Balwant Singh: Difference between revisions

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The conspiracy was discovered by the new Nawab, Shuja-ud-Daula, who personally marched against Balwant Singh in November 1756. Unable to resist the superior Awadhi forces in the open, Balwant Singh retreated to the strong fortress of Bijaygarh and appealed to the Marathas for assistance. During the campaign, the widow of Bariar Singh, the ''zamindar'' of Pindra and Balwant Singh's mother-in-law, mounted a determined defence against the Nawab's forces. The Nawab was struck by the valour of this lady, compelling him to negotiate and save his face. After occupying Chunar, Shuja-ud-Daula appointed a new commandant, he called Mirza Beg's son and treated the young heir with kindness.

After settling the affairs of Chunar, Shuja-ud-daula came to direct his operations against Balwant Singh in December, 1756, and ordered his troops to eject him; but for his strategic advantages, the attempts proved abortive. Balwant Singh took refuge in the strong and secluded fortress of Bijaygarh and sent envoys to the Maratha chiefs for help.<ref name=":8">Tuhfa-i-taza by Fakir Khairuddin Muhammad Ilahabadi, p. 38</ref> Though sane persons acquainted with the Shuja-ud-daula, such as celebrated Shaikh Ali Hazin<ref>[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.283746 The Siyar-ul- Mutaqherin Vol III by Seid Gholam Hossein Khan]

After settling the affairs of Chunar, Shuja-ud-daula came to direct his operations against Balwant Singh in December, 1756, and ordered his troops to eject him; but for his strategic advantages, the attempts proved abortive. Balwant Singh took refuge in the strong and secluded fortress of Bijaygarh and sent envoys to the Maratha chiefs for help.<ref name=":8">Tuhfa-i-taza by Fakir Khairuddin Muhammad Ilahabadi, p. 38</ref> Though sane persons acquainted with the Shuja-ud-daula, such as celebrated Shaikh Ali Hazin<ref>[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.283746 The Siyar-ul- Mutaqherin Vol III by Seid Gholam Hossein Khan]</ref> advised him to patch up his differences with Balwant Singh, the Nawab, in the vanity of his youth, refused to lend his ear to the advice and summoned Fazl Ali Khan, the ''faujdar'' of Ghazipore, and told him that he desired him to replace Balwant Singh.<ref name=":8" />

Shaikh Muhammad Ali Hazin was a celebrated scholar who came to India from Iran. According to the contemporary sources, he had no equal in his age and was regarded as one of the most universally learned men of his time, possessing extensive knowledge of both sacred and secular subjects. The Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah invited him to accept the office of ''wazir'' and enhance the splendour of the imperial court, while Alivardi Khan repeatedly requested him to grace his court. Hazin declined both invitations and eventually settled at Banaras during the time of Balwant Singh. He died there in 1765 at the age of eighty-five. Contemporary historian Ghulam Hussain Khan records that Nawabs like Mir Qasim and Shujauddaula, among others, paid visits to him, reflecting the high esteem in which he was held.</ref> advised him to patch up his differences with Balwant Singh, the Nawab, in the vanity of his youth, refused to lend his ear to the advice and summoned Fazl Ali Khan, the ''faujdar'' of Ghazipore, and told him that he desired him to replace Balwant Singh.<ref name=":8" />

Fazl Ali realised, Balwant Singh was a hard nut to crack and proposed to the Nawab that he could undertake the arduous task of extirpating him, provided he was put in command of a force of ten thousand cavalry at least for a year and was paid ten lacs of rupees in advance for the compensation of likely damages to be sustained by him in a war against the mighty rebel.<ref name=":9">Tuhfa-i-taza by Fakir Khairuddin Muhammad Ilahabadi, p. 39</ref><ref>[https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/tareekh-e-banaaras-volume-number-001-syed-mazhar-hasan-ebookshttps://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/tareekh-e-banaaras-volume-number-001-syed-mazhar-hasan-ebooks Tareekh-e-Banaaras Volume Number-001 by Syed Mazhar Hasan,] p. 192</ref> These exorbitant terms of Fazl Ali set Shuja-ud-daula in a fix. At this juncture, Muhammad Ali Khan, one of his courtiers, gave out that the death of Safdar Jang had released the forces of disorder and suggested that it would be imprudent to augment them by pricking up a quarrel with the Raja of Benares, who, if annoyed, could certainly combine all the forces of destruction and devastation by having recourse to open violence and robbery, the consequences of which might sweep even Fyzabad and destroy all sense of security in Awadh. It was also indicated to Shuja-ud-daula, that it would be next to impossible for anybody to collect the revenue from these districts in opposition to Balwant Singh and would be more so for Fazl Ali Khan who managed to pay the revenue of the ''sarkar'' of Ghazipore with great difficulty.<ref name=":9" /><ref>[https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/tareekh-e-banaaras-volume-number-001-syed-mazhar-hasan-ebookshttps://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/tareekh-e-banaaras-volume-number-001-syed-mazhar-hasan-ebooks Tareekh-e-Banaaras Volume Number-001 by Syed Mazhar Hasan] p. 193-194</ref>

