History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c62.s6: § 8. Battles near Malkhed; Mughal retreat.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c62.s6
- Language
- English
§ 8. Battles near Malkhed; Mughal retreat.
v4.c62.s6.1
But near Malkhed, 80 miles from the Qutb-Shahi capital, the tide of invasion was arrested. The Mughal Van, some 5,000 cavalry under Bahlol Khan, advanced, but were opposed by five times their number of Qutb-Shahi troops, who had been joined by several anti-Afghan nobles of Bijapur, such as Sharza and Masaud. After a long and severe battle, Bahlol was about to be routed, when Dilir Khan came to his aid and enabled him to make an orderly retreat. The Mughals lost 700 men and 5 or 6 great captains. The Qutb-Shahis claimed the victory, but retired to their own camp without attempting pursuit, (about 12th Sept.).
v4.c62.s6.2
The Sultan of Golkonda quickly sent large reinforcements from his capital under Yengana (the nephew of Madanna), Mirza Sanjar, Shaikh Minhaj and many other great generals. One day the Qutb-Shahi vanguard under "Hidolsha" (? Haidar Shah or Dula Shah), by an attack and pretended retreat, lured away the Mughal army with all its elephants one Gentu league from their camp to very near the place where the Golkonda forces were settled. The Mughal Van was reinforced by Ali Hasan Khan, who fought very bravely, which caused both armies to retire to their respective camps. The Qutb-Shahis were posted at Mangalgi, 7 m. north of Malkhed, the Mughal encampment (October). Three days after this engagement the newly arrived troops attacked the Mughals, who by a pretended flight drew the enemy into an ambush, where large numbers of them were slain. But Muhammad Ibrahim arrived to the rescue of his men, pressed the Mughals back and released the captives they had taken. For two months there was constant but indecisive fighting. The Qutb-Shahis penetrated far within Bijapuri and Mughal territories and cut off grain convoys coming to the invaders. The desperate Mughals fell on the Golkonda camp on 20th October, and "killed every man and woman and even the very children," looted the bazar of all its grain and other property, thoroughly broke up the camp, and scattered the Qutb-Shahi forces in headlong flight.
v4.c62.s6.3
But the triumph was momentary. The enemy soon rallied. The Afghans and Rajputs in the allied army suffered terrible hardships from excess of rain and the scarcity of grain caused by the enemy hovering around. Bahlol Khan was struck down by a mortal illness, and his retainers dispersed to save themselves from starvation. Then Dilir made a disastrous retreat to Kulbarga, the enemy hemming him round and making daily attacks. His baggage was looted and his men had to stand to arms from morning to night in self-defence and suffer heavy losses. It took them 12 days to retrace their steps over the 24 miles between Malkhed and Kulbarga, the enemy disputing every inch of the ground. The famished imperialists ate the seeds of the toddy-palm and the date-palm. For two days they had to seek shelter in a *nala* without any drinking water. It was only the unconquerable spirit of the Rajputs and their ready sacrifice of life that brought Dilir's army back to safety at last.
v4.c62.s6.4
There was nothing left for him but to solicit peace, especially as his only supporter, Bahlol Khan, was dying. Before this, Siddi Masaud and other nobles faithful to the house of Adil Shah, being disgusted with Afghan rule at the capital and the impending ruin of their sovereign, had appealed to Golkonda to mediate. Abul Hasan Qutb Shah brought the heads of the rival factions together and influenced them to agree to the following terms: (i) Bahlol should resign the regency in favour of Masaud; (ii) Masaud should pay six lakhs of Rupees, the arrears of pay due to the Afghan soldiers, who would then be disbanded and would quit Bijapur, while Bahlol would retire to his own fief; (iii) the kingdom was to be saved from further dismemberment; and (iv) a Resident from Golkonda would advise the administration of Bijapur, Akanna, the brother of Madanna, being chosen for this post.
v4.c62.s6.5
At Kulbarga Masaud met Dilir Khan and made peace with the Mughals: he was to act as wazir at Bijapur, but must obey the orders of Aurangzib, make no alliance with Shivaji, and always help the Mughals in wresting the Maratha chief's usurped territory; Adil Shah's sister, Shahar Banu Begam (popularly called Padishah Bibi) was to be sent to the Mughal Court to marry a son of the Emperor. Dilir then retired northwards to Parnir, s. w. of Ahmadnagar, to be nearer the capital of Mughal Deccan.*
v4.c62.s6.6
∗ Dilir's expedition against Golkonda in 1677 Dil 151-154, M A 165 (one sentence only) Factory Records, Fort St George, Vol 27, Letters from Vira Raghavaya, the English agent at Golkonda, 3 July, 26 Aug, 19 Sep, and 28 Oct 1677 (best) Peace with Masaud B.S 456
v4.c62.s6.7
§ 9. Masaud becomes Regent; Afghan mutiny; rebellions in provinces.
v4.c62.s6.8
Bahlol died on 23rd Dec. 1677. Masaud, escorted by a Golkonda army, was installed as Regent in February next. Soon afterwards, he sent 11 lakhs of Rupees as tribute to the Emperor, middle of 1678 (M.A. 167), and this drained his treasury dry. He had undertaken to pay up the arrears of the Afghan mercenaries, only on the strength of a promise from Qutb Shah to lend him six lakhs. But the latter delayed or refused payment, and then the exasperated Afghans broke out in lawless fury. They seized the houses of Bahlol Khan's orphans, widows and other relatives, publicly insulting them to compel payment of their dues, attached their very beds and cooking pots, and even tore away the ornaments from the persons of the ladies of the harem. "If they could treat their own clansmen thus, one can imagine how they oppressed other people." (Dil. 155.) All citizens believed to be rich were caught and tortured by them. Masaud sent a force to besiege the Afghan mutineers in possession of Bahlol's house. A free fight now deluged that suburb of Bijapur with blood. "Chintu Chimna, a Brahman robber, oppressed the people of the city, while the Afghans oppressed those outside the fort-walls......All the time Masaud sat down in helplessness, shutting the doors of his own house......Many people emigrated to the Karnatak in fear." (B.S. 462.)
v4.c62.s6.9
Nor was the new regent better obeyed in the provinces. When his family was coming from Adoni to join him at Bijapur, the commandant of Raichur slew his son and imprisoned the rest of his family. It was only the intercession of the universally loved princess Padishah Bibi that secured the release of the captives. To crown his misfortunes, he provoked the wrath of the Mughals by trying to strengthen himself by a secret alliance with Shivaji. "The Bijapuri ryots lived in extreme misery, owing to the universal disorder which Masaud utterly failed to put down. He wanted to buy off Shiva whose violence and encroachment had passed all bounds. Dilir Khan forbade him to do so, saying that the Mughal army was ready to co-operate with him in fighting the Marathas. But Masaud, distracted by the lawlessness rampant throughout the kingdom, appealed to Shivaji, as an old subject of Bijapur, to help him in arresting the ruin of the monarchy and expelling the alien Mughals." (B.S. 468.)