After coming back from his long campaign in 1743, the Peshwa had decided to again go back on another campaign in the north towards the end of the year to complete the unfinished tasks there. But due to many other reasons, it was not possible for him to step out for one whole year. He wrote to Shinde and Holkar on 11 December 1744, “The security of Konkan province will be established in due course of time. This side, there have been some clashes with the Bundelas. You have written that Dussehra went past, even Diwali did, but we did not embark on the campaign, which was relayed through your letter. What you have written is correct. We also intended to quickly come back there. But there was a courtly issue; it felt like a dispute would arise with the Nizam-ul-Mulk; and we are also trying to set the Konkan administration on its feet. We are trying to settle down the Nawab’s heart in peace. Sayyed Lashkar Khan had arrived from his side. He met us near the Ghod River in front of Malthan. After resolving these complications, we will come there. After that, the task of resolving the matters pertaining to the Bundelas will be taken up as per your wishes. We had to stay back to secure the position at court and due to the Nizam’s affair. Otherwise, we would have reached the Narmada by now.”
This shows the worries the Peshwa was facing in the Deccan. The affairs like Shahu’s old age, the disputes amongst his Queens, the trouble Angres were proving to be in the Konkan, and the Nizam’s invasion in the Carnatic and Baglan provinces were not giving the Peshwa a moment’s peace.
Shinde and Holkar were continuing with the task of securing the erstwhile agreements from the Badshah and Jaisingh through Mahadevbhat Hingne. But it could not be persisted with. The task of bringing all of north Hindustan under their control was not as friable as considered before. Only because Shinde and Holkar settled themselves firmly in Malwa, the Maratha power acquired some sort of permanence there. But Antaji Mankeshwar and Govind Ballal were proving unable to collect the agreed annual tributes also from Bundelkhand. The king of Orchha had killed Ranoji’s son, whereupon Naro Shankar was appointed there. For the next three to four years, various kinds of disorder arose in Bundelkhand and the Marathas had to engage in many huge battles there. The Peshwa’s attention was constantly drawn to those affairs. He marched off to north Hindustan towards the end of 1744. This campaign is called as the Sironj-Bhilsa campaign. Before he arrived in Malwa, Shindes had set up mines under Bhilsa. On Monday, 11 March 1745, the Peshwa standard flew atop the fort. But the treaty with the principal there did not get agreed upon till the very end. It looks like Bhilsa was captured from Bhopal’s Nawab Yaar Mohammed Khan. After the office of Subedar of Malwa was acquired by the Marathas, it was necessary for them to acquire the central military outpost of Bhilsa from the Mughals.
Bhopal’s Nawab Dost Mohammed Khan Pathan had been managing the administration there since the time of Bahadurshah. When the Marathas began campaigning in that region, he also progressively turned into their feudatory. Bhilsa was under his control. Upon Dost Mohammed Khan’s death in 1736, his son Yaar Mohammed Khan became the Nawab of Bhopal. After his death in 1753, his son Faiz Mohammed Khan assumed control of administration. He also accepted the status of feudatory of the Marathas through a specific agreement to pay them the tribute. This principality lasted till independence. The Peshwa entered into an agreement with Faiz Mohammed Khan through Pilaji Jadhavrao, according to which he was granted around 15 Mahals in Bhilsa as per a document dated 2 March 1745 (? Probably 1755).
The Peshwa stayed at Bhilsa for quite some time and resolved the affairs pertaining to the Badshah, Rajput principalities, Malwa, and Bundelkhand etc. This is why this campaign is named as Bhilsa Campaign. In this whole enterprise of the campaign, numerous big and small Sardars of varying capabilities participated. The internal malaise amongst the Maratha Sardars working in the project of Malwa-Bundelkhand was on the rise. Only three amongst all other Sardars, Shinde, Holkar, and Pawar, were the ones who had permanently stayed back there. The disputes about mutual distribution of the region seem to have arisen amongst these three. The affairs pertaining to the smaller Bundela principalities at Datia, Chanderi, Jaitpur, Kalinjar, Panna etc. went on for years on end. However, Bhopal’s Yaar Mohammed Khan Rohilla and his son Faiz Mohammed Khan Rohilla were aligned at this time.
The after-effects of this campaign by the Peshwa were written down by Damodarpant Hingne on 23 June 1745 to his brother as follows, “Blessings to Chiranjeev Purushottamji and Diwakarji. Place of stay Bhilsa, the camp of Pantapradhan’s army. When we were given leave to depart by the Sovereign from the imperial camp, Shrimant was presented with an elephant, horse, protocol robes, gemstones and Firman. We were given an elephant, protocol garments, and a gemstone encrusted ring. From there, we proceeded to Delhi, took leave from revered Bapu (father), and arrived in (Peshwa’s) camp. We met the Shrimant in Bundelkhand. He erected the protocol Firmanbadi, received the Badshah’s graces and was extremely satisfied. After that he wrapped up the affairs of the Bundelas and marched off to homeland. We are also coming to our land along with him. Revered Bapu is safe with the Badshah. Here too, Shrimant and other Sardars have blessed us with their ample graces.”
To be continued…
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