CHRONOLOGY – CHHATRAPATI SHAHU MAHARAJ

It would be beneficial if a chronology of the events up to Shahu’s death is provided at this stage.

Date	Events
12 December 1721	Nanasaheb’s birth.
11 January 1730	Nanasaheb’s marriage with Gopikabai.
4 February 1740	Raghunathrao’s Upanayan ritual at Pune.
7 February 1740	Sadashivrao Bhau’s marriage with Parvatibai.
10 April 1740	Aliwardi Khan usurps power in Bengal from Nawab Sarfaraz Khan.
28 April 1740	Senior Bajirao dies.
20 May 1740	Battle of Damalcheri in the Carnatic.
26 May 1740	Nanasaheb departs from Colaba for Pune.
2 June 1740	Sambhaji II arrives at Jejuri.
3 June 1740	Kashibai’s arrival at Pune from the Narmada.
5 June 1740	Nanasaheb departs for Satara.
25 June 1740	Nanasaheb given the protocol robes of the office of the Peshwa.
16 November 1740	Nawab Safdar Ali enters into a secret agreement with the Marathas.
23 November 1740	Nanasaheb leaves for his first northern campaign to Sironj-Bhilsa.
17 December 1740	Chimaji Appa’s death.
24 December 1740	Birubai’s death at Satara.
25 December 1740	Marathas attack the Dutch at Porto Novo in the Carnatic.
December 1740	Tansheth Bhurke given the authority of the royal mint by Shahu.
5 January 1741	Shinde and Holkar capture the Dhar outpost.
7 January 1741	Nizam and Peshwa meet at Edlabad (Muktainagar).
16 January 1741	Tanjore’s Pratapsingh and Raghuji enter into a treaty.
3 March 1741	Nizam arrives at Puntamba to quell Naseer Jung’s revolt.
7 March 1741	Peshwa crosses the Narmada for the northern campaign.
21 March 1741	Battle of Manaparai, Bada Saheb killed.
26 March 1741	Raghuji captures Tiruchirappalli and hands over the control to Murarrao Ghorpade. Chanda Saheb and his eldest son is dispatched to Satara.
13-19 May 1741	Peshwa and Jaisingh meet at Dhaulpur.
27 June 1741	Raghuji felicitated at Satara for a successful Carnatic campaign.
June 1741	Chanda Saheb imprisoned at Satara.
7 July 1741	Nanasaheb returns from Sironj-Bhilsa campaign.
23 July 1741	Naseer Jung defeated at Aurangabad and imprisoned.
7 September 1741	Mughal Badshah issues Malwa grant-notification in favour of Marathas.
18 December 1741	Nanasaheb Peshwa embarks on Prayag-Bengal campaign in the north.
December 1741	Bhaskarram on campaign in Bengal.
11 January 1742	Sarkhel Sambhaji Angre dies.
12 January 1742	Gopikabai returns from Khandesh.
13 January 1742	Dupleix arrives in India.
February 1742	Peshwa cantoned at Chanda. Trimbak Vishwanath riots in Berar.
March 1742	Peshwa captures Gadhamandala.
15 April 1742	Bhaskarram surrounds Aliwardi Khan at Burdwan.
20 April 1742	Manaji Angre comes to Satara to meet Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj.
April 1742	Shinde and Holkar attack Abhay Singh.
April 1742	Bapuji and Damaji attack Malwa.
4 May 1742	Raghuji complains about Peshwa’s incursions into his territories to Shahu.
6 May 1742	Mir Habib attacks Murshidabad with the Marathas.
28 May 1742	Kashibai returns from Rameshwar pilgrimage and embarks on the Kashi pilgrimage.
May-September 1742	Bhaskarram surrounds West Bengal.
29 June 1742	Peshwa encamped at Orchha.
July 1742	Yashwantrao Pawar installed at Dhar.
22 July 1742	Vishwasrao is born.
27 September 1742	Aliwardi raids Bhaskarram at Khatwa.
30 September 1742	Raghuji starts from Nagpur for Bhaskarram’s help.
5 October 1742	Murtuza Ali murders Safdar Ali and assumes the office of Nawab.
November 1742	Jyotiba Shinde and other Maratha Sardars killed in Orchha’s Veersingh’s rebellion.
8 November 1742	Peshwa marches off from Bundelkhand to Bengal.
December 1742	Naro Shankar avenges Orchha massacre. Jhansi established.
January-February 1743	Peshwa completes pilgrimage at Prayag-Kashi-Gaya. Tulaji Angre appointed as Sarkhel.
6 January 1743	Jiwaji Khanderao Chitnis dies.
1 February 1743	Nanasaheb at Prayag.
9 February 1743	Aliwardi Khan returns to Murshidabad after triumphant campaign against Bhosales.
10 March 1743	East India Company ship Winchester leaves from England towards India.
31 March 1743	Peshwa meets Aliwardi Khan.
March 1743	Nizam-ul-Mulk arrives at Arcot.
10 April 1743	Peshwa and Raghuji Bhosale clash at the Bend Pass.
4 May 1743	Raghuji clashes with Aliwardi Khan’s forces.
13 May-20 June 1743	Chhatrapati Shahu’s health concerns.
19 June 1743	Chhatrapati Shahu issues grant notification in Babuji Naik’s name.
30 July 1743	Peshwa returns from Prayag-Bengal campaign.
August 1743	Peshwa and Queen Sagunabai reconcile.
August 1743	British and French felicitate the Nizam.
29 August 1743	Murarrao hands over Tiruchirappalli to the Nizam.
31 August 1743	Peshwa and Raghuji meet at Satara and reconcile.
23 September 1743	Sawai Jaisingh dies. Succession dispute arises.
January 1744	Bhaskarram departs for Bengal.
16 January 1744	Peshwa enters into an instalment payment agreement with the Chhatrapati.
1 February 1744	Mahadevbhat Hingne murdered at Delhi.
30 March 1744	Bhaskarram and his 21 colleagues murdered brutally in Mankara camp.
31 May 1744	East India Company’s ship Winchester reaches Madras.
20 November 1744	Peshwa embarks on the Bhilsa campaign.
December 1744	Babuji Naik invades the Carnatic.
23 January 1745	Tulaji Angre captures Govalkot and Anjanvel.
February 1745	Raghuji embarks on the campaign to Bengal.
February 1745	Ishwari Singh defeats Madho Singh.
2 March 1745	Bhopal principal enters into an agreement to pay tribute to the Marathas.
11 March 1745	Ranoji captures Bhilsa station of the Bhopal’s principal.
16 May 1745	Cuttack fort and Odisha province captured.
