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Later Mughals v2.c18.s9: Sec. 115.—Negotiations for Peace with Nadir Shah.

Later Mughals v2.c18.s9

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Sec. 115.—Negotiations for Peace with Nadir Shah.

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When Nadir Shah returned to his camp from the battlefield Saadat Khan was brought before him, after the *isha* prayer (8 p.m.) The king spoke contemptuously of the Indian army as a 'host of beggars' and remarked of their general Khan Dauran that he knew how to die but not how to fight. [Imad.] He then inquired about the resources and intentions of the Emperor. Saadat Khan diplomatically replied "The Emperor's resources are vast. Only one of his nobles came out to fight to-day and has gone back on being accidentally wounded by a shot. But there are many other amirs and brave Rajahs with countless hosts still left." Nadir Shah remarked, "You are my fellow-countryman and fellow-believer. Advise me how I can get a ransom from your Emperor and go home to fight the Sultan of Turkey." Saadat Khan then advised him to summon the Nizam who was "the Key of the State of India" and settle peace terms through him.* Next day, 14th February, Nadir Shah sent a man with the Quran to Muhammad Shah to take an oath on it as to his good faith, and call the Nizam. Saadat Khan also wrote to the Emperor, advising him to send the Nizam and make peace.

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The Nizam was now the last of the great nobles at the side of the Emperor, and the latter was naturally alarmed at the thought of sending him away. He asked, "If any treachery is done to you, what steps should we take?" The Nizam replied, "The Quran is between us. If there is treachery, God will answer for it. Then your Majesty should retreat to Mandu or some other strong fort, summon Nasir Jang from the Dakhin with a strong force, and fight the Persians."

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The Nizam then left for the Persian camp with full powers to negotiate. Nadir received him well and complained, "It is surprising that while there are nobles like you on the Emperor's side, the naked Mahrattas can march up to the walls of Dihli and take ransom from him!" The Nizam replied, "Since new nobles rose to influence, His Majesty did whatever he liked. My advice was not acceptable to him. Therefore, in helplessness I left him and retired to the Dakhin."

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The reply pleased Nadir. Turning to the subject of peace, he complained of the unfriendly indifference of the Dihli Government during his struggles with his enemies, though the former sovereigns of Persia had often helped the Emperor's forefathers. The Nizam explained it by saying, "Since the death of Farrukh-siyar, the affairs of this Government have gone to rack and ruin owing to quarrels among the nobles, and therefore the ministers did not attend to Your Majesty's letters."

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∗ This history of the negotiations is mainly based upon Harcharan-das (who is supported by Rustam Ali, Elliot viii. 62), with some useful points from the Chronicle, Mahratti letters, Anandram 35-36; Jahankusha 354, Siyar 97-98, Bayan 43-44.

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After a long discussion, it was agreed that the Persian army would go back from that place on being promised a war indemnity of 50 lakhs* of Rupees, out of which 20 lakhs were to be paid then and there, 10 lakhs on reaching Lahor, ten lakhs at Attock, and the remaining ten lakhs at Kabul. After making this settlement the Nizam took his leave. Nadir sent with him an invitation to the Emperor to dine with him the next day.

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On Thursday, 15th February,† Muhammad Shah accompanied by all his nobles started for the Persian camp, the Nizam instructing him that he would have to converse with Nadir in the Turkish language. The Persian Wazir met the party on the way and vowed on the Quran that no treachery would be done to them. Outside the Persian encampment Prince Nasrullah welcomed the guest on behalf of his father. On their arrival, Nadir advanced to outside his tent, took Muhammad Shah graciously by the hand and leading him within seated him on the royal carpet by his own side. The Nizam, the Wazir and Muhammad Ishaq Khan were permitted to go inside, all others remained outside the tent.

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† The Dihli Chronicle gives the date as 18th February, which is contradicted by Mahdi Harcharan and all other authorities.

