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{{Short description|Nobles in the Mughal Empire}}
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File:A seated portrait of Sayyid Abdullah Khan holding court Early 18th century The British Museum.jpg|'''[[Sayyid Hussain Ali Khan Barha|Syed Husain Ali Khan]]'''
File:Farrukhsiyar receiving Husain Ali Khan ca. 1715 British Library.jpg|'''[[Sayyid Hassan Ali Khan Barha|Syed Hassan Ali Khan]]''' 
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The term '''Sayyid brothers''' refers to  '''[[Sayyid Hassan Ali Khan Barha|Abdullah Khan]]'''  and '''[[Sayyid Hussain Ali Khan Barha|Syed Husain Ali Khan]]''', who were powerful  in the [[Mughal Empire]] during the early 18th century.


They were Indian Muslims who claimed to belong to the family of [[Sayyids]] or the descendants of the Islamic prophet [[Muhammad]] through his daughter [[Fatimah|Fatima]] and son-in-law and cousin [[Ali]] who belonged to the [[Banu Hashim]] Clan of the [[Quraish]] Tribe.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.google.ca/books/edition/A_History_of_Modern_India_1480_1950/uzOmy2y0Zh4C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=sayyid+barha+indian+muslim&pg=PA175&printsec=frontcover |title=A History of Modern India, 1480-1950 |date=2002 |publisher= Anthem |author= Claude Markovits, Maggy Hendry, Nisha George }}</ref> Their claim is generally not accepted, they were said to be descendants of families who migrated from [[Punjab]] to eastern part of the [[Muzaffarnagar]] district. <ref>{{Cite book |last=A. |first=Kolff, Dirk H. |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/717564639 |title=Naukar, Rajput, and sepoy : the ethnohistory of the military labour market in Hindustan, 1450-1850 |date=2002 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=0-521-52305-2 |oclc=717564639}}</ref>
The '''Sayyid brothers''' were [[Hassan Ali Khan Barha|Abdullah Khan II]] and [[Hussain Ali Khan Barha|Syed Hussain Ali Khan]], two powerful [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] nobles who were active during the [[decline of the Mughal Empire]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Faruqui |first=Munis D. |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/princes-of-the-mughal-empire-15041719/F72D1C99851C722D72AD95F71505DEC4 |title=The Princes of the Mughal Empire, 1504–1719 |date=2012 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-107-02217-1 |location=Cambridge |doi=10.1017/cbo9781139135474}}</ref>


The [[Sayyid]] Brothers became highly influential in the Mughal Court after Aurangzeb's death and became [[kingmaker|king maker]]s during the anarchy following the death of emperor [[Aurangzeb]] in 1707.<ref name="sen2">{{Cite book |last=Sen |first=Sailendra |title=A Textbook of Medieval Indian History |publisher=Primus Books |year=2013 |isbn=978-9-38060-734-4 |pages=193}}</ref> They created and dethroned Mughal Emperors at their will during the 1710s.
They were originally [[Punjabi Muslims]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Umar |first=Muhammad |date=1994 |title=The Barha Saiyids and Associated Clans (summary) |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44143392 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=55 |pages=432–435 |issn=2249-1937}}</ref> belonging to the [[Sadaat-e-Bara]] clan of the [[Barha dynasty]], who claimed to be [[Sayyid]]s or the descendants of the Islamic prophet [[Muhammad]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uzOmy2y0Zh4C&dq=sayyid+barha+indian+muslim&pg=PA175 |title=A History of Modern India, 1480-1950 |date=2002 |publisher= Anthem |author1= Claude Markovits |author2=Maggy Hendry |author3=Nisha George |isbn=9781843310044 }}</ref> Their claim was generally not accepted, and they were said to be descendants of peasants from [[Punjab]] who migrated to the eastern part of [[Muzaffarnagar]], [[Uttar Pradesh]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=A. |first=Kolff, Dirk H. |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/717564639 |title=Naukar, Rajput, and sepoy : the ethnohistory of the military labour market in Hindustan, 1450-1850 |date=2002 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=0-521-52305-2 |oclc=717564639 |quote=As another example of such soldiers of marginal peasant origin, the Barha Sayyids, a celebrated troop of soldiers under the Mughals deserve attention. They were said to be the descendants of the families who had, at an uncertain date, moved from their homes in Panjab to a sandy and infertile tract of what is now the eastern part of the Muzaffarnagar district}}</ref> According to historian [[Richard M. Eaton]], they were "as native to India as were [[Jats]], [[Rajputs]] or [[Marathas]]."<ref>{{Cite book |author=Eaton, Richard M.  |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WpCMEAAAQBAJ |title=India in the Persianate Age: 1000-1765 |date=2020 |publisher=National Geographic Books |isbn=978-0-14-198539-8 |language=en|page=342|quote=On one side were the Saiyid brothers, whose Baraha clan of Indian Muslims was as native to India as were Jats, Rajputs or Marathas.}}</ref>


The Syed brothers restored Mughal authority to [[Ajmer]] in [[Rajasthan]] with the surrender of [[Maharaja Ajit Singh]], and the Jat leader [[Churaman]], too, accepted Mughal authority in a negotiated peace with the Syed brothers.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Wonder_That_Is_Urdu/jVx6EAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=puppet+syed+brothers&pg=PA119&printsec=frontcover |title= The Wonder That Is Urdu |page= 119 |author= Krishna S. Dhir  |date= 2022 |publisher= Motilal Banarsidass |isbn= 9788120843011 }}</ref> During their rule, the Sikh rebel [[Banda Singh Bahadur]] was also captured and executed. The Sayyids engaged in recruitment of soldiers very few who were not Sayyids, or inhabitants of [[Jansath|Barha]], or were non-Muslims.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Discovery_of_Pakistan/-VbRAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=khafi+khan+the+syeds+barha+non-muslims&dq=khafi+khan+the+syeds+barha+non-muslims&printsec=frontcover |title= Discovery of Pakistan |author= Abdul Aziz  |date= 1964 |publisher= the University of Michigan |page= 136 }}</ref>
The brothers became highly influential in the Mughal court after [[Aurangzeb]]'s death in 1707 and became de facto sovereigns of the empire when they began to seat and unseat emperors.<ref name="sen2">{{Cite book |last=Sen |first=Sailendra |title=A Textbook of Medieval Indian History |publisher=Primus Books |year=2013 |isbn=978-9-38060-734-4 |pages=193}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rz16lub2uRgC&q=sayyid%20brotherhood%20barha |title=Mohammad Yasin  |date=1958 |publisher=Upper India Publishing House |page=18}}</ref> They restored Mughal authority to [[Ajmer]] in [[Rajasthan]] with the surrender of [[Maharaja Ajit Singh]], and the Jat leader [[Churaman]].<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=jVx6EAAAQBAJ&dq=puppet+syed+brothers&pg=PA119 |title= The Wonder That Is Urdu |page= 119 |author= Krishna S. Dhir  |date= 2022 |publisher= Motilal Banarsidass |isbn= 9788120843011 }}</ref> During their rule, the Sikh rebel [[Banda Singh Bahadur]] was captured and executed. The Sayyids engaged in recruitment of soldiers, very few of whom were not Sayyids, or inhabitants of [[Jansath|Barha]], or non-Muslims.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=-VbRAAAAMAAJ&q=khafi+khan+the+syeds+barha+non-muslims |title= Discovery of Pakistan |author= Abdul Aziz  |date= 1964 |publisher= the University of Michigan |page= 136 }}</ref>


Bahadur Shah I died in 1712, and his successor [[Jahandar Shah]] was assassinated on the orders of the Sayyid Brothers.In 1713, Jahandar's nephew [[Farrukhsiyar]] (r. 1713–1719) became the emperor with the brothers' help. His reign marked the ascendancy of the brothers, who monopolised state power and reduced the Emperor to a figurehead. The brothers conspired to send Nizam-ul-Mulk to [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]], away from the Mughal Court, to reduce his influence. In 1719, the Brothers blinded, deposed and murdered Farrukhsiyar. They then arranged for his first cousin, [[Rafi ud-Darajat]], to be the next ruler in February 1719. When Rafi ud-Darajat died of lung disease in June, they made his elder brother, [[Rafi ud-Daulah]] (Shah Jahan II), ruler. After Rafi ud-Daulah also died of lung disease in September 1719, [[Muhammad Shah]] (r. 1719–1748) ascended the throne at the age of seventeen with the Sayyid Brothers as his [[regent]]s until 1720.  
Emperor [[Bahadur Shah I]] died in 1712, and his successor [[Jahandar Shah]] was assassinated on the orders of the Sayyid brothers. In 1713, Jahandar's nephew [[Farrukhsiyar]] (r. 1713–1719) became the emperor also with the help of the brothers. His reign marked the ascendancy of the brothers, who monopolised state power and reduced the emperor to a figurehead. The brothers conspired to send [[Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah I|Nizam-ul-Mulk]] to the [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]], away from the Mughal court to reduce his influence. In 1719, the brothers blinded, deposed and murdered Farrukhsiyar. They then arranged for his first cousin, [[Rafi ud-Darajat]], to be the next ruler in February 1719. When Rafi ud-Darajat died of lung disease in June, they made his elder brother, [[Rafi ud-Daulah]] (Shah Jahan II), ruler. After the latter died of lung disease in September, [[Muhammad Shah]] (r. 1719–1748) ascended the throne at the age of 17 with the Sayyid brothers as [[regent]]s until 1720.


Muhammad Shah, to take back control of his rule, arranged for the brothers to be killed with the help of Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah. Syed Hussain Ali Khan was murdered at [[Fatehpur Sikri]] in 1720, and Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha was fatally poisoned in 1722.<ref name="Shaharyar_Begums_2000">{{cite book|title=The Begums of Bhopal|first=Shaharyar M. |last=Khan|edition=illustrated|publisher=I.B.Tauris|year=2000|isbn=978-1-86064-528-0|page=18}}</ref>
To restore his de facto power, Muhammad Shah arranged for the brothers to be killed with the help of Nizam-ul-Mulk. Syed Hussain Ali Khan was murdered at [[Fatehpur Sikri]] in 1720, and Syed Hassan Ali Khan was fatally poisoned in 1722.<ref name="Shaharyar_Begums_2000">{{cite book|title=The Begums of Bhopal|first=Shaharyar M. |last=Khan|edition=illustrated|publisher=I.B.Tauris|year=2000|isbn=978-1-86064-528-0|page=18}}</ref>


== Early appointments of the Syed Brothers in the Mughal Empire ==
== Early appointments of the Syed brothers ==
[[File:Bhavanidas. The Emperor Aurangzeb Carried on a Palanquin ca. 1705–20 Metripolitan Museum of Art..jpg|thumb|right|The [[Mughal Emperor]] [[Aurangzeb]] leads his final expedition (1705).]]
[[File:Bhavanidas. The Emperor Aurangzeb Carried on a Palanquin ca. 1705–20 Metripolitan Museum of Art..jpg|thumb|right|The [[Mughal Emperor]] [[Aurangzeb]] leads his final expedition (1705).]]