20 June 1745	Mustafa Khan killed in Battle of Jagdishpur.
1 July 1745	Zakaria Khan, Subedar of Punjab dies.
3 July 1745	Ranoji Shinde dies.
1 August 1745	Peshwa returns from Bhilsa campaign.
21 December 1745	Raghuji defeated at Murshidabad and returns.
16 February 1746	Kashibai leaves Pune on another Kashi pilgrimage.
5 May 1746	Shinde and Holkar capture Jaitpur.
20 August 1746	Sambhaji II leaves for Kolhapur from Satara.
21 September 1746	The French temporarily occupy the city of Madras.
4 October 1746	Madho Singh, Jagat Singh and Umed Singh meet at Nathdwara.
28 October 1746	Peshwa enters into an agreement to install Arjun Singh in Bundelkhand.
31 October 1746	Additional French help marches-off from Pondicherry to help Madras garrison.
25 November 1746	Shripatrao Pratinidhi dies.
17 December 1746	Jagjivanram alias Dadoba Pratinidhi appointed on office. Yamaji Shivdeo appointed Mutalik.
25 December 1746	Amir Khan’s murder.
January 1747	Janoji embarks on campaign to Bengal.
January 1747	Raghuji meets the Nizam and Shahu.
January 1747	Jayappa and Ramchandrababa reconcile.
January 1747	Peshwa sends a warning letter to Chhatrapati Shahu.
January 1747	Sadashivrao Bhau wins his first battle at Ajra near Kolhapur.
January-March 1747	Nanasaheb deposed from the office of the Peshwa.
27 January 1747	Vitthal Shivdeo captures Antri.
9 February 1747	Jaipur’s Dewan Aayamal dies. Son Keshavdas appointed the Pradhan.
23 February 1747	Kashibai performs Shraadh ritual at Gaya.
1 March 1747	Battle of Rajmahal. Madho Singh defeated.
7 March 1747	Madho Singh sues for peace, temporary truce.
30 March 1747	Sadashivrao Bhau meets Murarrao Ghorpade on his Carnatic campaign.
7 March 1747	Peshwa meets Maharaj and submits offerings.
March 1747	Kashibai returns from the northern pilgrimage.
13 April 1747	Chhatrapati Shahu confers upon Nanasaheb the protocol robes and elephant and restores him to the office of the Peshwa.
15 April 1747	Chhatrapati Shahu visits the Peshwa’s camp and meets him.
1 May 1747	Raghuji arrives at Satara, Sagunabai presents him protocol garments.
3 May 1747	Shahu felicitates Tulaji Angre at Satara.
9 May 1747	Sadashivrao Bhau returns from the Carnatic campaign and meets the Peshwa at Jejuri.
24 May 1747	Nanasaheb arrives at Pune.
29 May 1747	Peshwa captures Manikgad fort belonging to Manaji Angre.
7 June 1747	Bajirao’s sister Bhiubai (Babuji Naik’s brother Aabaji Naik’s wife) dies.
19 June 1747	Nadir Shah’s murder, rise of Ahmedshah Abdali.
July 1747	Sheti Mallick secretly inquires about Nanasaheb’s behaviour.
25 October 1747	Naro Appaji appointed over Pune’s administration.
7-10 December 1747	Peshwa on Newai campaign.
10 December 1747	Tulaji captures the Mudagad fort belonging to the Peshwas.
25 December 1747	Yahya Khan, Punjab’s Subedar Zakaria Khan’s son escapes from Lahore.
1747	Najeeb Khan (Rohilla) arrives in Hindustan and starts serving Ali Ahmed.
1747	Construction of Parvati temple begins.
1748	Sabaji invades Bengal.
8 January 1748	Abdali on the outskirts of Lahore.
15 January 1748	Peshwa captures the Rajkot fortress at Chaul.
12 January 1748	Abdali captures Lahore.
February-March 1748	Pratinidhi etc. clash with Tulaji Angre at Mudagad.
10 February 1748	Mughal army reaches Panipat on its way to attack Abdali.
26 February 1748	Mughal army reaches Sirhind on its way to attack Abdali.
February 1748	Peshwa meets the Badshah at Delhi.
19 March 1748	Tulaji Angre meets Chhatrapati Shahu at Satara.
21 March 1748	Battle of Manupur begins, Abdali defeated by Ahmedshah and Safdarjung.
1 April 1748	Naro Rayaji Thakur defeats Tulaji Angre at Mudagad and captures the fort.
11 April 1748	Abdali halts at the River Indus on his retreat.
25 April 1748	Badshah Mohammedshah (Rangeela) dies.
28 April 1748	News of Badshah’s death reaches Ahmedshah at Panipat.
30 April 1748	Madho Singh meets Peshwa at Newai.
April 1748	Mir Mannu and Abdali defeated at Lahore.
12 May 1748	Abdali reaches back at Kandahar.
21 May 1748	Nizam-ul-Mulk Asafjah dies.
June 1748	Muzaffar Jung and Chanda Saheb meet at Satara. Chanda Saheb released from imprisonment.
9 July 1748	Peshwa returns from Newai campaign.
24 July 1748	Peshwa returns Manikgad to Manaji Angre.
10 August 1748	Holkar defeats Ishwari Singh at Wagru.
25 August 1748	Queen Sagunabai dies while at Jejuri.
30 November 1748	Vazir Safdarjung survives an assassination attempt at Delhi.
10 February 1749	Nanasaheb and Raghunathrao visit Satara to meet Chhatrapati Shahu.
9 March 1749	Vishwasrao’s Upanayan ceremony at Pune.
March 1749	Naseer Jung embarks on campaign to the north.
4 May 1749	Naseer Jung returns from the campaign to Delhi from the Narmada’s banks.
19 June 1749	Marwad’s ruler Abhay Singh dies.
3 August 1749	Battle of Amboor, Anwaruddin dies, Ali Ahmed Rohilla dies.
21 August 1749	Peshwa goes to Satara along with Shinde, Holkar and the army.
1 October 1749	Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj issues his own handwritten document about the future administrative system of the kingdom.
13 October 1749	Tulaji Angre carries off British ship Restoration.
October 1749	Chhatrapati Shahu invites Raghuji (to assume throne), but he declines.
22 November 1749	Qaim Khan Bangash dies, son Ahmed Khan assumes his throne.
15 December 1749	Chhatrapati Shahu dies at Shahunagar – Satara. Dadoba and Yamaji arrested.
30 December 1749	Sadashivrao Bhau departs Pune for Satara.
December 1749	Safdarjung captures Ballamgad belonging to the Jats.

