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Mughlani Begum
Mughlani Begum also known as Murad Begum, was the wife of Moin-ul-Mulk (Mir Mannu), the governor of the Subah of Lahore from 1748 to 1753. Mir Mannu had been forced to transfer his allegiance to Ahmad Shah Abdali of the Durrani Empire in April 1752. Mughlani Begum was the defacto ruler of the province from 1753, after the death of her husband, to 1756, when she was ousted from power by Adina Beg, and was known for playing her friends and foes against each other for her personal gains.
Mughlani Begam, originally named Surayya Begam, and also known as Murad Begum, was married to Moin-ul-Mulk, popularly called Mir Mannu, who served as the Viceroy of Punjab from 1748 to 1753. Her father was Jani Khan, a prominent noble at the Delhi court, and her mother, Dardana Begam, was the daughter of Nawab Abd al-Samad Khan, the Viceroy of Punjab from 1713 to 1726, and sister to Nawab Zakariya Khan, who governed Punjab from 1726 to 1745. In her husband's family, she was given the name Murad Begam, but she was commonly known as Mughlani Begam.
Following her husband's sudden death on November 3, 1753, when unpaid Mughal troops refused to release Muin’s body until their wages were settled, she took control of the treasury and worked for three days to clear their dues, preventing a major rebellion. A power struggle ensued when Bhikari Khan attempted to take Muin’s body to Delhi, but Begam insisted on bringing it to Lahore. Facing resistance, she secured the loyalty of Indian commanders and sent Qasim Khan to win over the Mughal troops by offering them rewards. Meanwhile, she strategically deployed guards to take control of Muin’s body, forcing Bhikari Khan’s men to retreat. With the army under her command, she successfully brought her husband's body to Lahore, where he was buried near Shahidganj, demonstrating her political acumen and leadership in a time of instability
After Muin-ul-Mulk’s death, news of his passing reached Delhi on November 12, 1753. The next day, Emperor Ahmad Shah appointed his three-year-old son, prince Mahmud Khan, as the Viceroy of Lahore and Multan. Alongside him, Muin-ul-Mulk’s two-year-old son, Muhammad Amin, was named his deputy. However, the actual administration was controlled by Mumin Khan, while the real authority remained with Begum Sahiba. Since Punjab had been under Afghan rule since 1752, the true authority was exercised by Ahmad Shah Abdali rather than the Mughal emperor in Delhi. Unsatisfied with a mere nomination from Delhi, Begum sought Abdali’s confirmation to secure her son’s position. Both she and Mumin Khan submitted to Jahan Khan, the governor of Peshawar, requesting his help in obtaining approval from Abdali. As a result, by January 1754, Ahmad Shah Durrani officially appointed Muhammad Amin as the Governor of Punjab, with Mumin Khan as his deputy, an event marked with great celebrations.
Bhikari Khan, a powerful Turkish general and close associate of Muin-ul-Mulk, expected to be appointed deputy governor of Punjab after Muin's death. However, when Mumin Khan was given the position instead, he felt betrayed and sought support from Delhi’s Wazir, Intizam-ud-Daulah, who opposed the Begam. The Wazir granted Bhikari Khan the deputy governorship, but the Begam refused to recognize the order. Enraged, Bhikari Khan began gathering troops, primarily Afghan fighters from Kasur, fortified his residence, and openly defied her authority. To assert his power, he forcibly collected wealth from the people and built the Sunahri Masjid in Lahore. However, the Begam strategically weakened his influence by increasing the salaries of Mughal officers and granting them titles. She also won over Khwajah Mirza Khan, a key ally of Bhikari Khan, by appointing him as the head of Eminabad. With Khwajah Mirza’s help, she executed a plan to capture Bhikari Khan, who was arrested and imprisoned in her palace under tight security.
