Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c40.s3: § 3. Minority of Sawai Pratap Singh: rivalry of the Bohra and Haldia ministers
Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c40.s3
- Language
- English
§ 3. Minority of Sawai Pratap Singh: rivalry of the Bohra and Haldia ministers
v3.c40.s3.1
The history of the Kachhwa kingdom under Sawāi Pratāp Singh is a sickening tale. Even during the ten years’ rule of his predecessor a rapid decay had set in in that Government. As an eminent Rājasthani historian writes, “This Rajah was a minor, and hence the ladies sitting within the harem dominated the State affairs, with the result that mismanagement prevailed in the public administration” [Vir Vinod, p. 1306.] Matters became even worse at the accession of Pratāp Singh. His father Mādho Singh had, on his death-bed, advised his queen not to dismiss Khush-hālī Rām Bohrā as he was well versed in affairs and loyal to his master. But this minister had made many enemies among the hereditary nobles as he did not care to flatter fools. Their intrigues brought about his arrest and confinement in Amber fort. But in the hour of the country's danger from the treacherous attacks of the Narukā and the open threats of the Delhi Government, Khush-hālī Rām was felt to be the only man who could save it, and he was therefore released and restored to the head of the administration. Thus, we find him prime minister again at the accession of Pratāp Singh in April 1778 and then going on an embassy to the camp of Najaf Khan and to the Emperor's Court in order to make terms both for his own Rājah and the Narukā chief. Soon afterwards, he had to take the aid of an imperial force for punishing the ungrateful Narukā, as we have seen in Ch. 30, § 2.
v3.c40.s3.2
∗ Neither the Persian and Marathi records, nor the Rajasthani sources (so far as these last are known to me), give any support to Tod’s allegation that this elephant-driver Firuz played the Mazarin to the queen-mother of Jaipur, the Chundāwatni Rani. The British historian’s second statement that she was poisoned by the Narukā, is similarly without evidence. The Vamsha Bhāskar (p. 3886) merely states that she fell ill of an incurable malady and died some days after her two sons had arrived at her bed-side (probably in 1777). This does not look like poisoning.
v3.c40.s3.3
This expedition had a curious after-effect on the internal politics of Jaipur. Three Baniās of Khandelā in the Kachhwa State, named Daulat Rām, Khush-hālī Rām II, and Nand Ram, with their father Chhajju Rām, of the Haldiā family had migrated from the Jaipur Court and gone to Mācheri, where they had risen to the head of the administration and the charge of important forts. But by reason of their having spitefully counselled their new master not pay his debt to the Jaipur State and thus provoked the recent joint invasion, he in his hour of defeat threatened to imprison and plunder them. So the entire Haldiā family took shelter in Najaf’s camp (c. January 1779). Here Khush-hāli Rām Bohra took them under his protection, appointed Daulat Rām as his deputy at his master’s Court during his frequent absences on diplomatic missions, and posted his namesake, Khush-hāli Rām the Haldiā, as his agent in Najaf’s camp (c. March 1779).
v3.c40.s3.4
In a few months’ time Daulat Rām contrived to win the Rajah’s confidence and caused his patron the Bohrā to be thrown into prison (end of July. CPC. v. 1573.) But before the year was over, there was another turn in Fortune’s wheel at Jaipur: the Haldiā brothers fell into disfavour and had to flee to Najaf Khan to save their lives. From April 1780 to February 1781, Daulat Rām accompanied Mahbub Ali Khan in his invasion of Jaipur [Ch. 31. § 4], while his brother Khush-hāli Rām II attended at Delhi. This led to the release of the Bohrā, as he was found to be the only faithful and able diplomat left to the Kachhwas. On 8th March 1780, the Bohrā was deputed by the Jaipur Court as their wakil to negotiate with Najaf Khan for the tribute due and to stop the encroachments of the Narukā. But evidently he could do nothing with his limited powers and in the face of constant obstruction behind his back by his rivals at Court. Therefore, as Mahbub Ali’s invasion developed and he began to hammer at the gates of Jaipur, the Rajah bowed to necessity and on 18th October created the Bohrā the supreme regent of Jaipur with full authority over all the sardars, great and small. [Br. Mus. Or. 25,020 f. 50a, 25,021 f. 313b.]