To be continued…

SEARCH FOR NEXT MASTER

Moving on, Maharaj removed his attachments to worldly affairs completely, and entered into the Vanaprastha Ashrama (living in forest) as per Hindu practice. “Deciding that he would not visit Satara again; he would live only on the banks of Shri Krishna; he built a hutment between Satara and Mahuli and began living there. It was called Vanwaswadi. At this time, the younger queen Sagunabai fell ill. Lakhs of rupees were spent in treating her illness through medicines as well as religious solutions. But it would not recover. Due to this, Maharaj became very sad. After this, Maharaj himself took her to Shri Jejuri. There too, he indulged in ample religious worship and charitable donations. But her life had come to its end. It folded up (25 August 1748). On the same day, he left along with her dead body, and arrived at Mahuli after three quartiles of the next day. She was cremated, a memorial was constructed and regular worship was arranged at that place.”

His health continued to deteriorate. After his younger queen died, Shahu did not have any loving person left at home. His health too began deteriorating by the day. There is one more reference which mentions, “Maharaj fell ill in the Adhik month.”

In 1749, the month of Bhadrapad was the Adhik month. This meant that situation turned for the worse in the month of August 1749. At that time, Shahu called the Peshwa to Satara along with his army. Shahu trusted him like a son, and he was the only one who was able to keep the state administration under control.

Chhatrapati Shahu had been ailing since 1747, and the search for a successor was on since then. The original option of calling Sambhaji II of Kolhapur was backed by Sakwarbai, however, Shahu himself was not in favour. For one, Sambhaji II himself was quite old and had no son to succeed him. Shahu also felt that he did not have the capability of managing a vast Empire. Shahu’s younger queen Sagunabai died on 25 August 1748. On her death, Sakwarbai realised that it would be difficult to have Sambhaji II as the successor, and agreed to have Raghuji’s son Mudhoji as Shahu’s successor. Raghuji Bhosale’s wife was Shahu’s younger queen Sagunabai’s sister. However, Raghuji, after mending his ties with the Peshwa in 1747, did not visit Satara. At this time, Sambhaji II’s queen Jijabai II wrote to the Peshwa reminding him of the secret pact to make her husband the king at Satara.

Maharaj began worrying about the protection of the kingdom that had been acquired. So, he decided to gather eligible children from the Bhosale family, and decided to finalise an heir. Sakwarbai and the Pratinidhi, however, raised a different view. Vithojiraje’s lineage consisted of eight sons, and Sharifjiraje had his own lineage. Men were dispatched to investigate who was a better child out of them, their royal attributes, and intellectual qualities.