Syed Hassan Ali Khan and Syed Hussain Ali Khan were two of the numerous sons of [[Syed Mian|Syed Abdullah Khan - Sayyid Mian]].<ref>''Later Mughals'' by [[William Irvine (historian)|William Irvine]]</ref>
The two brothers, who now come into such prominence came from the old military aristocracy. Besides the prestige of the Syed lineage and the personal renown acquired by their own valor, they were the sons of [[Abdullah Khan Barha]]<ref>''Later Mughals'' by [[William Irvine (historian)|William Irvine]]</ref> who was chosen by Aurangzeb as the first [[Subedar]] of [[Adil Shahi dynasty|Bijapur]] in the [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]] and then [[Subedar]] of [[Ajmer]]. Abdullah Khan had risen in the service of [[Ruhullah Khan]], Aurangzeb's ''[[Mir Bakhshi]]'' (top government official), and finally, on receiving the rank of an imperial [[Mansabdar]], attached himself to the eldest [[Bahadur Shah I|Prince Muazzam]].


During the reign of the [[Mughal Emperor]] [[Aurangzeb]] in 1697, Syed Hassan Ali Khan was [[Faujdar]] of [[Sultanpur, Nazarbar|Sultanpur]], Nazarbar in [[Baglana]], and was appointed [[Subahdar]] of [[Khandesh]] in 1698 with an objective of halting [[Maratha]] expansion in the region. Later he was appointed ruler of [[Hoshangabad]], Khandesh, and Nazarbar coupled with [[Thalner]] in the [[Sarkar (country subdivision)|Sarkar]] of the same province. Subsequently, he was responsible for [[Aurangabad, Maharashtra|Aurangabad]] during the final campaign of the [[Mughal Emperor]] against the [[Maratha]] in 1705 and attended the funeral of [[Aurangzeb]] in 1707.
In 1697, Syed Hassan Ali Khan was [[Faujdar]] (military commander) of [[Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh|Sultanpur]], Nazarbar in Baglana, and was appointed [[Subahdar]] (governor) of [[Khandesh]] in 1698 to halt [[Maratha]] expansion in the region. Later he was appointed ruler of [[Hoshangabad]], [[Khandesh]] (Maharashtra). He was responsible for attacking [[Aurangabad, Maharashtra|Aurangabad]] during the final campaign against the [[Maratha|Marathas]] in 1705 and attended the funeral of Aurangzeb in 1707.


Hassan's younger brother, Hussain Ali Khan, who is admitted by every one to have been a man of much greater energy and resolution than his elder brother, had in the [[Mughal Emperor]] [[Aurangzeb]] reign held charge first of [[Ranthambore Fort|Ranthambore]], in [[Ajmer]], and then of [[Hindaun]]-[[Bayana]], in [[Agra]].
Hassan's younger brother, Hussain Ali Khan, who is known to have greater energy than his elder brother, had during the reign of Aurangzeb held charge first of [[Ranthambore Fort|Ranthambore]], in [[Ajmer]], and then of [[Hindaun]]-[[Bayana]], in [[Agra]].


The two Syed brothers, who now come into such prominence, were not mere upstarts, but came from the old military aristocracy. Besides the prestige of Syed lineage and the personal renown acquired by their own valor, they were the sons of [[Syed Mian]] who was chosen by [[Aurangzeb]] as the first [[Subedar]] of [[Adil Shahi|Bijapur]] in the [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]] and then [[Subedar]] of [[Ajmer]]. Their father, Syed Abdullah Khan titled ''Syed Miyan'', had risen in the service of Ruhullah Khan, [[Aurangzeb]]'s ''Mir Bakhshi'', and finally, on receiving the rank of an imperial [[Mansabdar]], attached himself to the eldest [[Bahadur Shah I|Prince Muazzam]].
==Role in the Mughal war of succession (1707–1709)==
[[File:The Emperor Bahadur Shah Mounted on an elephant. End of 17cent. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.jpg|thumb|267x267px|The Emperor [[Bahadur Shah I]] (1643–1712)|left]]
After Prince Mu'izz ud-Din [[Jahandar Shah]], the eldest of Emperor [[Bahadur Shah I|Bahadur Shah]]'s sons, had been appointed in 1694–95 to [[Multan]] province, Syed Hassan Ali Khan and his brother followed him there. Seeking to claim honor against the [[Baloch people|Baloch]] zamindar in an expedition, Jahandar Shah sought not to allow this, and assigned them under [[Isa Khan Main]], his Punjabi Muslim administrator. Consequently, the Sayyids quit the service and went to [[Lahore]], where they lived in comparative poverty, waiting for employment from [[Munim Khan II]], the [[Nazim]] (convenor) of that place.<ref>{{cite book |author=Muzaffar Alam (1986) |title=The Crisis of Empire in Mughal North India | publisher=Oxford University Press, Bombay | page= 21 }}</ref>


==Rise in authority==
When Emperor Aurangzeb died and Prince Muhammad Mu'azzam Shah Alam, reached Lahore on his march to Agra to contest the throne, the Sayyids presented themselves and allied with Shah Alam. In the [[Battle of Jajau]] on 18 June 1707, they served in the [[Vanguard (military tactics)|vanguard]] where their brother, Syed Nur ud-Din Ali Khan, was left dead on the field, and Syed Hussain Ali Khan was severely wounded. Though their rank was raised to 4,000, and the elder brother received his father's title of ''Syed Mian'', they were not treated with high favour either by the new emperor or his vizier.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ak5oFjTys8MC&dq=they+served+in+the+vanguard+and+fought+valiantly+on+foot+,+as+was+the+Sayyid+habit+on+an+emergency+.&pg=PA204 |title= Later Mughal |author= William Irvine |date= 1971 |page= 204 |publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Distri }}</ref>[[File:Bahadur Shah (1643-1712) on horseback.jpg|thumb|Bahadur Shah on horseback.]]The two Sayyids quarrelled with Khanazad Khan, the Vizier Munim Khan's second son, and offended Jahandar Shah, though the conflict was settled from a visit by the vizier, there is little doubt that this difference helped to keep them out of employment. The morning after the Battle of Jajau, the Prince Jahandar Shah visited their quarters to condole with them on the death of their brother, Syed Nur ud-Din Ali Khan. Syed Hussain Ali Khan responded aggressively, which angered Jahandar Shah and so refrained from making any recommendation to his father in their favour. However, Syed Shujaat Khan Barha held the province of Ajmer, and another Sayyid Hussain Barha was made faujdar of Amber.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=x6mgAAAAMAAJ&dq=bahadur+shah+i+sayyids+of+barha&pg=PA335 |title=Calcutta Review Volume 52|date=1871 |publisher=Indiana University |page=335 }}</ref>
[[File:Emperor Jahandar Shah.jpg|thumb|200px|the Mughal Emperor [[Jahandar Shah]]]]
After Prince Mu'izz ud-Din [[Jahandar Shah]], the eldest of Emperor [[Bahadur Shah I|Bahadur Shah]]'s sons, had been appointed in 1106 H. (1694–5) to the charge of the [[Multan]] province, Syed Hassan Ali Khan and his brother followed him there. In an expedition against a refractory [[Baloch people|Baloch]] zamindar, the [[Sayyid]]s were of opinion that the honours of the day were theirs. Prince Mu'izz ud-Din [[Jahandar Shah]] thought otherwise, and assigned them to his then favourite administrator Isa Khan Mian. The [[Sayyid]]s quit the service in dudgeon and repaired to [[Lahore]], where they lived in comparative poverty, waiting for employment from [[Munim Khan]], the [[Nazim]] of that place. When Emperor [[Aurangzeb]] died and Prince Muhammad Mu'azzam Shah Alam, reached Lahore on his march to [[Agra]] to contest the throne, the Sayyids presented themselves, and their services were gladly accepted. In the [[Battle of Jajau]] or Jajowan on the 18th Rabi I, 1119 H. (18 June 1707), they served in the [[Vanguard (military tactics)|vanguard]] and fought valiantly on foot, as was the Sayyid habit in an emergency. A third brother, Syed Nur ud-Din Ali Khan, was left dead on the field, and Syed Hussain Ali Khan was severely wounded. Though their rank was raised to 4000, and the elder brother received his father's title of ''Syed Mian'', they were not treated with such favour as their exceptional services seemed to deserve, either by the new Emperor or his vizier.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Later_Mughal/ak5oFjTys8MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=they+served+in+the+vanguard+and+fought+valiantly+on+foot+,+as+was+the+Sayyid+habit+on+an+emergency+.&pg=PA204&printsec=frontcover |title= Later Mughal |author= William Irvine |date= 1971 |page= 204 |publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Distri }}</ref>


The two Sayyids managed to quarrel with Khanazad Khan, the vizier Munim Khan's second son, and though the breach was healed by a visit to them from the vizier in person, there is little doubt that this difference helped to keep them out of employment. Syed Hussain Ali Khan is also said to have offended Prince Mu'izz ud-Din [[Jahandar Shah]]. The morning after the battle of Jajau, the Prince visited their quarters to condole with them on the death of their brother, Syed Nur ud-Din Ali Khan, and in so doing launched out into praises of their valour. Syed Hussain Ali Khan met these overtures in an aggressive manner, saying that what they had done was nothing, many had done as much, their valour would be known when their lord was deserted and alone, and the strength of their right arm had seated him on the throne. Prince Mu'izz ud-Din [[Jahandar Shah]] was vexed by this speech, and refrained from making any recommendation to his father in their favour. Nay, he did his best to prevent their obtaining lucrative employment, and we read of their being obliged to rely upon the Emperor's bounty for their travelling expenses, which were necessarily great, as they were kept in attendance on the Court while it was constantly on the march.
In April 1708, Prince [[Azim-ush-shan]] nominated the younger brother Syed Hussain Ali Khan, to represent him as the governor of [[Bihar]], in the capital [[Patna|Azimabad]] (Patna). In October 1708, Syed Hassan Ali Khan was named subah of [[Ajmer]], (then in a disturbed state owing to the Rajput rising) which displeased Syed Shuja'at Ali Khan Barha. When Syed Hassan Ali Khan almost reached Delhi, to raise new troops and make other preparations, Emperor [[Bahadur Shah I|Bahadur Shah]], changed his mind and Shuja'at Ali Khan Barha was received again into favour and maintained in his government. Sayyid Saeed Khan Barha was placed in charge of the [[Kachhwaha|Kachawa]] capital at [[Amber, India|Amber]].<ref>{{cite book |title= Mughal Religious Policies, the Rajputs & the Deccan |author= Satish Chandra  |date=1993 |page=99}}</ref> Prince Azim-ush-shan made Syed Hassan Ali Khan his deputy of [[Allahabad]] in January 1711. Khan-i Jahan Barha was made the faujdar of Moradabad.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=WU9uAAAAMAAJ&q=abdullah+barha+banda+singh |title= Banda Bahadur and His Times |author=Raj Pal Singh · |date=1998  |publisher=Harman Publishing House |isbn= 9788186622254 }}</ref>


