Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c8.s6: § 25. Fourth Maratha invasion
Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c8.s6
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§ 25. Fourth Maratha invasion
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When Mustafa left Murshidābād in open mutiny (c. February 20, 1745), he wrote to Raghuji informing him of his intended invasion of Bihar and inviting him to co-operate in humbling Alivardi by repeating the Marātha raid. The opportunity was as tempting to Raghuji as it was unexpected. He immediately marched at the head of 14,000 horse to Orissā (March) and
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* *Mithapur*, the site of the Patna Junction Railway Station. *Naubatpur* is 13 miles s. w. of it. *Muhib-Ali-pur*, on the east bank of the Son, is 19 miles s. w. of Naubatpur and three miles s. of Mussowrah. *Koilwar* is 8 miles e. and *Jagadispur* is 18 miles s. w. of Arrah town. *Karhani* (spelt as *Khurownee* in *Indian Atlas*, sheet 103, and as *Gurranee* and *Gurrahny* in *Rennell’s Bengal Atlas*, sheets 9 and 3) is 5 m. south of Arrah and 15 m. due east of Jagadispur. *Arwal* is 8 miles s. of Muhib-Alipur.
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For *Magror* the printed text of *Siyar*, ii. 148, reads *Makri-Khu*, which is described as close to the Saseram and Chainpur zamindaris and enclosed by hill passes, (ii. 151.)
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There is a *Mugror*, 22 miles west of Bhabhua subdivisional town and 14 miles w. of Chainpur, and a *Kheyra* 3 miles north of Mugror. Both these places are on the banks of the Karamnasa river, in the Mirzapur district of the modern U. P. and only a few miles beyond the present south-western frontier of Bihar. (*Indian Atlas*, sheet 103). *Makri-Khu* of *Siyar* should be corrected into *Magror-Khera*.
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captured the city of Katak without a blow. Its governor, Rājāh Durlabhrām, the son of the Nawāb’s *diwān* Jānakirām, was a timid priest-led sluggard, and his forces were quite inadequate for resistance, while the Nawāb’s absence in full strength in Bihār for fighting Mustafa removed all hope of succour coming from him to Katak. After shutting himself up in Barābāti, the fort of Katak, for a fortnight, Durlabhrām was so ill-advised as to pay a visit to Raghuji in his camp, where he and his party were all made prisoners. Durlabhrām was kept in captivity at Nāgpur, and it was only after paying three *lakhs* of Rupees that Janakiram could secure his son’s release nearly two years later (January, 1747). The fort of Katak, however, held out under the gallant Abdul Aziz and a garrison of only 400 men. But outside its walls all Orissā up to Medinipur passed into the hands of the Marāthas (April). Even Abdul Aziz at last surrendered the fort on condition of being paid his arrears of salary.
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Alivardi, with Mustafa still threatening Bihār, was then in no position to undertake a campaign in Orissā. He, therefore, deemed it politic to temporise by sending envoys to Raghuji to negotiate for peace. Raghuji knew his strength and demanded three *krors* of Rupees. Alivardi prolonged the discussions for two months and a half, till at the end of June he heard of the death of Mustafa, when he broke off negotiations. On hearing of Durlabhrām's captivity, Alivardi had sent one of his Pathans to Raghuji to negotiate for his release. Raghuji despatched Nilopant as his envoy to the Nawab. While this Pathan was in Raghuji's camp, the Marathas brought in 200 men as prisoners and cut off their noses and ears. Alivardi, angry at this act of atrocity when negotiations were going on, at first ordered Nilopant to be put to death by way of reprisal, but was induced to release him as he had been given a pledge of safety. Thus the peace was ruptured. [S. P. D., xxvii. 11.]
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In June Raghuji entered the Bardwān district from Orissā, and seized seven lakhs of revenue. Immediately afterwards there was a great confusion throughout West Bengal and "it prevented business from going on at several ārangs." But a month later the raiders vacated the district and removed to Birbhum to canton for the rains (July.) Mustafa was now dead, and Alivardi was guarding Murshidābād in full strength. [Siyar, ii. 149—150, S. P. D., xxvii. 11.]