Maharaj completely trusted Govindrao Chitnis, Yashwantrao Potnis, Devrao Meghashyam. These people would stay with Maharaj and take care of the administration. Soon, all these moves to search for a successor were abandoned when Tarabai, the dowager queen of Chhatrapati Rajaram, living at Panhalgad initially under house arrest and then at Satara fort since 1730, with Shahu giving her every respect, revealed that her grandson, of the Bhosale bloodline was alive. When the search for a successor began, she disclosed to Shahu that she had a grandson, born posthumously to her son Shivaji II (who died in 1726), and being secretly looked after by a family in a village named Pangaon. The boy grew to manhood without disclosing his identity to prevent any harm to him from the ruler at Kolhapur. Tarabai sent a message, “Why are you searching for another child as heir? I have secretly brought up my son Shivajiraje’s son. He should be made the master.”

Due to that, the decision about external children for appointment to the throne fell behind. Shahu strove hard to search for an appropriate heir who could control the kingdom. At this time, Rana Jagat Singh was ruling at Udaipur and he had a younger brother named Nathaji. Shahu brought this Nathaji to Satara. With an intention to bring about a closer unity amongst the Rajputs and the Marathas, Shahu informed Rana Jagat Singh, that he would adopt his brother Nathaji, and would make him the master of the Marathi kingdom. His approval was requested. By the time this request from Shahu arrived, Ranaji had already appointed Nathaji on the Jagir of Wagor. Due to this, Shahu’s desire remained unfulfilled. Similarly, Jaipur bulletins also mention, that Shahu had tried to get one Rajput Kshatriya named Kushal Singh adopted and get the Malwa grant-notifications approved in his name from the Badshah using the good offices of Sawai Jaisingh.

To be continued…

IN A FLUX

The failure of Babuji Naik was not just due to his own faults. He had detractors from within the Maratha fold, including the Peshwa himself. Not only did the Peshwa prove to be sufficient for Babuji Naik and Sambhaji II, but he also rendered powerful men like Raghuji Bhosale and Murarrao Ghorpade completely harmless. The Peshwa’s trusted lieutenants were working on this task sitting at their courts continuously. Whether it was Raghuji or Murarrao, both realised the situation correctly, did not allow anybody outside to fathom their hearts, and kept behaving as the events unfolded. Since they completely recognised the Peshwa’s strength, they never took it upon themselves to oppose him.

Nanasaheb returned to Satara in August 1748. By then, two stalwarts on the Indian scene had departed from the scene. Mohammedshah died before the victorious army from Manupur could return to Delhi. His son Ahmedshah was declared the new Badshah, with Mansoor Ali Khan Safdarjung appointed as the new Vazir. The Nizam-ul-Mulk died on 21 May 1748 at Burhanpur. He had, in twenty-four turbulent years in the Deccan, managed to survive and control the narrative of the politics in the peninsula. Despite the strength of the Marathas and their victories over him, he had astutely avoided being removed from his perch. The crisis during Nadir Shah’s invasion had placed him in real danger. However, with his cleverness and patience, he had extricated himself from the most difficult situations. His death, however, threw up yet another succession dispute after Jaipur.

On his way back from the north, Nanasaheb met Naseer Jung, perhaps in July or August 1748. A letter from the Nizam’s court to Sadashivrao Bhau dated October 1748 gives more details, “The Nizam has met Rajashree Pradhanpant. The Nawab has given four lakh rupees to him for expenses. Treasure laden on thirty camels came to the Pradhanpant.”

After Nizam-ul-Mulk died, in the month of October 1748, Nanasaheb met Naseer Jung and established friendly relations with him. The death of rulers of Jaipur and Hyderabad unleashed a race for succession due to a surfeit of claimants. In the case of the Marathas, Shahu not having a legitimate son, and getting on in years, had not found an answer to the vexed question of succession. His queens, and the dowager queen Tarabai – now nearing seventy and living at Satara – and a host of Maratha Sardars and intriguing ministers began to influence the succession. The struggle involved a concern for the royal lineage, the house of Kolhapur, the caste-divide of the Brahmins, Marathas and other castes, and to top it all, a descendant of the royal house of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj brought up in obscurity. Eventually, this was to occupy two full years of Nanasaheb’s reign when huge political changes were sweeping over the rest of the country.

On hearing the death of Mohammedshah and the Nizam, Dupleix felt the Marathas would grow stronger. He said to Ananda Ranga Pillai, “There will be war and the Marathas will grow still stronger. Since the Nawab of Bengal died, the Marathas have seized his brother and are ruling the whole of Bengal. They will do the same here. These things are pre-ordained; the Badshah at Delhi has died and many have perished for no reason at all and there is confusion. We shall see the same things in these parts next.”

Ananda Ranga replied, “Is so much evil awaiting us?”

The coming years would answer Ananda Ranga Pillai’s question.

The Peshwa had consolidated his plans outside by excellently maintaining all his external relations. Bhausaheb had established a permanent bond of friendship with Murarrao in the Carnatic campaign. The Pratinidhi, Sawants etc. fought with Tulaji Angre at Mudagad. In it, Sambhaji II insisted with Murarrao to help Tulaji. But he did not play any role in that affair. Overall, each and every influential person stayed glued to their spot towards Shahu’s end of days.

The discerning people all over the kingdom were watching what plan Shahu decided. A general feeling spread everywhere, that nobody could control the kingdom like the Peshwa, and it was appropriate to seek his refuge. It was clearly evident that Sadashivrao Bhau went to the Carnatic and blew Babuji Naik away. This event portrayed Sadashivrao Bhau’s character in sharp relief, even more aggressive than Nanasaheb.

