The following letter is an example of how the various Maratha diplomats and officials placed at various politically important positions were always alert. An emissary of the Peshwa Vyankaji Shivdeo, at the court of Arcot’s Nawab heard that the Peshwa would meet the Nizam. He had dispatched a suggestion to Aayaba Mujumdar, requesting the Peshwa to get the interest with respect to Arcot also accomplished from the Nizam in this meeting. It says, “Nanaswami and the Nizam are going to meet. At this time, it would be very good if the old and new issues in relation to Arcot are also settled. The issue about Sardeshmukhi and Chauth at Arcot has been running for the past twelve years. For this, if we get the Nizam’s own letter to the Subedar here ordering him to pay it regularly, then some income can begin. We should not let the money in our hands to slip away into someone else’s.”
It seems like a fear that the Peshwa and the Nizam would meet, but in battle, had also prevailed in some minds when they both had faced each other along with their forces for some time and had kept advancing towards each other. Manaji Angre had written to the Peshwa, “We got news separately, that you are advancing along with force, to threaten the Mughals taking the usual stops. When the Mughal is our friend, and through vain pride, we hold enmity against him, we would need to plan for his complete annihilation. Until we gather sufficient forces, we would need to hold our thoughts steady. You yourself have witnessed late Rau’s tactics and strategies.”
Wrapping up the meeting with the Nizam, the Peshwa immediately went further north to meet Sawai Jaisingh. He crossed the Narmada on 7 March 1741, and was joined by Shinde and Holkar. While he was crossing Malwa and Bundelkhand, Naro Shankar wrote, “Presently, we have arrived in the Malwa province with master. Hearing about Appa’s news has caused much grief to the Sardars here. We have been rendered without a protecting presence. Now, since we haven’t been ordered to serve Nanasaheb’s feet, our hearts are miserable. If both the Shrimants were there, they would have honoured us profusely. Please send recommendation letters for us to Ranoji Shinde, Ramchandrababa, and Malharba. Please somehow work to get us assigned into someone’s service through the Shrimant’s orders.”
This shows, that the growing internal power struggles amongst the Sardars were noticed by the Peshwa here. He immediately resolved the matter cautiously, and ordered Naro Shankar to take up the administration of Bundelkhand. Keeping his watchful eye on all the affairs, he went his way on the task he had undertaken.
However, let us first step back a little to understand the revolt by Naseer Jung, the Nizam’s son. Briggs says, that Nizam-ul-Mulk had one wife through legitimate marriage and four concubines. His wedded wife Sayyed-unnisa Begum had given birth to two sons, Ghaziuddin and Naseer Jung; and two daughters. Apart from these, he had four sons Salabat Jung, Basalat Jung, Nizam Ali and Mir Mughal from his concubines. These two and other sons of the Nizam too grew up to be really capable men. Ghaziuddin mostly lived at Delhi, while Naseer Jung grew up with his father in the Deccan. In the monsoon months of 1740, a fresh development in the Deccan was the revolt of Naseer Jung against his father, the Nizam. For three years, the Nizam had been in Delhi. In 1737, the Nizam went to Delhi upon the Badshah’s invitation and attacked Bajirao. At that time, he had ordered his son Naseer Jung to gather his armies in the Deccan and come to his help. But Chimaji blocked Naseer Jung and did not allow him to arrive at the Battle of Bhopal. Nizam faced Bajirao alone at Bhopal in 1738 and was defeated. After that, Nadir Shah invaded Delhi. In 1739 during Nadir Shah’s attack on Delhi, he was humiliated by the Persian king – there is even a reference to his having to ride an ass to go to court. Overall, three years since 1737 for the north went in complete chaos. The Nizam’s eldest son Ghaziuddin was with him at Delhi and Naseer Jung, his second son was deputing for him in the Deccan. Naseer Jung was even more aggressive than his father. He had fifty-thousand to a lakh strong army under his control, and was in complete authority all over the Deccan for three years. He thought, his father had never been able to arrest the Maratha expansion in the Deccan, so he should do it. With this intention, he fought with Bajirao at the beginning of 1740.
Over time, thinking his father to be getting on in age and declining in power, Naseer Jung began to ignore his instructions and appointed new officials loyal to him and began his own independent administration. By this time, since Bajirao had died, he got a fresh impetus. The Nizam’s uncle Nasar-ud-Daulah was the Subedar at Burhanpur, and he conveyed Naseer Jung’s rebellious moves to the Nizam at Delhi. In August 1740, it became incumbent for the Nizam to march down and face his son. When the Nizam heard about this, he scolded Naseer Jung. But his son did not retrace his steps, and prepared to fight with his own father. The kingdom was split down the middle.
To be continued…
NDHistories 