 | This article is written like a story.(April 2019) |
Mughlani Begum [1] also known as Murad Begum, [2] ruled Punjab from Lahore for a few months in 1753. She was known for playing her friends and foes against each other for her personal gains. She was the wife of Moin-ul-Mulk (Mir Mannu), who was Governor of the Subah of Lahore from 1748 to 1753, and who had endeared himself to Ahmed Shah Abdali, the Emperor of Afghanistan. [3]
In November 1753, Moin-ul-Mulk was killed in a horse accident and his infant son was appointed the Governor of Punjab by the Mughal Emperor Ahmad Shah Bahadur. Mughlani Begum became regent to the infant Governor and garnered all the powers in her hands. She however neglected the affairs of the state and led an amoral life, having illicit affairs with many men. Incensed by this, the Mughal officers threw her out and appointed Mirza Khan in her place. Mughlani sent her uncle to Abdali requesting for help to get back her power. Abdali dispatched a small army to Lahore, captured Mirza Khan, and restored the powers to Mughlani. But soon after, her son died and she lost her powers again.
Mughlani now got into a power struggle with her uncle and lost, because the latter had the backing of Abdali's men. Piqued by this, Mughlani sought the help of Imad-ul-mulk, who was the Mughal Wazir in Delhi, and also engaged to Mughlani's daughter Umda Begum. Imad agreed to help by sending his troops, but backed out when he got wind of Mughlani's many illicit liaisons, for he felt this would be a disgrace to his family. He secretly sent a contingent of soldiers to Lahore, who encircled Mughlani's palace and forcibly took her away to Sirhind.
Vowing revenge, Mughlani now started making overtures to Ahmed Shah Abdali, promising him a treasure trove in the ancestral palace of her father-n-law, the late Wazir Qamruddin Khan. There were others who conspired against Imad-ul-mulk and invited Abdali to invade Delhi. Abdali picked up the bait and decided to invade Delhi. When the news of the impending invasion reached Imad, he had neither an army nor allies willing to fight for him. In desperation he sought peace and sent Mughlani, most ironically, as his envoy to Abdali to stop the invasion. Mughlani tried to 'convince' Abdali to turn back, but he refused since he was already on the doorstep of Delhi.
Mughlani sent a secret note to Imad, asking him to flee to a safe place, if he did not have the stomach to fight Abdali. Imad finally surrendered and was stripped of all his powers and wealth. Abdali systematically plundered the city of Delhi, Mughlani pointing out the wealthy people, for which she was rewarded with titles and land.
When Abdali retreated to Afghanistan with his loot, the estates were taken away from Mughlani. She was offered a pension, which she haughtily refused and lived in Lahore in poverty.
Indian film director Surjit Singh Sethi made Mughlani Begum , a 1979 Punjabi-language film about the Begum and Mir Mannu, starring Preet Kanwal in the titular role. [4]
Mirza Nasir-ud-Din Muḥammad Shah was the thirteenth Mughal emperor from 1719 to 1748. He was son of Khujista Akhtar, the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I. After being chosen by the Sayyid Brothers of Barha, he ascended the throne at the young age of 16, under their strict supervision.
Mirza Aziz-ud-Din Muhammad, better known by his regnal name Alamgir II, was the fifteenth Mughal emperor from 1754 to 1759. He was the son of Jahandar Shah.
Shuja-ud-Daula was the Subedar and Nawab of Oudh and the Vizier of Delhi from 5 October 1754 to 26 January 1775.
Ahmad Shah Bahadur, also known as Mirza Ahmad Shah or Mujahid-ud-Din Ahmad Shah Ghazi, was the fourteenth Mughal emperor, born to Emperor Muhammad Shah. He succeeded his father to the throne in 1748, at the age of 22. When Ahmed Shah Bahadur came to power, the Mughal Empire started to decline. Furthermore, his administrative weakness eventually led to the rise of the usurping Imad-ul-Mulk.
Shah Alam II, also known by his birth name Ali Gohar, or Ali Gauhar, was the seventeenth Mughal emperor and the son of Alamgir II. Shah Alam II became the emperor of a crumbling Mughal Empire. His power was so depleted during his reign that it led to a saying in the Persian language, Sultanat-e-Shah Alam, Az Dilli ta Palam, meaning, 'The empire of Shah Alam is from Delhi to Palam', Palam being a suburb of Delhi.
Raghunathrao Bhat, also known as Ragho Ballal or Ragho Bharari, was the 11th Peshwa of the Maratha Empire for a brief period from 1773 to 1774. He was known among the Hindus for his extremely successful Delhi and North-western campaign in 1757-59 and for his works to liberate the Hindu holy places of Kashi and Ayodhya.
