"In the women's quarter, all these queens - because the emperor typically had several so-called wives and also they had a lot of unofficial concubines."

The Protection:

Women wouldn't release the target
Not Farooq Shiar they were protecting
They were protecting Bidar Ali (or Bidar Dil)
Another princeling Syed brothers wanted

Understanding the Royal Family Danger

Why The Women Were Protective

The Problem:

"There were several of these princelings running around."

The Fear #1: Brother Killing Brother

"If one came into power, he may view his brothers as a threat."

The Fear #2: The Syed Brothers' Intentions

"They thought that Syed brothers wanted to establish their own rule. They may slaughter these people because unless they slaughter them, they can't come to power."

The Calculation:

To truly take power = must eliminate royal family
All princelings = potential claimants
Syed brothers = threat to all of them
Women trying to protect the princes

The Numbers:

"There were several princelings because Aurangzeb may have had several wives and several concubines and there can be several great grandsons and grandsons and stuff like that. There's a lot of them."

The Compromise Emperor: Rafi-ul-Darajat

When They Couldn't Get Their First Choice

The Problem:

Women wouldn't release Bidar Ali/Bidar Dil
Syed brothers needed someone quickly
Had to have someone from royal family

The Solution:

"Rafi-ul-Darajat - this is the princeling who they got hold of. They simply brought him out and put him on the throne."

Why:

"They wanted to have somebody representing the royal family because it has to be from the family."

Legitimacy requires royal blood
Can't just take power themselves
Need figurehead emperor
This prince will do

Dealing with the Ex-Emperor

Finding Farooq Shiar

What Happened:

"Then they somehow found him in the women's quarter. They brought him out. And they blinded him right there."

Then:

"And then they put him in the prison."

The Poem:

While blinded and imprisoned
Farooq Shiar wrote a poem about his situation
Describing his fate

The Escape Attempt: Bribing the Guards

Planning to Flee to Jodhpur

The Plan:

"He tried to give a bribe to his guards to let him go to his father-in-law in Jodhpur - some Rajput guy."

The Family Connection:

His wife = princess from Jodhpur
Her father = the Jodhpur ruler
Wife's father = father-in-law
Wanted refuge with her family

Jodhpur:

In Rajasthan
City kingdom
Vassal king but autonomous
Rajput stronghold

The Marriage:

"So he was married to a princess from Jodhpur."

Why This Made Sense:

Rajput family = military power
Could protect him
Gather support from Rajputs
Potential base for comeback

The Final Solution: Assassination

When The Syed Brothers Heard

The News:

"This news went up to Syed brothers."

The Decision:

"Now they decided to finish him off."

Why:

"So far they blinded him and imprisoned him. But if he were to escape, then he becomes a liability because he can come back to throne."

The Danger:

"Because he is a king - even though he was kicked out. But if he gathers some protection and some support from the Rajput side, then it will be difficult."

The Killers for Rent

Bhadotri Marekari

What It Means:

Killers for rent
Professional assassins
Hired guns

What They Did:

"In a few days, they got [it done]."

The Puppet Show Analogy

The New Emperor's Real Status

The Comparison:

"Remember that there are people who have these dolls that they operate by remote."

Modern Term:

Puppet show
Marionettes
Controlled by strings

The Reality:

"The new emperor who was like - he had no power base at all."

What This Meant:

"Through him, Syed brothers got all the rewards met."

Complete puppet
No independent power
Syed brothers pull the strings
Emperor just signs what they want

The Maratha Rewards: Everything They Wanted

What Bajirao Vishwanath Got

Reward #1: Release the Hostages

"One of the important ones was to relieve Yesubhai and Madan Singh."

Who They Were:

Madan Singh = not directly Sambhaji's legal son
"His concubine son, kind of"
"Half son, you can say"
Yesubhai = another hostage

The Release:

"Yesubhai and some other people, they were let go. So [Bajirao] was able to leave with them."

Reward #2: The Chautai Rights

The Tax Rights:

"They also got the Chautai rights for that land, which was huge."

What This Meant:

Right to collect Chauth (one-fourth tax)
Enormous revenue
Major financial win
Economic power

Reward #3: Three Imperial Orders (Sanads)

The Documents:

"They got three orders signed off by the new emperor."

The First Order: Six Provinces in Deccan

Tax Collection Rights

What It Granted:

"One of them granted the Marathas the right of collecting taxes of six provinces in Dakhan."

The Fourth Order: Sardeshmukhi

One-Tenth Tax

What It Granted:

"According to the second order that was signed, Marathas got the right to collect one-tenth of the tax."