In Shaban 1120 H. (Oct. 1708) Syed Hassan Ali Khan had been named to the subah of [[Ajmer]], then in a disturbed state owing to the [[Rajput]] rising, a condition of things with which Syed Shuja'at Ali Khan seemed hardly capable of dealing. Syed Hassan Ali Khan had barely more than reached [[Delhi]], to raise new troops and make other preparations, when the Emperor, [[Bahadur Shah I|Bahadur Shah]], changed his mind and Shuja'at Ali Khan was received again into favour and maintained in his Government. At length, by the favour of Prince [[Azim-ush-shan]], Syed Hassan Ali Khan on the 21st Dhu al-Qida 1122 H. (10 January 1711) became that Prince's deputy in the province of [[Allahabad]]. About two years earlier (11th Muharram 1120 H., 1 April 1708), the same patron had nominated the younger brother Syed Hussain Ali Khan, to represent him in another of his Governments, that of [[Bihar]], of which the capital was at Azimabad [[Patna]].
== Farrukhsiyar's request to the Sayyids ==
{{unreferenced section|date=July 2025}}
[[File:The Emperor Farrukhsiyar on his balcony 1715-1719, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.jpg|thumb|326x326px|Mughal Emperor [[Farrukhsiyar]]]]
When Prince [[Farrukhsiyar]] first arrived at Azimabad, Syed Hussain Ali Khan was away recapturing the Rohtas fort of [[Bihar]], which about this time had been seized by Muhammad Raza ''Rayat Khan''. The Sayyids had felt annoyed on hearing that Farrukhsiyar had issued coin and caused the [[khutba]] to be read in his father, Prince Azim-ush-shan's, name, without waiting to learn the result of the impending struggle at [[Lahore]]. On returning to headquarters, he declined the Prince's overtures. The Prince's mother made a private visit to the Sayyid's mother, mentioning that the Sayyids were in their position due to the kindness of the Prince's father. That father, two brothers, and two uncles had been killed, and the Prince's own means were insufficient for any enterprise. The mother said "let Syed Hussain Ali Khan then choose his own course, either let him aid Prince Farrukhsiyar to recover his rights and revenge his father's death, or else let him place the Prince in chains and send him a prisoner to Emperor [[Jahandar Shah]]". The Sayyid's mother called her son into the harem and told him that "whatever was the result he would be a gainer: if defeated, his name would stand recorded as a hero till Judgment Day; if successful, the whole of Hindustan would be at their feet and above them none but the Emperor". Finally she exclaimed, "If you adhere to Emperor Jahandar Shah, you will have to answer before the Great Judge for disavowing your mother's claim upon you."


== Prince Farrukhsiyar's request to the Sayyids ==
Syed Hussain Ali Khan then swore a binding oath that he would espouse the Prince's cause. The following night Prince Farrukhsiyar presented himself at the Khan's house, saying that he had come either to be seized and sent to Emperor Jahandar Shah or to enter into an agreement for the recovery of the throne. The Sayyid decided to fight on Prince Farrukhsiyar's behalf. He wrote at once to his elder brother, Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha, at [[Allahabad]], inviting him to join the same side, and Prince Farrukhsiyar addressed a [[firman]] to him making many promises, and authorising him to expend the Bengal treasure, then at Allahabad, on the enlistment of troops. The two chief postings in the Empire, those of ''Vizier'' and of ''Amir ul Umara'' were formally promised to the two brothers as their reward in case of success. Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha, on being superseded at Allahabad, gives in his allegiance to Prince Farrukhsiyar.
[[File:The Emperor Farrukhsiyar on his balcony 1715-1719, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.jpg|thumb|200px|the Mughal Emperor [[Farrukhsiyar]]]]
When Prince [[Farrukhsiyar]] first arrived at [[Azimabad]], Syed Hussain Ali Khan was away on an expedition, apparently the recapture of [[Rohtas District|Rohtas]] fort of [[Bihar]], which about this time had been seized by Muhammad Raza <nowiki>''Rayat Khan''</nowiki>. The [[Sayyids]] had felt annoyed on hearing that [[Farrukhsiyar]] had issued coin and caused the [[khutba]] to be read in his father, Prince [[Azim-ush-shan]]'s, name, without waiting to learn the result of the impending struggle at [[Lahore]]. Thus on his return to his headquarters his first impulse was to decline altogether that Prince's overtures. In truth, no attempt could well look more hopeless than that upon which Prince [[Farrukhsiyar]] wished to enter. The Prince's mother now hazarded a private visit to the [[Sayyid]]s mother, taking with her little granddaughter. Her arguments rested on the fact that the [[Sayyid]]s position was due to the kindness of the Prince's father. That father, two brothers, and two uncles had been killed, and the Prince's own means were insufficient for any enterprise. Let Syed Hussain Ali Khan then choose his own course, either let him aid Prince [[Farrukhsiyar]] to recover his rights and revenge his father's death, or else let him place the Prince in chains and send him a prisoner to Emperor [[Jahandar Shah]]. Here the Prince's mother and daughter bared their heads and wept aloud. Overcome by their tears, the [[Sayyida]] called her son within the harem. The little girl fell bareheaded at his feet and implored his aid. His mother told him that "whatever was the result he would be a gainer: if defeated, his name would stand recorded as a hero till Judgment Day; if successful, the whole of Hindustan would be at their feet and above them none but the Emperor”. Finally she exclaimed, “If you adhere to Emperor Jahandar Shah, you will have to answer before the Great Judge for disavowing your mother's claim upon you.”


At these words Syed Hussain Ali Khan took up the women's veils and replaced them on their heads swearing a binding oath that he would espouse the Prince's cause. The next night Prince [[Farrukhsiyar]] presented himself at the Khan's house, saying that he had come either to be seized and sent to Emperor [[Jahandar Shah]] or to enter into an agreement for the recovery of the throne. The Sayyid bound himself finally to fight on Prince Farrukhsiyar's behalf. He wrote at once to his elder brother, Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha, at [[Allahabad]], inviting him to join the same side, and Prince [[Farrukhsiyar]] addressed a farman to him making many promises, and authorising him to expend the Bengal treasure, then at [[Allahabad]], on the enlistment of troops. It is quite clear that at this time, or soon afterwards, the two chief places in the Empire, those of ''Vizier'' and of ''Amir ul Umara'' were formally promised to the two brothers as their reward in case of success. Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha, on being superseded at [[Allahabad]], gives in his adhesion to Prince [[Farrukhsiyar]].
== Mughal succession crises of 1712 ==
At first Syed Hassan Ali Khan's intention was to submit to [[Jahandar Shah]], to whom he sent letters professing his loyalty and offering his services. Three months before the death of Emperor Bahadur Shah, he had gone to [[Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh|Jaunpur]] to restore order. In this he was not successful and the pay of his soldiers fell into arrears. The men raised a disturbance, and Syed Hassan Ali Khan's took shelter within the fort of [[Allahabad]] and promised to pay the troops once he reached the city. On the return march, word came of Emperor Bahadur Shah's death. While Syed Hassan Ali Khan was still in expectation of a favourable reply to his letter to Jahandar Shah, he was surprised to learn that Jahandar had lost favor from his own government and that a new governor (the province had been granted to a Raji Muhammad Khan, subah of [[Allahabad]]) was nominated, Syed Abdul Ghafoorr.<ref name=":0" />


== Succession crises of 1712 ==
[[File:Farrukhsiyar Procession in front of the Great Mosque of Delhi.png|thumb|left|328x328px|Farrukhsiyar arrives at the friday congregation]]
At first Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha's intention was to submit to Emperor [[Jahandar Shah]], the de facto Emperor, to whom he sent letters professing his loyalty and offering his services. Three months before the death of Emperor Bahadur Shah, he had gone out towards [[Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh|Jaunpur]] to restore order. In this he was not successful and the pay of his soldiers fell into arrears. The men raised a disturbance, and Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha's only anxiety was to escape from them and take shelter within the fort of [[Allahabad]]. He promised publicly that as soon as he reached the city, all the collections then in the hands of his agents should be made over to the troops. On the return march, word came of Emperor Bahadur Shah's death. While Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha was still in expectation of a favourable reply to his letter to Emperor [[Jahandar Shah]], he was surprised to learn that his Government had been taken from him, and that the deputy of the new governor was on his way to take possession. The province had been granted to a [[Gardezi Sadaat]] of [[Manikpur, Uttar Pradesh|Manikpur]], subah [[Allahabad]], one Raji Muhammad Khan, who had risen to notice in the recent righting at [[Lahore]], and through the reputation thereby acquired, had been appointed ''Mir Atish'' or general of artillery. The new governor nominated as his deputy his relation, one Syed Abdul Ghafoorr (a descendant of Syed Sadar Jahan, ''Sadar-us-Sadur'', ''Pihanwi'').


