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Shuja-ud-Daula
Shuja-ud-Daula (19 January 1732 – 26 January 1775) was the third Nawab of Oudh and the Vizier of Delhi from 5 October 1754 until his death 26 January 1775.
He was a key 18th-century Mughal ally who despised the Maratha-backed grand vizier of the Mughal Empire Imad-ul-Mulk. He supported Prince Ali Gauhar (later Shah Alam II) against Mughal usurpers and became Grand Vizier. His army, backed by influential clans and Shi'a migrants from Kashmir, was a major force in North India. Shuja joined Ahmad Shah Durrani in the Third Battle of Panipat, helping defeat the Marathas by cutting their supply lines. Later, he allied with Shah Alam II and Mir Qasim to fight the British in the Battle of Buxar but was defeated. In 1765, he signed the Treaty of Allahabad, ceding territory and financial control to the East India Company. Though strategic, this marked the start of increasing British dominance in India.
Shuja-ud-Daula was the son of the Mughal Grand Vizier Safdarjung, who was chosen by Emperor Ahmad Shah Bahadur. Unlike his father Shuja-ud-Daula was known from an early age for his abilities to synthesize his subordinates;[clarification needed] this skill would eventually cause him to emerge as the chosen Grand Vizier of Shah Alam II.
Shuja-ud-Daula is also known to have assisted Alivardi Khan, Nawab of Bengal, on various occasions when the territories of the latter were being ravaged by Raghoji I Bhonsle and his Marathas. Thus, Shuja-ud-Daula is known to have been a very respected figure among the servicemen of Alivardi Khan.
After the death of his father in the year 1753, Shuja-ud-Daula was recognized as the next Nawab by Ahmad Shah Bahadur.
Shuja-ud-Daula despised Imad-ul-Mulk, an ally of the Marathas whose regime emerged after the Battle of Sikandarabad with the support of the Sadashivrao Bhau. Imad-ul-Mulk blinded Ahmad Shah Bahadur and placed Alamgir II on the Mughal throne. Alamgir II and his son Prince Ali Gauhar were often persecuted by Imad-ul-Mulk because they refused to abandon their peaceful terms with Ahmad Shah Durrani; they also demanded the resignation of Imad-ul-Mulk, mainly due to his relations with the Marathas.
Shuja-ud-Daulah's household cavalry was composed of the Sheikhzadi, much of whom belonged to the Qidwai clan, who claimed descent from the Bani Israil. Clan-groups such as the Sayyids of Bilgram, Kara-Manikpur, Sheikhs of Kakori, and the Sayyids of Barha served as court officers and soldiers. The troops of Naval Rai, the most vigilant of Shuja-ud-Daulah's commanders, were a contingent of his Barah Sayyids, while the Bilgramis were of the same stock. These clans had not taken any profession other than soldiery. Shuja-ud-Daulah's father had maintained a contingent of 20,000 "Mughal" cavalry, who were mainly Hindustanis, many of whom were chiefly from the Jadibal district in Kashmir and who imitated the Qizilbash in dress and spoke the Persian language. The state also saw a large migration of Kashmiri Shi'as to the Shi'a kingdom of Awadh, both to escape persecution and to secure courtly patronage. This was especially the case with men from the district of Jadibal in Kashmir, who were all Shias, who looked to the state as the sword-arm of the Shi'as in India.
Prince Ali Gauhar fled from Delhi when he realized a conspiracy that would eventually lead to the murder of the Mughal emperor Alamgir II. Shuja-ud-Daula welcomed and protected Prince Ali Gauhar, who then declared himself Shah Alam II and officially recognized Shuja-ud-Daula as the Grand Vizier of the Mughal Empire. Together they challenged the usurper Shah Jahan III, who was placed on the Mughal imperial throne by Sadashivrao Bhau and his forces, which plundered much of the Mughal Empire.
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Shuja-ud-Daula
Shuja-ud-Daula (19 January 1732 – 26 January 1775) was the third Nawab of Oudh and the Vizier of Delhi from 5 October 1754 until his death 26 January 1775.
He was a key 18th-century Mughal ally who despised the Maratha-backed grand vizier of the Mughal Empire Imad-ul-Mulk. He supported Prince Ali Gauhar (later Shah Alam II) against Mughal usurpers and became Grand Vizier. His army, backed by influential clans and Shi'a migrants from Kashmir, was a major force in North India. Shuja joined Ahmad Shah Durrani in the Third Battle of Panipat, helping defeat the Marathas by cutting their supply lines. Later, he allied with Shah Alam II and Mir Qasim to fight the British in the Battle of Buxar but was defeated. In 1765, he signed the Treaty of Allahabad, ceding territory and financial control to the East India Company. Though strategic, this marked the start of increasing British dominance in India.
Shuja-ud-Daula was the son of the Mughal Grand Vizier Safdarjung, who was chosen by Emperor Ahmad Shah Bahadur. Unlike his father Shuja-ud-Daula was known from an early age for his abilities to synthesize his subordinates;[clarification needed] this skill would eventually cause him to emerge as the chosen Grand Vizier of Shah Alam II.
Shuja-ud-Daula is also known to have assisted Alivardi Khan, Nawab of Bengal, on various occasions when the territories of the latter were being ravaged by Raghoji I Bhonsle and his Marathas. Thus, Shuja-ud-Daula is known to have been a very respected figure among the servicemen of Alivardi Khan.
After the death of his father in the year 1753, Shuja-ud-Daula was recognized as the next Nawab by Ahmad Shah Bahadur.
Shuja-ud-Daula despised Imad-ul-Mulk, an ally of the Marathas whose regime emerged after the Battle of Sikandarabad with the support of the Sadashivrao Bhau. Imad-ul-Mulk blinded Ahmad Shah Bahadur and placed Alamgir II on the Mughal throne. Alamgir II and his son Prince Ali Gauhar were often persecuted by Imad-ul-Mulk because they refused to abandon their peaceful terms with Ahmad Shah Durrani; they also demanded the resignation of Imad-ul-Mulk, mainly due to his relations with the Marathas.
Shuja-ud-Daulah's household cavalry was composed of the Sheikhzadi, much of whom belonged to the Qidwai clan, who claimed descent from the Bani Israil. Clan-groups such as the Sayyids of Bilgram, Kara-Manikpur, Sheikhs of Kakori, and the Sayyids of Barha served as court officers and soldiers. The troops of Naval Rai, the most vigilant of Shuja-ud-Daulah's commanders, were a contingent of his Barah Sayyids, while the Bilgramis were of the same stock. These clans had not taken any profession other than soldiery. Shuja-ud-Daulah's father had maintained a contingent of 20,000 "Mughal" cavalry, who were mainly Hindustanis, many of whom were chiefly from the Jadibal district in Kashmir and who imitated the Qizilbash in dress and spoke the Persian language. The state also saw a large migration of Kashmiri Shi'as to the Shi'a kingdom of Awadh, both to escape persecution and to secure courtly patronage. This was especially the case with men from the district of Jadibal in Kashmir, who were all Shias, who looked to the state as the sword-arm of the Shi'as in India.
Prince Ali Gauhar fled from Delhi when he realized a conspiracy that would eventually lead to the murder of the Mughal emperor Alamgir II. Shuja-ud-Daula welcomed and protected Prince Ali Gauhar, who then declared himself Shah Alam II and officially recognized Shuja-ud-Daula as the Grand Vizier of the Mughal Empire. Together they challenged the usurper Shah Jahan III, who was placed on the Mughal imperial throne by Sadashivrao Bhau and his forces, which plundered much of the Mughal Empire.