Get complete information on the Revolt of Khan Jahan Lodi

When Shah Jahan became the Mughal Emperor, the aggressive policy inaugurated by Akbar and continued by Jahangir was resumed and the work of conquest was continued. Trouble started with the revolt of Khan Jahan Lodi who had been appointed the Governor of the Deccan to crush Shah Jahan and Mahabhat Khan. After the coronation of Shah Jahan, Khan Jahan Lodi was invited to the court and treated with great consideration.

However, he felt suspicious and left Agra without the permission of the Emperor. He was closely pursued and defeated. He fled into the Deccan and made friendship with Shahji and his Master Murtaza Nizam Shah II. The presence of Khan Jahan Lodi in the Deccan where he had served as a General, coupled with his great ability and his alliance with the enemies of the Mughals, created a difficult situation.

Realising in 1629 and fixed his headquarters at Burhanpur. He gradualy wore out the enemy and surrounded him from three directions. Khan Jahan Lodi was forced to seek shelter with Adil Shah but he refused to help him. Shahji also deserted him and joined the Mughals. Khan Jahan Lodi retired into Bundelkhand. He was overtaken and he died fighting at Kalingar in 1631.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

End of Ahmadnagar

Shah Jahan came to the conclusion that there could be no peace for the Mughals in the Deccan sp long as Ahmadnagar continued as an independent state. With that object in view, he wrote to the Ruler of Bijapur offering to give him roughly one-third of the State of Ahmadnagar as a price for his cooperation with the Mughals in the projected campaign against Ahmadnagar.

The object of Shah Jahan was to isolate Ahmadnagar both diplomatically and militarily. He also sent feelers to various Maratha Nobles to join Mughal Service. The Ruler of Bijapur accepted the offer of Shah Jahan on account of his own grievances against Ahmadnagar and posted an army on the border of Ahmadnagar to cooperate with the Mughals. Shahji Bhonsle, the father of Shivaji, defected to the Mughal side along with his followers and he was given Jagirs in the Poona Region and a Mansab of 5000. Many other important Maratha Chiefs joined Shah Jahan.

In 1629, Shah Jahan deputed large armies against Ahmadnagar and he himself moved to Burhanpur to coordinate their movements. Large parts of the State of Ahmadnagar were brought under the control of the Mughal Empire. Parenda, one of the last outposts of the kingdom, was besieged.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

The Ruler of Ahmadnagar appealed to Bijapur for help against the Mughals reminding the ruler that after his overthrow, the Mughals would no spare him. The Mughals also had not handed over to Bijapur the area allotted to that state under the agreement. The result was that Bijapur joined hands with Ahmadnagar against the Mughals. That forced the Mughals to raise the siege of Paranda and retreat.

In the meanwhile, the situation in Ahmadnagar became favourable for the Mughals. Fateh Khan, the son of Malik Ambar, who had been appointed his minister by the Ruler of Ahmadnagar, murdered his Master Murtaza Nizam Shah and set up on the throne his young son Hussain Shah with himself as the Regent. In order to secure his position against his enemies, Fateh Khan opened negotiations with the Mughals and sent his son to Shah Jahan to assure him that he had acted solely in the interest of the Emperor and sendings his approval. Hussain Shah had been seated on the throne.

Shah Jahan was highly gratified and restored to him his jagirs which had been taken away previously and conferred upon Shahji. Shahji left the Mughal Service and joined Bijapur. Adil Shah promptly sent him on his own suggestion against Fateh Khan who appealed to Mahabat Khan for help. Shahji acted so quickly that before Mughal reinforcements arrived, he has besieged Daultabad and forced him not only to recant his submission to the Mughals but also to make common cause with Bijapur against them.

Fatehn Khan was also to cede Sholapur and its five and a half districts in return for which he was allowed to retain Daultabad with the rest of Ahmadnagar. These settlements made Shahji throw a garrison into the Fort of Daultabad and then he decamped in time to avoid Mahabat Khan who was on his way to Daultabad. On arriving there, he found that everything had been upset by Shahji. However, through force and diplomacy, Mahabat Khan forced Fateh Khan to sue for peace. A bribe of 10 lacs of rupees induced him to surrender Hussain Shah, his ward and enter the imperial service in 1633.