The Wazir-Rohila War & Afghan Migration to North India

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

The Rohila Identity: Afghan Soldiers of Fortune

Who Were the Rohilas?

• Afghan-origin soldiers and able-bodied people seeking opportunity
• Not rebels, but economic migrants—"soldiers of fortune"
• Fled Afghanistan due to persecution by Nadir Shah or seeking better prospects
• India offered wealth, fertile land, agriculture, and opportunities unavailable at home

Migration Waves:

• After 1707: New wave of Afghan migration into India
• After Nadir Shah's persecution (1730s-40s): Larger exodus
• Settled primarily in Rohilkhand region (between Ganga and Himalayas)
• Region named Rohilkhand after them—name stuck even after they were gone

The Rohila Military Machine

The Numbers:

• ~40,000 strong fighting force by 1740s
• Disciplined, cohesive fighters
• Showed no mercy to enemies or captured prisoners
• Reputation: Formidable, organized, deadly

Why They Were Effective:

• First-generation immigrants with military backgrounds
• Experience from Afghanistan's tribal conflicts
• Unified tribal bonds (especially among Yusufzai clan members)
• Religious unity (Sunni Islam) created internal cohesion

Rohila Politics: The Afghan Lobby

Their Strategic Goal:

• Establish Afghan hegemony in Mughal court and army
• Were essentially a "fifth column" for Afghan interests
• Worked with Ahmed Khan Bangash and other Afghan chiefs
• Tribal bond stronger than anything else (Afghan identity > personal loyalty)

Their Problem:

• Marathas (Hindu) were gaining power in Mughal Delhi court
• Concerned this would undermine Muslim character of empire
• Couldn't defeat Marathas alone—needed outside help
• Allied with Ahmed Khan Abdali (Afghan external power)

Key Rohila Figures

Ahmed Khan Bangash:

• Chief of Farukhabad
• Son of Muhammad Khan Bangash (appointed by Emperor Farukh Siar)
• Fought against Marathas early (lost to Bajirao I, accepted terms)
• Attacked Maratha ally (Bundelkhand king) but was repelled by Marathas

Nazib Khan (Najib Khan):

• Yusufzai Afghan clan from Kandahar
• Arrived India around 1743, age 35 (already adult, experienced)
• Started as foot soldier in Ali Muhammad Rohila's army
• Rose to become ruler of holdings between Ganga and Himalayas
• Built capital at Nazibuabad, fort at Patargarh
• Called "Nazib ud-Daula" (Administrator of the State)
• Critical figure for future Panipat events

Nazib's Key Relationship:

• Enemy of Marathas in general
• BUT had special relationship with Malhar Rao Holkar
• Viewed Holkar as adopted father figure
• Holkar had soft corner for Nazib
• Exception to Rohila hatred of Marathas

The Afghan-Maratha Conflict Dynamic

The Tension:

• Marathas expanding north under Bajirao I and beyond
• Rohilas/Afghans saw this as threat to their new territories
• Different religious interests: Hindu vs. Muslim
• Competing for control of Mughal court and northern regions

The Mughal Weakness:

• Empire confined to Delhi area by this period
• Local chiefs taking territory piece by piece
• Rohilas, Marathas, Rajputs all carving out kingdoms
• Emperor powerless to stop any of them

The Mutual Defeat:

• Marathas under Bajirao I defeated Ahmed Khan Bangash
• Bangash forced to accept terms and retreat
• But Marathas also had to accept that Rohilas were a serious power
• Region became divided: Maratha zone, Rohila zone, others

The Structural Reality

North India by 1740s:

• Not unified under Mughal emperor
• Patchwork of regional powers: Marathas, Rohilas, Rajputs, others
• Each controlling territory and extracting taxes
• Alliances and enmities based on immediate interest

Afghan Strategic Calculation:

• Too weak to resist Marathas alone
• Invited Ahmed Khan Abdali (powerful Afghan in Afghanistan) to counter Marathas
• Created alliance: Rohila + Abdali vs. Maratha expansion
• Tribal loyalty and religious kinship made alliance natural

The Self-Made Afghan: Nazib as Model

Nazib's Path:

• Came as foot soldier with nothing
• Demonstrated military skill
• Rose through ranks via personal ability
• Became small kingdom chieftain
• "Afghan Shivaji" - self-made from humble start

Comparison to Shivaji:

• Shivaji: Son of jahagirdar (noble with assigned territory)
• Nazib: Came with nothing, built from scratch
• Both: Effective military organizers and kingdom builders
• Nazib's rise shows Afghan immigrants matched Hindu warriors in military ability

Timeline

Critical Insights

1. Economic Migration as Geopolitical Force

Afghan immigrants weren't ideological warriors—they were seeking opportunity. But their collective arrival shifted north Indian power balance.

2. Tribal Bonds Trump Nations

Rohilas remained cohesive due to Afghan identity and Sunni Islam. These bonds lasted longer than any individual loyalty.

3. The Self-Made Military Class

Nazib Khan and others showed that birth didn't determine success. Ability to fight and organize did. This model attracted many more soldiers to join.

4. Hindu-Muslim Divide in Practice

Marathas and Rohilas represented different power structures (Hindu warrior class vs. Muslim administered state). This would eventually create religious dimension to political conflicts.

5. Mughal Irrelevance

By this era, the Mughal emperor was ceremonial. Real power belonged to regional chieftains fighting for territory. Mughal legitimacy was just a fig leaf.

Key Quotes

"First generation immigrants played a stellar role in north Indian events for many years"

"From foot soldier he rose to be ruler of large holdings between the Ganga and Himalayas"

"Rohilas were soldiers of fortune seeking opportunity in fertile India"

Geographic Context

Rohilkhand Region:

• Between Ganga and Yamuna rivers (northern portion)
• Between Ganga and Himalayas (as Nazib's territory)
• North of Maratha-controlled Deccan
• Proximity to Delhi made it strategically important
• Fertile agricultural area = tax revenue potential

Where We Left Off: Rohilas are established as formidable northern power. Marathas have proven they can defeat them but aren't trying to occupy their territory. Nazib Khan has risen to prominence and is managing to balance his Afghan identity with respect for Malhar Rao Holkar. Meanwhile, Abdali in Afghanistan is watching this situation and preparing to play a role. The pieces for Panipat are being positioned.

Afghan immigrants came to India seeking opportunity and found it. They built armies disciplined enough to rival Marathas. They remained unified through tribal and religious bonds. But they couldn't quite dominate northern India alone. So they looked to Abdali. And when Abdali came, they became his instrument. The irony: Nazib Khan hated Marathas but loved Holkar. So when Panipat happened, he'd have to choose between his adopted father figure and his people. That choice would haunt him.