Parviz's Deccan expedition
| Parviz's Deccan expedition | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Ahmednagar Fort recaptured by Malik Ambar in 1609 | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Ahmednagar Sultanate |
 Mughal Empire | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Murtaza Nizam Shah Malik Ambar Maloji Lakhuji Jadhav |
Parviz Mirza Khan Khanan Khan Jahan Lodi Mahabat Khan Azam Khan | ||||||||
In 1607–1608, Malik Ambar began to create distrubance in the Deccan recapturing the territories lost to the Mughal Empire under Akbar in 1600.[1] Jahangir sent prince Parviz Mirza along with Khan Khanan to the Deccan in order to subdue Malik Ambar however they weren't to subdue him. In 1609 Malik Ambar laid siege to Ahmednagar successfully capturing it.[2]
In 1610 Khan Jahan Lodi, Mahabat Khan and Azam Khan arrived at the Deccan with a large force but was defeated, leaving the Mughals with no choice but to make truce with Malik Ambar.[3][4]
Background
[edit]In 1595, the Mughals attacked Ahmednagar, while Chand Bibi managed to protect the fort. Due to famine, in 1596, she finally agreed to cede Berar to Prince Murad for peace. Desiring an alliance, she called on the help of Bijapur and Golconda, but her minister, Muhammad Khan, was secretly plotting with the Mughals.[5] In 1597, an alliance of Bijapur, Ahmednagar, and Golconda confronted the Mughals at Sonpet. Though the Mughals emerged victorious, they were weakened by faction infighting. Akbar sent in his son, Daniyal, with reinforcements.[6]
In 1599, Nehang Khan rebelled against Chand Bibi, recaptured Beed, and then on a leader's soul, Daniyal by-passed the fort and laid siege to Ahmednagar and captured it in 1600.[6]
Campaign
[edit]Prince Parviz in Deccan
[edit]Khan Khanan went to the Deccan, looking to cement Mughal rule, yet rivalries and dissensions among his officers prevented coordination. Meanwhile, Malik Ambar, who was an indomitable foe, gathered strength and attacked Patan. While Mughal commanders Darab Khan and Jahangir Beg were able to effect a retreat to Jinapur, Khan Khanan's son, Shah Nawaz Khan, managed to repel Malik Ambar, though only temporarily.[7] Meanwhile, Ambar rallied his forces and surrounded the Mughal camp, driving Khan Khanan to retreat to Burhanpur, and soon he was also in occupation of Jinapur.[8]
Ineffective against Malik Ambar, Khan Khanan requested aid continually. Thereupon Jahangir employed Prince Parviz as commander with Asaf Khan as an adviser.[9] His arrival in early 1610 did not change the situation. In this view, Asaf Khan advised Jahangir to take the field himself.[7] The emperor distinctly refused but sent Khan Jahan Lodi with reinforcement troops which included generals like Raja Bir Singh Deo and Raja Vikramajit to support Mughal spearhead in the Deccan.[10]
Failure of Parviz and Khan Khanan
[edit]In 1610, common stance was set forth by Mughal commander Khan Khanan to make surprise strikes against Malik Ambar.[11] He marched from Burhanpur into the Nizam Shahi territory, cutting across despite opposition from his officers.[11] In the initial stage, the whole plan seemed successful but then dislocated by many factors proceeding from lack of faith in his direction from his officers to ruinous monsoon restrictions onto supply mismanagements.[12]
Malik Ambar dodged frontal attacks and sent the Maratha cavalry to harass the Mughals in the most uneven terrain of Balaghat.[11] With supplies exhausted and a famine on the way, the Mughal army underwent decimation. The morale shattered, with officers pointing fingers at Khan Khanan for his carelessness.[12] Being led into a dreaded position, he was obliged to hold talks with Malik Ambar about an ignominious peace before his retreat to Burhanpur.[13]
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Conquest of Ahmednagar
[edit]After consolidating the garrison, Malik Ambar laid siege to the Ahmadnagar Fort, straining communications and cutting off supplies.[14] Khwaja Mirza Safi, who was in command, had to surrender despite his unyielding efforts and was taken out of the fortress on a safe passage to Burhanpur.[15]
Meanwhile, it was discontent with the Marquis of Khan Khanan's guidance that brought the Emperor Jahangir to replace him with Khan Jahan Lodi, who declared he would shift the tides of war for them in less than two years in attempting to conquer Ahmadnagar and Bijapur.[16] The Mughals gathered an adequate force and yet had been at the good and deceivable hands of Malik Ambar. Their own internal rivalries helped weaken their course against the ambitious conquest and resulting in the ultimate failure of Khan Jahan.[17]
Aftermath
[edit]
Encouraged by this victory Malik Ambar raided Surat in 1610, alarmed by this Jahangir order Raja Man Singh who was already despatched to Deccan in 1608 to expedition against Daulatabad.[18]
Is this the army of the Deccan which is renowned for its plunder? In a moment, its pride will be reduced to the dust. It might not have encountered brave soldiers. They will presently know that they do not wish to seek war any longer after having tasted the fruits of a contest."