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As the two sovereigns were talking together, Ishaq Khan (Mutaman-ud-daulah) joined in the conversation. Nadir Shah in anger asked who the man was that had ventured to mingle his speech with that of kings. Muhammad Shah then introduced him as the tutor (ataliq) of his childhood. The Persian king put questions to Ishaq Khan and was so much pleased with his ready and intelligent answers that he pronounced him fit to be the Wazir of India. [Harcharan.]

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∗ The Siyar (97) puts the figure at 2 krors. Not true.

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The party then sat down to dinner. The Persian conqueror proudly remarked, "My practice is open war and not treacherous assassination," and then, in order to assure Muhammad Shah that his food was not poisoned, he exchanged his own dishes with those of the Emperor just as they were about to begin eating. [Harcharan.] As an act of courtesy, Nadir Shah himself handed the cup of coffee to the Emperor. The meeting ended happily, and about three hours before sunset Muhammad Shah took leave of his host and returned to his own camp. Here his family and servants, and indeed the whole camp, had been passing the hours of his absence in the greatest fear and anxiety, expecting his murder or at least captivity at the hands of Nadir. His safe return now, in the words of the historian, "restored to them the hearts which had left their bodies." [Anandram ; Bayan.] But the Persian investment of the Indian camp continued. [Jahan.]

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Samsam-ud-daulah Khan Dauran, the head of the army (*Amir-ul-umara* and *Bakhshi-ul-mamalik*) died on the 15th. The story goes that when in the evening of the fatal 13th of February his senseless body was brought back to the site of his plundered camp, the Nizam, the Wazir and the Emperor's eunuchs came to inquire after his condition and offer condolences and prayers. Khan Dauran came to his senses for a while, opened his eyes and whispered in a very weak voice, "I have myself finished my own business. Now you know and your work knows. Never take the Emperor to Nadir, nor conduct Nadir to Dihli, but send away that evil from this point by any means that you can devise." [Siyar.] He then relapsed into unconsciousness and died after less than two days.*

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The Emperor, on returning from his first visit to Nadir Shah, heard of the death of Khan Dauran. The Nizam immediately afterwards came to him and induced him to confer the deceased noble's office of Paymaster on his own son Firuz Jang, as a reward for his diplomatic success in turning Nadir Shah back [Siyar.] At this, Azim-ullah Khan, the son of the Wazir's brother, was filled with despair and envy and immediately started for the Persian camp with his own retainers to join Nadir, saying "I am older than Firuz Jang. Why has the Bakhshi's post been conferred on Firuz Jang, while I am available?"

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∗ Anandram definitely asserts that he survived only one day after the battle. Mirza Mahdi says (p. 352) that he died the day after the battle, and M. U. (i. 819) supports this. Ghulam Ali (p. 25) makes him linger not more than one night. The Mahratta envoy's letter places his death 2 or 3 days after the battle. Harcharan-das makes the Emperor learn of his death four *gharis* after nightfall on the 15th. *Bayan* has the 3rd day after the battle. The *Dihli Chronicle*, however, gives 17th February as the date of his death, and the *Siyar* repeats it.

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The Nizam and the Wazir hastened after him and brought him back from the way. As the Nizam was older than Azim-ullah, he assumed the office of Bakhshi himself, and thus Azim-ullah was silenced. A truce was thus patched up at Court. But when Saadat Khan in the Persian camp heard of the Nizam's appointment as Bakhshi, the fire of his jealousy blazed forth, as he had long coveted this post and the Nizam had promised to help him in getting it. He now set to wreak vengeance on his successful rival and his ungrateful master. At his next audience with Nadir Shah, Saadat Khan told him how unwise he was in being satisfied with an indemnity of 50 lakhs, because if the conqueror went to Dihli 20 krors in cash and jewels and other valuable articles beyond estimate would be easily secured. "At present," Saadat Khan pointed out, "the imperial Court has no noble of eminence except the Nizam, who is a cheat and a philosopher. If this deceiver is entrapped, everything would happen as Your Majesty desired. If you order me, I shall call my troops and property from the imperial camp and place them in your camp." Nadir Shah agreed and it was done. [Harcharan.]