Even after Bhikari Khan's fall, challenges to the Begam’s rule continued. The instability in Delhi and her leadership as a woman encouraged other ambitious Turkish generals to seek power in Punjab. Among them was Qasim Khan, a soldier who had risen to prominence under Moin-ul-Mulk and had supported the Begam against Bhikari Khan. As a reward for his loyalty, she appointed him as the faujdar (military commander) of Patti in Lahore district. To strengthen his position, she provided him with cannons, cavalry, infantry, and financial support. Qasim Khan, whom she regarded as a son, played a crucial role in maintaining her authority amidst ongoing threats to her rule.
After suppressing Bhikari Khan's rebellion in 1754, Mughlani Begam appointed Qasim Khan as the faujdar of Patti, providing him with troops, cannons, and financial support. However, during his campaign, he faced repeated defeats against the rising Sikh forces, hesitating to attack while his troops suffered heavy losses. His brother Alim Beg Khan's failed assault on a Sikh-held village further weakened his position, as even a small group of Sikh horsemen managed to rout his army. Overconfident, Qasim Khan later claimed to have allied with 8,000 Sikhs and planned to seize Lahore and march on Delhi, but he squandered resources by gifting arms to the Sikhs while neglecting his soldiers’ pay. This led to a mutiny within his ranks, and his own troops besieged his camp, cut down his tent ropes, and dragged him to Mughlani Begam, who had him imprisoned under strict guard within her palace.
In May 1754, Muhammad Amin Khan, the child governor of Punjab, died under suspicious circumstances, showing signs of poisoning like his father. With no immediate opposition, the Begam declared herself the ruler and sought recognition from Delhi and Kandahar. However, the Mughal Emperor was preoccupied with his struggles, and although Alamgir II later appointed Mumin Khan as governor, the Begam retained actual control. Her rule, however, faced severe challenges. The province was in chaos, and her reliance on eunuchs for administration led to inefficiency and conflicts among her advisors. Various regions, including Multan, Chahar Mahal, and northern Punjab, were either under Afghan rule or controlled by independent leaders like Adina Beg Khan, leaving only a small territory loyal to Lahore. Additionally, the Begam's personal life became a subject of scandal, as she was accused of improper relationships, particularly with Ghazi Beg Khan and the young Miskin. These rumors further undermined her credibility and contributed to the instability of her rule.
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Mughlani Begum
Mughlani Begum also known as Murad Begum, was the wife of Moin-ul-Mulk (Mir Mannu), the governor of the Subah of Lahore from 1748 to 1753. Mir Mannu had been forced to transfer his allegiance to Ahmad Shah Abdali of the Durrani Empire in April 1752. Mughlani Begum was the defacto ruler of the province from 1753, after the death of her husband, to 1756, when she was ousted from power by Adina Beg, and was known for playing her friends and foes against each other for her personal gains.
Mughlani Begam, originally named Surayya Begam, and also known as Murad Begum, was married to Moin-ul-Mulk, popularly called Mir Mannu, who served as the Viceroy of Punjab from 1748 to 1753. Her father was Jani Khan, a prominent noble at the Delhi court, and her mother, Dardana Begam, was the daughter of Nawab Abd al-Samad Khan, the Viceroy of Punjab from 1713 to 1726, and sister to Nawab Zakariya Khan, who governed Punjab from 1726 to 1745. In her husband's family, she was given the name Murad Begam, but she was commonly known as Mughlani Begam.
Following her husband's sudden death on November 3, 1753, when unpaid Mughal troops refused to release Muin’s body until their wages were settled, she took control of the treasury and worked for three days to clear their dues, preventing a major rebellion. A power struggle ensued when Bhikari Khan attempted to take Muin’s body to Delhi, but Begam insisted on bringing it to Lahore. Facing resistance, she secured the loyalty of Indian commanders and sent Qasim Khan to win over the Mughal troops by offering them rewards. Meanwhile, she strategically deployed guards to take control of Muin’s body, forcing Bhikari Khan’s men to retreat. With the army under her command, she successfully brought her husband's body to Lahore, where he was buried near Shahidganj, demonstrating her political acumen and leadership in a time of instability
After Muin-ul-Mulk’s death, news of his passing reached Delhi on November 12, 1753. The next day, Emperor Ahmad Shah appointed his three-year-old son, prince Mahmud Khan, as the Viceroy of Lahore and Multan. Alongside him, Muin-ul-Mulk’s two-year-old son, Muhammad Amin, was named his deputy. However, the actual administration was controlled by Mumin Khan, while the real authority remained with Begum Sahiba. Since Punjab had been under Afghan rule since 1752, the true authority was exercised by Ahmad Shah Abdali rather than the Mughal emperor in Delhi. Unsatisfied with a mere nomination from Delhi, Begum sought Abdali’s confirmation to secure her son’s position. Both she and Mumin Khan submitted to Jahan Khan, the governor of Peshawar, requesting his help in obtaining approval from Abdali. As a result, by January 1754, Ahmad Shah Durrani officially appointed Muhammad Amin as the Governor of Punjab, with Mumin Khan as his deputy, an event marked with great celebrations.