v3.c40.s3.5
We may here briefly narrate the course of Khush-hālī Rām’s diplomacy towards the imperial Government at this time. He failed to avert the invasion of his country planned by Najaf Khan, because his master was neither willing nor able to pay the enormous arrears of tribute that had accumulated. As Mahbub Ali Khan advanced conquering, the Jaipur regent offered only Rs. 1,70,000 in cash and the rest in promises (17th Sept.),—an offer which Najaf Khan at once declined as utterly insufficient. Unable to stem the Muslim invasion, the Jaipur Court ordered Rodā Ram (originally a tailor and now the Rajah’s *khawās*) to go forth and oppose Mahbub Ali; but he did nothing. War is not a tailor’s business. Their next step was to solicit the Narukā to come to the rescue of his tribal head (30th Oct.). But the Rāo Rājah declined, saying that he had no faith in the Jaipur Government, as his life had been once attempted in that capital and at another time his lands had been wrested by Najaf Khan at their instance. Then Khush-hālī Rām Bohrā changed his policy, and tried to make terms with Mahbub, even offering to hire his force if he would help the Kachhwa State to recover the lands unlawfully seized by the Rāo Rājah. All this time the Narukā continued to raid and ravage Jaipur territory on the Shekhāwati border, and Khush-hāli Rām I was unable to check him with his weak contingent (March 1781.) Finally Mahbub Ali’s army broke up for want of money and Mirzā Najaf transferred the collection of the Jaipur tribute to Gosāin Himmat Bahadur once again. On 27th April 1781 the Gosāin interviewed the Jaipur Rajah through Khush-hāli Rām I and the following settlement was made: “Himmat Bahadur swore on Ganges water that he would never act against the Rajah of Jaipur. The Rajah made over to Himmat Bahadur *mahals* calculated to yield 12 lakhs of Rupees a year, one half of which was to be remitted to Najaf Khan and the other half spent in maintaining the troops kept there for the work of collection ; the imperialists were to set up their military posts there.”* Next month the Gosāin realised Rs. 75,000 and sent the amount to his master in Delhi, [*f. 335b.*] Daulat Rām Haldiā now returned to Jaipur and was appointed army chief (*bakhshi.*)
v3.c40.s3.6
At this time Himmat Bahadur helped the Jaipur State with his own contingent in defeating and capturing the Maratha mercenary Jaswant Rao Bāble, who had long served the Jaipur State, but being unpaid had tried to make himself forcibly master of Mālpurā and Todā on the ground that these were Solanki colonies and he was a Deccani Solanki (i.e., Chālukya, in Marathi Sulké): Bāblé's son Shambhuji was killed and all his war equipment and other property plundered. [Vamsha Bhās. 3889.] Jaipur hostility to the Rāo Rājah continued and the latter made Muhammad Beg Hamadāni his patron for a money consideration.
v3.c40.s3.7
∗ Najaf Khan, on receiving the report of this, angrily cried out, “Always mere words and evasive tricks! No money ever paid.” [Br. Mus. Or. 25,020, *f.* 221b.]
v3.c40.s3.8
This brings us to the middle of the year 1781. Immediately afterwards another palace revolution took place at Jaipur; Khush-hāli Rām Bohrā was thrown into prison and Daulat Rām Haldiā was re-appointed prime minister at the end of July 1781 [DY. i. 31.] The Haldiās governed the State for the next five years. But on 15th November, 1784, Khush-hāli Rām II (i.e., Haldiā) was murdered in Afrāsiyāb Khan's camp by an agent of the Mācheri Rājah. Daulat Rām fell from favour and his high office in April 1786 and migrated with his family to Lucknow. The Bohrā now became prime minister again. But his resurrection was short: in January next Daulat Rām returned and became the Rajah's favourite again by pursuing a bold foreign policy. Khush-hāli Rām was staying with Rāyāji Pātil, the tribute-collector left behind by Sindhia, when a murderous assault was made on him by his Rajah's order during a pretended parley. So, when Mahadji arrived at the end of March, the Bohrā sought refuge with him to save his life. [DY. i. 173, 200. HP. 476, 468.]