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§ 26. Raghuji invades Bihar; fight with Alivardi.
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After passing a month in cantonments, Raghuji went to S. Bihār for five weeks (August- September.) In response to repeated appeals from the remnant of Mustafa’s army, which was blockaded by the loyal zamindārs at Magror, and its promise to join his banners, he had marched into Bihār. By way of the jungles of north Birbhum and the Khargpur hills (south of Mungir), he arrived near Fatuā which he pillaged and burnt, and then turned south-west, plundering Shaikhpurā and many villages in the Tikāri zamindāri, till he struck the Son river.
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After fording it, he advanced to Magror, rescued the Afghāns and their property, and by this junction of forces gathered round himself an army of 14,000 men consisting of swift tireless Marātha light horse (10,000) and redoubtable Afghān fighters (2,000 men under Mustafa Khān’s son Murtaza and 2,000 troops of Pathān zamindars.) Next passing into Bhojpur (the Arrah district in West Bihār) he laid a contribution of one *lakh* on its Rājah, a portion of which was paid down and the balance was being arranged for when news came of the Nawāb’s arrival at Patna. The Bhojpur chief immediately stopped further payment. Raghuji and his allies recrossed the Son at Arwāl and moved north towards Patna, when they sighted the enemy two marches from that capital. [S. P. D., xxvii 7; *Siyar*, ii. 151.]
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In the meantime, Alivardi had set out from his capital immediately after hearing of Raghuji’s move towards Bihār. With 12,000 picked troops he hastened to Patna; but finding that city no longer in danger and the enemy gone away to the south, he halted for a few days at Bānkipur, to refresh his troops and replenish his material. Then he resumed his march in regular order with a fully appointed army and powerful artillery, via Naubatpur, to overtake the Marāthas. But the enemy kept moving in front of him, always out of gunshot, and plundering the villages along their route, till the Rāni’s Tank near Muhib-Ali-pur was reached, where Raghuji had his camp. Here the Nawāb’s vanguard under Mir Jafar surprised the Marātha Rājah, who was soon surrounded by the rest of the Nawāb’s forces. The other divisions of the Marātha army fought hard to rescue their master, who ultimately escaped through the sector of Shamshir Khān in consequence of that Afghān general’s slackness or, more probably, his acceptance of a bribe. Meantime, Alivardi had come up by forced marches and now joined in the chase of the Marāthas. It was during this week’s fighting that a spent bullet knocked out a tooth of Raghuji and two of his officers, Mahimāji Bābā and Shankarāji Bābā, were killed by cannon balls.
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on November 14 and 20. [S. P. D., xx. 74, xxvii. 11; Siyar, ii. 151-152.]
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In the rapidity of his march the Nawāb had far out-stripped his baggage and tents, and this brought him to a halt for some days. His Begam—he had only one wife throughout his life—sent envoys on her own initiative to make peace with Raghuji in order to give repose to her war-weary lord. Raghuji would have gladly accepted the offer, but Mir Habib advised him to make a dash upon Murshidābād and loot the capital of Bengal which was without the means of defence during the absence of the Nawāb and his army. From the bank of the Son, the Marāthas doubled back towards Bengal, Alivardi hurrying at their heels and his army suffering terrible privations from scarcity of food.* By way of Munir and Patna he turned towards Bengal. At Bhāgalpur, on the deep stream of Champānagar, Raghuji at the head of 6,000 men turned back and surprised Alivardi, whose escort was only 600; but by severe fighting the Nawāb gained time for the rest of his army to come up and drive the Marāthas away.
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∗ "From Patna the Nawāb made two marches towards Raghuji's position. During the two months that Raghuji was staying in this province, he did not spare a single village in the whole country, so that no provision could reach the Nawāb's army. Owing to his encircling the Nawāb day and night, the country is disturbed, the Nawāb's provision supply has been cut off and grain sells at Rs. 2 a seer in his camp. So, he has marched back to Patna, followed by Raghuji." [Marathi newsletter of 27 Dec. 1745, in S.P.D., xxvii. 7.] Siyar (ii. 153) supports this.
Linked texts (1)
- Selections from the Peshwa Daftar — Marathi