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This plot took some time to mature. In the meanwhile the Nizam had paid a second visit to the Persian king on the 18th and the Persian Wazir had been feasted in the Nizam's tent the day after. [Chron.] Evidently these meetings were held for hastening the collection of the indemnity first agreed upon.

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SEC. 116.—NADIR IMPRISONS THE EMPEROR AND NOBLES.

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Nadir bided his time for striking his treacherous blow. His sure ally was famine. The agreement had been made on the 14th and verbally confirmed by the Emperor on the 15th ; but as the money was not paid the investment of the imperial camp had continued [Jahan. 354]. The condition of the vast population within this huge enclosure was most sad, as we can see vividly in the letter of the Mahratta envoy who was present there: "Five or six days passed and then no food could be had in the camp. Grain could not be procured even at six or seven Rupees* the seer. The country was a desert, nothing could be had [from the neighbouring villages]. For five days the men went without food." As early as the 19th, or only six days after the battle, the supply of ghee had become entirely exhausted in the camp. [Chronicle.]

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But there was no escape. The Qizilbash cavalry patrolled the road to Dihli and cut down or carried into slavery all who left the Indian camp. The few who slipped through the cordon of the enemy's cavalry were murdered or robbed of their all by the peasantry on the way. [Ali Hazin.]

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When famine and despair had thus seized the Mughal camp in their grip, Nadir Shah summoned the Nizam to discuss certain matters which had yet to be settled.

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On Thursday, 22nd February, the Nizam in full reliance on the treaty made a week earlier and without any apprehension, went to the Persian camp, in response to Nadir's letter. When he reached Nadir Shah's ante-room, he was detained there. Nadir sent him a message demanding 20 krors of Rupees as indemnity and 20,000 troopers to serve under the Persian banners as auxiliaries. Asaf Jah was thunder-struck. He pleaded for abatement, saying, "From the foundation of the Chaghtai dynasty up to now, 20 krors of Rupees had never been amassed in the imperial treasury. Shah Jahan, with all his efforts, had accumulated only 16 krors ; but the whole of it had been spent by Aurangzeb in his long wars in the Dakhin. At present even 50 lakhs are not left in the Treasury."

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∗ Anandram, however, says that the price of flour reached Rs. 4 a seer.

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Nadir replied in anger, "These false words will not do. So long as you do not agree to procure* the sum demanded by me, you cannot leave this place." So, the Nizam was detained a prisoner in the Persian camp that day and the next.

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Nadir pressed the Nizam to write to the Emperor to visit the Persian camp again. The Nizam protested, saying that no such term had been agreed to before. The Persian king, however, assured him that he did not mean to break his promise, he had only found it necessary to meet Muhammad Shah a second time. [Siyar, i. 97.] The Nizam had no help but to write to his master, reporting the exact state of affairs.

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The unexpected failure of the Nizam to return the previous night had already created anxiety and rumours of treachery among the Indians; and now when the truth became known from this letter, consternation and a sense of utter helplessness seized the Emperor's Court and camp. The Wazir was the only great noble left at his side, and naturally Muhammad Shah turned to him for counsel; but he replied that he could do nothing in such a situation and that the Emperor should act as he thought best. Muhammad Shah was perplexed in mind and overwhelmed with grief. Some of the younger nobles counselled resistance and one more appeal to arms before yielding himself up to certain captivity. But the Emperor knew that a further struggle would only lead to greater misery and ruin. He decided to go to Nadir, leaving it to God to work His will.

