While a conducive situation was getting created for further expansion of the Peshwa’s enterprise of Hindupadpaadshahi in the north, Chhatrapati Shahu’s strength began depleting and the Peshwa’s heart grew concerned. Due to Sawai Jaisingh’s death, the Rajput kings were left without an elderly and strong leader. Even the Mughal Empire began losing its strength. Until he was alive, he had acted as a big check to the Marathas. In the leaderless state after him, Shinde and Holkar had become powerful in the north. They began getting approached for various political moves. A fratricidal struggle erupted between Jaisingh’s sons in relation to the Jaipur throne, and the Marathas were approached to take up the risky responsibility of resolving it. In 1746-47, the Maratha power in Bundelkhand was consolidated. Malwa already belonged to them. Only Rajputana remained. This was an opportunity that knocked all by itself to bring that too under their control.
The year 1747 saw the murder of Nadir Shah in his camp in Persia and the rise of Ahmedshah Abdali in Kandahar (Abdali is a tribe of Pashtuns in Afghanistan). Abdali’s first act was to march on Kabul, march into the Punjab, and obtain a tribute from Lahore. The situation, coming barely eight years after Nadir Shah’s sack of Delhi, saw the ailing Badshah Mohammedshah (suffering from a rectal ailment as referenced by a letter from Sadashivrao Bhau) send Shehzada Ahmedshah with Mansoor Ali Khan and Ishwari Singh to face the threat. The impending threat saw Mohammedshah also request the help of the Marathas, and in the month of December 1747, Shahu ordered the Peshwa to go and meet the Badshah at Delhi. In the battle fought from 3 March 1748 at Manupur near Sirhind, Vazir Kamruddin Khan was killed in the opening salvo of the battle hit by a cannon-ball. Abdali was defeated and went back. It was the bravery of Mansoor Ali Khan that helped push Abdali back. For his bravery, Mansoor Ali Khan was given the title of Safdarjung. However, Ishwari Singh fled the battlefield and lost his reputation as a warrior. The Badshah did not feel the need to take the Peshwa’s assistance. Badshah himself was able to drive Abdali away.
This campaign by the Peshwa is termed Newai Campaign. The Peshwa embarked on the campaign leaving Pune on 10 December 1747 and returned on 9 July 1748. Nanasaheb was probably dispatched hearing rumours about Pathan Abdali invading India, to go and help the Badshah, and ensure that any incident like the Nadir Shah’s campaign did not befall the Empire. There was a second reason to leave Satara at this time. Shahu’s debts had to be paid and the only way the Peshwa could bring in money was from a campaign. Shahu ordered the Peshwa in January 1748, wherein he had to arrange for paying a debt of twenty lakh rupees standing against the Maharaj’s name. The amount was to be paid in instalments of five lakh each in specified months over the next year.
After this, the Peshwa went to Delhi to meet the Badshah. The Peshwa first reached Delhi with his army. However, by then the battle of Manupur was over. He met Mohammedshah and affirmed that he would help him whenever needed. The news of this meeting pleased Shahu in his last days. “The Badshah accepted Shrimant’s service. He asked the Shrimant, whatever he desired, he should present the demands in writing. Upon that the Shrimant answered, he would submit them after the Hazrat achieves victory. Once the task for which he had arrived was accomplished, he would follow-up about his own objectives. Due to this, the Badshah became very happy. Maharaj heard the news report at Satara and praised the Peshwa profusely. He was satisfied. He said, (the Peshwa) had gone to Delhi upon his orders, had satisfied the Badshah, which was an excellent achievement.”
This shows that this meeting between the Peshwa and Badshah could have happened in the month of February (March 1748?).
Since the Peshwa had gone to meet the Badshah, the old Nizam got frightened. At the beginning of 1748, he spread a rumour that he would go to Surat and capture the Gujarat province.
The Peshwa returned from Delhi to Jaipur. Just after Abdali was repelled at Manupur, the Peshwa was required to personally deal with the succession at Jaipur which was pending a solution since the death of Sawai Jaisingh. Both the claimants had sent their representatives to Pune seeking Nanasaheb Peshwa’s help. “Sawai Jaisingh’s younger son Madho Singh was granted four Mahals from Ishwari Singh. An agreement was officiated to maintain friendly relations by respecting brotherhood. The agreement amounted to ten lakh rupees. Malharrao Holkar gave a written guarantee on 30 April 1748. The next day it was agreed that the Peshwa should be given three lakh rupees and Mahadaji Ambaji, twenty-five thousand rupees for officiating the agreement.”
To be continued…
NDHistories 