Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c28.s5: § 10. Najib’s movements, 1765-1767

Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c28.s5

Language: English

§ 10. Najib’s movements, 1765-1767

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The Sikh bands, on return from the Doab (April 1766) attacked the Patiala State. Abdali’s shrewd diplomacy, by making Ala Singh (the founder of the Patiala royal family) a friendly tributary and also giving him the office of governor of the Sarhind district (now a Durrani territory), had set up this Phulkian Sikh against the trans-Satlaj or Manjha Sikhs. It was the Patiala Rajah’s interest to cling to Najib against the common enemy, and he had sent his son to Najib’s camp in the Rohtak district in October 1765, for concerted action against those Sikhs who were then out levying blackmail all over the country. In May 1766, when the Sikhs invaded the territory of Ala Singh’s successor, Amar Singh, and tried to capture his capital, Najib marched up to Mustafabad on the way to Patiala for helping the Rajah. Amar Singh, however, succeeded in averting the hostility of the Sikh bands (*Dal*) through the mediation of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia (the founder of Kapurthala), evidently by paying a subsidy. [*SPD.* xxix. 99. xxvii. 133. Patiala records.] Soon afterwards the rainy season began and suspended military operations till October next.

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At the beginning of 1767, Ahmad Shah Abdali again entered the Panjab—for the last time,—and encamped on the Bias. The Sikhs were torn by internal dissensions and could not oppose him or molest Najib’s territories for some time. Abdali summoned Najib to join him* with the 7 years’ arrear tribute of Hindustan. Najib interviewed him on 9th March, and was treated with the greatest honour and kindness, as will be fully narrated in Chapter 24 §6-7. The Sikh raid into Mirat, which was crushed by a combined Durrani force (8,000 cavalry under Jahan Khan) and Ruhela contingent (5,000 horse under Zabita Khan), about 15 May 1767, will be also described there. After sending his patron back to Afghanistan by promising 25 lakhs, Najib left the Durrani camp and reached Delhi on 30 July.

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In the following cold weather, Najib went from Delhi to Aonla, where he celebrated the marriage of his son Kalu Khan with the daughter of Sadullah Khan (the successor of Ali Md. Ruhela) with the most lavish pomp and extravagance. At the end of the festivity, he returned to Delhi. The Sikhs spread through the Karnal district [Nur. 113], and even menaced Delhi.* Najib’s health had now completely broken down. Ever since 1763 he had suffered off and on from an intermittent fever. In youth he had been attacked by an inflamed ulcer (*chaude pisse*), and now that malady took an aggravated form. Throughout this year he was constantly unwell. On the other hand, the Sikhs were year by year increasing in number and spirit; the final retreat of Ahmad Shah, practically beaten, in May 1767, had given them boundless courage. Even at that time, while the Shah was still on this side of the Satlaj, “the Sikhs to the number of 120,000 men, both horse and foot, all devoted to each other and equipped for war, were assembled at Amritsar.” [CPC. ii. 345.] And now the dying Najib confessed himself beaten. It was only against an entire nation in arms, fired with all the energy of a newly risen and hungry people and all the unity of the early Islamites before their dissolution into sects, and multiplying “like ants and locusts,” that he had at last to admit defeat. He had served his sovereign loyally and defended his capital and family as long as he could. But he now begged leave to resign a burden beyond his physical powers. He wrote to the Emperor Shah Alam: “Until this hour I have manifested the firmest devotion and loyalty to the young princes and ex-Empress [in Delhi fort.] But I am no longer able to continue that support to them which is necessary for their protection. Let your Majesty advance to your capital and yourself defend your own honour. Your vassal frankly represents that he is not equal to the charge in his present situation.”

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∗ *SPD.* xxix. 119. After taking leave of the Shah, Najib came to the Sarhind district and halted long at Mustafabad (25 m. e. of Ambala), attacked many parganahs of the Sikhs... Then he came to Delhi. (Nur. 113a.) Minute details of this campaign of Abdali in *CPC.* ii. 12-415. Shah honours Najib, *ibid.*, 310 and 415, refuses him Sarhind, 323.

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∗ Acc. to SPD. xxix. 143, this invasion was led by Jai Singh, who recalled all the Sikh bands then in Bharatpur territory to join him against Najib.