Syed Abdul Ghafoor obtained contingents from one or two zamindars and collected altogether 6,000 to 7,000 men. When he drew near to Karra Manikpur, Syed Abul Hasan Khan, a [[Sayyid]] of [[Adil Shahi|Bijapur]], who was Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha's ''Bakhshi'', advanced at the head of 3,000 men to bar his progress. At the Battle of Sarai Alam Chand on 2 August 1712 with Abul Hasan Khan's victory for Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha it became clear now that the Sayyids were allied against the Emperor for the new contender Prince [[Farrukhsiyar]].
Syed Abdul Ghafoor obtained contingents from one or two zamindars and collected altogether 6,000 to 7,000 men. When he drew near to Karra Manikpur, Syed Abul Hasan Khan, a Sayyid of Bijapur, who was Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha's ''Bakhshi'', advanced at the head of 3,000 men to bar his progress. With Abul Hasan Khan's (who was allied to Syed Hassan Ali Khan) victory at the Battle of Sarai Alam Chand on 2 August 1712, it became clear that the Sayyids were allied against to Prince [[Farrukhsiyar]], the new contender for the throne. Jahandar Shah confirmed Sayyid Hassan Ali Khan as governor of Allahabad.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=-3RDAAAAYAAJ&q=farrukhsiyar+allahabad+confirmed |title=Journal of Indian History: Volume 61 |date= 1983 |page= 111 |publisher=University of Allahabad. Department of Modern Indian History, more }}</ref>


Prince [[Farrukhsiyar]], meanwhile, had marched out with an army along with Syed Hussain Ali Khan Barha from [[Patna]] to [[Allahabad]] to join Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha as soon as possible. Emperor [[Jahandar Shah]] learning of the defeat of his General Syed Abdul Ghafoor sent his own son Prince Azzu-ud-Din along with Generals Lutfullah Khan and Khwaja Hussain ''Khan Dauran'' to face this army. The Second Battle of Khajwah was fought in [[Fatehpur District]], Uttar Pradesh on 28 November 1712. Prince [[Farrukhsiyar]] decisively defeated Prince Azzu-ud-Din, and the General Lutfullah Khan of Panipat, Sayyid Muzaffar Khan Barha, the maternal uncle of Abdullah Khan, Sayyid Hassan Khan, the son of Hussain Ali Khan, and Sayyid Mustafa Khan, who were on the opposite side, joined the faction of Farrukhsiyar.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Later_Mughal/ak5oFjTys8MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=khan+i+jahan+barha&pg=PA219&printsec=frontcover |title= Later Mughal |author= William Irvine |date= 1971 |page= 291 |publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Distri }}</ref> This forced the Emperor [[Jahandar Shah]] and his Vizier the Great Zulfiqar Khan ''Nusrat Jung'' to take the field. At the [[Battle of Agra]] fought on 10 January 1713, Prince [[Farrukhsiyar]] won decisively and became the Emperor of the [[Mughal Empire]] succeeding his uncle [[Jahandar Shah]]. Farrukhsiyar's revolt against Jahandar Shah was a risky pusuit, and his victory was entirely due to the resources and daring of the two Sayyid brothers, something which the Sayyid brothers were well-aware of, and contributed to their arrogant policy towards their emperor, whom they saw as their own creature.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.119444/page/n21/mode/2up?q=saiyids |title= The Reign Of Muhammad Shah 1919-1748 |date= 1977 |author= Malik, Zahiruddin |page= 10 }}</ref>
Prince Farrukhsiyar, meanwhile, had marched out with an army along with Syed Hussain Ali Khan from Patna to Allahabad to join Syed Hassan Ali Khan. Emperor Jahandar Shah learning of the defeat of his general, Syed Abdul Ghafoor sent his own son Prince Azzu-ud-Din along with Generals Lutfullah Khan and Khwaja Hussain ''Khan Dauran'' to face this army. The Second Battle of Khajwah was fought in [[Fatehpur District]], [[Uttar Pradesh]] on 28 November 1712. Prince Farrukhsiyar defeated Prince Azzu-ud-Din, and the General Lutfullah Khan of Panipat, Sayyid Muzaffar Khan Barha, the maternal uncle of Abdullah Khan, Sayyid Hassan Khan, the son of Hussain Ali Khan, and Sayyid Mustafa Khan, who were on the opposite side, joined the faction of Farrukhsiyar.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ak5oFjTys8MC&dq=khan+i+jahan+barha&pg=PA219 |title= Later Mughal |author= William Irvine |date= 1971 |page= 291 |publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Distri }}</ref> This forced Jahandar Shah and his vizier to initiate the [[Battle of Agra]] on 10 January 1713, Prince Farrukhsiyar again won and became the Emperor of the Mughal Empire succeeding his uncle Jahandar Shah. Farrukhsiyar's revolt against Jahandar Shah was a risky pusuit, and his victory was due to the resources of the two Sayyid brothers.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.119444/page/n21/mode/2up?q=saiyids |title= The Reign Of Muhammad Shah 1919-1748 |date= 1977 |author= Malik, Zahiruddin |page= 10 }}</ref>
 
[[File:Farrukhsiyar Procession in front of the Great Mosque of Delhi.png|thumb|left|250px|Farrukhsiyar arrives at the friday congregation]]


== Rise of the Sayyid brothers ==
== Rise of the Sayyid brothers ==
After his victory at the Battle of Agra in 1713, Emperor [[Farrukhsiyar]] on the way from [[Agra]] to [[Delhi]], and after arrival at [[Delhi]], conferred many new appointments and new titles on his generals and noblemen. Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha was awarded titles ''Nawab Qutb-ul-mulk, Yamin-ud-daulah, Syed Mian Saani, Bahadur Zafar Jung, Sipah-salar, Yar-i-wafadar'' and became ''Vizier'' or Prime Minister. Syed Hussain Ali Khan was appointed first ''Bakhshi'' with the titles of ''Umdat-ul-mulk, Amir-ul-Umara, Bahadur, Feroze Jung, Sipah Sardar''.
After his victory at the Battle of Agra in 1713, once Emperor [[Farrukhsiyar]] reached Delhi from Agre, conferred many new appointments and new titles on his generals and noblemen. Syed Hassan Ali Khan was awarded titles ''Nawab Qutb-ul-mulk, Yamin-ud-daulah, Syed Mian Saani, Bahadur Zafar Jung, Sipah-salar, Yar-i-wafadar'' and became Vizier. Syed Hussain Ali Khan was appointed first ''Bakhshi'' with the titles of ''Umdat-ul-mulk, Amir-ul-Umara, Bahadur, Feroze Jung, Sipah Sardar''.


The Amir-ul-Umara, Hussain Ali Khan, was inclined to use of exaggerated and insolent language. Flatterers in the train of Hussain Ali Khan used to recite the verses, in the Emperor's presence:<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Later_Mughal/ak5oFjTys8MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=verses&pg=PA219&printsec=frontcover |title= Later Mughal |author= William Irvine |date= 1971 |publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Distri }}</ref>  
The ''Amir-ul-Umara'' Hussain Ali Khan, was inclined to the use of exaggerated and insolent language. Flatterers in the train of Hussain Ali Khan used to recite the verses in the emperor's presence:<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ak5oFjTys8MC&dq=verses&pg=PA219 |title= Later Mughal |author= William Irvine |date= 1971 |publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Distri }}</ref>


<blockquote><poem>"The whole world and all creation seeks the shelter of your umbrella,  
{{Quote|text="The whole world and all creation seeks the shelter of your umbrella, <br/>
Kings of the world earn crowns through your emprize."  
Kings of the world earn crowns through your emprize."}}
</poem></blockquote>


== Rajputana Campaign 1714 ==
== Rajputana Campaign of 1714 ==
The [[Rajput]] States had been in veiled revolt from the imperial authority for 50 years. [[Ajit Singh of Marwar|Ajit Singh]] had taken advantage of the Mughal civil war to expel the Mughal commander from Marwar.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.119114/page/n77/mode/2up| title= Parties And Politics At The Mughal Court |author= Satish Chandra |date= 1959 |page= 30 }}</ref> Emperor Bahadur Shah had been unable, owing to more pressing affairs, to reduce the Raja's effectually. Ajit Singh, after forbidding slaughtering cows by Muslims for food and the call for prayer from the Alamgiri Mosque, besides ejecting the imperial officers from [[Jodhpur]] and destroying their houses, had entered the imperial territory and taken possession of [[Ajmer]]. The Rana of [[Udaipur]] and [[Jai Singh II|Jai Singh]] were acting in close cooperation with him, and the latter had defeated Hussain Khan Barha of Mewat in the Battle of Sambhar.<ref>{{cite book |title= Journal of the Rajasthan Institute of Historical Research: Volume 12 |page= 21 |publisher= Rajasthan Institute of Historical Research  |date= 1975 |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Journal_of_the_Rajasthan_Institute_of_Hi/3RVDAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=sambher&printsec=frontcover }}</ref> Early in Emperor [[Farrukhsiyar]]'s reign it was determined that this encroachment must be put an end to; and as the Raja's replies to the imperial orders were not satisfactory, it was necessary to march against him.  
[[File:Maharaja Ajit Singh of Marwar.jpg|thumb|[[Ajit Singh of Marwar]]]]
The [[Rajput]] states had been in veiled revolt from the imperial authority for 50 years. [[Ajit Singh of Marwar|Ajit Singh]], Maharaja of Marwar, had taken advantage of the Mughal civil war to expel the Mughal commander from [[Marwar]].<ref>{{cite book |url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.119114/page/n77/mode/2up| title= Parties And Politics At The Mughal Court |author= Satish Chandra |date= 1959 |page= 30 }}</ref> Former Emperor Bahadur Shah had been unable to reduce Ajit's power. Ajit Singh, after forbidding the slaughtering cows by Muslims for food and also the call for prayer from the Alamgiri Mosque, had entered imperial territory and taken possession of [[Ajmer]]. The Rana of [[Udaipur]] and [[Jai Singh II]] were acting in close cooperation with him, and the latter had defeated Hussain Khan Barha of Mewat in the Battle of Sambhar.<ref>{{cite book |title= Journal of the Rajasthan Institute of Historical Research: Volume 12 |page= 21 |publisher= Rajasthan Institute of Historical Research  |date= 1975 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=3RVDAAAAYAAJ&q=sambher }}</ref> Early in Emperor [[Farrukhsiyar]]'s reign it was determined that this encroachment must be put an end by marching against him.


