Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c28.s2: § 5. Najib visits Abdali (1762) and Shah Alam (1763.)

Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c28.s2

Language: English

§ 5. Najib visits Abdali (1762) and Shah Alam (1763.)

v2.c28.s2.1

We shall now turn to the narration of Najib’s movements and other acts. On 10th September 1761 he returned to Delhi from his estate. As he was about to enter the Diwan-i-khas for interviewing the Crown Prince, the porters, in accordance with the rules, refused to admit more than eleven attendants with him. At this he took offence and at once left for his own camp. After two days he was pacified by princely apologies and paid his visit on the 12th. Then he left for Gohana while Nāgar Mal was sent to Kumbher to arrange for a personal meeting between him and the Jat Rajah. This interview took place about 23rd October, but as we shall see in Chapter 23, it produced no real understanding between the two nor any concerted plan for bringing Shah Alam back to Delhi. [SPD. xxi. 89. Nur. 56a.]

v2.c28.s2.2

In the November and December of this year we find Najib engaged in subduing his refractory tenants in the Hansi-Hisar country, aided by Musavi Khan. From this region he was called at the beginning of February 1762 to meet Ahmad Shah who was then busy repressing the Sikhs in the Sarhind-Patiala country. He bore the Shah company till the first week of April and received high praise from his patron, who publicly remarked, "This is the only man among the Indian Afghans. I have shown many favours to that race, but not one of them, not even Shuja-ud-daulah, has come to my side." [Nur. 57a. CPC. ii. DC.]

v2.c28.s2.3

After his return to Delhi on 15th April, Najib paid a fortnight's visit to his city of Najibabad, then in course of construction, and afterwards came back to Delhi (17th May), occupying his official residence, Safdar Jang's mansion. Early in October next he went to Lahor, again to settle the affairs of the empire in consultation with the Abdali king. Yaqub Ali Khan, as well as Shah Alam's agents Munir-ud-daulah and Agha Raza, and the Maratha wakil Bapu Hingane also went there for the discussions. It was agreed that Shah Alam should be recognized as Emperor and Shuja as his wazir, and that forty lakhs a year should be paid to the Afghan king as the tribute of India,—for which Najib was held answerable. Abdali’s letters to this effect were issued to the chief Indian Powers, and robes of honour for Emperor and wazir were despatched from his Court with Razā Quli Khan. Ahmad Shah left Lahor for his home on 12th December 1762, and Najib returned to Delhi on 18th January, the other Indian envoys with him. [DC. Nur. 57b.]

v2.c28.s2.4

Shortly after this Najib received pressing invitations to join the Emperor Shah Alam who was then encamped with Shuja at Sikandrabad, and on whom Hafiz Rahmat and other Ruhela chiefs (but not Ahmad Khan Bangash of Farrukhabad) were in attendance. But Shuja, who was really the keeper of the puppet Emperor, attempted to wrest Ahmad’s territories from him, as a preliminary to the Emperor’s march on Delhi. This antagonized all the Ruhelas, and destroyed the chance of any united action by all the vassal chiefs for installing Shah Alam on his ancestral throne. Najib quickly arrived in the imperial camp, was cordially welcomed by Shuja and presented to the Emperor, who bestowed many costly gifts on him. Under pressure from Najib, the Nawab of Oudh abandoned his hostile designs against the Bangash chief.* In this camp Najib fell ill of a high fever, which caused fits of unconsciousness for hours together; the Emperor graciously visited his sick-bed and showed him every kindness. Soon there broke out a sectarian dispute between Shuja's Shia troops and Najib's Sunni Afghans, and in the rioting that followed a *pir-zada* of the Afghans, when on a visit to the Oudh camp, was killed by the ruffianly Qizzilbashes and Mughalias there. The soldiers on both sides came out for a battle and could not be controlled by their chiefs. So, Najib hurriedly took leave of the Emperor (on 16th May) and marched back to his home, where he made a long stay on account of his illness. [*Ghulam Ali*, ii. 157-167, *DC*. Muna Lal 60.]

v2.c28.s2.5

∗ Najib’s very cogent reasoning, Nur. 59a-60a. Shuja vs. Bangash, Imad 88-91.

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Selections from the Peshwa Daftar — Marathi