Safdar Jung Explained: The Lion of Battle

How Mansoor Khan Became Safdar Jung & The Court's Deadly Factions

The Family Tree Clarified

The Confusion Solved

The Question: How does Safdar Jung fit into the Awadh dynasty?

The Answer: Safdar Jung = Mansoor Khan (same person, different titles!)

The Lineage

Saadat Khan:

• First Nawab of Awadh
• Originally from Iran
• Established the dynasty

Muhammad Mukim (Mansoor Khan):

• Nephew of Saadat Khan (his uncle's son)
• Was in Persia/Iran until 1723
• Uncle invited him to come to India

The Journey:

1. Came to Surat (extremely rich port city at the time)
2. Traveled 700 miles to Faizabad (in Awadh)
3. Warmly received by his uncle

The Strategic Marriage

The Alliance

Who Got Married:

• Mansoor Khan (nephew)
• Sadrunisa Begum (Saadat Khan's daughter)
• Uncle's son marrying uncle's daughter (cousin marriage)

The Title: Abul Mansoor Khan (his first title)

The Position: Deputy Governor of Awadh

The Strategy: Keep power in the family

Mansoor Khan: The Unusual Prince

What Made Him Different

His Monogamy:

• Unusual for princes of that day
• Married only once
• No mistress or concubine
• In an era of harems and multiple wives, this was remarkable

His Wife: Sadrunisa Begum

Her Reputation:

• Renowned for her good sense
• Later gave good advice to her son (Suja ud-Daula)
• On more than one occasion
• A thoughtful, wise woman

Remember: Both she and her son will play very important roles later.

The Military Career: Battles with Malhar Rao Holkar

Round 1: Mansoor Khan Wins (1737)

The Setup:

• Mansoor Khan fought by his father-in-law's (Saadat Khan's) side
• Most notable success: 1737

What Happened:

• Drew the Maratha force under Malhar Rao Holkar towards the main Mughal army
• Under Saadat Khan's command
• Won a victory
• Holkar was chased beyond the Yamuna towards Bajirao's camp

Significance: This was before the factional alliances formed - they were still enemies.

Round 2: Holkar Gets Revenge (1738)

The Next Year:

• Malhar Rao got his revenge
• Stopped Mansoor Khan from going to Nizam ul-Mulk's aid near Bhopal

Context Check:

• Nizam ul-Mulk = ruling in Hyderabad (down south)
• Remember: Bajirao had created trouble for him before
• Now Mansoor Khan was trying to help the Nizam

The Score: 1-1 between Mansoor Khan and Malhar Rao Holkar

Historical Note: This is 1737-1738 - about two years before Nadir Shah invades (1739).

The Succession Crisis: Saadat Khan Dies

The Death

When: In the wake of Nadir Shah's attack on Delhi (1739)

The Problem: More than one claimant for governing the province of Awadh

The Contestants:

• Safdar Jung (Mansoor Khan)
• Others (multiple claimants)

The Master Bribe: How to Win a Succession

Mansoor Khan's Strategy

What He Did:

• Argued his case well
• Buttressed by a cash peshkash (tribute) of TWO CRORE RUPEES to Nadir Shah
• That's 20 MILLION RUPEES in 1739 money 💰

The Delivery:

• Cash reached Delhi on May 13, 1739
• Escorted by 200 Qizilbash soldiers
• Plus a special gift: A HUGE ELEPHANT

Understanding the Players

Qizilbash Soldiers:

• Typical Persian soldiers
• Specific attire and weapons
• Iranian style
• Shows Mansoor Khan's Persian/Shia identity

The Elephant:

• Royal animal
• Symbol of power and wealth
• Perfect diplomatic gift

Why This Bribe Worked

The Power Dynamic in 1739

Who Was Really in Charge:

• Nadir Shah had just looted Delhi
• Created absolute terror
• Massacred thousands
• The Mughal Emperor was essentially Nadir Shah's pawn

The Strategy:

• Instead of giving money to his "boss" (the Mughal Emperor)
• Mansoor Khan gave it to the real power (Nadir Shah)
• Nadir Shah was calling the shots
• He would be appointing the Subedar, not the emperor

The Shia Connection

Why It Mattered:

• Mansoor Khan = Shia Muslim
• Nadir Shah = Shia Muslim (from Iran)
• Same religious background
• Natural alliance

The Calculation:

• Presented tribute to fellow Shia who holds real power
• Showed loyalty to Iran/Persian faction
• Demonstrated wealth and capability
• Got in Nadir Shah's good graces thoroughly

The Appointment: Birth of "Safdar Jung"

What Happened

Nadir Shah's Decision:

• Deposited the money in his treasury
• On his departure back to Iran
• The Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah appointed Mansoor Khan as Governor of Awadh

The New Title

"Safdar Jung" = "Lion of Battle" (or "Lion of War")

Meaning:

• Not his real name - it's an honorific title
• Given for his military prowess
• His actual name remained Mansoor Khan (or Mansoor Ali Khan)
• But he's now known as Safdar Jung

Result: No more succession tussle - Mansoor Khan/Safdar Jung wins decisively.

The Next Decade: Military Campaigns (1740s)

Following the Emperor's Orders

What Safdar Jung Did:

• Led expeditions on orders from the Mughal Emperor
• Campaign to Patna (city in Bihar province)
• Where Nana Saheb Peshwa had also reached on his invasion of Bengal

The Varanasi-Gaya Situation

The Holy Cities:

• Varanasi (Kashi) - one of holiest Hindu cities
• Gaya - where Gautam Buddha attained salvation
• Both were under Safdar Jung's control (part of Awadh territory)

Nana Saheb's Interest:

• Wanted to visit these holy places
• Maratha interest: make them independent cities
• Free them from Mughal/Awadh control

The Emperor's Response:

• When Peshwa visited Varanasi and Gaya
• Emperor ordered Safdar Jung to return to Awadh
• Translation: "Don't bother Nana Saheb, back off"
• Smart move to avoid confrontation

The Big Promotion: Moving to Delhi (1743)

The Summons

1743:

• Safdar Jung was summoned to Delhi
• Made a grand entry into the city
• With lots of pomp and circumstance
• He understood he might be made wazir

What He Actually Got

The Appointments:

1. Head of Artillery (Commander of cannon regiments)
2. Governor of Kashmir

Not Wazir Yet - but these are major promotions that set him up for it.

Understanding the Mughal Court Factions

The Two-Faction System

The Split:

1. Irani (Persian) Group - Shia Muslims
2. Turani (Turkish/Central Asian) Group - Sunni Muslims

The Irani/Persian Faction

Who They Were:

• From Iran/Persia
• Shia Muslims
• Led by Safdar Jung (after his rise)

Their Base:

• Persian cultural influence
• Shia religious identity
• Support from Iran

The Turani/Turkish Faction

Who They Were:

• From Central Asia (Turkmenistan, Turkestan, etc.)
• NOT modern Turkey - this is Central Asian Turks
• Sunni Muslims
• Led by Kamruddin Khan (the existing wazir)

Their Base:

• Afghan/Rohilla connection
• Central Asian tribes
• Sunni orthodox identity

Important: They have camaraderie with Afghans - same Sunni background, same region.

The Rise of Tensions

Who Got Displaced

The Positions Safdar Jung Got:

• Head of Artillery
• Governor of Kashmir
• Previously held by Turani/Turkish loyalists
• Loyal to wazir Kamruddin Khan

The Resentment:

• Kamruddin's faction was not considered (overlooked)
• They felt passed over
• Safdar Jung (a Shia) was getting prominent positions
• The Sunni/Turani faction did NOT like this

The Religious Division

Why This Mattered

The Turani/Afghan Position:

• All Sunni Muslims
• Didn't want a Shia getting prominent positions
• Religious rivalry between Sunni and Shia
• Felt under Safdar Jung's thumb

The Power Play

Nadir Shah's Influence:

• Remember: Nadir Shah gave Safdar Jung the subedarship of Ayodhya/Awadh
• Mughal Emperor was under Nadir Shah's pressure
• Emperor gave these new appointments partly due to that influence

The Result:

• Created deep rivalry between the factions
• Rohillas/Afghans/Turanis vs. Safdar Jung and the Shia faction
• This will explode later

Safdar Jung's Strategy: The Maratha Alliance

Why the Afghans/Rohillas Were Weak

The Realization:

• Rohillas knew they didn't have enough power to defeat Safdar Jung
• Why? Because Safdar Jung knew to make alliances with Marathas
• He got their commitment to defending Delhi

The Track Record:

• After Safdar Jung sought Maratha help
• Marathas won quite a few battles in and around the Doab
• These were pitched battles against the Rohillas
• Rohillas realized: We have NO match for Marathas
• They're fighting a superior force

The Consequence:

• Rohillas in a very weak spot
• Can't defeat Safdar Jung militarily
• Can't match the Maratha alliance
• Stuck under Shia faction control

The Nadir Shah Effect (1739)

How Everything Changed

Before Nadir Shah:

• Mughals thought they could handle threats
• Safdar Jung and Malhar Rao were trading victories (1-1)
• Normal political/military competition

After Nadir Shah (1739):

• Nadir Shah created terror in Delhi
• Literally massacred thousands and thousands of people
• A different level of cruelty
• Even the torturous Mughals thought this was inhuman

The Realization:

• Mughals understood they were incapable of dealing with external aggressors
• This level of violence was beyond what they'd seen or done
• They couldn't take this kind of punishment

The Result:

• Mughals started inclining towards Marathas for protection
• Needed allies who could actually fight
• That's when the whole dynamic shifted

Key Players

Timeline

Geographic Context

Awadh/Ayodhya:

• In the Doab (between Ganga and Yamuna)
• Very fertile, enormous tax revenue
• Safdar Jung's power base

Kashmir:

• Far north
• Safdar Jung given governorship in 1743
• Previously held by Turani loyalists

Varanasi & Gaya:

• Holy cities under Awadh control
• Peshwa wanted them independent
• Point of tension

The Doab:

• Where Marathas and Rohillas fought
• Safdar Jung's territory
• Most fertile land after Punjab

Strategic Analysis

Safdar Jung's Genius Moves

1. Identified Real Power - Bribed Nadir Shah, not the puppet emperor
2. Spectacular Bribe - 2 crore + 200 soldiers + elephant = impossible to refuse
3. Shia Networks - Leveraged religious connections with Iran
4. Maratha Alliance - Understood who the real military power was
5. Court Politics - Systematically displaced Turani faction from key positions

Why the Rohillas Were Screwed

1. Military Inferiority - Can't beat Marathas on the battlefield
2. Political Outmaneuvered - Safdar Jung controls key positions
3. Religious Isolation - Shia faction has Iranian backing
4. No External Allies - Can't call on anyone strong enough
5. Stuck - Under Safdar Jung's thumb with no way out

The Factional Dynamics

Why This Matters for Panipat

The Setup:

• Court divided: Shia (Irani) vs. Sunni (Turani/Afghan)
• Safdar Jung represents Shia faction
• Rohillas/Afghans represent Sunni faction
• Marathas allied with Safdar Jung
• When Abdali comes → Sunni vs. Shia + Hindu alliance

The Inevitable Explosion:

• Religious tensions building
• Political resentments festering
• Rohillas feel weak and desperate
• They need an external Sunni champion
• Enter: Ahmad Shah Abdali (Sunni Afghan with big army)

Key Themes

1. The Power of Well-Placed Bribes - 2 crore bought a kingdom
2. Religious Factions Matter - Sunni vs. Shia shapes everything
3. Know Who Really Has Power - Nadir Shah, not the emperor
4. Military Alliances Are Everything - Marathas made Safdar Jung untouchable
5. Court Politics Is Deadly - Displacing factions creates permanent enemies
6. The Nadir Shah Effect - One invasion changed the entire psychology

The Irony

Mansoor Khan:

• Defeated Malhar Rao Holkar in 1737 (as enemies)
• Later allied with Marathas (became friends)
• This alliance made him powerful
• But also committed him to fighting Abdali
• Which will lead to...

Where we left off: The court factions are set, the tensions are rising, and everyone understands the rivalry between Shia and Sunni Muslims in the Mughal court. The Rohillas are weak and desperate, waiting for someone who can match the Maratha power...

From nephew to governor to wazir - Mansoor Khan played the game perfectly. But in creating enemies of the Rohillas and Afghans, he set the stage for them to invite the one man who could challenge the Maratha-Mughal alliance: Ahmad Shah Abdali.