Syed Hussain Ali Khan left [[Delhi]] on 6 January 1714. Raja Ajit Singh, "upon learning of the march of this army, was alarmed at its strength and at the prowess of the Sayyids."<ref>{{cite book |title= The History of India as Told by Its Own Historian- Muhammadan period · Volume 3 |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_History_of_India_as_Told_by_Its_Own/RXxDAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=history+of+india+by+its+own+historians+mir+jumla&dq=history+of+india+by+its+own+historians+mir+jumla&printsec=frontcover |author= Sir Henry Miers Elliot |date= 1952 |publisher= the University of Virginia |page= 62 }}</ref> Hussain Khan overran Jodhpur and compelled the rebel Ajit Singh to flee and take refuge in the hills.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Cambridge_Shorter_History_of_India/9_48AAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mir+jumla+farrukhsiyar&pg=PA456&printsec=frontcover |title= The Cambridge Shorter History of India |author= CUP Archive |publisher= CUP Archive |page= 456 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Reign_of_Muhammad_Shah_1719_1748/S8W3AAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=mir+bakhshi+ajit+singh&dq=mir+bakhshi+ajit+singh&printsec=frontcover |title= The reign of Muhammad Shah, 1719-1748 |author= Zahiruddin Malik, Zahir Uddin Malik |date= 1977 |page= 49 |publisher= Asia Publishing House |isbn= 9780210405987 }}</ref> After a brief campaign Raghunath, a ''munshi'' in the service of [[Maharaja Ajit Singh]] of [[Jodhpur]] came to negotiate peace.  Syed Hussain Ali Khan thus advanced to Mairtha, where he halted until the terms of peace had been arranged. The terms were that the Raja should give one of his daughters in marriage to the Emperor, in the mode which they styled Dola that the Raja's son, Abhay Singh, should accompany Hussain Ali Khan to Court, and that the Raja in person should attend when summoned. [[Roshan-ud-Daulah|Zafar Khan]] ''Roshan ud-Daulah'' arrived at Court on the 5th Jamadi I, 1126 H. (18 May 1714), with the news.
Syed Hussain Ali Khan left Delhi on 6 January 1714 and Ajit Singh, "upon learning of the march of this army, was alarmed at its strength and at the prowess of the Sayyids."<ref>{{cite book |title= The History of India as Told by Its Own Historian- Muhammadan period · Volume 3 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=RXxDAAAAYAAJ&q=history+of+india+by+its+own+historians+mir+jumla |author= Sir Henry Miers Elliot |date= 1952 |publisher= the University of Virginia |page= 62 }}</ref> In Ajmer, Syed Hussain Ali Khan burnt the villages belonging to Marwar, while those belonging to Amber State were left unharmed. The country was thus settled and brought under imperial rule gradually.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=t3IbAAAAIAAJ&q=In+the+country+around+Ajmer+,+the+deserted+villages+belonging+to+Jodhpur+were+burnt+,+while+those+belonging+to+Amber+State+.. |title= Rajasthan [district Gazetteers].: Ajmer & Supplement (2 v)|page=75 |publisher= Rajasthan (India) |date=1966 }}</ref> Syed Hussain Ali Khan overran Jodhpur and compelled the rebel Ajit Singh to flee and take refuge in the hills.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=9_48AAAAIAAJ&dq=mir+jumla+farrukhsiyar&pg=PA456 |title= The Cambridge Shorter History of India |author= CUP Archive |publisher= CUP Archive |page= 456 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=S8W3AAAAIAAJ&q=mir+bakhshi+ajit+singh |title= The reign of Muhammad Shah, 1719-1748 |author= Zahiruddin Malik, Zahir Uddin Malik |date= 1977 |page= 49 |publisher= Asia Publishing House |isbn= 9780210405987 }}</ref> After a brief campaign, Raghunath, a ''munshi'' in the service of Ajit Singh came to negotiate peace with Syed Hussain Ali Khan. The terms were that Ajit Singh should give one of his daughters in marriage to Farrukhsiyar. [[Roshan-ud-Daulah]] arrived at court on 18 May 1714 with the news.


== Rebellion of Churaman Jat ==
== Rebellion of Churaman Jat ==
On the advice of the Syed brothers, the emperor Farrukhsiyar had sent [[Sawai Jai Singh|Jai Singh]], who had taken part in his father's campaigns against the Jats as a boy, in an expedition against Churaman Jat, resulting in a siege that lasted 12 months.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/History_of_Shekhawats/9EduAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=sayyid+brothers+churaman&dq=sayyid+brothers+churaman&printsec=frontcover |title= History of Shekhawats |date= 2001 |author= Ranbir Sinh  |publisher= the University of Michigan |page= 30 |isbn= 9788186782743 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Northern_India_Rajasthan_Agra_Delhi/KubCD2jHjEsC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=jai+singh+churaman+siege&pg=PA66&printsec=frontcover |title= Northern India, Rajasthan, Agra, Delhi: A Travel Guide |author= Ward, Philip |date= 1989 |publisher= Pelican Publishing |isbn= 9781455609710 }}</ref> The Sayyids appointed their maternal uncle Sayyid Khan-i-Jahan Barha to the command of a second army, and Jai Singh, in disgust, returned to court, full of hatred towards the Sayyids who had spoiled his laurels.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Calcutta_Review/x6mgAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=barha+sayyids+jat&pg=PA335&printsec=frontcover |title= Calcutta Review: Volume 52 |date= 1871 |publisher= Indiana University |page= 335 }}</ref> At length Churaman made overtures to the Wazir Qutb-ul-Mulk, offering tribute and surrendered his fortresses.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Later_Mughal/ak5oFjTys8MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=churaman+negotiate&pg=PA326&printsec=frontcover |title= Later Mughal |date= 1971 |author= William Irvine  |page= 326 |publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Distri }}</ref> Churaman Jat became a new favorite of the Sayyids, and he helped the Sayyids in their every excursion till his death.<ref>{{cite book |title= Social and Political History of the Jats, Bharatpur Upto 1826 |page= 22 |publisher= the University of Michigan |date= 2006 |author= Ram Pande }}</ref>
 
On the advice of the Syed brothers, the emperor Farrukhsiyar had sent [[Sawai Jai Singh|Jai Singh]], Maharaja of Amber, who had taken part in his father's campaigns against the Jats as a boy, in an expedition against [[Churaman]] [[Jats|Jat]], resulting in a siege that lasted 12 months.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=9EduAAAAMAAJ&q=sayyid+brothers+churaman |title= History of Shekhawats |date= 2001 |author= Ranbir Sinh  |publisher= the University of Michigan |page= 30 |isbn= 9788186782743 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=KubCD2jHjEsC&dq=jai+singh+churaman+siege&pg=PA66 |title= Northern India, Rajasthan, Agra, Delhi: A Travel Guide |author= Ward, Philip |date= 1989 |publisher= Pelican Publishing |isbn= 9781455609710 }}</ref> The Sayyids appointed their uncle Sayyid Khan-i-Jahan Barha to command a second army.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=x6mgAAAAMAAJ&dq=barha+sayyids+jat&pg=PA335 |title= Calcutta Review: Volume 52 |date= 1871 |publisher= Indiana University |page= 335 }}</ref> Churaman made overtures to the Wazir Qutb-ul-Mulk, offering tribute and surrendered his fortresses.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ak5oFjTys8MC&dq=churaman+negotiate&pg=PA326 |title= Later Mughal |date= 1971 |author= William Irvine  |page= 326 |publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Distri }}</ref> Churaman Jat became a new favorite of the Sayyids, which became a useful ally until the death of the Sayyids.<ref>{{cite book |title= Social and Political History of the Jats, Bharatpur Upto 1826 |page= 22 |publisher= the University of Michigan |date= 2006 |author= Ram Pande }}</ref>