— Raja Man Singh I[2]
However Man Singh was defeated and forced to retreat towards Gujarat. After Man Singh 's failed attempt Prince Parviz was again despatched by Jahangir.[19] Though initially successful against Mughals Malik Ambar was defeated by Prince Parviz and his commadars like Jai Singh I, Abdullah Khan at Khirki and forced to surrender Ahmednagar in 1616.[18] However in 1617 Malik Ambar broke the treaty and began captured his lost territories by 1619 he recaptured most of the territories and set out for a Northern Expedition against Mughals in which he was highly successful.[19]
Jahangir despatched Shah Jahan for a Deccan campgain against Malik Ambar. Shah Jahan inflicted a crushing defeat on Malik Ambar in 1621 and was forced to surrender all the territories he captured after 1617.[18] The struggle between the two continued, in 1624 Malik Ambar inflicted a crushing defeat on the joint forces of Bijapur, Golconda, and the Mughals at Bhatvadi. He died on 1627 and was succeeded by his son Fateh Khan under whom the decline of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate began.[19]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Shyam 1966, p. 258–261.
- ^ a b Tamaskar 1978, p. 83–86.
- ^ Chowdhuri 1940, p. 53–62.
- ^ Ali 1996, p. 71–74.
- ^ Shyam 1966, p. 250.
- ^ a b Ali 1996, p. 58–61.
- ^ a b Shyam 1966, p. 258.
- ^ Ali 1996, p. 71.
- ^ Tamaskar 1978, p. 83.
- ^ Chowdhuri 1940, p. 53–54.
- ^ a b c Shyam 1966, p. 259.
- ^ a b Tamaskar 1978, p. 84.
- ^ Ali 1996, p. 72.
- ^ Shyam 1966, p. 260–261.
- ^ Ali 1996, p. 73–74.
- ^ Chowdhuri 1940, p. 55–62.
- ^ Tamaskar 1978, p. 85–86.
- ^ a b c Yimene, Ababu Minda (2004). An African Indian Community in Hyderabad: Siddi Identity, Its Maintenance and Change. Cuvillier Verlag. pp. 110–111. ISBN 978-3-86537-206-2.
- ^ a b c Mahajan, V. D. (2007). History of Medieval India. S. Chand Publishing. pp. 315–318. ISBN 978-81-219-0364-6.
Bibliography
[edit]- Tamaskar, B. g (1978). The Life and Work Of Malik Ambar. Delhi., Idarah-i Adabiyat-i.
- Shyam, Radhey (1966). The Kingdom of Ahmadnagar. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. ISBN 978-81-208-2651-9.
- Chowdhuri, jogindra Nath (1940). Malik Ambar.
- Ali, Shanti Sadiq (1996). The African Dispersal in the Deccan: From Medieval to Modern Times. Orient Blackswan. ISBN 978-81-250-0485-1.