Safdar Jang & The Wazir-Rohila War: Marathas Enter Northern Conflict

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

The Mughal Court Crisis (1745-1750)

The Emperor's Weakness:

• New emperor after Muhammad Shah (Rangila)
• Mother (Udhambai) was ambitious dancer/former courtesan seeking power
• Emperor had no training in governance, warfare, or statecraft
• Emperor's interests: merrymaking, art, entertainment, luxury—not ruling

The Power Dynamic:

• Mughal emperors were ceremonial figureheads by this era
• Real power belonged to the Wazir (Prime Minister)
• Udhambai realized this and wanted to limit Wazir's power
• Safdar Jang (current Wazir) controlled too much authority—this worried her

Safdar Jang: The Dual-Power Wazir

His Unique Position:

• Wazir (Prime Minister) of Mughal Empire—ostensibly the highest post
• Also Nabab of Awadh (independent kingdom between Ganga and Yamuna rivers)
• Awadh was his personal kingdom with its own taxes and army
• Split time between Delhi (as Wazir) and Awadh (as ruler)
• Left dummy administrators in Awadh when absent

Why He Wanted Both:

• Wazir position gave him power over all empire
• Awadh gave him independent economic base and forces
• If removed as Wazir, could retreat to Awadh as king
• Had cake and ate it too—until he had to choose

The Conspiracy Against Safdar Jang

Who Opposed Him:

• Udhambai: Wanted manageable Wazir she could control
• Duradi Lobby: Afghan influencers in court who opposed Safdar Jang
• Why they opposed: Safdar Jang was Persian (born in Iran) and Shia Muslim
• They were Afghan (Sunni) and wanted Sunni Muslim leadership

The Plan:

• Emperor invited Nasir Jang (Nizam of Hyderabad's son) to court
• Nasir Jang was supposed to replace/remove Safdar Jang as Wazir
• Safdar Jang wasn't informed—it was secret conspiracy

The Alert:

• Bapu Hingne: Maratha representative at Mughal court
• Discovered the conspiracy
• Secretly warned Safdar Jang about the plot
• Message: "They're planning to replace you"

The Unexpected Alliance: Safdar Jang & Marathas

Why This Mattered:

• Bapu Hingne had no official business warning Safdar Jang
• But he did it anyway—showed Marathas were watching
• Safdar Jang recognized this as sign of potential support
• Immediately understood: Marathas might be allies

Safdar Jang's Response:

• Began building his own army secretly
• Sent word to Nana Sahib (Peshwa): "I need help"
• Peshwa authorized Shinde and Holkar: "Stop Nasir Jang from heading north"
• Rapid Maratha mobilization showed serious response

The De-Escalation:

• Emperor realized secret was out and situation was spiraling
• Got nervous about civil conflict at court
• Sent word to Nasir Jang: Go back to the Deccan
• Explained it away without admitting the conspiracy
• Safdar Jang stayed as Wazir

Result:

• Safdar Jang understood Marathas had his back
• Built trust: Marathas proved they'd counter schemes against him
• New alliance formed: Wazir + Marathas vs. Rohilas/Afghans
• This was beginning of Maratha involvement in northern affairs

Safdar Jang's Northern Strategy

The Real Problem:

• Rohilas were 40,000 strong and in his territory
• Afghans had tribal loyalty to each other and to Abdali
• They weren't going to submit to Mughal Wazir authority
• Safdar Jang saw them as serious threat to his Awadh kingdom

His Decision:

• Use new Maratha alliance to deal with Rohila threat
• Attack Rohila positions near Farrukhabad and Bareilly
• Try to reduce Rohila power in northern Doab region
• Hoped Marathas would help if it got serious

The Battle Near Farrukhabad (1750)

The Setup:

• Safdar Jang attacked Rohila territories
• Rohilas fought back (disciplined 40,000-strong force)
• Safdar Jang's army was insufficient for the task
• Called on Marathas for support

What Happened:

• Battle was intense and brutal
• Safdar Jang got wounded and knocked unconscious during fighting
• Had to be carried off battlefield on elephant
• Maratha reinforcements hadn't arrived yet
• Safdar Jang's forces were defeated and retreating

The Aftermath:

• Rohilas pursued into Awadh territory
• Looted Lucknow
• Invaded Safdar Jang's home kingdom between the rivers
• Safdar Jang lost control of significant portions of Awadh
• Embarrassing defeat for the Mughal Wazir