== Court factions ==
== Court factions ==
The Mughals were originally of Turco-Mongol<ref name="Berndl">{{Cite book
The early Mughals were Turco-Mongol origin,<ref name="Berndl">{{Cite book |last1=Berndl |first1=Klaus |title=National Geographic Visual History of the World |publisher=National Geographic Society |year=2005 |isbn=978-0-7922-3695-5 |pages=318–320}}</ref> and gradually absorbed Indian culture along with Central Asian influences.<ref name="Foltz">{{cite journal |last1=Foltz |first1=Richard |title=THE CENTRAL ASIAN NAQSHBANDĪ CONNECTIONS OF THE MUGHAL EMPERORS |journal=Journal of Islamic Studies |date=July 1996 |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=229–239 |doi=10.1093/jis/7.2.229 |url=https://academic.oup.com/jis/article-abstract/7/2/229/773952?redirectedFrom=PDF |accessdate=26 August 2020|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The influence of Indian culture was extremely pronounced, as the Mughals successively married into the Hindu Rajput dynasties<ref>{{cite book |last=Gilbert |first=Marc Jason |year=2017 |title=South Asia in World History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7OQWDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA79 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |page=79 |isbn=978-0-19-976034-3}}</ref><ref name="Mohammada">{{cite book|first=Malika|last=Mohammada|title=The Foundations of the Composite Culture in India|publisher=Aakar Books|year=2007|page=300|isbn=978-81-89833-18-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dwzbYvQszf4C&pg=PA300}}</ref> and became Indianised, and all the Mughal emperors since Akbar had high-caste Hindu Rajput wives, and in most cases, mothers, including Jahangir and Shah Jahan.<ref name="Lefèvre">{{cite journal |last1=Lefèvre |first1=Corinne |title=Recovering a Missing Voice from Mughal India: The Imperial Discourse of Jahāngīr (r. 1605–1627) in His Memoirs |journal=Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient |date=2007 |volume=50 |issue=4 |pages=452–489 |doi=10.1163/156852007783245034 |jstor=25165207 |s2cid=153839580 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25165207 |accessdate=26 August 2020}}</ref> There were also significant [[Turkish people|Turkish]] and [[Iranian peoples|Irani]] officials in the Mughal court, and many of the Mughal princesses and wives that were a part of the large Mughal royal harem were of [[Persians|Persian]] or [[Turkish people|Turkish]] descent.<ref>{{cite book | isbn=81-269-0085-7 | title=History of Modern India: 1707 A.D. To Upto 2000 A.D. | last1=Chaurasia | first1=Radhey Shyam | year=2002 | publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist }}</ref>
| last1 = Berndl
| first1 = Klaus
| year = 2005
| title = National Geographic Visual History of the World
| publisher = National Geographic Society
| pages = 318–320
| isbn=978-0-7922-3695-5
}}</ref> origin, and followed Indian culture with Central Asian influences. <ref name="Foltz">{{cite journal |last1=Foltz |first1=Richard |title=THE CENTRAL ASIAN NAQSHBANDĪ CONNECTIONS OF THE MUGHAL EMPERORS |journal=Journal of Islamic Studies |date=July 1996 |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=229–239 |doi=10.1093/jis/7.2.229 |url=https://academic.oup.com/jis/article-abstract/7/2/229/773952?redirectedFrom=PDF |accessdate=26 August 2020}}</ref> The influence of Indian culture was extremely pronounced, as the Mughals successively married into the Hindu Rajput dynasties<ref>{{cite book |last=Gilbert |first=Marc Jason |year=2017 |title=South Asia in World History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7OQWDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA79 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |page=79 |isbn=978-0-19-976034-3}}</ref><ref name="Mohammada">{{cite book|first=Malika|last=Mohammada|title=The Foundations of the Composite Culture in India|publisher=Aakar Books|year=2007|page=300|isbn=978-81-89833-18-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dwzbYvQszf4C&pg=PA300}}</ref> of the Indian subcontinent and became Indianised, and all the Mughal emperors after and including Akbar had high-caste Hindu Rajput wives, and in most cases, mothers, including Jahangir and Shah Jahan.<ref name="Lefèvre">{{cite journal |last1=Lefèvre |first1=Corinne |title=Recovering a Missing Voice from Mughal India: The Imperial Discourse of Jahāngīr (r. 1605-1627) in His Memoirs |journal=Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient |date=2007 |volume=50 |issue=4 |pages=452–489 |doi=10.1163/156852007783245034 |jstor=25165207 |s2cid=153839580 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25165207 |accessdate=26 August 2020}}</ref> There were also significant numbers of [[Turkish people|Turkish]] and [[Iranian peoples|Irani]] present at the Mughal court, and many of the Mughal princesses and wives that were a part of the large Mughal royal harem were of [[Persians|Persian]] or [[Turkish people|Turkish]] descent.<ref>{{cite book | isbn=81-269-0085-7 | title=History of Modern India: 1707 A.D. To Upto 2000 A.D. | last1=Chaurasia | first1=Radhey Shyam | year=2002 }}</ref> As the emperor Farrukhsiyar was unable to overthrow the Sayyid brothers by himself, he raised the Emperor's party with the aim to overthrow the Sayyids.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/A_New_History_of_Indo_Pakistan_Since_152/VoNDAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=farrukhsiyar+overthrow+sayyid+brothers&dq=farrukhsiyar+overthrow+sayyid+brothers&printsec=frontcover |title= A New History of Indo-Pakistan, Since 1526 |author= Kaushar Ali |date= 1977 |publisher= Aziz Publishers }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Studies_in_Mughal_History/AZdCrUxFAHEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=emperor%27s+party+sayyid+brothers&pg=PA195&printsec=frontcover |page= 195 |author= Ashvini Agrawal |date= 1983 |title= Studies in Mughal History |publisher= Motilal Banarsidass |isbn= 9788120823266 }}</ref> For this task he chose Khan-i Dauran(an Indian Muslim of Agra),<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Later_Mughal/ak5oFjTys8MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=khan+dauran+native+agra&pg=PA262&printsec=frontcover |page= 262 |author= William Irvine |year= 1971 |title= Later Mughal |publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Distri }}</ref> Mir Jumla the Mughal,<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Mission_to_Tibet/2js6AwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=khan+dauran&pg=PT732&printsec=frontcover |title= Mission to Tibet: The Extraordinary Eighteenth-Century Account of Father Ippolito Desideri S. J. |author= Michael J Sweet |date= 2010 |publisher= Wisdom Publications |isbn= 9780861719303 }}</ref> Shaista Khan(Inayatullah Kashmiri, an old Alamgiri noble),<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Forgotten_Mughals/f_RtAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=About+this+time+it+was+learnt+that+Shaista+Khan+,+the+maternal+uncle+of+the+late+Farrukhsiyar+,+was+raising+troops+and&dq=About+this+time+it+was+learnt+that+Shaista+Khan+,+the+maternal+uncle+of+the+late+Farrukhsiyar+,+was+raising+troops+and&printsec=frontcover |title= The Forgotten Mughals:A History of the Later Emperors of the House of Babar, 1707-1857 |author= G. S. Cheema |date= 2002 |page=142}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/A_Study_of_Eighteenth_Century_India_Poli/dohDAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=The+emperor+felt+the+need+of+raising+the+old+%27+Alamgiri+nobles+%27+as+a+counterpoise+to+the+Sayyids&dq=The+emperor+felt+the+need+of+raising+the+old+%27+Alamgiri+nobles+%27+as+a+counterpoise+to+the+Sayyids&printsec=frontcover |title= A Study of Eighteenth Century India: Political history, 1707-1761 |date= 1976 |publisher= Saraswat Library }}</ref> and later, Itiqad Khan(Muhammad Murad Kashmiri),<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/A_Study_of_Eighteenth_Century_India_Poli/dohDAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=farrukhsiyar+chose+khan+dauran&dq=farrukhsiyar+chose+khan+dauran&printsec=frontcover |title= A Study of Eighteenth Century India: Political history, 1707-1761 |date= 1976 |author= Jagadish Narayan Sarkar |publisher= Saraswat Library }}</ref> the last whom he chose as the future Wazir. Itiqad Khan was related by marriage to Farrukhsiyar's mother, who was also of Kashmiri descent.<ref>{{cite book |title= Journal and Proceedings Volume 73, Parts 1-3 |page= 306 |date= 1907 |publisher= Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal  }}</ref> There were other blocs of power such as the Irani faction, which was a party tied by marriage and personal ambitions. It is called Irani as its leader, Zulfiqar Khan, was a Shi'a Persian noble born in India, and it relied on Indian power-holders of various origin. It had influence through Zulfiqar Khan during the year-long reign of Jahandar Shah, and found opposition in Kolkatash Khan.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.119444/page/n35/mode/2up?q=saiyids |title= The Reign Of Muhammad Shah 1919-1748 |author= Zahiruddin Malik |date= 1977 |page= 24 }}</ref> With the overthrow of Jahandar Shah, and the execution of Zulfiqar Khan by the Syed Brothers,<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Mini_Mughals/_z5uAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=zulfiqar+khan+beheaded+syed+brothers&dq=zulfiqar+khan+beheaded+syed+brothers&printsec=frontcover |title= Mini Mughals |page= 28 |date= 1989 |author= Muni Lal  |publisher= Konark Publishers |isbn= 9788122001747 }}</ref> an Indo-Muslim party came into ascendance under the Sayyid faction.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.119444/page/n33/mode/2up?q=ascendancy |title= The Reign Of Muhammad Shah 1919-1748 |author= Zahiruddin Malik |date=  1977 |page= 23 }}</ref> The Sayyid party which ruled during the reign of Farrukhsiyar was a powerful family group that was linked together by ties of blood and marriage. The Sayyid party was distinct from other factions as the Sayyids leaders recruited very few who were neither Sayyids, residents of Barha, nor Muslim.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Discovery_of_Pakistan/-VbRAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=khafi+khan+the+syeds+barha+non-muslims&dq=khafi+khan+the+syeds+barha+non-muslims&printsec=frontcover |title= Discovery of Pakistan |author= Abdul Aziz  |date= 1964 |publisher= the University of Michigan |page= 136 }}</ref> As the bulk of their troops were their own Sayyid clanmen, the Sayyids had greater strength and cohesion than other factions in the Mughal court. They were strongly united around their leaders, Qutb-ul-Mulk and Amir-ul-Umara Hussain Ali Khan. The unique privilege of the Sayyids of leading the imperial vanguard also gave them an advantage over other parts of the Mughal military and exalted their sense of social pride.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.119444/page/n43/mode/2up?q=saiyid|title= The Reign Of Muhammad Shah 1919-1748 |author= Zahiruddin Malik |date=  1977 |page= 32 }}</ref> The Sayyid party continuously tried to counter-act the Emperor Farrukhsiyar's plots to attain self-rule.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Studies_in_Mughal_History/AZdCrUxFAHEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=emperor%27s+party+sayyid+brothers&pg=PA195&printsec=frontcover |page= 195 |author= Ashvini Agrawal |date= 1983 |title= Studies in Mughal History |publisher= Motilal Banarsidass |isbn= 9788120823266 }}</ref> Another bloc, the Turanis, also formed an opposition to  Sayyid rule. The Turanis were not in a position to sufficiently act as a power pressure group against the Sayyids, or to bargain from a position of strength, and Farrukhsiyar did not trust the group as he suspected they would attempt to weaken him.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.119444/page/n41/mode/2up?q=saiyids |title= The Reign Of Muhammad Shah 1919-1748 |author= Zahiruddin Malik |date= 1977 |page= 30 }}</ref> There was a continual struggle for control of power and authority between the Indian Muslim, Irani and Turani blocs at court, and each attempted to win the favour of the Emperor in order to counter the other factions.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=MS_jrForJOoC&q=zulfiqar |title= History of Modern India: 1707 A.D. to Upto 2000 A.D. |page= 5 |author= Radhey Shyam Chaurasia |publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Dist |date= 2002 |isbn= 9788126900855 }}</ref><ref>''History of Modern India: 1707 A.D. to Up to 2000 A.D.'' by Radhey Shyam Chaurasia, Atlantic Publishers & Dist,  {{ISBN|81-269-0085-7}}</ref>


== Clash of the nobles ==
[[File:India, Mughal Dynasty - Husain Ali Khan Entertaining His Brothers (The Sayyid Brothers) - 2013.334 - Cleveland Museum of Art.tif|thumb|Hussain Ali Khan entertaining his brothers|left]]
[[File:India in 1700 Joppen.jpg|thumb|right|The Sayyid Brothers had completely reduced the power of Mughal Empire until they were finally overthrown by [[Muhammad Shah]] and [[Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I|Nizam-ul-Mulk]].]]
As Farrukhsiyar was unable to overthrow the Sayyid brothers by himself, he raised the emperor's party with the aim to overthrow the Sayyids.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=VoNDAAAAYAAJ&q=farrukhsiyar+overthrow+sayyid+brothers |title= A New History of Indo-Pakistan, Since 1526 |author= Kaushar Ali |date= 1977 |publisher= Aziz Publishers }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=AZdCrUxFAHEC&dq=emperor%27s+party+sayyid+brothers&pg=PA195 |page= 195 |author= Ashvini Agrawal |date= 1983 |title= Studies in Mughal History |publisher= Motilal Banarsidass |isbn= 9788120823266 }}</ref> For this task he chose Khan-i Dauran (an Indian Muslim of Agra),<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ak5oFjTys8MC&dq=khan+dauran+native+agra&pg=PA262 |page= 262 |author= William Irvine |year= 1971 |title= Later Mughal |publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Distri }}</ref> Mir Jumla,<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=2js6AwAAQBAJ&dq=khan+dauran&pg=PT732 |title= Mission to Tibet: The Extraordinary Eighteenth-Century Account of Father Ippolito Desideri S. J. |author= Michael J Sweet |date= 2010 |publisher= Wisdom Publications |isbn= 9780861719303 }}</ref> Shaista Khan (Inayatullah Kashmiri, an old Alamgiri noble),<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f_RtAAAAMAAJ&q=About+this+time+it+was+learnt+that+Shaista+Khan+,+the+maternal+uncle+of+the+late+Farrukhsiyar+,+was+raising+troops+and |title= The Forgotten Mughals:A History of the Later Emperors of the House of Babar, 1707-1857 |author= G. S. Cheema |date= 2002 |page=142|publisher= Manohar Publishers & Distributors |isbn= 9788173044168 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=dohDAAAAYAAJ&q=The+emperor+felt+the+need+of+raising+the+old+%27+Alamgiri+nobles+%27+as+a+counterpoise+to+the+Sayyids |title= A Study of Eighteenth Century India: Political history, 1707-1761 |date= 1976 |publisher= Saraswat Library }}</ref> and later, Itiqad Khan,<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=dohDAAAAYAAJ&q=farrukhsiyar+chose+khan+dauran |title= A Study of Eighteenth Century India: Political history, 1707-1761 |date= 1976 |author= Jagadish Narayan Sarkar |publisher= Saraswat Library }}</ref> the last whom he chose as the future Wazir. Itiqad Khan was related by marriage to Farrukhsiyar's mother, who was also of Kashmiri descent.<ref>{{cite book |title= Journal and Proceedings Volume 73, Parts 1-3 |page= 306 |date= 1907 |publisher= Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal  }}</ref>


