Tag: Military

Introduction

After the downfall of the Mughal empire, many Mughal provinces became an independent kingdom. These independent nations were known as successor states. These successor nations included Bengal, Hyderabad, and Awadh. 

Rise of Autonomous States

As regional kingdoms became aware of the Mughal emperors’ frailty, they started to declare their independence and challenge their power. The states of Awadh, Bengal, Hyderabad, Mysore, Jat, and the Sikh state were among these autonomous states.

• Bengal: Murshid Quli Khan established this state in 1717 after moving his capital from Decca to Murshidabad. His son Shujauddin took over as his successor. Alivardi Khan (who prevented the French East India Company from abusing its privileges), Siraj-ud-daulah (who fought in the renowned Battle of Plassey in 1757), Mir Jafar, and Mir Qasim were a few of the state’s other notable rulers.

• Awadh: In 1722, Sadat Khan established the state of Awadh, which is now known as Uttar Pradesh. He participated in the plot against the Sayyid brothers, which led to more manuals being handed to him. He was afterwards forced to enter a new principality of Awadh after being expelled from the court.

• • Hyderabad: Qilich Khan, who was bestowed the title of Nizam-ul-Mulk by the Mughal emperor Farruksiyar, formed the independent kingdom of Hyderabad. The selection of Mubriz Khan as the viceroy of Deccan did not sit well with him. Thus, in the battle of Shkr-Kheda, Qilich Khan engaged him in combat and ultimately killed him.

• Mysore: Mysore was a significant state that proclaimed its independence. It was allotted at the intersection of the eastern and western ghats while the Wodeyars were in power. This region was under the scrutiny of numerous powers and became a perpetual battleground as a result. In the end, Haider Ali was in charge of it, and he had to deal with a lot of consequences for this.

• • The Jat state: The agriculturalist Jat settlers of Delhi, Mathura, and Agra began to rebel against the Mughal rule because of Aurangzeb’s repressive policies. Finally, Bharatpur, the Jat state, was founded by Churaman and Badan Singh.

• The Sikh state: To defend their faith, Guru Gobind Singh turned the Sikhs into a militant group. During the Nadir Shan and Ahmed Shah Abdali invasion, the Sikhs consolidated their power.

The Nizam’s Army

Asaf-Jah sometimes referred to as Nizam-ul-Mulk, founded the state of Hyderabad. He was thus the state’s first ruler (Nizam). He possessed sizable and powerful armed forces that were further split into two groups: regular forces and irregular forces. Imperial Service Troops, Golconda Brigade, and Myseram Regiment were all part of the structured, modern regular army. The irregular one included individuals from many regions or ethnic groups, including Afghans, Sikhs, Jats, Turks, Rohillas, etc.

The Private Military, which was Organized by Nizam

A private military is primarily a type of armed force that is more loyal to an individual or group of individuals than it is to a country or state. During the British Raj in India, a leader of the Muslim nationalist group MIM (Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) by the name of Bhadur Yar Jung established the private armed force known as Razakars in Hyderabad. During the rule of Nizam Osman Ali (the final Nizam), it was effectively organized and made more turbulent by Qasim Razvi. Because they killed so many people, these Razakars were seen as being extremely ruthless and ferocious.

Duties and Responsibilities

Hyderabad was offered the option of joining either India or Pakistan in 1947, during the period of independence. Osman Ali Asaf Jah, the last Nizam of this state, rejected the notion and opted to keep it as a separate princely state. Qasim Razvi sent out the Razakars to guard the survival of Hyderabad’s princely state and to oppose the state’s incorporation into the Dominion of India. As a result of this military force’s extreme brutality, many people were slain in the Telangana and Marathawada regions. They even killed individuals they suspected of being opposed to the concept of princely states. Five days of the fighting occurred between Indian soldiers and the Razakars.

In the end, the Indian army routed the Razakar, and Razvi was detained until being permitted to leave for Pakistan. Meanwhile, Hyderabad was included in the Indian empire through Operation Polo

Summary

Numerous local kingdoms rose to power and proclaimed their independence from the Mughal empire by taking advantage of the Mughal emperors’ weaknesses. These nations began preserving their armed forces and collaborating against the Mughals. These independent nations saw the emergence of Hyderabad, Bengal, Punjab, Mysore, and other regions as well. Few of these princely nations even resisted joining India even after the British left office because their monarchs desired to keep their full independence. Hyderabad was one of these states, and it had its private army, the Razakars.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1.Why was Hyderabad known as the city of Nizams?
Ans. Because Qilich Khan of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, who was given the title of Nizam, founded Hyderabad, it became known as the city of Nizam. Following him, the same dynasty’s six additional Nizams ruled Hyderabad.

2.What was the Tripartite Treaty?
Ans. Ranjit Singh signed the tripartite agreement with Shah Shuja, the English firm, and themselves, agreeing to let the British forces travel through Punjab in exchange for their approval to install Shah Shuja as the ruler of Kabul.

 3. What was Operation Polo?
Ans. The police action of the newly independent India against Hyderabad in 1948 was known as “Operation Polo.” Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Indian Home Minister, gave the order for Indian troops to attack and annex the princely state of Hyderabad.

4. Why is the Battle of Plassey Important in Indian History?
Ans. Siraj-ud-daulah and the East India Company engaged in combat at the Battle of Plassey in 1757. Because it cemented the British military dominance in Bengal and laid the groundwork for the British Empire in India, this conflict had a significant impact on Indian history.

