The Siege of Lahore (1751-1752)
Abdali's Attack on Punjab Continues
Abdali's Strategy: Starve Them Out
Spreading the Army
Abdali's Tactic:
- Spread his army (wikhudlo) - didn't put them all in one place
- Target: Lahore - the major urban center of Punjab
- Method: Cut off food and water supplies to the city (Chirasad Todli)
- Starve the population to bring them to their knees
The Logic: If you don't have anything to eat or drink, you can't fight any war.
The Emperor Wants Help... But Safdar Jung Is Busy
The Mughal Emperor's Order
What He Wanted:
- Ordered his wazir Safdar Jung to send supplies to Lahore
- Help the Lahore Subedar (Muin Khan) sustain the siege
The Problem: Safdar Jung Had Other Priorities
Where He Was:
- In the Indo-Yamuna Gangetic Plain (the fertile region between Ganga and Yamuna rivers)
- Busy fighting with Khan Bangash and Sadulla Khan (Rohila commanders)
- Multiple skirmishes going on - not one single war
What He Did:
- Couldn't send supplies or reinforcements to Lahore
- Stopped the war he was fighting
- Went to his capital city of Lucknow (also in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, not too far)
Result: The guy in Lahore (Muin Khan) was on his own.
Why Safdar Jung Didn't Want to Help
The Complicated Politics
Two People Needed Help:
- Muin Khan (Subedar of Lahore)
- Kauram Mal (Subedar of Multan - nearby town/kingdom)
Safdar Jung's Reasons for NOT Helping
Problem #1 - Muin Khan:
- Muin Khan was Safdar Jung's main rival/competitor
- Political enemy within the Mughal system
Problem #2 - Kauram Mal:
- Had killed Shahan Vaz Khan - someone who had sought protection with Safdar Jung
- Then took control of Multan
- Betrayed the wazir's protection
The Dilemma:
- Γ’Ε Personal reasons: Didn't want to help either of these guys
- β Official duty: As wazir of the Mughal Empire, he was obligated to help them
Result: Safdar Jung did nothing. π€·
Round 1: Muin Khan's Commanders Strike Back
The Intense Counterattack
What Happened:
- Muin Khan's commanders attacked Abdali very intensely
- Got success! Abdali had to retreat
- For 10 days there was no remnant of Abdali's army anywhere
Abdali's Retreat:
- Retreated all the way back to his base
- Not to be seen anywhere in the neighborhood
- But he hadn't given up
Regrouping Phase
What Abdali Was Doing:
- Putting together new army units
- Getting reinforcements
- Gathering weapons, cannons, war materials
- Preparing for the next attack
Round 2: Abdali Returns (March 1752)
The Return
Timeline: Summer was about to start (March)
Abdali's Move:
- Came back with new reinforcements and supplies
- Came in front of Muin Khan again
- Confronted him properly this time
The Defection of Adina Bae
The Neighboring Town Betrays
Adina Bae:
- Subedar of Dyaland (neighboring town to Lahore)
- Officially a Mughal subedar
- Secretly on Abdali's side (probably)
The Betrayal:
- One of his administrative officers defected by deception
- This made Abdali stronger
- Internal betrayal within Mughal ranks
Muin Khan Fortifies Lahore
The Defensive Strategy
Understanding Walled Cities:
- Major cities in those days were walled in with gates
- You couldn't just get into the city - had to come through gates
- Cities like Lahore typically had 4-5 gates
- Each gate had big doors
Muin Khan's Defense
What He Did:
- Closed all the city doors/gates
- Put cannons on top of the city walls
- Prepared to face Abdali with 10,000 soldiers inside the walled city
The Advantage:
- Cannons on top of walls = higher ground
- Attacking army is in the lower position
- Very difficult to wage war from below while cannons fire down
- Massive disadvantage for the attacker
Abdali's Letter: "Muslims Are Killing Each Other"
Abdali Realizes the Cost
His Calculation:
- There will be lots of people killed
- Cannons on the walls, doors closed
- Not going to be easy
- Would be too costly for his army
His Decision: Try diplomacy first.
The Letter
Delivery Method:
- Abdali wrote the letter himself
- Gave it to two of his commanders: Wazir Shah Wali Khan and Jahan Khan
- They delivered it to Muin Khan
The Letter's Contents
"For four months, Muslims have been killing each other. Will this be acceptable to Allah?"
The Invitation:
- "Without doubt (nishanka), come meet with me"
- "Or send somebody you trust"
- Let's negotiate a truce
- End this fighting
Why Abdali Wanted to Negotiate
Strategic Thinking:
- He was a good commander
- Only wanted to attack if casualties would be limited
- If it would be a massacre of his own troops β not worth it
- Better to find a diplomatic solution
The Famous Meeting
Muin Khan Accepts
Decision: Muin Khan decided to go meet with Abdali in his tent
Who He Met: Shah Wali Khan (Abdali's commander-in-chief)
The Negotiation: An Epic Exchange
Abdali's Gracious Welcome
Opening Move:
- Gave Muin Khan a warm welcome
- Congratulated him for protecting Lahore in such a robust manner
- "You're doing a good job, you defended well"
The Rapid-Fire Questioning
Abdali's Style:
- Fired questions at him one after the other
- Multiple questions in quick succession
- Was very happy with Muin Khan's answers
The Q&A That Defined the Siege
Question 1: Why Didn't You Surrender Earlier?
