Shuja-Ud-Daulah
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SHUJA-UD-DAULAH (A Thesis approved for the Degree of Doctor of Letters by the Agra University in 1938) VOLUME I (1754- 1765) By ASHIRBADI LAL SRIVASTAVA M.A., Ph.D., D. Lit. (Luck.) D. Litt. (Agra) Professor and Head of the Department of History Agra College, Agra Formerly Head of the Department of History University of the Panjab, Lahore SECOND EDITION 1961 Revised and Corrected @ AUTHOR All rights including those of translation are strictly reserved by the Author. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or abridged without the written permission from the Publisher except for review in Newspapers or Magazines. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION The first edition of this book was sold out within ten years of its publication. For the last ten years it has been out of print, and in great demand. But on account of the author’s pre occupations the present edition has been considerably delayed. In this edition the work has been revised thoroughly, several mistakes of the first edition have been corrected and the spell ings of place names modernised. In spite of a quest, very little fresh material, namely, Yadgar-e-Bahaduri, a rare Persian MS and the later fifteen volumes of the S. P. D., could be discovered, and, therefore, in this edition the work is practically the same as it was in the first edition. It is hoped that Shuja-ud-daulah Vol. I will be found useful in its new garb. Agra, Aug. 15, 1961. A sh ir b a d i L al S rivastava PREFACE This volume, being the second of the series that I began ten years ago, covers eleven eventful years (1754-1765) of our country’s histpry and besides narrating the first half of the life- story of Shuja-ud-daulah describes in detail the circumstances that paved the way for the British expansion over the Mughal provinces of Allahabad and Awadh. To the hero (Shuja-ud- daulah) belongs the credit of being the first patriotic Indian prince to throw a bold and open challenge to the English in Bengal, commanding them to revert to their original profession of trade, and to take up a vigorous offensive to drive them out of the land. The consequent struggle culminating in his over throw and submission, though not without many a brave and desperate stand, and the causes leading to them are among the prominent topics discussed here for the first time on the basis of contemporary sources. The importance of a critical study of this transitional period and the causes of our ignorance, backwardness and political discord, so cleverly taken advantage of by the British traders, can hardly be over-emphasised. The sources for a history of Shuja-ud-daulah and his times, specially from the commencement of his relations with the English East India Company, are copious and diverse and found mainly in Persian and Marathi, English and French, besides Urdu and Hindi. Thanks to the party politics of W. Hastings’ time, every act of Shuja-ud-daulah’s administra tion and every bit of information about his character (dragged to light by his political opponents) is at the disposal of the historian. It has been my endeavour to collect all this copious material from the Persian MS libraries, from the Imperial Records Department of India and from printed documents and chronicles in English, Marathi and French. I have tried to avoid unnecessary discussion and dissertation which take away half the joy of reading history, and have condensed thousands of pages of matter in this small volume. It is needless for me to add that nationalistic bias, and fear or favour of any individual, institution or Government have not deflected me from my chosen path of impartiality in judging and narrating historical events. It is, however, for my readers to judge whether this is a mere boast. I am painfully aware of some of the imperfections of this work, including inconsis- viii tcncy in the spelling of some of the proper names and printing errors, and for these I crave the indulgence of the reader. I am thankful to the authorities of the MS libraries in Northern India and the Government of India for permitting me (1935-36) to inspect and make use of their records. I can not place this book before the public without acknowledging the heavy debt I owe to my revered grand-guru Sir Jadunath Sarkar. While my Alma Mater (the Lucknow University) has so far done absolutely nothing to encourage research in Awadh history, Sir Jadunath’s patronage of it has been continuous and plentiful. He again took me in his house at Darjiling (May 1934), as a member of his family, placed all his Persian MSS and books of reference at my disposal and promptly gave me his valuable advice and help whenever they were sought. He has very kindly seen the book through the press and corrected the proofs at the cost of his precious time. The authorities of the Midland Press, Calcutta, deserve my thanks for bringing it out within so short a time. The Kamshet History