5. Mention the Reforms made by Tipu Sultan.

• Economic reforms: establishing trade relations by sending ambassadors abroad. 
• Revenue reforms: it included the elimination of the jagir system, a reduction in the hereditary ownership of poligars, and initiatives to elevate the status of the peasantry. 
• Military reforms: it included the organization of the army along European lines and the construction of two dockyards for modern navy ships.

Introduction

Babur founded the Mughal empire in 1526 after defeating Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat. In order to establish the empire, Babur had to command a number of military campaigns. Expeditions of Babur include-

• The Battles of Khanwa (1527)
• The Battles of Chanderi(1528)
• The Battles of  Ghagra (1529).

It took almost two decades for Akbar, who rose to the Mughal throne in 1556, to establish his authority and bring central and northern India under his control. His reign saw some significant military campaigns, such as the Second Battle of Panipat in 1556 and the Battle of Haldighati. A number of military conquests were led by Akbar’s successors, Jahangir, Shahjahan, and Aurangzeb, to further the empire’s reach in Mewar, Deccan, Kangra, and Bengal.

Mughal Military Campaign

Gunpowder tactics, in which the Mughals employed cannons to beat their enemies, and well-trained cavalry were the reasons behind the military campaigns’ success. We shall examine in depth the three occasions when the Mughal military campaigns refused to carry on campaigns due to the fear of seasons in those regions.

• A campaign headed by prince Murad Bakhsh in Balkh
• Mughal’s Military campaign in Kashmir
• Mughal Conquest of Assam

A Campaign Headed by Prince Murad Bakhsh in Balkh

• The Mughal emperor Shahjahan led a military expedition in the seventeenth century under the command of his younger son prince Murad Bakhsh to conquer the Uzbek city of Balkh (modern-day Afghanistan). 
• This territory belonged to the Mughals and was taken by Uzbeks under Babur. Balkh’s monarch fled as soon as the Mughal army arrived, and Murad quickly took control of the region.
• Murad eventually made the decision to leave the area. So, he asked for permission to move away from that location.
• Winter was about to arrive in Central Asia at the time, and it was difficult to survive with a sizable force. This was the reason for the request for relocation.
• It was very challenging for them because of the surrounding snow, which could close roads for months and complicate logistics by making it difficult to feed both the sizable army and the horses used for the cavalry.
• Shahjahan rejected his son’s petition and instructed him to stay in position. Murad still left his subordinates there and began his return trip.
• As a result of this, Shahjahan expelled Murad from his court and his mansab was called.

Mughal’s Military Campaign in Kashmir

In 1586, the Chak dynasty of Kashmir was overthrown by the Mughal emperor Akbar.A military expedition to conquer Kashmir was planned under the leadership of Muhammed Qasim Khan. Because of the harsh winter, Mughal troops gradually began to refuse to advance during the capture of Kashmir, forcing Qasim Khan to go out and fight with the enemies on his own. The Mughal soldiers in Kashmir struggled to survive the bitter weather, rough terrain, and unbearable conditions with little to no food supplies.

The Mughal warriors were used to a hotter, more open environment, hence this campaign was difficult for them.

Mughal Conquest of Assam

• The Mughal marched in Assam and Aurangzeb dispatched an army in 1662 with Mir Jumla as its supreme commander.
• The Mughals 1663 sent an army to Assam. The Mughal army successfully conquered the region and compelled the Ahoms to seek sanctuary in the highlands.
• At the conclusion of this campaign, Aurangzeb sent an order to Assam from the Mughal court to select two officials to serve as subedar and faujdar. But, due to the difficulties of the climate they had to endure during the conquest, such as rain and floods, the commanders declined to take the position.
• Ahom took advantage of the circumstance and left their hiding place to begin attacking the Mughal invaders after seeing the helplessness of the Mughal forces.
• In addition, the warriors’ line of communication with one another and the supply of food grains were disrupted by the constant, heavy rain.
• The imperial army fled from Assam as a result of all of these.

Summary

The Mughal military campaigns began in the latter part of the fourteenth century and lasted virtually until the seventeenth. Even though the Mughals were successful in almost all of their conquests, they occasionally faced difficulties in the form of internal insurrection and persistent external pressure. Additionally, environmental considerations presented challenges for the Mughal army. As a result, campaigns like those in Kashmir and Balkh by Murad occasionally had to be abandoned due to unfavourable circumstances. Although many difficulties were faced by the Mughals, their reign is still considered the most powerful in the history of India.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.Who were the Ahoms?
Ans: The tribal communities that moved to Assam were known as Ahoms. They conquered Assam’s traditional landowner elite, known as bhuiyans. The Chhutiyas and Koch-Hajo were also captured by them in the sixteenth century. In the end, they conquered a number of local tribes and established a new, sizable state in the Brahmaputra valley.

2.When and between whom was the Haldighati Fight Fought? Who Emerged Victorious from the Conflict?
Ans: In 1576 CE, Rana Pratap and Akbar’s Rajput armies engaged in combat at Haldighati. Rana Pratap was defeated by the Mughal army under Raja Man Singh’s leadership.

3.Who was Faujdar in the Mughal Era?
Ans: The head of a garrison in the military was known as the “Faujdar” during the Mughal dynasty. These faujdars were later elevated to the position of district chiefs, or sarkars, during Akbar’s rule.