Neither Farrukhsiyar nor his favorites dared to attack them openly, and Farrukhsiyar was obliged to submit to the Sayyid brothers, but nevertheless, continued his intrigues.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Cambridge_Shorter_History_of_India/9_48AAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mir+jumla+of+farrukhsiyar&pg=PA456&printsec=frontcover |title= The Cambridge Shorter History of India |page= 456 |publisher= CUP Archive |author= CUP }}</ref> During the Mir Bakhshi's absence during the Rajputana campaign, [[Farrukhsiyar]] started raising funds to raise troops for Khwaja Asim Khan-i Dauran and Ubaidullah Mir Jumla II in opposition to the Syed brothers.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Mughal_Empire/HHyVh29gy4QC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=khan+dauran+mir+jumla&pg=PA267&printsec=frontcover |title=The Mughal Empire: Part 1, Volume 5|page=267 |author=John F. Richards, Gordon Johnson |date=1993 }}</ref>
There were other blocs of power such as the Irani faction, related by marriage to the court. The leader of this faction, Zulfiqar Khan, was a Shi'a Persian noble born in India, and it relied on Indian power-holders of various origin. The faction, during the year-long reign of Jahandar Shah, found opposition to Kolkatash Khan.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.119444/page/n35/mode/2up?q=saiyids |title= The Reign Of Muhammad Shah 1919-1748 |author= Zahiruddin Malik |date= 1977 |page= 24 }}</ref> With the overthrow of Jahandar Shah, and the execution of Zulfiqar Khan by the Sayyid Brothers,<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=_z5uAAAAMAAJ&q=zulfiqar+khan+beheaded+syed+brothers |title= Mini Mughals |page= 28 |date= 1989 |author= Muni Lal  |publisher= Konark Publishers |isbn= 9788122001747 }}</ref> an Indo-Muslim party came into ascendance under the Sayyid faction.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.119444/page/n33/mode/2up?q=ascendancy |title= The Reign Of Muhammad Shah 1919-1748 |author= Zahiruddin Malik |date=  1977 |page= 23 }}</ref> The Sayyid party which ruled during the reign of Farrukhsiyar was a powerful faction linked by ties of blood and marriage. The Sayyid party was distinct from other factions as the Sayyid leaders recruited very few who were neither Sayyids, nor Muslim.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=-VbRAAAAMAAJ&q=khafi+khan+the+syeds+barha+non-muslims |title= Discovery of Pakistan |author= Abdul Aziz  |date= 1964 |publisher= the University of Michigan |page= 136 }}</ref> As the bulk of their troops were their own Sayyid clanmen, the Sayyids had greater strength and cohesion than other factions in the Mughal court. The Sayyids had developed a sort of common brotherhood among themselves and took up the cause of every individual as an insult to the whole group.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Rz16lub2uRgC&q=sayyid+brothers+among+themselves+and+look+up+the+cause+of+every+individual |title= A Social History of Islamic India, 1605-1748 |page=18 |author=Mohammad Yasin  |date=1958 }}</ref> They were strongly united around their leaders, Qutb-ul-Mulk and ''Amir-ul-Umara'' Hussain Ali Khan. The unique privilege of the Sayyids in leading the imperial vanguard also gave them an advantage over other parts of the Mughal military and exalted their sense of social pride.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.119444/page/n43/mode/2up?q=saiyid|title= The Reign Of Muhammad Shah 1919-1748 |author= Zahiruddin Malik |date= 1977 |page= 32 }}</ref>


On his side, Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha was immersed in pleasure and found little or no leisure to devote to State affairs. Being a man of the sword and a soldier, Hassan Ali Khan had no natural taste for civil and financial administration, and found no opportunity in acquiring such experience. The Sayyids of Barha historically had served military roles rather than as Diwans. This Wazir was endowed with virtues of courage and generosity, but lacked the zeal for public service and desisted the drudgery of office work.<ref>{{cite book |title= A Mughal Statesman Of The Eighteenth Century: Khan-i-Dauran |author= Zahiruddin Malik |date=1973 |publisher= Aligarh Muslim University |page=40 }}</ref>
The Sayyid party continuously tried to counteract Farrukhsiyar's plots to attain self-rule.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=AZdCrUxFAHEC&dq=emperor%27s+party+sayyid+brothers&pg=PA195 |page= 195 |author= Ashvini Agrawal |date= 1983 |title= Studies in Mughal History |publisher= Motilal Banarsidass |isbn= 9788120823266 }}</ref> Another bloc, the Turanis, also formed an opposition to Sayyid rule. The Turanis were not in a position to sufficiently act as a power pressure group against the Sayyids, or to bargain from a position of strength, and Farrukhsiyar did not trust the group as he suspected they would attempt to weaken him.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.119444/page/n41/mode/2up?q=saiyids |title= The Reign Of Muhammad Shah 1919-1748 |author= Zahiruddin Malik |date= 1977 |page= 30 }}</ref> There was a continual struggle for power between the Indian Muslim, Irani and Turani blocs at court, and each attempted to win the favour of the emperor in order to counter the other factions.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=MS_jrForJOoC&q=zulfiqar |title= History of Modern India: 1707 A.D. to Upto 2000 A.D. |page= 5 |author= Radhey Shyam Chaurasia |publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Dist |date= 2002 |isbn= 9788126900855 }}</ref><ref>''History of Modern India: 1707 A.D. to Up to 2000 A.D.'' by Radhey Shyam Chaurasia, Atlantic Publishers & Dist,  {{ISBN|81-269-0085-7}}</ref>


Everything was left to his man of business, Ratan Chand, a [[Hindu]] of the [[Baniya]] caste, and a native of a village near the Sayyids home at [[Jansath]]. He had been recently created a [[Raja]] with the rank of 2,000 zat. Raja Ratan Chand (1665-1720<ref>Rajvanshi Samaj ki mahan vibhitiyan, Ghaziabad, 7 May 2017</ref>) became the diwan of [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] emperor [[Farrukhsiyar]] in 1712, who gave him the title of [[Raja]]. He came to be regarded as a very effective administrator. Sayyid brothers with Raja Ratan Chand as a team were Kingmakers. Raja Ratan Chand represented wisdom in the team and Sayyid brothers represented valor. <ref>History of Origin of Some Clans in India, Mangal Sen Jindal, Pub. Sarup and Sons, 1992</ref><ref>The Kingmaker of the Mughal Empire (2018) Avnish Rajvanshi Productions</ref>
== Farrukhsiyar's struggles with the Sayyids ==
[[File:India in 1700 Joppen.jpg|thumb|right|The Sayyid Brothers had considerably reduced the power of Mughal Empire until they were finally overthrown by [[Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I|Nizam-ul-Mulk]].]]


Raja Ratan Chand was the real power behind the team of the Kingmakers. He was associated with the [[Sayyid Brothers]], and was the main brain behind the kingmaker team.  He came to be trusted with the financial affairs of the state by Abdullah.<ref>''A Sketch of the History of Hindustán from the First Muslim Conquest to the Fall of the Mughal Empire'' by [[Henry George Keene (1826–1915)|Henry George Keene]], published by W. H. Allen & Co., 1885</ref> He was even entrusted with appointment of [[Qadi|kazi]]s.
The Sayyids saw [[Farrukhsiyar]]'s accession to the throne as their doing, and resented the grant of any sharing of power to other persons. On the other hand, the small group of Farrukhsiyar's intimates, men who had known him from his childhood and stood on the most familiar terms with him, such as [[Khan Dowran VII|Khan-i Dauran]],<ref>{{cite book |title= History of the Shekhawats |author= Ranbir Sinh |page=30 |publisher= the University of Michigan |date=2001 }}</ref> were aggrieved at their exclusion from a share in the spoils, but did not believe they were strong enough to counter the Sayyids openly. Their plan, therefore was to work upon the weak-minded Farrukhsiyar by telling him:


By Mir Jumla's independent action in bringing forward candidates and affixing the seal to their warrants of appointment, without following the usual routine of passing them through the Vizier's office, the emoluments of both Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha and of his head officer were considerably curtailed. It is a matter of little wonder, therefore, that Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha felt aggrieved at the unusual powers placed in the hands of a rival such as Mir Jumla. This noble was much more accessible than the Vizier, and was not given to the extortionate practices of Ratan Chand. Naturally, men in search of employment or promotion sought his audience-hall rather than that of Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha.
<blockquote>
"The Sayyids look upon you as their creation, and think nothing of you or your power. They hold the two chief civil and military officers, their relations and friends have the principal other offices, and the most profitable land assignments (jagirs). Their power will go on increasing, until should they enter on treasonable projects, there will be no one to resist them."<ref>{{Cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Bw_gAAAAMAAJ&dq=islam+khan+farrukhsiyar+convert&pg=PA56 |title= Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal:Volume 72 |page=52 |author= William Irvine |year= 1904 |publisher= Bishop's College Press }}</ref>
</blockquote>


The Vizier suffered, in this way, both in influence and in income. Moreover, Mir Jumla allowed no opportunity to pass without depreciating the Sayyid brothers, and brought forward arguments of every sort to prove that they were unfitted for the offices that they held.
Neither Farrukhsiyar nor his favorites dared to attack them openly, and Farrukhsiyar was obliged to submit to the Sayyid brothers, but continued his intrigues.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=9_48AAAAIAAJ&dq=mir+jumla+of+farrukhsiyar&pg=PA456 |title= The Cambridge Shorter History of India |page= 456 |publisher= CUP Archive |author= CUP }}</ref> Farrukhsiyar had obtained the throne largely due to the martial kills of the Sayyid Brothers, who, from Barha had provided contingents to the imperial armies. Even as Emperor, he lacked revenues to fund his own forces, as he could not confront the Syed Brothers. Further, the Syed Brothers threatened to enthrone another imperial family member whenever Farrukhsiyar proved too demanding. Farrukhsiyar was forced to turn to other nobles, who were to be raised on an equal position to them.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=bhKMDwAAQBAJ&dq=so+he+could+not+confront+the+Sayyid+brothers.+Further,+they+threatened+to+enthrone&pg=PA212 |title= A Short History of the Mughal Empire |page=212 |author= Michael Fischer |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |date=2015  |isbn= 9780857727770 }}</ref> The Sayyid Brothers, resisted the raising of other nobles to power.<ref>{{Cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Bw_gAAAAMAAJ&dq=islam+khan+farrukhsiyar+convert&pg=PA56 |title= Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal:Volume 72 |page=52 |author= William Irvine |year= 1904 |publisher= Bishop's College Press }}</ref> During the Mir Bakhshi's absence during the Rajputana campaign, Farrukhsiyar started raising funds to raise troops for Khwaja Asim Khan-i Dauran and Ubaidullah Mir Jumla II in opposition to the Sayyid brothers.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HHyVh29gy4QC&dq=khan+dauran+mir+jumla&pg=PA267 |title=The Mughal Empire: Part 1, Volume 5|page=267 |author=John F. Richards, Gordon Johnson  |date=1993 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9780521566032 }}</ref> Khan-i Dauran was put at the head of 5,000 Wala-Shahis, while Mir Jumla was given 5,000 Mughal troops, recruited by his adopted son, Amanat Khan.