Nawab Qasim Jan was a courtier in the royal courts of Mughal Delhi. He first lived in Lahore, attached to the court of the Governor, Moin-ul-Mulk, in the 1750s, thereafter he moved to Delhi, and joined the court of Delhi, in reign of Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II.
Vadda Ghalughara was the mass murder of unarmed Sikhs by the Afghan forces of the Durrani Empire during the years of Afghan influence in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent owing to the repeated incursions of Ahmad Shah Durrani in February 1762. It is distinguished from the Chhota Ghalughara. Mostly non-combatants were killed in the event, and an estimated that 10,000 to 50,000 Sikhs were killed on 5 February 1762.
Feroze Jung III or Nizam Shahabuddin Muhammad Feroz Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi also known by his sobriquet Imad-ul-Mulk, was the grand vizier of the Mughal Empire when it was under Maratha suzerainty, making them the de facto rulers.
Adina Beg Khan was a Punjabi general and administrator who served as the last governor of the Punjab region of the Mughal Empire, including the provinces of Lahore and of Multan.
Shahzada Mirza Jawan Bakht Bahadur alternative spelling Mirza Javan Bakht, Mirza Jewan Bakht also known as Mirza Jahandar Shah born at the Red Fort, Delhi. He was the eldest son of Emperor Shah Alam II and the grandson of Emperor Alamgir II. Jawan Bakht was a very influential Timurid Prince of the Mughal Empire.
Bakshi Banu Begum was a Mughal princess and was the second daughter of Emperor Humayun and his consort Gunwar Bibi. Bakshi Banu was thus the older half-sister of the Mughal Emperor Akbar.
The Battle of Delhi in 1757 also referred to as the Second Battle of Delhi, was a battle fought on 11 August 1757 between the Maratha Confederacy under the command of Raghunath Rao and the Rohillas under the command of Najib-ud-Daula, who was under the Afghan suzerainty and simultaneously the "Pay Master" of what remained of the Mughal Army. By 1757, Delhi was ruled directly by the Marathas. The battle was waged by the Marathas for the control of Delhi, the former Mughal capital which was invaded by Rohilla chief Najib-ud-Daula, as a consequence of the fourth invasion of India by Ahmad Shah Abdali.
Tomb of Jani Khan, or Khan-i-Khanan, is a historical tomb of Jani Khan. It is situated in Baghbanpura, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Ahmad Shah Durrani, the founder of the Durrani Empire, invaded Indian subcontinent for eight times between 1748 and 1767, following the collapse of Mughal Empire in the mid-18th century. His objectives were met through the raids and deepened the political crisis in India.
The Battle of Lahore was battle which took place between the invading Ahmed Shah Abdali and Mir Mannu, the Mughal governor of Punjab in 1752. It took place at Lahore in current day Punjab province of Pakistan. After the Mughals were defeated, Abdali decided to retain Mannu as the city's governor on his own behalf.
The Subah of Lahore was a province of the Mughal Empire encompassing the central Punjab region, now divided between Pakistan and India. It was created as one of the original 12 Subahs of the Mughal Empire under the administrative reforms carried by emperor Akbar in 1580. The province ceased to exist after the death of its last viceroy, Adina Beg in 1758, with large parts being incorporated into Durrani Empire.
Mian-Moin-ul-Mulk also known by his title Mir Mannu was the Mughal and later Durrani governor of the Punjab between 1748 and 1753.
Intizam-ud-Daulah was a Grand Vizier during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Ahmad Shah Bahadur.
The Battle of Lahore was fought between Afghan forces under Ahmad Shah Durrani and Mughal forces under Shah Nawaz on 11 January 1748. Zakriya Khan, the Mughal Governor of Lahore, died in 1745 and was succeeded by his son, Yahya Khan. Yahya Khan's governorship over Lahore was soon challenged by his brother, Shah Nawaz, who was the governor of Multan. This resulted in a war between the two brothers, lasting from November 1746 to March 1747. The war was won by Shah Nawaz, who soon usurped the governorship of Lahore. Shah Nawaz would go on to appoint Kaura Mal as his diwan and recognized Adina Beg Khan as the Faujdar of the Jalandhar Doaba. Shah Nawaz used his captive brother as a bargaining tool in order to get recognition from the Delhi government. However, following Yahya Khan's escape from captivity, Shah Nawaz sought help from abroad. He turned to Ahmad Shah Durrani, who had just taken the city of Kabul from the Mughals. Ahmad Shah agreed to assist him, and left Peshawar in December 1747. However, Shah Nawaz then changed his allegiance back to the Mughals, and fought a battle against Ahmad Shah near Lahore. The battle was won by the Afghans, who briefly occupied the city of Lahore.