To be continued…

MASSACRE AT JAIPUR

No sooner had Malharrao Holkar and Jayappa Shinde placed Madho Singh on the throne of Jaipur, than he began plotting against the two Sardars. Madho Singh devised a nefarious scheme to try and end the Maratha threat as well as his own indebtedness. The Maharaja first invited all the Shinde and Holkar Sardars to partake in a meal that was poisoned. Jayappa declined the invitation and the plan fell through. The two Maratha Sardars fortunately escaped being poisoned, as they did not attend the grand dinner by the new Raja. Then the Shinde soldiers were offered a sale at the city market, where items were quoted at a quarter of their value. The city of Jaipur, newly built by Sawai Jaisingh, was one of the most beautiful cities of the time. Nearly five thousand Maratha soldiers visited the city, roamed the Bazaars and behaved like soldiers do. As Maratha troops went around the walled city, Madho Singh shut the gates and ordered the Jaipur army to attack them. Three thousand Maratha soldiers were cut down. This treacherous act against an ally made Madho Singh a permanent enemy of Holkar. The relations between Madho Singh and the Maratha power were now vitiated beyond repair. Madho Singh forevermore opposed the Marathas and tried his utmost to roll back the juggernaut of their expanding influence. The state of Jaipur that once had good relations with Bajirao Peshwa, thus became a very unfriendly place for the Marathas.

The story in the Marathi letter continues after Ishwari Singh’s last rites, “After the agreement for tribute was committed to, the security guards were removed. Madho Singh arrived on the fifteenth day. Subedar went forth and met him. Both of them sat on one elephant and came to the royal palace. On the eighth day Jayaji Shinde too arrived. He went about the task of tribute collection. At that time, fifteen-thousand of Madho Singh’s army had also arrived. Seeing his own strength, the new Raja’s head turned. He hatched a plan to invite Subedar and Jayaji Shinde for a feast, and feed them poisoned food. Subedar agreed for the feast, but Jayappa refused. The king had bought two maunds of white arsenic. Only God saved our Sardars. The next day, he planned to invite Gangadharpant and some stewards and murder them. Jayappa and five thousand of his men went on a patrol in the city. On the ninth day of the waning moon fortnight of the month of Pausha, Thursday, 10 January 1751, the king ordered, that Marathas have come, massacre them. The preparations and advance notices had already been given. The city gates were closed. Three thousand Marathas were simply slaughtered from the second quartile of the day (afternoon) up to the first quartile of the night. One thousand were wounded. Twenty-five renowned Sardars serving Jayappa, hundred Brahmins, camp followers, Pindaris, children all were put to sword. Many of them ran and jumped the fortress ramparts, but broke their backs and legs. One thousand true-bred horses were lost. The Marathas also lost their golden kadas, pearl ornaments, clothes everything. After this happened on Thursday, the remaining people ran away to a distance of three kos and stayed there. Later, the Raja’s emissaries Kaniram, Ganeshmal, and Mahadevbhat’s representative Govind Timaji came and began discussing about peace. But the Rajputs had treachery in their heart, and would not surrender straight. This guy (Holkar?) got hopeful. Mansoor Ali’s emissary has arrived for discussion, whom he will meet. God had granted a huge success to Subedar. But it turned into a failure. That is why he has become miserable.” This letter, dated 22 January 1751, written from Holkar’s camp to Govindpant Bundele is very important.

Govindpant Bundele wrote to the Peshwa on 15 March 1751, “Madho Singh became king. He has proved untrustworthy and with an evil mind. He did not think who has placed him on the throne. He has been disloyal to his benefactors.”

However, it was not just the Rajput-Maratha relations that were vitiated by Madho Singh’s massacre of thousands of Marathas in the walled city; the disagreement over the treaty with Jaipur led to further straining of relations between Shinde and Holkar.

However, before any action against him could be taken, emissaries of Vazir Safdarjung approached the Maratha Sardars for help. An urgent and new enterprise opened up before them at Delhi. Imperial Vazir Safdarjung was at war with the Rohillas who had usurped the Badshah’s lands. Safdarjung decided to seek Maratha help and now with his agents requesting urgent help, the chastisement of Madho Singh was left for another day.

Later, the Sardars went from Jaipur to the Antarved (Doab). They displayed their prowess by helping Safdarjung. That they did not display any hurt about the massacre at Jaipur was apt for their soldierly behaviour. However, this affair displays the way the animosity between the Rajputs and the Marathas went on increasing.

To be continued…

ISHWARI SINGH’S SUICIDE

When the Peshwa was dealing with these domestic disputes in the Deccan, he did not have the assistance of Shinde and Holkar. The political scene in the north was changing rapidly and as the Delhi throne weakened, opportunities appeared for the spread of Maratha influence beyond the Chambal.

Meanwhile, Ishwari Singh’s health deteriorated due to excessive anger and hatred. Raja Malji’s son Keshavdas was his Pradhan. The other minister Hargovind planted poisonous whispers about Keshavdas in Ishwari Singh’s ears. Ishwari Singh started suspecting him of being close to Malharrao Holkar. In December 1748, Ishwari Singh ordered his Dewan Keshavdas’ death by poison. He also imprisoned one of the artillery operators Shivnath Bhaiya along with his family members. A huge uproar arose outside due to this. There was no wise person left at Jaipur who would keep such things in check.

