Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c34.s3: § 3. Mirza Najaf Khan, his past history
Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c34.s3
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§ 3. Mirza Najaf Khan, his past history
v3.c34.s3.1
Mirzā Najaf Khan* was sprung from a noble Persian family of which the head had the hereditary custody of the key to the sepulchre of the most venerated Imām Ali-al-Rizā at Meshed and more than one member of which had married daughters of the Safavi kings. Najaf was born at Isfahān in 1737, and as a boy migrated to India with his sister who was married to Mirzā Muhasan, the eldest brother of Safdar Jang. He first saw service under this lady's step-son Muhammad Quli Khan (popularly called Mirzā Kuchak), who had been appointed imperial keeper of Allahabad fort. But that fort was usurped (April 1759) and Muhammad Quli was imprisoned and murdered (January 1761) by his jealous first cousin Shujā-ud-daulah. Young Najaf Khan, fearing to be involved in the ruin of his nephew and patron, fled away from Shujā with his bare life to Bengal, where the Nawāb Qāsim Ali Khan enlisted him and gave him three lakhs of Rupees for raising a force. In this Nawāb's service, Najaf Khan with his contingent joined the Bengal army at UndhuāNālā (August 1763), shook off their lethargy and greatly distinguished himself by raiding Mir Jafar's trenches. He next followed the defeated Qasim Ali to Bundelkhand in the expedition undertaken by Shujā's orders for realising tribute from Rajah Hindupat. When Qāsim Ali returned from this expedition, Najaf remained in that province in the pay of different Bundela princes, fighting in their intestine contests. Shujā wrote inviting him to come over with his forces and join in his war with the English. The English generals, Munro and Carnac, too, from the middle of 1764 continued to send him tempting offers to desert Shuja's cause and even to make a treacherous attack upon that Nawāb. Najaf waited till the battle of Buxar (October 1764) and the continuous flight of Shujā had proved to the Indian world that the English were the winning side.
v3.c34.s3.2
∗ *Imad-us-sādat*, 108-109, 29. *Siyar*, ii. 317-327, iii.
v3.c34.s3.3
⁸⁹ *Ibrat*. i. 119, 149-178. Muna Lal, 87, 106, 127. Broome, 381, 502-531& *CPC*. i. 2342-2688. ii. 840. iii. 112, 164, 830. iv. 473.
v3.c34.s3.4
He now made a rapid march from Bāndā and joined the English camp before Allahabad (January 1765), after plundering the local revenue-collectors and merchants on the way and seizing Himmat Bahadur's treasure, horses, tents and other equipment in Achalgarh for himself. His local knowledge of Allahabad where he had served in Muhammad Quli's time, enabled him to point out the weak spots of the fort and thus helped the English to capture it quickly (11 February 1765.) He next accompanied Fletcher in the fights with Malhar Rao Holkar (May) and daily rose higher in the favour of the English. His adhesion supplied the English army with that arm which it had hitherto totally lacked and the want of which had neutralised the offensive power of its unconquerable infantry, namely a force of well-mounted expert Mughal cavalry. Therefore, at the treaty of Allahabad (16 August, 1765), Lord Clive guaranteed Najaf Khan an annual pension of two lakhs of Rupees out of the 28 lakhs promised to the Emperor in return for the grant of the *diwāni* of Bengal.
v3.c34.s3.5
All these operations had been conducted by the English in the name of the Emperor, and Najaf was retained at their conclusion as a general in the imperial service and their best supported protege and most loyal partisan among Shah Alam's courtiers. At English recommendation he was appointed by the Emperor faujdar of Kora (1766.) This roused the jealousy of Munir-ud-daulah, another supporter of the English interest among the Emperor's counsellors and the most acceptable envoy in negotiating with them. Munir at last got Najaf dismissed from his post at Kora on the false charge that he had failed to collect the standard revenue (21 Feb. 1770.) The English Governor pleaded with the Emperor for Najaf as hard as he could, but Najaf had to live for more than a year in Allahabad in unemployment and distress. His day came when in May 1771 the Emperor set out on his march to Delhi. Such an able captain could not be passed over when the imperial Government had none with even a quarter of his competence and experience. So, Najaf Khan was given Rs. 50,000 for equipping his contingent and followed the Emperor on his march. He soon justified his choice and proved himself the fittest man for the supreme command of the Empire's forces.