v3.c40.s3.9
§ 4. Character of Sawāi Pratāp Singh: disorder, maladministration and national weakness.
v3.c40.s3.10
This eternal seesaw in the choice of the first servant of the State, with its consequent suffering of the people, can be explained only by the character of the Kachhwa Rajah.* Sawāi Pratāp Singh had no brains, but was not harmless and quiescent like most other imbeciles; his folly burst out in capricious violence. Anticipating the decadent Nawabs of Oudh, he used to dress himself like a female, tie bells to his ankles and dance within the harem. His time was mostly devoted to drinking and attending songs and dances. When he issued from his palace, it was only for galloping through the streets or for visiting the temples out of idle curiosity rather than piety. Sometimes he would sally forth at night with the ruffianly companions of his wine-cup, raid the houses of the bankers and jewellers, beat them and snatch away their money! In addition to his unkingly and unmanly vices, his reckless speech and violent temper alienated the proud Rajput nobility and they left his capital for their seats in shame and disgust.
v3.c40.s3.11
∗ G. Ali, iii. 231. Br. Mus. Or. 25,020 f. 306, 25,021 f. 8. DY. i. 165. Jodhpur, Letter no. 2. HP. 411, 476.
v3.c40.s3.12
The public administration was utterly neglected. The State was ruled by officers who were their own masters and selfishly quarrelled among themselves. The young Rajah gave his personal favour with supreme power over his Government to a tailor named Rodā Rām (popularly called Rodoji,) because this man was in charge of the Rajah's food and drink and thus guarded him against poisoning. The second office in the State, though the first in theory, alternated between the old Brahman diwān Khush-hāli Rām Bohra (whom the Rajah disliked) and Daulat Rām Haldiā, a trader by caste. As a Maratha envoy truly reported, "I hear that the Jaipur Government has no money and no man in its royal family. The regent is a tailor, the second minister is a Brahman, the ex-purveyor of Ganges water. The rest are *baniās*. Thus is the Rajah's administration conducted! He has no troops." [DY. i. 165.]
v3.c40.s3.13
As early as June 1781 the nobles of the State had warned Sawāi Pratāp Singh, "Our kingdom is going out of our hands. You should apply some remedy to set it right." The Rajah's reply was, "You are the pillars of my State. Carry out any plan that you consider best." The diwan asked the leading barons to be always in attendance at the capital, pay their due revenue, carry out the orders of the Government and serve the State. The nobles, who were mostly their prince's clansmen and had fought loyally for his ancestors, could not bear the disgrace of taking their orders from the low men who now dominated the Court, and yet the Rajah refused to dismiss the tailor. So, the nobles kept away from the capital, even as late as April 1786, leaving the Rajah to his fate. The Shekhāwat vassals took to a more aggressive course and seized his territory near their estates.