Week Fund has very generously paid a subsidy in aid of this publication. Lucknow, A sh ir ba d i L al S r iv a st a v a 25th of May, 1939. *•» CONTENTS Prcface ... ... v-viii Contents ... ... ix-xii C h a p t e r I Early Life and Training 1-13 Birth and childhood, 1—Education and boyhood, 2—Marriage, 5—First offices in Mughal service, 6—Return to Awadh, 12. IT A Period of Irresponsible Conduct and Frustrated Ambition I4_3I Succession to Awadh and Allahabad, 14— Ignoble conduct causes a popular agitation, 15—A vain attempt to seize Wizarat, 18— Death of Ismail Khan, 21—Open rupture between Shuja and Wazir ; Allahabad trans ferred to the Bangash, 22—Successful aggres sions of Balwant Singh, 24—Shuja’s expedi tion to Banaras, 27. III A Tussle with the Wazir 32-49 Irriacl plans an expedition against Shuja, 32—Delhi Princes enter the Doab, 34— Shuja seeks Maratha aid, 36—Shuja marches against Imad, 38—Strength of rival forces, 40—Light fighting and peace, 42—Shuja in Lucknow, 46. IV Shah Alam’s Wanderings ; Fate of Muhammad Quli Khan 50-66 Epoch of 1756-58, 50—Shah Alam’s flight and his reception by Shuja, 51—Wazir plans to frustrate Shah Alam, 55— Siege of Patna, 56—Shah Alam’s movements after his retreat, 59—Correct estimate of Shah Alam’s first invasion of Bihar, 59—Shuja captures Allahabad, 61—Fate of Md. Quli Khan, 63. X CHAPTER PAGES V Shuja-ud-daulah & the Maratha-Afghan Contest, 1759-1761 67-101 Maratha policy in North India, 67—Siege of Shukratal, 70—Shuja comes to Najib’s Relief, 71—Dattaji raises the siege ; Shuja returns to Awadh, 74—The prelude to the Panipat episode, 75—Maratha negotiations with Shuja, 78—Abdali’s negotiations with Shuja ; Najib wins him over, 80—Significance of Najib’s success, 83—Shuja in the Afghan camp, 85—Shuja’s efforts for peace; 87—The Shah threatens to extort money from Shuja, 89—Shuja’s final peace efforts, 90—Shuja at the field of Panipat, 92—Shuja’s humani tarian work after the Maratha defeat, 94— The Maratha raids in Awadh, 96—Shuja returns to Awadh, 99. VI The First Contact with the English ; Operations in Bundelkliand 102-141 The English suspect Shuja’s movements, 102 —Shuja’s intended march towards Patna arouses the English suspicion, 105—Shuja marches towards Bihar, 109-Shah Alam leaves Patna to join Shuja, 113—Shuja conducts the Emperor to Jajmau, 115—A grab for the Doab, 117—Shuja in Bundelkliand ; Fall of Kalpi and Jhansi, 121—Shuja appointed Wazir, 125—First expedition against Hindu- pati, 126—A rebellion in Awadh, 129— Second expedition against Hindupati, 131 — Shuja seeks English aid, 133—Shuja’s quarrel with Ahmad Bangash, 135. V II A Challenge to the Nascent British Indian Empire 1425-181 Mir Qasim seeks Shuja’s help, 142—Why Qasim sought Shuja’s aid, 143—Shuja offers the English help against Qasim, 146—Shitab Rai’s exertions in behalf of the English, 147 — Beni Bahadur espouses the cause o f the English, 149—The final stage of the negotia- XI CHAPTER PAGES tions : Shuja misappropriates the imperial hundis, 150—Qasim meets Shuja, 153—Why Shuja welcomed Qasim, 154—The third ex pedition against Hindupati, 156—Mir Jafar formally appointed Subahdar, 157—The break of negotiations with the English : alliance be tween Wazir and Qasim, 158—Shuja’s letter to the President and Council, Calcutta (Challenge), 161—Shuja’s letter to Carnac, 162—The English reply, 164—The English after Qasim’s flight, 164—Shuja’s army and plan of war, 167— Carnac’s pusillanimous retreat to Patna, 170—Shuja advances to Patna, 172—The battle of Panch Pahari, 174 —Shuja’s doings after the battle; peace nego tiations, 178. VIII The Battle of Baksar, 1764 l8s>-217 The Wazir at Baksar ; peace talks continued, 182—'The English alter the Wazir s march to Baksar, 185—The English endeavour to incite the Wazir’s enemies and to corrupt his troops, 187—The arrest and spoliation of Mir Qasim, 190—The English acquire Rohtas- garh, 194—Shuja’s anxiety for peace : final peace talks, 195— Munro marches to Baksar, 197—The rival forces come face to face at Baksar, 199—The battle described, 204—The importance and consequences of the battle, 213—The causes of Shuja’s defeat, 216. IX The Final Struggle witli the English 2l8~259 Shuja’s flight to Allahabad, 218—Shah Alam after Baksar, 220-Munro marches to Banaras, 222—Beni Bahadur’s negotiations, 223— Balwant Singh confirmed in the Banaras State, 225—The settlement with Shah Alam, 227—The first siege of Chunar; the failure of the English, 227—Shuja reopens negotiations, 232—Confusion in Awadh and Allahabad, 235—Shuja marches against Banaras, 236— The fall of Jaunpui and the flight of the xii CHAPTER PAGES Wazir to Lucknow, 237—The surrender of Allahabad Fort, 240—The acquisition of Ghunargarh, 243—The collapse of the W azir’s power and his flight to Ruhelkhand, 244—The English occupy Awadh and Allahabad, 247—The English attem pt to settle Awadh and Allahabad, 250—Shuja in Ruhelkhand, 252—The battle of Kora, 255— Shuja decides to throw himself on the English mercy, 258.