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On Saturday 24th February, the Emperor started from his own camp, accompanied by Muhammad Ishaq and some eunuchs and personal servants (khawas) and a retinue of 2,000 cavalry only. The other nobles who wished to bear him company were kept back by him. Arrived in the Persian camp, he was, according to the report that reached the Mahratta envoy at Karnal, welcomed by none, but left for a long time alone and uncared for, and at night joined by the Nizam and Saadat Khan. Then he alone was taken to Nadir's tent. With this visit of the Emperor, as the Persian State Secretary rightly says, "the key for opening the whole Empire of Hindustan came into the hands of Nadir Shah." In fact the Emperor became a captive and a guard was placed over him. The nobles who had accompanied him or previously gone to the Persian camp were told to consider themselves under arrest, and Nadir gained composure of mind, so far as the chance of any Indian resistance was concerned. [Anandram 42, Raj.]

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∗ Literally, 'point out where the money is.'

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Next day, 25th February, the Emperor's wives, children, servants and furniture were taken away from Karnal, and he was lodged close to Nadir Shah's tents. The captive nobles also called to themselves their families and retinue from their former camp. Qamar-ud-din Khan, who was the last great noble in freedom, was carried by the Qizilbashes to their camp, along with the imperial artillery at Karnal. The Persian official historian throws the veil of hypocrisy over this treacherous coup d'etat played by his master. He describes the incident in these words: "Out of respect for the honour of the august family of the Emperor, the tents for his residence and the screens for his harem were set up close to Nadir Shah's tents and Abdul Baqi Khan, one of the highest nobles of Persia, was appointed with a party of soldiers to attend on Muhammad Shah everywhere and engage in doing the duties of hospitality to the guest." [Jahankusha, 354.]

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It was proclaimed in the imperial camp that the minor officers who had not been taken to the Persian encampment, and all the common soldiers and followers could either stay at Karnal or go back to Dihli and their homes as they liked. [Siyar, Harcharan, Raj. vi.]

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Great terror and bewilderment now fell on the Indian camp. They were sheep left without a single shepherd, and surrounded by wolves. Even their last remaining chief, the Wazir, was now taken away from them. The road to Dihli was beset by roving bands of Qizilbashes who had now no fear of resistance, and by the peasantry who had risen in insurrection at the fall of the Government which had so long kept order.*

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∗ Hanway (ii. 369): Flying parties of the Persian army within forty miles round the [imperial] camp cut off not less than 14,000 Indian marauders.

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The vast camp broke up, and every one fled wherever he thought best, but comparatively few effected their retreat in safety. [Siyar following Ali Hazin.]

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Their condition is graphically described in the letter of one of these fugitives. The Mahratta ambassador at the Mughal Court, Babu Rao Malhar, had accompanied the Emperor from Dihli to Karnal with his own escort and property, and stayed there through these days of growing alarm and anxiety. At last on Sunday, the 25th, he felt that all was lost. Mustering courage, or in his own words, ‘making a fort of his breast,’ he issued from the camp at about 3 o’clock in the afternoon. His elephants, camels, infantry and baggage and tents were sent towards Dihli by the royal highway, while he himself left it and plunged into the jungle for greater safety. Here he passed the night. Next day after riding some 80 miles along circuitous by-paths he regained the road near the imperial capital. Saadat Khan was coming along this highway with a strong Persian escort, and behind them the Mahratta envoy reached Dihli on the 27th. But that capital was no longer a safe abode. So, he left it that very day and halted for the night at Muhammad Khan’s Sarai, some six miles south of the city. Thence, by way of Suraj Mal Jat’s camp he reached Jaipur (on 6th March) without once halting on the way, and there he joined his colleague Dhondo Pant. His elephants and camels came, more slowly, from Dihli to Rewari. His feelings can be judged from his exclamation: “God has averted a great danger from me, and enabled me to escape with honour! The Chaghtai Empire is gone, the Irani Empire has commenced. Remain there in great caution!” [Rajwade, vi. No. 131.]

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