CHAPTER 8* THE MARATHAS AND THE NIZAM INTRODUCTION. THE MARATHA-NIZAM RELATIONS MARK THE MOST IMPORTANT PHASE in the history of Maharastra during the 18th and 19th centuries. Firstly, because as the subhedar of the Deccan, the founder of the ex-Hyderabad State, Nizam-ul-mulk Asaf Jah controlled more than 3/4ths of the territory of the present Maharastra and secondly, because till very recently his successors were the rulers of the five districts of Marathvada division covering about one fifth of the State of Maharastra. The Nizam family belonged to Central Asia. Khvajah Abid, the grandfather of Nizam-ul-mulk on his way to Mecca, first came to India in 1654. On his return he joined Aurangzeb who was then engaged in the war of succession. After holding a number of posts under the emperor, he accompanied the latter to the Deccan in 1681, A.D. Khvajah Abid died in the siege of Golconda in 1687. His son, Sahabuddin, known to history by his titles Gaziuddin and Firoz Jung had also migrated to India in 1670 and had taken up service under Aurangzeb. Like his father, he was also a principal general of Aurangzeb in his war against the Marathas. He outlived Aurangzeb and died towards the end of 1710, when he was the governor of Gujarath.1 EARLY CAREER. His son was Mir Qamaruddin,2 generally known by his various titles, Cinqilic Khan, Asaf Jah and Nizam-ul-mulk, the founder of * This Chapter is contributed by Dr. B.G. Kunte, M.A., Ph.D. (Economics), Ph.D. (History). Joint Editor, Gazetteer’s Department Government of Maharashtra. 1 For the last twenty years of his life Sahabuddin was blind, having lost his eyesight in the epidemic at Bijapur, in 1688 A.D. 2 Nizam-ul-mulk was born on 14th of Rabiul Akhar, 1082 (August 1671). He was named Qamaruddin by Aurangzeb. He received a mansab of 450 horse when he was six years old. In his boyhood, he received the title of Cinqilic Khan meaning boy swordsman. He was a favoured nobleman of Aurangzeb. He took part in the Moghal siege of Parali in 1700 A.D. In the 45th year of the emperor’s reign, he was appointed the governor of Bijapur province and put in charge of Talkonkan and Azamnagar (Belganv), as faujdar and, of Sampaganv as thanedar In the 49th year of the emperor’s reign (H. 1116), he was made the faujdar of Bijapur-Karnatak. He accompanied Aurangzeb in the siege of Vakinkheda. In the war of succession ensuing after the death of Aurangzeb, he did not take any side. When Muazzam ascended the throne in 1707, under the title of Sah Alam Bahadur Sah, Nizam-ul-mulk was called to the court. He was confirmed in his mansab and appointed the governor of the province of Oudh and faujdar of Lucknow. Shortly after, he retired from service. After the death of Bahadur Sah. Jahandar Sah, the son and successor of Bahadur Sah, called him to the court, gave him a mansab of 7,000 and the title of Firoz Jung Bahadur. 188 MAHARASHTRA STATE GAZETTEER the Nizam dynasty of Hyderabad. At the time of the death of Aurangzeb on 20th February 1707, he was the governor of Bijapur. He was disliked by Bahadur Sah for his leadership of the Turani faction in the Moghal court. Historians of this period invariably refer to two principal parties of the nobles at the court, viz., (1) the Moghal or Turani or foreign party which included all adventurers who came from Persia or from beyond the Oxus. The Afghans were also included in this group; and (2) the Hindustani or home-born party which was made up of Muslims born in India, many of them being descendants in the second or third generation of foreign immigrants. The Rajput and Jat chiefs attached themselves to this party as also did the official Khatri class of the Punjab.1 During the later part of the reign of Bahadur Sah (1707-1712), Nizam-ul-mulk led a retired life. After Bahadur Sah’s death and with the enthronement of Farrukhsiyar2 and rise to the power of the Sayyad brothers,3 Nizam-ul-mulk was offered the viceroyalty of the Deccan,4 which he gladly accepted (February 1713). Viceroyalty in the Deccan,1713-1715. The situatoon in the Deccan at this time was intriguing. The Marathas had succeeded in their uphill struggle against the Moghal invaders. However, their right of collecting cauth and sardesmukhi from the six subhas of the Deccan, viz., Khandes, Aurangabad, Berar, Bidar, Bijapur and Hyderabad depended partly upon their relationship with the Moghal subhedar and partly upon their capacity to enforce it. The Maratha State was in great disorder. Administration had become loose and the Maratha noblemen who had