Abdali: "Why didn't you surrender to me earlier?"
Muin Khan's Answer: "My master (khawinda) is in Delhi. My emperor is in Delhi."
Meaning: I'm obligated to fight for my emperor - I can't just surrender.
Question 2: Why Didn't Your Emperor Help You?
Abdali: "How come your emperor didn't come to your rescue? Why didn't they send reinforcements?"
Muin Khan's Answer: "He didn't send me reinforcement because he knows I'm capable of fighting you off myself."
Translation: I'm such a badass commander that my emperor knew I could handle you on my own. πͺ
Question 3: What Should I Do With You Now?
Abdali: "Now that you are in my control, what should I do with you?"
π₯ Muin Khan's Legendary Reply π₯
This is one of the most famous responses in Marathi history literature:
"If you are a MERCHANT (vyapari), then take your reparations (khandani) and let me go."
"If you are a BUTCHER (kasai), then kill me."
"If you are an EMPEROR (shahenshah), then forgive me."
Breaking Down the Epic Answer
Three Options for Abdali:
- Merchant β You came for money? Take the reparations we agreed upon and leave
- Butcher β You just want blood? Then kill me now
- Emperor β You're a true ruler? Then show mercy and forgive me
Why This Is Brilliant:
- Acknowledges Abdali's power
- Puts the ball in Abdali's court
- Challenges him to define himself
- Poetic and dignified even in defeat
- Forces Abdali to choose his identity
Key Players
| Name | Role | Side | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmad Shah Abdali | King of Afghanistan | Afghan | Smart commander, avoids costly battles |
| Muin Khan (Muin-ul-Mulk) | Subedar of Lahore | Mughal | Defended Lahore brilliantly |
| Safdar Jung | Wazir of Mughal Empire | Mughal (technically) | Refused to help, busy with Rohillas |
| Kauram Mal | Subedar of Multan | Mughal | Killed Safdar Jung's protΓ©gΓ© |
| Shahan Vaz Khan | (deceased) | - | Sought Safdar Jung's protection, killed by Kauram Mal |
| Khan Bangash | Rohilla commander | Rohilla | Fighting Safdar Jung |
| Sadulla Khan | Rohilla commander | Rohilla | Fighting Safdar Jung |
| Adina Bae | Subedar of Dyaland | Mughal (but defected to Abdali) | Neighboring town betrayal |
| Shah Wali Khan | Commander-in-chief | Afghan | Abdali's top military leader |
| Jahan Khan | Commander | Afghan | Delivered Abdali's letter |
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Early 1752 | Abdali spreads army, cuts off supplies to Lahore |
| Early 1752 | Mughal emperor orders Safdar Jung to help |
| Early 1752 | Safdar Jung busy fighting Rohillas, goes to Lucknow instead |
| Early 1752 | Muin Khan's commanders counterattack intensely |
| ~10 days | Abdali retreats to regroup |
| March 1752 | Abdali returns with reinforcements |
| March 1752 | Adina Bae (Dyaland) defects to Abdali's side |
| March 1752 | Muin Khan fortifies Lahore, closes gates, mounts cannons |
| March 1752 | Abdali sends letter: "Muslims killing each other for 4 months" |
| March 1752 | The famous meeting and Q&A session |
Geographic Context
Punjab Region:
- Lahore - Major urban center, walled city
- Multan - Nearby town/small kingdom
- Dyaland - Neighboring town
Elsewhere:
- Lucknow - Safdar Jung's capital (Indo-Gangetic Plain)
- Delhi - Mughal capital (where the emperor is)
- Ganga-Yamuna Doab - Fertile plain where Safdar Jung fought Rohillas
Strategic Analysis
Why Abdali Couldn't Take Lahore by Force
The Math:
- Γ’Ε City is walled with closed gates
- Γ’Ε Cannons on higher ground (on walls)
- Γ’Ε 10,000 defenders inside
- Γ’Ε Attacking uphill against artillery = massive casualties
- Γ’Ε Not worth the cost
Abdali's Smart Move:
- Recognized when military action would be too costly
- Used diplomacy instead
- Saved his army for battles he could win
Why Safdar Jung's Refusal Mattered
The Domino Effect:
- Wazir refuses to help β Muin Khan fights alone
- No reinforcements β Muin Khan must hold the fort with what he has
- Political rivalries β Mughal system starts breaking down
- Internal divisions β Makes it easier for external invaders
Key Themes
- The Good Commander - Abdali knew when to fight and when to negotiate
- Political Rivalries Over Duty - Safdar Jung let personal politics override official obligations
- Dignity in Defeat - Muin Khan's legendary response showed grace under pressure
- Walled City Warfare - Understanding medieval siege dynamics
- Internal Betrayal - Adina Bae's defection showed Mughal weakness
- The "Muslim Unity" Card - Abdali used religious solidarity as a negotiating tool
Cultural Notes
Khandani (Reparations)
Like what Germany had to pay after WWI - yearly sum paid to a superior power after losing a conflict or making a treaty.
Walled Cities
Major cities in medieval India were fortified with walls and gates for defense. This gave massive advantages to defenders, especially with artillery positioned on the walls.
The Three Identities
Muin Khan's categorization of Abdali as merchant, butcher, or emperor reflects medieval political philosophy about the nature of power and conquest.
Where we left off: Muin Khan just dropped the most legendary response in the negotiation. What will Abdali's answer be? π