The year 1749 went in relative peace in the north. Shinde and Holkar were in the Deccan, while Safdarjung was trying to stabilise his position at Delhi with the Badshah. Since they had not received the tribute amounts previously agreed from Ishwari Singh, the Maratha emissaries were following-up with him. The happenings at Jaipur the previous year angered the Peshwa as well as Holkar whose help was sought by Keshavdas’ family. Holkar came upon Jaipur to avenge a wrong. At that time, Ishwari Singh tried to convince Malharrao by paying him two to four lakh rupees. He attacked Jaipur at the end of November 1749. The Peshwa also planned to dispatch Shinde and Holkar to the north in the monsoon of 1750 to collect the dues owed by Jaipur.

Seeing this mockery of a bribe offered by Ishwari Singh, “Subedar (Malharrao Holkar) became upset. He stated that he would avenge Keshavdas’ murder. Raja’s stewards told him that they won’t go and meet Holkar. He would kill them. Raja remained inactive. Evening fell. A report arrived that Subedar had reached at a distance of ten kos. He ordered his assistants to bring a black cobra and white arsenic. They provided the items. Two quartiles in the night the king consumed poison. He also got himself bitten by the cobra. In the hours of dawn Ishwari Singh died. Three of his wives and one artist consumed poison. Holkar attacked Jaipur on the twelfth day of the waning moon fortnight of the month of Margashirsh, Friday, first quartile of the day. At that time, the stewards ran to inform the king, checking whether he was still asleep! The king’s assistants relayed the whole news. A huge wail arose in the city. Hargovind and Vidyadhar went and met Subedar. Subedar sent a few of his Sardars and got the king’s last rites performed. The above four and twenty more artists committed Sati. The next day, security guards were posted around the royal palace, and cavalrymen were dispatched to bring Madho Singh.”

Madho Singh was called and ceremonially installed as the new ruler. He achieved his ambition of being undisputed king of Jaipur in December 1750, on the strength of Holkar’s arms. Madho Singh also realised he would have to pay a heavy price for his kingdom. Many parts of the Jaipur state were mortgaged to Holkar for a period of the next thirty-six years to realise the amount and some money was paid in kind. Jayappa Shinde, who had been instructed by Nanasaheb to give Holkar a free hand, also reached Jaipur just eight days after Madho Singh, and realised he had obtained nothing from the Jaipur succession. The dispute now spread to divide the money realised from Jaipur between the two Sardars. Shinde opposed the entire agreement, which was made without consulting him and demanded that Madho Singh hand over a third of Jaipur to the Marathas.

It was time for Madho Singh to live up to the promises he had made to Holkar. However, he did not intend to do so.

To be continued…

BATTLES WITH ISHWARI SINGH

Ishwari Singh had been backed by the Marathas in the past and he had been promised their support. Now, Madho Singh offered Holkar a large sum for his support and he tried to convince the Peshwa to switch sides from Ishwari Singh. The Peshwa tried to dissuade Holkar, however, he was obstinate on this point. In the past, Holkar had found Jayappa Shinde earning more when dealing with the succession in the state of Bundi, and now he wished to earn from Madho Singh. The Peshwa was unable to take a stand. On the one hand, he asked Jayappa to desist from entering the fray at Jaipur, on the other hand, he needed money to pay Maharaj’s debts. To resolve these matters, he finally decided to personally head for Jaipur and try and patch up matters.

Seeing that the Peshwa had begun to rescind on his word through greed, Ishwari Singh was beside himself with anger. He sent a harsh response to the Peshwa, “Your friendly relation with us has been extraordinarily there for generations together. Through what did the desires of Late Maharaj Sawai Jaisingh and Late Rau Bajirao come to fruition? What all help did Maharaj do for Shrimant? It is not as if Balajirao (Nanasaheb) does not know this. We have never wavered from the words agreed with you. But this is a question of inheritance. It is a dispute related to land. Whatever we owed to the Sardars in lieu of their service has been already given to them. Apart from this, how would everything turn favourable unless we fight for it! How would I accept the status of a bad son by giving a part of the kingdom to my younger brother! Giving anything beyond what was initially decided is impossible. The kingdom is given by God. Whoever He wants to give He would bless him with it. But He has shown us the result of change of headgear.”

In another letter appears a reference, “Now I have proven myself after battle. It is not like Ishwari Singh fears the Rana, Rathods, and Hadas.”

But Holkar remained adamant. On 6 December 1747, he wrote, “We have sent Ranaji’s two servants Kishor Pancholi and Jaisingh Sakhtavat from Pimple to meet with the Shrimant. Madho Singh’s messenger Kaniram has come, who will relate to you everything in detail. Consider what they feel, and then request you to do as you wish. We will act according to the Shrimant’s orders.”

These complications escalated so much, that the Peshwa himself had to go to the north towards the end of 1747. Madho Singh met him. Huge Maratha forces gathered near Jaipur. The Peshwa tried to threaten both the sides, and in a way tried to reason with them.