fought so gallantly with the Moghals for over 25 years were now wavering in their loyalty to the Maratha State. In such a situation, Nizam-ul-mulk assumed the viceroyalty of the Deccan.5 The Nizam had been with Aurangzeb throughout his Deccan campaign. He knew the terrain as well as the people who inhabited it. His was a cautious approach to the Maratha problem because he knew the pitfalls which had led Aurangzeb to his discomfiture in his war with the Marathas. He was a post-master in diplomacy. It was against such a redoubtable adversary that the Marathas had to contend. The Nizam was bent upon re-establishing the Moghal supremacy in the Deccan. The Marathas were equally determined to assert their rights. But it was not an easy task. The ascendancy to power of Sahu6 was not to the liking of his cousin, Sivaji, who had set up a separate State of Kolhapur. After Sivaji had been deposed, his 1 W. Irvine, Later Mughals, 1, 272-75. 2 Farrukhsiyar ascended the throne on 31st December, 1712. 3 The Sayyad Brothers of Barha Abdullah Khan and Hussain Ali Khan who rose to prominence in 1712, played the role of king makers for the next eight years till their power was overthrown in 1720. 4 This was consequent upon the death of Zulfikar Khan, who was till then the Viceroy of the Deccan. 5 Masire Nizami of Lala Mansaram, in 18th Century Deccan p. 49. 6 Sahu was crowned King, on January 12th, 1708. HISTORY – MARATHA PERIOD 189 step-brother Sambhaji continued his activities against Sahu. He allied himself with Nizam-ul-mulk. The Nizam tried every means to crub the power of the Marathas. Later he seduced to his side Sambhaji and Maratha generals, Candrasen Jadhav1 and Sultanji Nimbalkar. Sahu and his Pesva, Balaji Visvanath tried their best to check the Nizam but without much success. However, in 1715, the Nizam was recalled to Delhi and his place was taken by Hussain Ali Khan,2 the brother of the Moghal Vazir Sayyad Abdullah. Acquisition of the Sanads by the Marathas. He tried to continue the policy of the Nizam and was engaged in a struggle against the Marathas. Hussain Ali Khan was, however, driven to come to a compromise with the Marathas, owing to the intrigues of the emperor against him and the Vazir Sayyad Abdullah. Sayyad Hussain Ali Khan conceded the demand of Sahu for cauth, sardesmukhi and Svaraj.3 A Maratha force accompanied Sayyad Hussain Ali Khan to Delhi and following the downfall of Farrukhsiyar,4 succeeded in securing the sanads of grants for cauth, sardesmukhi and Svaraj. These grants were acquired in March 1719. The sanads were personally received by the Pesva. Their acquisition marks a distinct phase in the Moghal-Maratha relationship. For the first time, the Marathas became the rightful collectors of cauth (dated 3rd March, 1719), and sardesmukhi (dated 15th March 1719). Recognition was given to the Maratha State. Eclipse of Sayyad brothers. Nizam-ul-mulk was appointed governor of Malva in 1719. He left Delhi for Malva on 15th March 1719. His relations with the Sayyad brothers deteriorated rapidly. Under these circumscances he refused the invitation of the Sayyad brothers to go to Delhi and instead, marched straight away to the Deccan. He crossed the Narmada in May 1720. In the battles of Ratanapur 5 and Balapur 6 (1720), the Nizam defeated Dilavar Ali and Alam Ali Khan, the partisans of Sayyad brothers and assumed full control of the province of the Deccan. After this battle, a meeting took place between Bajirav and the Nizam at Cikalthana on 4th January 1721. 1 On the recommendation of Nizam-ul-mulk, he was made a mansabdar of 7,000 horse and received jahagir at Bhalki in the subha of Bidar. 2 Masire Nizami in 18th Century Deccan, p. 55. 3 For details see P.D. 30. 222. Also See Treaties and Agreements, Edited by Mawji and Parasnis, 1914. 4 The dethronement of Farrukhsiyar was followed by a reign of terror let loose. After his deposition, he was cruelly killed two months later. The Sayyad brothers put on the throne two young Princes—Rafi-ud-darjat and Rafi-ud-daula, who together ruled for 9 months. The Sayyad brothers then raised to the throne, Prince Rosan Akhtar, a grandson of Bahadur Sah, with the title of Muhammad on September 18th, 1719. Muhammad Sah ruled till his death in April, 1748. 5 In this battle Nizam-ul-mulk defeated Dilavar Ali, a partisan of the Sayyad brothers. The battle was fought in June, 1720. Dilavar Ali was killed. 6 The battle of Balapur was fought between Nizam-ul-mulk and Alam Ali a nephew of the Sayyad brothers, in August, 1720.