In January 1741, Nanasaheb had to choose between supporting the Nizam-ul-Mulk Asafjah or his son Naseer Jung, both of who asked for help. A long letter written by the Peshwa to Mahadevbhat Hingne at Delhi gives us his line of thinking. This letter reveals how Nanasaheb’s approach differed qualitatively from that of Bajirao or Chimaji Appa. The Peshwa wrote, “There is a dispute between father and son – Asafjah and Naseer Jung. You may have heard that Naseer Jung came and stayed at Ajanta while Asafjah was at Burhanpur. I had messages from both of them asking for help. I came by the Kasarbari Ghat to Varangaon and then to Jamner. Whoever has the (Maratha) army will emerge victorious. Keeping this in mind, both the Yavanas (Muslims) asked my help with affectionate utterances. Rajashree Baburao met Asafjah and held discussions. Naseer Jung was strong and young and boastful. Asafjah thought if I have to preserve my respect and not lose my life, I have to speak nicely and get help (from me). If I had helped Naseer Jung – he is boastful and would have claimed all the credit for his victory. It will also seem in the public that he has won the battle. I felt that unless I help the weaker party, my own influence will not grow. Therefore, I decided to support Asafjah.
“I reached near Edlabad (Muktainagar). Sayyed Lashkar Khan and Baburao came, and we met. Hearing that I have met them, Naseer Jung developed cold feet. To start with Asafjah is full of tricks, now with a huge army, and (Naseer Jung thought) instead of being destroyed, it is better to retire from the battle and become a Fakir. Therefore, he went to Roja (Khuldabad). Once Naseer Jung had retired, the Nizam came to Edlabad (Muktainagar) and received me, standing before his tent. He embraced me and another twenty-five Sardars who accompanied me. The ceremony was grander than when Teerthroop Rau had met him. Jewels, elephants, horses were gifted to us and I proceeded to Jalgaon and then to Hindustan.”
When the Nizam was coming down to the Deccan, Nanasaheb was travelling to the north. The Nizam had encamped at Edlabad (Muktainagar) on the banks of the Poorna River, when, on 7 January 1741, the Peshwa met him. Before the meeting, Pilaji Jadhavrao went forth and decided the protocols about felicitations, which were carried out as decided. For four to eight days, this meeting ceremony was completed cordially, at least outwardly. However, both of them were completely aware of each other’s internal feelings. Nanasaheb sought the imperial grant-notification for Malwa which the Nizam had agreed to get in the Peshwa’s name from the Badshah in the agreement after the Battle of Bhopal. He had not got them so far. Taking the opportunity of the Nizam’s absence at Delhi, the Peshwa was eager to acquire these notifications immediately through Sawaiji’s mediation. The Nizam was struggling to keep his own position. All his activities at the time of Nadir Shah’s invasion were known to everybody including the Badshah. So, the court too felt that if this Nizam’s problem goes away from Delhi, it would be better. Here in the Deccan, his son Naseer Jung was capable and true to his word, due to which most of the people supported him. In such a situation, the Nizam intended that the Peshwa helped him to break the back of his son’s revolt; or at least not engage in something to the contrary and provide shelter and support to him. No wonder then, that in such a situation, there was no special outcome that resulted from this meeting.
The Peshwa’s attention was drawn towards the Malwa grant notifications. These notifications were to be issued in Bajirao’s name initially. After so many days gone past, the huge effort at Bhopal was seeming like going waste. The Peshwa was desirous of recouping that loss through conciliatory moves, and no other untoward and unnecessary battle had to be engaged in. Bajirao died, seven months after him, Chimaji Appa too died on 17 December 1740. Still, the Peshwa’s strength did not diminish at all due to these incidents. Nanasaheb had to display for the Nizam, that the next Peshwa too was equally capable and ready to accomplish success in his predecessor’s projects. On 24 December 1740, Birubai died at Satara. Even on that account, there was no impact to Shahu’s court. The Peshwa impressed upon the Nizam’s mind, that like Bajirao, Shahu supported him equally. For these reasons, this meeting between the two magnates occurred only as a formal and superficial meeting. There was no actual impact.
The Nizam asked for the Peshwa’s help, and he agreed to provide the same. In the same meeting, the Peshwa demanded the Malwa grant notifications, to which the Nizam replied, “The Badshah has handed over the office of that Subedar to me. If you obey my orders, I will grant the Nayab (assistant) position of Malwa to you.” Overall, he had let down the Peshwa in this regard. About the clause that he would obtain an amount of fifty lakh from the Badshah, he undertook to try and get the amount.
While the deliberations with the Nizam were on, the Peshwa’s officers kept occupying more posts in Malwa. Handia and two other posts were taken in the last week of January 1741. From Malwa the Peshwa moved on and established posts in Bundelkhand, handing over the province to Naro Shankar to administer.
To be continued…
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