Why This Victory Surprised Everyone

The Context:

• Under Aurangzeb: Mughal armies were devastating
• Mughal Empire had aura of military superiority
• By 1750: That myth was shattered
• Rohilas—mere regional power—defeated the Wazir

The Credit:

• Fighting spirit came from Bajirao I's era
• Shinde and Holkar weren't created by Nana Sahib—they were mentored by Bajirao I
• Bajirao I took simple soldiers and made them into great warriors
• He led expansion north, created the warrior class
• Even 10 years after his death, that fighting spirit remained in Maratha forces

Bajirao I's Legacy in Military Culture

What He Did:

• At age 20, went north with Syed brothers
• Saw that Delhi was hollow—no fighting spirit left
• Realized Mughal armies were declining force
• Built Maratha expansion on this insight

How He Built Warriors:

• Shinde and Holkar started as simple soldiers
• Bajirao I identified military talent
• Mentored them into great commanders
• Later: Shinde had 10-15,000 troops, Holkar similar
• Built professional military families out of nothing

His Strategic Mind:

• Unparalleled war strategies
• Picked up pieces after Aurangzeb destroyed Maratha kingdom
• Put it back together through expansion and reorganization
• Military genius rivaled Shivaji's
• Different challenges but equally difficult

The Comparison: Shivaji vs. Bajirao I

Shivaji's Challenges:

• Started from nothing
• Faced multiple powerful adversaries simultaneously
• Built entire system from scratch
• Foundational genius—created the template

Bajirao I's Challenges:

• Started with broken pieces
• Had to reorganize after internal collapse
• Expanded 7-8 times the territory
• Systemic genius—scaled what was created

Both Extraordinary:

• Military geniuses of different eras
• Faced different problems, solved them brilliantly
• Created the warrior culture that still endured in 1750

Timeline

Critical Insights

1. The Maratha Entry into North India

Safdar Jang became the wedge that drew Marathas deeper into northern affairs. Not conquest—support for an ally. But it entangled them in complex northern politics.

2. The Wazir's Dilemma

Safdar Jang had enough power to be dangerous but not enough to be supreme. His dual position (Wazir + Nabab) meant he could be attacked from both directions.

3. Mughal Myth Shattered

The Rohila victory over Wazir's army showed that Mughal central authority was completely hollow by 1750. Any regional power could defeat them.

4. Bajirao's Shadow

Ten years after his death, Bajirao I's warrior culture still dominated. His mentorship of simple soldiers into great warriors was bearing fruit in battles he never saw.

5. The Entanglement Begins

By supporting Safdar Jang, Marathas committed themselves to northern politics. This will lead to deeper involvement—eventually Panipat.

Key Themes Emerging

The Wazir as Pivot Point:

• Safdar Jang represented transitional era
• Old Mughal center of power vs. rising regional powers
• Last time someone tried to use traditional Wazir position as real authority
• After this, Wazir position became ceremonial

The Warrior Class Transfer:

• Military dominance passed from Mughal central army to regional commanders
• Marathas (Hindu warrior class) replacing Persian/Afghan (Islamic administrative class)
• Religious dimension emerging alongside political one

The Alliance Pattern:

• Wazir + Marathas vs. Rohilas + Afghans
• This pattern would intensify
• Eventually: Abdali's Afghans would fight Marathas for northern dominance
• Rohilas would be caught in the middle (especially Nazib Khan)

Where We Left Off: Marathas have gotten their first real taste of northern warfare by helping Safdar Jang. Victory was limited (Wazir still got defeated), but it showed Marathas could project power north. Meanwhile, Rohilas proved they could defeat even the Mughal Wazir's army. Both sides now know what they're facing. The stage is being set for larger confrontation. Abdali is watching. Nazib Khan is torn between his Afghan people and his affection for Holkar.

Safdar Jang thought he could use Marathas as mercenaries. But it doesn't work that way. Once you call in allies, you're entangled. Marathas came north to help a Wazir. But they stayed. And the more they stayed, the more they invested. And the more invested, the more they had to expand to protect their interests. Bajirao I had done this dance decades earlier. Now Nana Sahib was dancing it too. It would end at Panipat. Ten years away, nobody knew it yet. But the pattern was set.