Sardeshmukhi:

Additional 10% tax
On top of Chauth (25%)
Combined = 35% of revenue!
Massive income stream

The Third Order: THE BIG ONE

Recognition of Maratha Kingdom

What It Granted:

"According to the third order that was signed, the emperor accepted the Maratha kingdom."

Why This Was HUGE:

"Which had never happened before. Aurangzeb said they were always illegitimate, just some rebels."

The Significance:

First time official recognition
No longer rebels
Legitimate kingdom
Imperial sanction

The Reaction:

"Marathas really were delighted. And this is a big, huge accomplishment of Balaji Vishwanath."

The Opposition in Court

The Hardliners Were Furious

Who Opposed:

"The emperor's court had a lot of powerful [nobles]. They were opposed to these orders."

Why:

Maybe their current land/Jagir/Subeda
More importantly: hardliners in the court
"Hate to see the Marathas gaining any advantage"

The History:

"That's why Farooq Shiar was rejecting these demands. And it was a sign of weakness. Because he was with the hardliners."

The Ambush: Stealing the Orders

The Smart Strategy

What Happened:

"When they got the signed orders from the emperor in the Lal Red Fort, then one of the Peshwa officials basically gave the copies to Bajirao Vishwanath and told him to go to wherever they were staying in Delhi."

The Split:

Copies = given to Bajirao Vishwanath
Originals = taken by the Peshwa official
Official left by different route

Why:

"Maybe they were afraid that these orders will be confiscated by the Mughal officers from Bajirao Vishwanath. And they won't end up following it or something."

The Attack on the Wrong Guy

What The Hardliners Did

The Ambush:

"When Bajirao Vishwanath was going to his [camp], they attacked and they got hold of those orders."

Their Goal:

Take away the evidence
"Marathas got to have those orders" = can't execute
"At least in minimum they can delay this or make it non-existent"

The Violence:

"And in that he was killed."

But:

He only had copies
The originals were with Bhanu (the other official)
Safe with different person, different route

The Result:

"So there are some rumors about these orders, officially signed letter. So there's a lot of details around this. It wasn't a clear or cleanly executed order initially. So there was lots of opposition beyond just Farooq Sihan."

The Final Authority

What Made It Legitimate

The Result:

"So now officially Marathas were in charge of their kingdom because the emperor in Delhi had agreed everything that they wanted."

Why It Mattered:

"Nobody could take any exception because this was signed off by the Delhi emperor. So what more do you want?"

The Legitimacy:

"It was then accepted all over India because Mughal was the preeminent power no matter whether they were paper tiger or not. Once they accepted then it became authentic that this is Maratha kingdom of Shahu and nobody could say 'where is your legitimacy?'"

The Power of Recognition:

"Because the Mughals had accepted it. The Mughal emperor said yes. And that means that's that."

Shahu's Reaction

The King's Joy

The Response:

"Shahu must have been very happy. He got everything he wanted and more."

His Confidence:

"So his confidence in Balaji Vishwanath really was at the very peak."

The Honor:

"Shahu was so elated and happy that he honored Balaji Vishwanath as a very important servant of Maratha kingdom. And he was further honored."

The Young Witness: Bajirao's Education

What The 20-Year-Old Learned

Who Was There:

"And all along, his son Bajirao is with him while this is happening. He was a 20-year-old kid at the time. And so he's come to Delhi. He's witnessed all of this happen."

What He Saw:

"So now Bajirao saw everything in Delhi. He understood everything about Mughal emperor and what situation prevailed."

The Crucial Insight: The Mughal Paper Tiger

What Bajirao Realized

The Understanding:

"And he understood that this Mughal emperor is just - I mean, the whole thing is coming down."

The Crucial Insight:

"So that was a crucial insight for him to be able to get that glimpse."

The Reality:

"He realized that Mughal emperor is only effective in Delhi alone. Beyond that, nobody gives him a damn. And so things are changing."

The Shivaji Parallel

Two Generations, Same Lesson

Shivaji's Experience:

"Remember, Shivaji also, when he came to Agra, he saw the whole - I mean, it was a different Agra. It was totally controlled by Mr. Aurangzeb. But he saw with his own eyes."

Bajirao's Experience:

"And the same thing happened to Bajirao Peshwa."

The Difference:

"But of course, they were at different times in the empire."

Shivaji saw Aurangzeb's strong empire
Bajirao saw the collapsing empire
Both got firsthand view
Both learned from seeing

Why This Mattered for History

The Future Peshwa's Formation

The Importance:

"It is important because then Bajirao Peshwa becomes whole and soul of Maratha empire later on. And what he saw in Delhi was extremely important."

The Impact:

"It influenced all of his decisions and battles after that."