When Abdali had attacked Punjab, and Ishwari Singh had gone there to help the Badshah, he had to run away from the battlefield to save his life. Due to this, he faced a lot of ignominy for shirking his responsibility. Hereafter, his fortune turned for the worse and he grew extremely dejected. He was extremely angry that the Maratha Sardars and the Peshwa too kept breaking their promises and agreements in the hope of earning money. Ishwari Singh was brave and proud, but since he did not have the inherent qualities of discretion and policy awareness which are absolutely necessary in practice, he became doleful. To top it, the Delhi court was itself going through a period of unstability, with the invasion of Abdali and the Pathans, Vazir Safdarjung’s inability to deal with that menace, the Badshah’s death, installation of his son as the new Badshah, and Shahu’s moody behaviour in his old age due to which the uncertainty that prevailed in the Deccan. If one considers all these events taking place together, one can imagine how terrifying and calamitous this period of the middle of the eighteenth century had become. In such difficult situations, the real test of the executive of the kingdom takes place. From this perspective the overall result was that the Peshwa’s policy was mistaken, and the Marathas had to forfeit the friendship of the Rajputs because of pure greed.

Ishwari Singh was behaving arrogantly. The task of subduing him was accepted by Holkar. “Ishwari Singh feigned supplication, delayed for two months, gathered all his forces, and thought about giving us battle. Seeing his plans, we gave forces with Rajashree Gangadharpant Chandrachud and dispatched him to Jaipur from the Fagai halt. On the second day of the waning moon fortnight of the month of Ashadh, the forces burned down the villages around the city, travelled back two kos from the city and camped for the night. Raja Ishwari Singh attacked the camp. The battle went on for four hours. On our side <name not clear> laid down his life. His side too lost around hundred to hundred-and-fifty good warriors. Two to three hundred were wounded. We forced them to retreat back to a place beside Jaipur. Again, Raja Ishwari Singh himself stepped out along with the whole force. We too braced up. The battle lasted for hours. Seeing their impending defeat, he sent Rajashree Keshavdas to us suing for peace. He agreed that he would relinquish Bundi and completely vacate Madho Singh’s four parganas for the handover.” This war lasted for a month to one-and-a-half months at a location named Bagru 25 miles east of Sambhar.

To be continued…

NEWAI CAMPAIGN

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…

ALIWARDI’S CUNNING

Holwell describes the circumstances that led to the demand of Chauth by the Marathas and then goes on to describe the events after Nadir Shah’s invasion, “The Chauth or tribute was continued to be received by the Marathas from the Mughals even long after the revenues of the Deccan provinces had ceased to be paid into the royal treasury at Delhi; for in the year 1740, when the deputies of Shahuraja arrived as usual in Delhi to receive the Chauth, they were told by the Mughal’s ministry that Nadir Shah had lately so exhausted their treasury, that ‘the Badshah was rendered utterly incapable of satisfying their demands, the more especially as the revenues of the Bengal provinces had been withheld from the year 1738 by the rebellion of Aliwardi Khan, who in conjunction with his brother Haji Ahmed, had usurped the Government of that Subedari, they requesting at the same time that the deputies would entreat their master (Shahu), in the Badshah’s name, to send any army of sufficient force to exact the amount of the Chauth that was due to them, and also to take the heads of Aliwardi and his brother and restore the family of Shuja Khan to the Suba; as the distracted state of the Empire put it out of its power to send a force strong enough to reduce the two rebels.”

Whether Mohammedshah ever sent a Firman granting Aliwardi the Suba of Bengal has been questioned by Holwell in his book on ‘Historical Events’ published in 1765, much before the Persian Siyar was written. Holwell continues, “With this answer, and actual powers from the Badshah, the Shahu’s deputies departed for Satara – a fact that fully confutes the assertion of Aliwardi’s having received a Firman, confirming him in the Government.”

Holwell adds how Aliwardi only pretended to receive a Firman, which was actually fake, “Aliwardi sitting in state a whole day to receive the sham Firman, with the usual ceremonials on such occasions; but this is a fare that has been since played in some parts of the province of Bengal, and laughed at, as much as it was then. For the Seths could always cook up a Firman from court whenever it was wanted. That Aliwardi was never confirmed in the Government by a real Firman, is a fact that admits of no doubt.”

To buttress this, Holwell cites an invasion of Bengal against Aliwardi in 1750, which was to be led by Badshah Ahmedshah and Safdarjung the Vazir, “but differences arising between the young Badshah Ahmedshah and Raja Jeet Singh – the Vazir was recalled from this service – his retreat was bought off by Aliwardi, at the price of fifty lakh rupees.”

The sum of Holwell’s assertions is that Mohammedshah, and later his son Ahmedshah, had never quite accepted the usurpation of Bengal by Aliwardi Khan and no Firman had ever been issued to formalise his appointment. It was not dissimilar to the Nizam-ul-Mulk’s assumption of autonomy in Hyderabad with mere lip service to the Badshah at Delhi. It is also not very clear whether Mir Habib’s embassy to Nagpur resulted immediately in a Maratha invasion of Bengal and Odisha, nor whether he accompanied their armies – as we shall see later. However, the Badshah’s admission of weakness and his inability to pay dues to Shahu’s representatives would be cause enough to plan an expedition to Bengal at just such a time. When Raghuji returned to Satara, victorious from the Carnatic campaign, Shahu found Raghuji to be the man who could lead his armies into Bengal, not only to chastise Aliwardi, but also to obtain the tribute directly from the invasion.

There are a few Bengali sources describing the Maratha invasion of the time. They are often peppered heavily with mythological references and not complete. The first, titled ‘Anandamangala’ is a contemporary reference written by Bharatachandra, a Brahmin who was the court poet of a Zamindar patron named Raja Krishna Chandra of Nadia, who was once imprisoned by Aliwardi Khan for not paying him an offering.

