History Timeline of Delhi city area rulers from 1000 AD to 2000 AD (2nd millennium AD)
Last updated on 10th Jan. 2023
This follows-up on my previous post: Tamil Nadu Ruler (>≈75% terr.) / Major Power (>≈50% terr.) from 1000 AD to 2000 AD (2nd millennium AD), https://ravisiyermisc.blogspot.com/2022/12/tamil-nadu-ruler-75-terr-major-power-50.html .
Most of the Preface section of above post applies to this post too, but with context of Delhi city area instead of Tamil Nadu.
Some of the maps referenced in this document are from the video: A New History of India: Every Year, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw9psR8MyPI , 9 min. 30 secs., published on 18th March 2018 by Ollie Bye. In this document, the acronym ANHIOB is used to refer to this video.
I first shared an interim version of these charts on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/pfbid02KFkBxCYcc6w38w63HDBNyndDuWfdEuG2tAvcDjYXfkzrBnGxQGwqvqyUk27XLFw7l . The charts below are the release version (no longer interim).
Data sources for Delhi city area charts are:
1) A New History of India: Every Year, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw9psR8MyPI
2) History of Delhi, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Delhi ,
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Early_Political_History_of_Delhi%2C_1060-1947.png and some other Wiki pages.
[On PC desktop, to open pic in larger resolution (if available), right-click on pic followed by open link (NOT image) in new tab/window. In new tab/window you may have to click on pic to zoom in.]
Above pic: Single stacked bar chart history timeline of Delhi city area rulers from 1000 AD to 2000 AD (2nd millennium AD)
Associated Google Sheet is shared here with force copy option so users who have a Google account can make a copy of it and then view and edit it: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1khniuYeSzVwDqo83x6p8gqTjbp_OiSdK53y1x9pztT4/copy . For more about such sheets, please visit previous blog post linked at top of post.
Delhi Ruler from 1752 to 1771 seems to be incorrectly given in ANHIOB video
Ruler of Delhi in the period of 1752 to 1771 is not clear, and it seems that the ANHIOB video is showing some wrong map with respect to Delhi city area.
Some data about it:
ANHIOB video map pics convey the following about ruler of Delhi in this period:
Marathas with Mughals as vassal: From 1752 to 1757
Durrani: From 1757 to 1763
Mughals (independently): From 1763 to 1771
But Wikipedia gives a different picture.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Early_Political_History_of_Delhi%2C_1060-1947.png states that Delhi was under protection of Marathas (though nominally ruled by Mughals) from 1752 to 1803.
Battle of Narela, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Narela tells us, "The Battle of Narela took place on 16 January 1757, at Narela, on the outskirts of Delhi, between the Maratha Army led by Antaji Mankeshwar and an army of Ahmad Shah Abdali.", "The Marathas had signed a treaty with the Mughal emperor in 1752 to give him protection from the foreign invader. The Maratha Peshwa had appointed Antaji Mankeshwar along with 50,000 strong Maratha force to guard the emperor. However, the Maratha troops were called back by the Peshwa for Deccan operations. As a result, most of the Maratha force left Delhi leaving behind some 3,400 troops under Antaji Mankeshwar. So, the small garrison of Marathas along with the forces of Imad-ul-Mulk and Najib-ud-daula had the responsibility to guard the Mughal capital from Durrani. Antaji was asked to move along with his contingent along the road towards Karnal to check the progress of the Afghan invader. The Marathas and Afghans collided in a fierce battle in Narela, on the outskirts of Delhi." ... "Later at night, Antaji was returning from Narela when his troops were intercepted by a huge army on the outskirts of Delhi in the night of 16–17 January. The Marathas were completely taken by surprise, but they fought desperately and hurriedly retreated towards Faridabad, 30 km from Delhi with heavy losses. The next day, it became known that the unidentified foe who had treacherously lead a surprise attack on the Marathas, the night before was Najib-ud-daula, a courtier of the Mughal emperor. Najib betrayed the emperor and his wazir at the most critical time and moved out of Delhi with his 20,000 well equipped troops to join the invader's camp. As a result, Abdali entered Delhi with Najib-ud-Daula on 28 January 1757, and taken to the Red Fort unopposed by the Mughal Emperor in humility. Mughal Emperor was arrested and Najib was put in charge of the administration of Delhi.[2][3]"
The above extracts tell us the following:
1) Mughals were under protection of Marathas from 1752 as per the treaty they had signed with the Marathas.
2) Ahmed Shah Abdali (also known as Ahmed Shah Durrani of Afghan Durrani empire) and Najib-ud-Daula (who defected to Abdali camp) took over Delhi in January 1757.
Battle of Delhi (1757), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Delhi_(1757) tells us: "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 Empire 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. The battle was waged by the Marathas for the control of Delhi, the former Mughal capital which was now under the control of Rohilla chief Najib-ud-Daula, as a consequence of the fourth invasion of India by Ahmad Shah Abdali." ... "Ahmad Shah Durrani invaded North India for the fourth time in early 1757. He entered Delhi in January 1757 and kept the Mughal emperor under arrest. On his return in April 1757, Abdali re-installed the Mughal emperor Alamgir II on Delhi throne as a titular head. However, the actual control of Delhi was given to Najib-ud-Daula, who had promised to pay an annual tribute of 20 lakh rupees to Abdali. Najib had also assisted Abdali in his fourth invasion and had already won the trust of the Afghan emperor. It can be said that he worked as the agent of Abdali in Delhi court. So, Najib was now the de facto ruler of Delhi with Alamgir II as a puppet emperor in his control.[1]" ... "The battle started on 11 August and after two weeks of intense fighting, Najib surrendered and was arrested by Marathas. [1]
Maratha commander Raghunath Rao demanded immediate withdrawal of Najib from Delhi along with a tribute of 50 lakh rupees. He also promised that he would never return to Delhi and never threaten any Maratha fort.[1]
Aftermath
The Marathas had now become the de facto rulers of Delhi.[3] Raghunath Rao appointed Antaji Mankeshwar as Governor of Delhi province while Alamgir II was retained as titular head with no actual power.[1][4]"
The above extracts tell us the following:
1) Marathas won back control of Delhi by defeating Najib-ud-Daula in August 1957. So Delhi was under control of Durrani empire and its vassal Najib-ud-Daula only for around 7 months in 1757.