The Realization:

"But he understood that Mughal empire is gone. And that there's a power vacuum forming. And they only ruled the city of Delhi. That's it."

The Contrast:

"At the time Aurangzeb had the kind of terror and the kind of rule that he had is gone. And it wasn't like that anymore. It was a paper tiger."

Key Players

Name	Role	Action
Farooq Shiar	Mughal Emperor	Blinded, imprisoned, then killed
Syed Brothers	Kingmakers	Orchestrated coup, installed puppet
Rafi-ul-Darajat	New Emperor	Puppet with no power base
Bidar Ali/Bidar Dil	Princeling	Protected by women, Syed's first choice
Balaji Vishwanath	Peshwa	Secured all Maratha demands
Bajirao	Vishwanath's son	20 years old, witnessed everything
Shahu	Maratha King	Elated, honored Vishwanath
Nizam	Hyderabad ruler	Stayed neutral, self-preservation
Yesubhai	Hostage	Released, returned to Marathas
Madan Singh	Hostage	Sambhaji's "half son," released
Bhanu	Peshwa official	Carried originals, different route

Timeline

Date	Event
1719	Farooq Shiar rejects Syed brothers' demands
1719	Emperor flees to women's quarters
1719	1,000 Marathas killed in Delhi streets
1719	Farooq Shiar found, blinded, imprisoned
1719	Rafi-ul-Darajat installed as puppet emperor
1719	Farooq Shiar tries to escape to Jodhpur
1719	Syed brothers have him assassinated
1719	Three imperial orders signed for Marathas
1719	Ambush on Bajirao Vishwanath's group
1719	Official killed but originals safe
1719	Bajirao Vishwanath returns to Pune triumphant

What The Marathas Got

The Complete Victory

Order	What It Granted	Significance
#1	Tax collection rights in 6 Deccan provinces	Massive revenue stream
#2	Sardeshmukhi (10% additional tax)	Even more money
#3	Recognition of Maratha Kingdom	LEGITIMACY
Bonus	Chautai rights (25% tax)	Huge financial base
Bonus	Release of hostages (Yesubhai, Madan Singh)	Family reunions

Critical Insights

1. The Chaos Creates Opportunity

The Situation:

Mughal court in chaos
Coup happening
Emperor being hunted
Violence in streets
1,000 Marathas killed

The Result:

Perfect time to get demands met
Syed brothers need allies
Will sign anything
Puppet emperor = rubber stamp

The Lesson:

Crisis = opportunity
When empire weak = extract maximum
Balaji Vishwanath timed it perfectly

2. The Puppet Emperor Strategy

Why Syed Brothers Needed One:

Can't rule directly (not royal blood)
Need legitimacy
Must have figurehead
Find compliant princeling

Why Rafi-ul-Darajat:

No power base
Will do what they say
From royal family (legitimacy)
Controllable

The Marionette Metaphor:

"People who have these dolls that they operate by remote."

Perfect description
Emperor = puppet
Syed brothers = puppeteers
Signs whatever they want

3. The Women's Protection Network

Why They Wouldn't Release Bidar Ali:

Protecting princelings
Fear of mass slaughter
Syed brothers might kill all royal family
Taking over = eliminating rivals
Multiple wives/concubines = many princes to protect

The Calculation:

If Syed brothers win = might kill all princes
Can't trust their intentions
Better to hide and protect
Survival of royal line

4. The Blinding Strategy

Why Blind Instead of Kill:

Blinded emperor = can't rule (Islamic law)
Disqualified from throne
But still alive (mercy?)
Prison insurance

Why Kill Later:

Escape attempt = too dangerous
Rajput connection = potential army
Could gather support
Come back with force
Must eliminate completely

5. The Rajput Escape Plan

Why Jodhpur:

Wife's family
Rajput military power
Autonomous kingdom
Could provide protection
Base for comeback

The Danger:

Rajputs = warrior caste
Could raise army
March on Delhi
Restore Farooq Shiar
Syed brothers' nightmare

Why Kill Him:

Can't risk it
Too dangerous alive
Must eliminate option
Final solution

6. The Smart Document Strategy

The Split:

Copies to Bajirao Vishwanath
Originals to Bhanu
Different routes
Insurance policy

Why This Worked:

Ambushers went for wrong target
Got copies, killed official
But originals safe
Mission accomplished

The Planning:

Anticipated ambush
Prepared backup plan
Protected the prize
Professional execution

7. The Hardliner Opposition

Who Opposed:

Conservative nobles
Anti-Maratha faction
Lost land to grants
Saw it as weakness

What They Did:

Ambushed Bajirao's group
Killed official
Tried to steal orders
Prevent implementation

Why It Failed:

Got wrong documents
Originals escaped
Can't stop it now
Emperor signed it

8. The Legitimacy Revolution

What Changed:

"Aurangzeb said they were always illegitimate, just some rebels."