Bharatachandra begins by describing Aliwardi’s attack on the temples at Bhubaneshwar in Odisha and describes the deities Shiva and Durga to be angry as a result. Shiva’s attendant Nandi is enraged and decides to destroy the universe. Shiva then appears in his dream and orders him to go to Shahuraja. The poet quotes Lord Shiva telling Nandi, “There is at Satara the King of the Bargis (a term for Maratha horsemen from the Persian ‘Bargir’, meaning a rider with a horse) who is a great devotee of mine. Do thou appear in his dreams and he will come here to subdue the Yavanas. On hearing this Nandi revealed everything to the King of the Bargis in his dream, which enraged him highly. So, Raghuraja sent Bhaskar Pandit to Bengal…”

In the prologue of the same work Bharatachandra writes, “The dream which the Maratha king saw, made him angry, Raghuji Bhosale sent Bhaskar Pandit, and with him an army of men – ugly and fierce, troopers from Maharashtra, Saurashtra and other places, they robbed the people of Bengal and made them beggars, and making bridges of boats crossed the Ganga.”

To be continued…

BADSHAH AWARDS MALWA

Hearing that the Marathas had captured Dhar, the Badshah was incensed. He immediately called all his Umraos and Jaisingh for a confidential discussion. The overall purport of the discussions that occurred was, “From Dhaulpur, on the north banks of Chameli (Chambal) on 17 May 1741. Like last year, even this time, the Maratha forces would enter the Antarved (Doab) and render the region desolate. Therefore, the Badshah gathered all big and small Amirs under Sawaiji’s command and dispatched him. Subedar of Prayag and Awadh’s Mansoor Ali Khan were also sent orders to join Sawaiji. Sawaiji arrived at Agra with a huge force. The moment Shrimant heard this news, he called up Malharji and Ranoji, thought of arresting the advance of Aamir Khan and Mansoor Ali Khan, and dispatched Aavji Kavde, Govind Hari, and Sardars of many other contingents up to Prayag. Due to that, both those Subedars remained in their own provinces. Seeing this, Sawaiji thought wisely that if he faced the Marathas without their (Amir Khan and Mansoor Ali Khan) forces, he would come up short, and therefore, sent conciliatory messages. He dispatched Aayamal with the brief. Upon this, the Peshwa left Pilaji Jadhavrao with the baggage contingent, took Ranoji, Malharji and Pawar along to Dhaulpur. Sawaiji too arrived there from Agra. On 12 May 1741, Sawaiji stepped out of his army camp, and met with Shrimant. The next day, Sawaiji visited Shrimant’s tent. In summary, there is no comparison when it comes to Shrimant’s fortune. How much should one write! You will know once we meet. Everyone else including Sakharampant Bokil are fine.”

Later, the meeting that occurred was described to Pilaji Jadhavrao at Gwalior as follows, “On 12 May 1741, the meeting with Sawaiji took place. On the same evening, we went to his tent. Today, Thursday, he will come to our tent. On 20 May 1741, we will bid him farewell and return.”

In this meeting, the treaty was given basic shape which has been referred to at many places. Sir Jadhnath has written Jaisingh’s biography in which the clauses are mentioned as follows,

1. Peshwa and Jaisingh should help each other in case of foreign invasions.
2. Badshah should not be betrayed.
3. Jaisingh should get the Malwa grant-notifications from the Badshah for the Marathas in six months.

After some negotiation it was agreed that the grant-notifications of Gujarat and Malwa would be handed over immediately. The promised sum of fifteen lakh rupees was also handed over to the Peshwa.

Agreeing thus, the Peshwa returned from Dhaulpur to Gwalior. Besides, he had acquired good enough income from tributes collected at various places. Because of the advent of the monsoon, the Peshwa kept Shinde-Holkar in camp to get the remaining tasks completed, and began his return journey. He arrived at Pune on 7 July 1741.

After this, Jaisingh fulfilled his promise to the letter. He and the Badshah had got a taste of the Maratha strength. Accepting the Peshwa’s application, the Badshah informed them, “As demanded, we are sending the grant-notifications of the office of Subedar of Malwa with Hingne.” The Badshah’s grant-notifications awarding Malwa to the Marathas was issued in September 1741.

The associated Firmans were readied up and were stamped and sealed by the Badshah on 4 July 1741. The Firman had many clauses in ambiguous language. Much negotiations took place on that too, and on 7 September 1741, again another Firman was issued by the Badshah in writing agreeing to hand over the complete administration to the Peshwa along with the Dewani (civil) and Faujdari (criminal) affairs. It was dispatched to the Peshwa through Jaisingh in due course of time. But the grant-notifications pertained only to the Malwa province. Gujarat was left out. The Maratha efforts to acquire those were constantly on afterwards. But since the Marathas had already acquired actual control over Gujarat, they never needed the grant-notifications.

The project that Chimaji had begun in the Keelak Samvatsar of 1728 through a victory over Giridhar Bahadur at Amjhera, culminated in the Durmati Samvatsar of 1741. All the intervening chaos had occurred through the Badshah’s Durmati (bad ideas). The Maratha control had anyways been established already, before the grant-notifications fell into their hands. As a minor loophole, Badshah Mohammedshah too preserved his dignity by naming his son Shehzada Ahmedshah as the nominal Subedar of Malwa with the Peshwa as his deputy or second-in-command. These were usually the ways of the Mughal court. It was just that the Badshah saved his prestige by issuing the notifications.

To be continued…