v3.c40.s3.14
While thus abandoned by the warriors of his land, Sawāi Pratāp Singh also made Khush-hāli Bohrā his enemy. This old minister had a real affection for his former masters, Mādho Singh and Prithvi Singh. The last-named Rajah had left behind him a son Mān Singh, only six months old at the time of his death. But the little orphan's rights were set at nought by the late king's younger brother Pratāp Singh. To save the child from possible murder, Khush-hāli Rām contrived to send him away to his maternal grandfather's house in Kishangarh. This roused Sawāi Pratāp Singh to fury; he put Khush-hāli Rām in prison and declared Mān Singh a spurious child. But Mān Singh remained a pawn in the hands of those who wanted to save the Kachhwa kingdom by removing a sovereign who only disgraced his throne. Plans were constantly formed and appeals were made to Mahādji Sindhia in the name of the lawful heir of Jaipur to replace Pratāp Singh by Mān Singh with his armed help. The prime mover in these conspiracies was the Narukā Rāo Rājah who aspired to rule the State as guardian of the boy Mān Singh. Khush-hāli Rām Bohra inclined to these plots only when Sawāi Pratāp Singh made his life intolerable, i.e., after 1786. Mahādji, however, never seriously contemplated such a change, and he kept Mān Singh for the rest of his life at Vrindāvan on a jagir given by him.
v3.c40.s3.15
§ 5. Jaipur Rajah's tribute to Emperor unpaid.
v3.c40.s3.16
Mahādji Sindhia, as Mir Bakhshi, found himself burdened with the duty of collecting from the Jaipur Rajah the enormous dues of two different masters. The Jaipur State had, at different times in the past, bound itself to pay the Marathas large contributions, besides which quite recently (in 1779) the Rajah had promised to the Emperor 20 lakhs of Rupees as succession fine and tribute, payable through the medium of the Mir Bakhshi. Mahādji had to take this claim up among the first tasks of his new office. But the habitual conduct of the Kachhwa Government proved that nothing short of armed coercion and seizure of territory would secure any money from it.
v3.c40.s3.17
We have seem in Chapter 18, § 1 that the total contribution promised by the Jaipur Rajah to the Marathas in 1748-51 was 12 lakhs, and that in July 1757 Raghunath Dada and Holkar realised six lakhs out of it. In September 1758 Mādho Singh was coerced into promising 36 lakhs plus 3 lakhs more. Malhar Rao Holkar was unable to collect any portion of these dues either by his expedition of 1759 or by his viceroy at Mangrol in 1761. [§ 7-10.] But in 1765 the Jaipur Rajah made terms with Holkar and paid five lakhs down with bankers' bills for another four lakhs. [Ch. 24, § 12.]
v3.c40.s3.18
During the Emperor's march to Rajputana early in 1779, the Jaipur Rajah paid him two lakhs and promised a further sum of 20 lakhs by instalments [Ch. 30, § 3.] When these fell into arrears, Najaf sent Mahbub Ali to enforce payment, 1780-81, but without any success. Hence in March 1781 he sent Himmat Bahadur to Jaipur to try persuasion. The Gosāin secured one instalment of Rs. 75,000 and probably one more. But throughout the three years 1782-'84 nothing was paid by the Kachhwa king, who took advantage of the internal quarrels and weakness of the Delhi Government to defy it.
v3.c40.s3.19
Therefore, after crushing Muhammad Beg Hamadāni and making terms with the Rajahs of Bharatpur and Mācheri, Mahādji attacked the Jaipur frontier at Mahewa-Ramgarh. But Khush-hāli Rām Bohrā, now met him with peace offers, taking the place of his murdered namesake the Haldiā, as the agent of Jaipur in the imperial camp. The tribute was settled at 21 lakhs* and the envoy took his leave to raise the money, a Muslim officer of Afrāsiyāb’s service being sent with him (c. 25 Dec. 1784.) But throughout the year 1785 the Jaipur Rajah paid only three lakhs, when he saw the new imperial regent fully absorbed in a struggle with the refractory officers of Afrāsiyāb Khan and not yet firmly in the saddle as the executive head of the Delhi Government.
v3.c40.s3.20
∗ Two lakhs in cash and two lakhs in jewels, payable immediately. Ten lakhs by cession of territory, and seven lakhs ordered on the vassal nobles. The sebandi troops stationed for collecting the last item were to be chargeable on these nobles. [HP. 406. DY. i. 133.]
Linked texts (1)
- Vaṃśabhāskar — Sūryamall Miśraṇ 1840, raj