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 The conspiracy was discovered by the new Nawab, Shuja-ud-Daula, who personally marched against Balwant Singh in November 1756. Unable to resist the superior Awadhi forces in the open, Balwant Singh retreated to the strong fortress of Bijaygarh and appealed to the Marathas for assistance. During the campaign, the widow of Bariar Singh, the ''zamindar'' of Pindra and Balwant Singh's mother-in-law, mounted a determined defence against the Nawab's forces. The Nawab was struck by the valour of this lady, compelling him to negotiate and save his face. After occupying Chunar, Shuja-ud-Daula appointed a new commandant, he called Mirza Beg's son and treated the young heir with kindness.
-After settling the affairs of Chunar, Shuja-ud-daula came to direct his operations against Balwant Singh in December, 1756, and ordered his troops to eject him; but for his strategic advantages, the attempts proved abortive. Balwant Singh took refuge in the strong and secluded fortress of Bijaygarh and sent envoys to the Maratha chiefs for help.<ref name=":8">Tuhfa-i-taza by Fakir Khairuddin Muhammad Ilahabadi, p. 38</ref> Though sane persons acquainted with the Shuja-ud-daula, such as celebrated Shaikh Ali Hazin<ref>[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.283746 The Siyar-ul- Mutaqherin Vol III by Seid Gholam Hossein Khan]
+After settling the affairs of Chunar, Shuja-ud-daula came to direct his operations against Balwant Singh in December, 1756, and ordered his troops to eject him; but for his strategic advantages, the attempts proved abortive. Balwant Singh took refuge in the strong and secluded fortress of Bijaygarh and sent envoys to the Maratha chiefs for help.<ref name=":8">Tuhfa-i-taza by Fakir Khairuddin Muhammad Ilahabadi, p. 38</ref> Though sane persons acquainted with the Shuja-ud-daula, such as celebrated Shaikh Ali Hazin<ref>[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.283746 The Siyar-ul- Mutaqherin Vol III by Seid Gholam Hossein Khan]</ref> advised him to patch up his differences with Balwant Singh, the Nawab, in the vanity of his youth, refused to lend his ear to the advice and summoned Fazl Ali Khan, the ''faujdar'' of Ghazipore, and told him that he desired him to replace Balwant Singh.<ref name=":8" />
-Shaikh Muhammad Ali Hazin was a celebrated scholar who came to India from Iran. According to the contemporary sources, he had no equal in his age and was regarded as one of the most universally learned men of his time, possessing extensive knowledge of both sacred and secular subjects. The Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah invited him to accept the office of ''wazir'' and enhance the splendour of the imperial court, while Alivardi Khan repeatedly requested him to grace his court. Hazin declined both invitations and eventually settled at Banaras during the time of Balwant Singh. He died there in 1765 at the age of eighty-five. Contemporary historian Ghulam Hussain Khan records that Nawabs like Mir Qasim and Shujauddaula, among others, paid visits to him, reflecting the high esteem in which he was held.</ref> advised him to patch up his differences with Balwant Singh, the Nawab, in the vanity of his youth, refused to lend his ear to the advice and summoned Fazl Ali Khan, the ''faujdar'' of Ghazipore, and told him that he desired him to replace Balwant Singh.<ref name=":8" />
 Fazl Ali realised, Balwant Singh was a hard nut to crack and proposed to the Nawab that he could undertake the arduous task of extirpating him, provided he was put in command of a force of ten thousand cavalry at least for a year and was paid ten lacs of rupees in advance for the compensation of likely damages to be sustained by him in a war against the mighty rebel.<ref name=":9">Tuhfa-i-taza by Fakir Khairuddin Muhammad Ilahabadi, p. 39</ref><ref>[https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/tareekh-e-banaaras-volume-number-001-syed-mazhar-hasan-ebookshttps://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/tareekh-e-banaaras-volume-number-001-syed-mazhar-hasan-ebooks Tareekh-e-Banaaras Volume Number-001 by Syed Mazhar Hasan,]  p. 192</ref> These exorbitant terms of Fazl Ali set Shuja-ud-daula in a fix. At this juncture, Muhammad Ali Khan, one of his courtiers, gave out that the death of Safdar Jang had released the forces of disorder and suggested that it would be imprudent to augment them by pricking up a quarrel with the Raja of Benares, who, if annoyed, could certainly combine all the forces of destruction and devastation by having recourse to open violence and robbery, the consequences of which might sweep even Fyzabad and destroy all sense of security in Awadh. It was also indicated to Shuja-ud-daula, that it would be next to impossible for anybody to collect the revenue from these districts in opposition to Balwant Singh and would be more so for Fazl Ali Khan who managed to pay the revenue of the ''sarkar'' of Ghazipore with great difficulty.<ref name=":9" /><ref>[https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/tareekh-e-banaaras-volume-number-001-syed-mazhar-hasan-ebookshttps://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/tareekh-e-banaaras-volume-number-001-syed-mazhar-hasan-ebooks Tareekh-e-Banaaras Volume Number-001 by Syed Mazhar Hasan] p. 193-194</ref>

Balwant Singh: Difference between revisions

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