History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c84.s2.t2: § 11. First Maratha incursion into Malwa, 1699.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c84.s2.t2
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§ 11. First Maratha incursion into Malwa, 1699.
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In November 1699, a Maratha band crossed the Narmada and raided Malwa up to the environment of Dhamuni. It was led by Krishna Savant, of whom we have no other mention in the Persian or Marathi sources.* Bhimsen alone mentions the event, and he describes it thus: "When Aurangzib set out to conquer Satara, Krishna Savant, a Maratha general, at the head of 15,000 cavalry, crossed the Narmada and ravaged some places near Dhamuni and returned. Since the time of the early Sultans the Marathas had never crossed the Narmada till now. He plundered and returned to his home unmolested." [Dil. ii. 129a, 142a.]
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The path thus opened was never again closed, till at last in the middle of the 18th century Malwa passed into regular Maratha possession. In January 1703, as soon as the Emperor became involved in the siege of Kondana, "the Marathas crossed the Narmada again, and caused disturbances up to the environs of Ujjain. Some Afghans of that district also engaged in lawlessness. Nusrat Jang was sent to punish them. Some months later another band, after plundering the environs of Burhanpur, looted the city of Khargon, 52 miles north-west of it and a part of the subah of Malwa lying south of the Narmada. [*Dil.* ii. 144b, *Akh.* 11 Feb. 1703.]
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∗ Except that Bakht Buland, the Rajah of Deogarh, captured him in April 1699 [Akhbarat.]
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§ 12. Nimaji Sindhia's raid into Malwa, 1703.
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When the campaigning season opened in October 1703, Nima Sindhia* burst into Berar, defeated and captured Rustam Khan the deputy governor of the province (on behalf of Firuz Jang); and then raiding the Hushangabad district and crossing the Narmada he advanced into Malwa at the invitation of Chhatra Sal. After plundering many villages and towns, he laid siege to Sironj, but the chaudhuri of the place gallantly held out. The Emperor had (on 31st October) sent orders to Bidar Bakht, then in Aurangabad, to go out against these raiders. The prince was too distant from the threatened place, and could not begin his march in time. Then Firuz Jang, who had entered Berar in pursuit of another Maratha force, was given this duty. Leaving the frontier of Berar on 12th Nov. and depositing his heavy baggage and camp at Burhanpur, he hastened with light equipment on the track of the raiders, overtook them near Sironj, and immediately delivered his attack. Scattering the Maratha vanguard, he forced his way to the elephant ridden by Nima, who leaped down and fled away on horseback. Many of the Marathas and their local Rajput and Afghan allies were slain or wounded; the flags, kettledrums, elephants, camel-swivels &c. plundered from Rustam Khan were seized by the imperialists. The followers and cattle of Rustam, whom Nima was dragging along with himself, were released. The broken enemy fled eastwards into Bundelkhand, wishing to reach home by way of the Gond principality of Garha. Firuz Jang kept up the pursuit. [Akh. 11 March 1704.]
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∗ "Who did not co-operate with Dhana and other Maratha generals, being prompted by self-will" &c. [*Dil.* ii. 148b.] Manucci says (iii. 426) that the Marathas plundered Sironj most fearfully, having crossed the Narmada in two bodies, totalling 50,000 horse. And again (iii. 501), "In January 1704, the Marathas crossed the Narmada, penetrated the forests of Mandu, plundering and ravaging several provinces, as well as the town of Sironj. They went further, and going through the hill-passes of Narwar, they entered the province of Calabad (? Kalpi), close to Gwalior, a three days' journey from Agra." The two accounts seem to refer to one and the same raid. The unhappy Rustam Khan,—this being his second capture by the Marathas—was suspected by the Emperor of cowardice and collusion with the enemy, and degraded by a hazar zat (7 Jan. 1704.) But on 7 Feb. the general's Court-agent submitted to the Emperor that in the fight with Nima in Berar, Rustam had 2000 men (including his son-in-law) slain on his side, and that the spy's report charging him with cowardice was false. The Emperor ordered an enquiry, after which Rustam was reinstated. [*Akh.*] Bhimsen also charges him with shirking battles. [*Dil.* ii. 146b.]
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The general's despatch of victory, following the spy's report by three days, reached the Emperor, then sitting down before Torna, on 13th March, 1704, and he rewarded Firuz Jang by an increase of 2,000 troopers in his *mansab* and the title of commander-in-chief (*sipah-salar*),—to the intense disgust of his rival Nusrat Jang.[*] All the officers of this army were highly favoured and promoted. The brave Chaudhuri of Sironj was also rewarded.
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On 10th February 1704 Firuz Jang, following up his success, set out from Bhamgarh against Chhatra Sal, by way of Chanderi and Dhamuni, towards Garha. After marching 24 miles he halted in the jungle of Dhamuni. His vanguard under Khanjar Khan issued from the jungle and surprised Nima's army, which was off its guard, slaying many and recovering much booty. There were heavy losses on the Mughal side too. This victory removed famine from Firuz Jang's camp, where grain began again to sell at 20 seers a Rupee, against 1½ seers during the height of the raid. The victorious general reached Burhanpur on his return on 8th April.[†]
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[*] M. A. 481; *Akhbarat*, 14, 20, and 24 March 1704. It is amusing to read how Bhimsen, the literary champion of Firuz Jang's rival, tries to prove that this victory was mythical, [Dil. ii. 148b] :—"Reaching Sironj quickly, he reported to the Emperor details of his victory, without having fought any battle...When the Emperor learnt the truth, he ordered that the title and favours granted should be withheld."
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[†] *Akh.* 16 March. The date of his return is given as 14
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It was a great deliverance for the Mughals. The Maratha activities in Berar had held up the reports of news-writers, official letters and baskets of fruits sent for the Emperor by the governors of Kabul and Kashmir, for 3 or 4 months on the bank of the Narmada, as the couriers durst not proceed further south and the faujdars on the road could not supply them with sufficiently strong escorts. We read that early in March 1704, some 355 bags of letters and 55 baskets of fruits, liberated by Firuz Jang's victory, at last reached the Emperor. [Akh. 8 March.]
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Meantime, the discomfiture of Rustam Khan at the hands of Nima Sindhia had struck such terror among the imperialists that the governor of Malwa (Abu Nasar Khan, a son of Shaista Khan) lay sheltering himself in the fort of Ujjain, without venturing to take the field against the invaders. Similarly, Nawazish Khan, the faujdar of Mandu, a very important fort guarding the Deccan highway, had run away from that fort and taken refuge in Dhar. The result was that Firuz Jang in campaigning against Nima in Malwa received no support from the local officers. The Emperor issued stern reprimands* followed by orders of dismissal to the two officers.
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shahar-i-Shawwal, which I correct into shahar-i-hal (i.e., Zihijja) [Akh. 24 April 1704.]
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∗ A letter "by order" of the Emperor was sent to the subahdar of Malwa: "In spite of the going of Firuz Jang, rightly so named, in pursuit of the thieves [i.e., Marathas], why are you sitting down in your fort gazing at the show?