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To the Dowager-Empress Zinat Mahal, he wrote in the same terms, resigning the task of defending Delhi and offering to escort the whole royal family in that fort to the Emperor at Allahabad if she desired it. He added that the Sikhs had prevailed and he was unable to provide for his own security. He talked of seeking his political *nirvān* by making a pilgrimage to Mecca, or retiring to some obscure retreat. [*CPC.* 1101, 847. *SPD.* xxix. 143 of which the correct date is 26 Mar. 1768.] He withdrew his deputy Sultan Khan, troops and property from Delhi.

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§ 11. Najib resigns his government to Zabita Khan and retires to Najibabad, March 1768.

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Realizing, that his end could not be far off, he took counsel with his household and with his usual foresight provided carefully for the future. While on his usual cold weather march in the Hisar district with his army, he one day assembled all his sardars and in their presence declared Zabita Khan his successor and deputy, tied his own turban to his son’s head as a symbol of his chieftainship, and transferred all authority over his army and territory to him during his lifetime. He advised his heir to confirm his own authority immediately by crushing those of his generals (i.e., the partisans of Zabita’s step-brother Kalu Khan) who were reported to be ill-disposed towards their new master and were sure to cause trouble after Najib’s death. Najib now retired to Najibabad to lead a life of relief from public cares. Zabita, to whom unfettered discretion in foreign policy had been given, came to terms with the Sikhs, evidently by a money payment, near Jalalabad-Nahari, north of Delhi. Two of his father’s high officers,—Ali Muhammad Kur and Sayyid Mian Asrar-ud-din (popularly called Lambi Miān),—who defied Zabita’s orders, were suppressed by force. “By these means the entire army was brought under discipline and made to recognize Zabita Khan as their supreme master.” [Nur. 114a-115a. Miskin, 270.]

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On 15th October 1769, Najib returned towards Delhi, and leaving his camp at Shahdara paid a visit to the Crown Prince in the palace in the afternoon and was highly honoured in return. Three days later, his deputy Zabita Khan was presented to the prince and the Dowager-Empress. He was given a dinner and entertained with dance and song in the palace, and sent back with a present of the Crown Prince’s own headdress. |DC.|

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§ 12. Renewed Maratha invasion of Hindustan, 1770; Najib's subtle policy.

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Early in 1770, a vast Maratha army, led by Ramchandra Ganesh (the Peshwa's deputy), Visaji Krishna Biniwala, Tukoji Holkar, and Mahadji Sindhia, advanced to the north of the Chambal for restoring the Maratha authority in Hindustan which had been eclipsed for nearly a decade as the result of the defeat at Panipat, and recovering their lost estates in the Doab. Their coming was preceded by letters calling upon all the chiefs of Northern India to present themselves and pay tribute or release the Maratha jagirs they had usurped in the interval. Tukoji Holkar, the successor of Malhar, wrote a private letter to Najib to confirm the friendship between the two houses which had subsisted in Malhar's time and by which Najib had benefited so often and so signally. Najib replied, "I have for a long time past renounced the world on account of age and made Zabita Khan my heir and supreme agent. He will not deviate from your counsel."

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But the return of the Deccani myriads ten years after Panipat alarmed Najib with good reason. His protector Ahmad Shah Abdali was dying; the Peshwa had by now healed his domestic discord and made peace with the Nizam and Haidar Ali, and was free to devote all the resources of his Government to his northern interests. The Marathas could not have forgotten that Najib had been the cause of their ruin in 1761. The house of Sindhia bore sleepless vindictiveness towards Najib and was sure to annihilate him if it could. As Najib wrote to his son, after unfolding the political situation, "Not one of the potentates of Hindustan has the courage to gird up his loins for opposing them. I cannot bear on my shoulders the heavy burden of this task without the aid of troops from the Durrani kingdom." He had lost his old health and strength, and could no longer ride forth on campaigns as in the past. No succour was to be expected from the house of Durrani, now involved in domestic brawls.

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He felt that Zabita was too young and inexperienced to handle such a situation, while a single injudicious step towards such irresistible enemies would ruin his newly founded kingdom and dynasty. So, Najib decided to go himself to the Marathas, "incline them by face to face meeting and parley to maintain peace with him, and, by offering his co-operation in their present undertakings, keep them firmly on his side."*

Linked texts (1)

Selections from the Peshwa Daftar — Marathi