Najib ad-Dawlah, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Najib_ad-Dawlah tells us: "From 1757 to 1770, he was governor of Saharanpur, ruling over Dehradun." ... "Ahmad Shah Abdali's invasion of 1757 left Najib in effective control of Delhi who was appointed to the post of 'Mir Bakshi'.[4] He had become the de facto ruler of Delhi, while the Mughal emperor was left with no actual power. His forces had to clash with the advancing Marathas in Delhi in the Battle of Delhi (1757). Delhi was captured by Marathas and he was allowed safe exit from Delhi.[6]" ... [The battle referred to in following extract is Third Battle of Panipat fought in January 1761] "In this battle, the Maratha's were defeated and as a consequence Rohilla Pakhtuns increased in power. However, the Marathas recovered in a short duration of 10 years and under Mahadji Schinde recaptured Delhi in 1771, reinstalling the weakened Mughal emperor Shah Alam II to the throne, under Maratha suzerainty."
The above extracts tell us the following:
1) In August 1957, Marathas expelled Najib ad-Dawlah (aka Najib-ud-Daula) from Delhi.
2) After Marathas were defeated in Third Battle of Panipat in January 1761, Delhi city once again came under control of Najib-ad-Dawlah of Rohilla (group?) who was supported by Durrani empire.
3) Marathas won back Delhi in 1771
Battle of Delhi (1764), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Delhi_(1764) tells us: "The Battle of Delhi (1764) was fought between the Jat ruler of Bharatpur and the Mughal rulers of Mughal Empire.[2] Maharaja Jawahar Singh of Bharatpur invaded Delhi[clarification needed] and lay siege to stronghold of Red Fort. Military conflict between Jats and Mughals started and continued for several months and on February 1765 Mughals and Rohilas surrendered to the mighty Jats and Mughals agreed to pay war expenses to the Jats." ... "On 25 December 1763, Najib-ad Daulah shot Jawahar Singh's father Maharaja Suraj Mal, killing him. Maharaja Sawai Jawahar Singh started preparing to avenge the death of his father.[3]" .. "After a siege of several months, Najib ad-Dawlah appealed for peace but Singh was determined to take revenge for his father by severing the head of Najib ad-Dawlah. After several days, some Rohilla leaders came to Singh's camp with Zubita Khan who sought the intervention sikh. They tried to persuade Singh to make peace on the condition that the whole expenditure for war would be repaid by Najib ad-Dawlah.
Singh accepted this offer, partially insistence of his chiefs, including Balram Singh and Mohanram, and returned to Bharatpur along with Lohiya Gate and Ashtadhatu gate which had been brought to Delhi, 461 years ago, by Alauddin Khaljii after his siege of Chittorgarh Fort in 1303. These doors are located in the Lohagarh Fort of Bharatpur.[4][5] In February 1765 a treaty was signed on payment of Rs. 60 Lakhs as war indemnity."
The above extracts tell us the following:
1) Even if Najib-ad-Dawlah of Rohilla (group?) was the main power in Delhi from 1761 (after Third Battle of Panipat in Jan. 1761), the Mughals seem to contintue to have been the nominal head.
Capture of Delhi (1771), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capture_of_Delhi_(1771) , tells us: "The Capture of Delhi was a battle in 1771 when the forces of the Maratha Empire led by Mahadaji Shinde captured Delhi along with the Red Fort, and giving Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II the throne back with treaty.[2][3] The Marathas captured Delhi from Najib Khan who wads put in charge by the Afghans. With this battle Marathas regained their lost supremacy in North India after the Third Battle of Panipat and conquered much of the lost territories which they lost after the Third Battle of Panipat." .. "After taking control of Delhi, Marathas sent a large army in 1772 to "punish" Afghan Rohillas for siding with the Durrani Empire at Panipat a decade ago."
The above extracts tell us the following:
1) Marathas defeated Rohilla power in Delhi in 1771 which was headed either by Najib-ad-Dawlah himself (but he may have died a little prior to the battle) or his son, Zabita Khan.
2) Mughal emperor Shah Alam II was restored to Delhi city power under protection of Marathas. So real power of Delhi was in Maratha hands and not with Mughal emperor Shah Alam II.
Conclusions
From all the above info., we can conclude the following about (effective) ruler of Delhi in the period 1752 to 1771
a) 1752 to 1761, Marathas as protector of Mughals
b) 1761 to 1771, Rohilla leader Najib-ad-Dawla under whom Mughals were nominal rulers, and who was backed at least initially by Afghan Durrani empire
c) Maratha rule as protector of Mughals re-started in 1771
The Google sheet and chart given above in this post use the above ruler periods for this 1752 to 1771 period and not the ANHIOB video map pic ruler periods.
[I thank Wikipedia and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extract(s) from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
================== Older version of post (partial content) ===================
9th Dec. 2022 content
Associated Google Sheet is shared here with force copy option so users who have a Google account can make a copy of it and then view and edit it: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mOe8XwwMd6UYE7aqY5NkSbPWM_bxq0yvdBS_jtPR8zo/copy . For more about such sheets, please visit previous blog post linked at top of post.
Comments
Post a Comment