company at the head of a large force, swore that unless he remained, they could never secure the release of the Rajah's mother and brother. Now, if they were to suspect him of treachery, the consequences might be dreadful. Moreover, he was overcome by his longing to see His Majesty once more, he had come a long way, the remaining distance was short; he had therefore decided to push on, make over the prisoner, discuss certain matters of the Dakhin, and then return at once to his own Government. On these pretexts he disregarded the order to retrace his steps. [Shiu Das 20, 21b.]
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∗ From Amin-ud-din's letter to Ikhlas Khan, it would seem that on starting for Malwa, Muhammad Amin Khan had bragged much of the aid he would obtain from the Afghan chief, Dost Muhammad Khan (afterwards of Bhopal). Nothing came of these boasts. But he wrote to Dihli demanding impossible reinforcements in men and artillery and extravagant advances of money. His applications were rejected, and it was assumed at Dihli, as it turned out quite rightly, that he meant to beat a retreat. Probably he also received a summons from Farrukh-siyar to return to Court (see later on Section 33). *Dastur-ul-insha*, p. 53, Khafi Khan, ii. 794-799, 800.