Bhikari Khan, a powerful Turkish general and close associate of Muin-ul-Mulk, expected to be appointed deputy governor of Punjab after Muin's death. However, when Mumin Khan was given the position instead, he felt betrayed and sought support from Delhi’s Wazir, Intizam-ud-Daulah, who opposed the Begam. The Wazir granted Bhikari Khan the deputy governorship, but the Begam refused to recognize the order. Enraged, Bhikari Khan began gathering troops, primarily Afghan fighters from Kasur, fortified his residence, and openly defied her authority. To assert his power, he forcibly collected wealth from the people and built the Sunahri Masjid in Lahore. However, the Begam strategically weakened his influence by increasing the salaries of Mughal officers and granting them titles. She also won over Khwajah Mirza Khan, a key ally of Bhikari Khan, by appointing him as the head of Eminabad. With Khwajah Mirza’s help, she executed a plan to capture Bhikari Khan, who was arrested and imprisoned in her palace under tight security.
Even after Bhikari Khan's fall, challenges to the Begam’s rule continued. The instability in Delhi and her leadership as a woman encouraged other ambitious Turkish generals to seek power in Punjab. Among them was Qasim Khan, a soldier who had risen to prominence under Moin-ul-Mulk and had supported the Begam against Bhikari Khan. As a reward for his loyalty, she appointed him as the faujdar (military commander) of Patti in Lahore district. To strengthen his position, she provided him with cannons, cavalry, infantry, and financial support. Qasim Khan, whom she regarded as a son, played a crucial role in maintaining her authority amidst ongoing threats to her rule.
After suppressing Bhikari Khan's rebellion in 1754, Mughlani Begam appointed Qasim Khan as the faujdar of Patti, providing him with troops, cannons, and financial support. However, during his campaign, he faced repeated defeats against the rising Sikh forces, hesitating to attack while his troops suffered heavy losses. His brother Alim Beg Khan's failed assault on a Sikh-held village further weakened his position, as even a small group of Sikh horsemen managed to rout his army. Overconfident, Qasim Khan later claimed to have allied with 8,000 Sikhs and planned to seize Lahore and march on Delhi, but he squandered resources by gifting arms to the Sikhs while neglecting his soldiers’ pay. This led to a mutiny within his ranks, and his own troops besieged his camp, cut down his tent ropes, and dragged him to Mughlani Begam, who had him imprisoned under strict guard within her palace.
In May 1754, Muhammad Amin Khan, the child governor of Punjab, died under suspicious circumstances, showing signs of poisoning like his father. With no immediate opposition, the Begam declared herself the ruler and sought recognition from Delhi and Kandahar. However, the Mughal Emperor was preoccupied with his struggles, and although Alamgir II later appointed Mumin Khan as governor, the Begam retained actual control. Her rule, however, faced severe challenges. The province was in chaos, and her reliance on eunuchs for administration led to inefficiency and conflicts among her advisors. Various regions, including Multan, Chahar Mahal, and northern Punjab, were either under Afghan rule or controlled by independent leaders like Adina Beg Khan, leaving only a small territory loyal to Lahore. Additionally, the Begam's personal life became a subject of scandal, as she was accused of improper relationships, particularly with Ghazi Beg Khan and the young Miskin. These rumors further undermined her credibility and contributed to the instability of her rule.