Now:

Imperial recognition
Legitimate kingdom
No longer rebels
Official status

Why This Mattered:

Can't be dismissed as bandits
Must be respected as kingdom
Legal standing
Treaties have weight
Ambassadors recognized

The Power:

"Nobody could say 'where is your legitimacy?' Because the Mughals had accepted it."

9. Bajirao's Education

What The 20-Year-Old Learned:

Lesson #1: Mughal Empire Is Finished

Saw chaos firsthand
Coups and murders
No real power
"Only effective in Delhi alone"

Lesson #2: Power Vacuum Exists

Empire collapsing
No one in charge
Up for grabs
Opportunity

Lesson #3: How Court Politics Works

Saw negotiations
Saw bribes and deals
Saw violence
Saw puppet emperors

Lesson #4: Timing Is Everything

Strike when enemy weak
Exploit chaos
Maximum extraction
Don't miss opportunity

The Impact:

"It influenced all of his decisions and battles after that."

His Future:

Becomes greatest Peshwa
Expands empire massively
Never loses battle
All based on this insight
"Whole thing is coming down"

10. The Shivaji Parallel

Both Saw Firsthand:

Shivaji at Agra (strong empire)
Bajirao at Delhi (weak empire)
Both got reality check
Both learned from experience

The Difference:

Shivaji saw: Must rebel carefully (strong enemy)
Bajirao saw: Must expand aggressively (weak enemy)

The Common Thread:

Don't rely on rumors
See for yourself
Firsthand intelligence
Shape strategy from reality

11. The Paper Tiger Realization

What Bajirao Understood:

"Mughal empire is gone. And that there's a power vacuum forming."

The Contrast:

Aurangzeb's terror and rule = gone
Now = "paper tiger"
Looks impressive
No real power

The Strategy This Enables:

Aggressive expansion (Bajirao's future)
Direct challenges
Not afraid of emperor
Take what you want

12. The Neutrality Calculation

Nizam's Choice:

Powerful enough to intervene
Chose to stay neutral
Self-preservation
Let others fight it out

Why This Mattered:

Could have saved Farooq Shiar
Didn't want to risk it
Better to wait and see
Pick winning side later

The Pattern:

Smart players stay neutral in uncertain coups
Let chaos resolve itself
Then ally with winner
Minimize risk

The Three Orders in Detail

Order #1: Six Provinces Tax Rights

What:

Collection rights in 6 Deccan provinces
Massive territory
Huge revenue

Impact:

Financial independence
Don't need Mughal payments
Direct taxation
Economic power base

Order #2: Sardeshmukhi (10%)

What:

Additional 10% tax
On top of Chauth (25%)
Total = 35% of all revenue!

Impact:

Enormous wealth
Fund armies
Expand operations
Self-sufficient

Order #3: Kingdom Recognition

What:

Official acceptance of Maratha Kingdom
No longer rebels
Legitimate sovereign state

Impact:

Legal standing
International recognition
Treaties have weight
Can't be dismissed
GAME CHANGER

Where We Left Off

The Situation:

Farooq Shiar dead (blinded, imprisoned, then killed)
Puppet emperor installed (Rafi-ul-Darajat)
Marathas got everything they wanted:
- 6 provinces tax rights
- Sardeshmukhi (10%)
- Chauth (25%)
- Kingdom recognition (HUGE!)
Hostages released (Yesubhai, Madan Singh)
Hardliners tried to steal orders (failed)
Originals safe with Bhanu
Official killed in ambush (but had copies)
Shahu delighted
Balaji Vishwanath honored
Bajirao (20 years old) learned crucial lesson:
- Mughal empire = paper tiger
- Power vacuum forming
- "Whole thing is coming down"

The Future:

Bajirao will become greatest Peshwa
Use this insight to expand massively
Never lose a battle
All from what he saw in Delhi at age 20
Understanding: Empire is finished

A 20-year-old boy walked into Delhi and saw an empire collapse in real time. He saw an emperor blinded and murdered. He saw puppets installed. He saw his father extract everything they wanted from chaos. And he learned the most important lesson of his life: "The Mughal emperor is only effective in Delhi alone. Beyond that, nobody gives him a damn. The whole thing is coming down." That boy - Bajirao - would become the greatest Peshwa in Maratha history. And everything he did, every battle he won, every territory he conquered, came from understanding what he saw in those bloody streets of Delhi in 1719: there's a power vacuum, and it's up for grabs.