The Sayyid brothers could never be certain from day to day that some new plot was not being hatched for their destruction. The [[Rajputana]] campaign was the means of unmasking one of these schemes. Secret letters had been, dispatched to [[Maharaja Ajit Singh]], urging him towards strenuous resistance, and inviting him, if he could, to make away with Syed Hussain Ali Khan Barha. These letters came into Hussain Ali Khan's possession and through them he acquired proof of Emperor [[Farrukhsiyar]]'s double-faced dealings. In the interval of Hussain Ali Khan's absence, Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha had found the greatest difficulty in maintaining his position at Court. All the power was in the hands of Mir Jumla. Every day messages came from Emperor [[Farrukhsiyar]], couched in various forms, but all urging him to resign the office of Vizier. Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha now wrote letters to his brother enjoining him to return to Delhi with all possible speed. In response to these calls, Syed Hussain Ali Khan, as we have seen, reached the capital again on the 5th Rajab 1126 H. (16 July 1714).
Being a man of the sword and a soldier, Syed Hassan Ali Khan had no natural taste for civil and financial administration, and found no opportunity in acquiring such experience. The Sayyids had historically served military roles rather than as administrators. This Wazir was endowed with virtues of courage and generosity, but lacked the zeal for public service and resisted the drudgery of office work.<ref>{{cite book |title= A Mughal Statesman Of The Eighteenth Century: Khan-i-Dauran |author= Zahiruddin Malik |date=1973 |publisher= Aligarh Muslim University |page=40 }}</ref> Ratan Chand, a [[Hindu]] [[Bania (caste)|Baniya]] of [[Jansath]] near the Sayyids home was appointed instead by Abdullah to his clerical work and trusted him with the financial affairs of the state that was meant for the Wazir. He had been recently created a [[Raja]] with the rank of 2,000 zat in 1712 by Farrukhsiyar,<ref>Rajvanshi Samaj ki mahan vibhitiyan, Ghaziabad, 7 May 2017</ref> and came to be regarded as a very effective administrator.<ref>History of Origin of Some Clans in India, Mangal Sen Jindal, Pub. Sarup and Sons, 1992</ref><ref>The Kingmaker of the Mughal Empire (2018) Avnish Rajvanshi Productions</ref><ref>''A Sketch of the History of Hindustán from the First Muslim Conquest to the Fall of the Mughal Empire'' by [[Henry George Keene (1826–1915)|Henry George Keene]], published by W. H. Allen & Co., 1885</ref> He was even entrusted with appointment of [[Qadi|kazi]]s. While it was usually the Wazir who brought candidates to the Emperor, Mir Jumla instead independently did this. As the Wazir suffered in influence, the Sayyids felt aggrieved, and Abdullah Khan now wrote letters to his brother to return to Delhi with all possible speed from his campaign in Rajputana. The Mir Bakhshi reached the capital on 16 July 1714.


For the next two or three months the breach between the Emperor and the minister, although far from closed, was not sensibly widened. The [[Sayyids]], as was natural, looked on [[Farrukhsiyar]]'s accession to the throne as the work of their hands, and resented the grant of any share of power to other persons. On the other hand, the small group of [[Farrukhsiyar]]'s intimates, men who had known him from his childhood and stood on the most familiar terms with him, were aggrieved at their exclusion from a share in the spoil. The two men selected to confront the Sayyids were Khwaja Asim ''Khan Dauran'' and Mir Jumla III. They were both promoted to the rank of 7,000 horse: they were placed, the former at the head of 5,000 Wala-shahi, and the latter of 5,000 Mughal troopers. Many of their relations were pushed forward into high rank, and counting these men's troops, each of the two nobles had at his command over ten thousand men. Among the signs of this favouritism was the order passed on the 12th Shaban 2 September 1713, permitting Mir Jumla to entertain 6,000 horsemen, who were to be specially paid from the imperial treasury. These were raised by [[Amanat Khan]], his adopted son, from those [[Mughal (tribe)|Mughals]] who were born in [[India]], and some seventy lakhs of Rupees for their pay were disbursed from the treasury, the rules as to descriptive rolls of the men and branding of the horses being set aside. No order was issued by [[Farrukhsiyar]] without the advice and approval of the above two men.
Mir Jumla, having no real strength of character, made excuses during talks and drew to one side. While Khan Dauran was frightened that if he should ever be called on to take the lead, he may lose his life in the attempt to destroy the Sayyids. As for the Emperor, his own troops were much weaker to the Sayyids. The imperial and Wala-shahi troops comprised many low-caste men and mere artisans held commands. As the Emperor was aware of the unity and the firm resolve of the Syed Brothers, decided once more to resume friendly relations with them. In December 1714, the Syed Brothers assembled their troops and possessed themselves of the gates of the citadel containing the Emperor's palace, proposing terms of reconciliation.


In this exercise of authority Mir Jumla assumed the lead, till at length Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha was only the nominal, while he was the real vizier. The two Sayyids bowed for the time to the Emperor's will, and made no opposition to these usurpations.
[[File:A PORTRAIT OF LUTFULLAH KHAN SADIQ.jpg|thumb|Portrait of Lutfullah Khan Sadiq Panipati]]
The Sayyid Brothers' terms were that they would not reconciliate unless Mir Jumla and Khan-i Dauran were dismissed. [[Islam Khan V]], Sayyid Hussain Khan Barha, Sayyid Shujaat Khan Barha and Khwaja Jafar would negotiate a settlement whereby Mir Jumla was forced out of office in [[Delhi]] and sent to [[Bihar]] on 16 December 1714.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Y0kOAAAAQAAJ&dq=syed+brothers+atrocities&pg=PA684 |page=684 |title=The illustrated history of the British empire in India and the East ... to the suppression of the Sepoy mutiny in 1859. With a continuation to the end of 1878:Volume 2 |author=Edward Henry Nolan |date=1878 }}</ref> However, Khan-i Dauran was spared due to the intercession of his brother Khwaja Jafar, who was a holy man, who swore that Khan-i Dauran would never act against the Sayyid Brothers.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Bw_gAAAAMAAJ&dq=islam+khan+farrukhsiyar+convert&pg=PA56 |title= Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal:Volume 72  |date=1904 |publisher=Bishop's College Press |author= William Irvine }}</ref> [[Ansari (Panipat)|Lutfullah Khan Sadiq]], Farrukhsiyar's closest advisor,<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=f_RtAAAAMAAJ&q=sayyid+brothers+deprived+ministers+lutfullah+khan+sadiq |title= The Forgotten Mughals:A History of the Later Emperors of the House of Babar, 1707-1857|page=117 |author= G. S. Cheema |date=2002 |publisher= Manohar Publishers & Distributors|isbn= 9788173044168}}</ref> who was despised by the Sayyid Brothers, was deprived of his rank, and his mansions and gardens were confiscated.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ak5oFjTys8MC&dq=Why+should+they+not+,+in+order+to+obtain+the+removal+of+Mir+Jumla+,+propose+that+one+of+the+two+brothers+leave&pg=PA300 |title= Later Mughals |page= 301 |author= William Irvine |year= 1971 }}</ref> Successive agents chosen by Farrukhsiyar gave up the attempt and went over to the Sayyids as they were seen to be more capable in protecting their own interests.<ref>{{cite book |title= textsCambridge History Of India, Vol. 4, The Mughul Period |author= Baig |page=336 |publisher=Cambridge University Press }}</ref>


Mir Jumla and Khan Dauran talked well, but evaded dealing with the kernel of the matter. Mir Jumla, having no real strength of character, knew that he was not fitted to enter the lists as a champion to fight the Sayyids. He therefore made excuses and drew to one side. Khan Dauran was in reality a mere braggadocio, a big talker; and he was frightened that if he should ever be called on to take the lead, he may lose his life in the attempt to destroy the Sayyids.
Syed Hussain Ali Khan entered the palace with his men, observing the same precautions as in the case of Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha. Some months before this time Hussain Ali Khan had obtained in his own favour a grant of the [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]] provinces, but he had meant to exercise the government through a deputy, [[Daud Khan Panni]]. Now it was proposed that Hussain Ali Khan would leave court and take over charge of the Deccan himself. Khan-i Dauran was appointed as the deputy of Hussain Ali Khan in his duties as Mir Bakhshi.


As for the Emperor, his own troops and those of his relations were unequal to an attack on the Sayyids. The imperial and Wala-shahi troops comprised many low-caste men and mere artisans held commands. The Emperor had no proof of their fighting quality. So it was decided once more to resume friendly relations with the Sayyid brothers. Eventually [[Islam Khan V]] would negotiate a settlement whereby Mir Jumla was forced out of office in [[Delhi]] and sent to [[Bihar]].
==Deccan campaigns==
Sayyid Hussain Ali Khan was appointed the Viceroy of the Deccan. In an unprecedented measure, he was given a grand seal which gave him full authority to assign jagirs in the Deccan, appoint and dismiss officers and commandants of the great fortresses, which were previously jealously guarded by the Mughal royals in order to serve as a counterweight against overly ambitious provincials.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=HHyVh29gy4QC&dq=daud+khan+panni+killed&pg=PA267 |title= The Mughal Empire: Part 1, Volume 5 |author=  John F. Richards, Gordon Johnson |date= 1993 |publisher= Cambridge University Press |page= 267 |isbn= 9780521566032 }}</ref>


As Syed Hussain Ali Khan would not come to Court until Mir Jumla had left, the latter received his audience of dismissal on 16 December 1714. Four days afterwards, 20 December 1714, Hussain Ali Khan entered the palace with his men, observing the same precautions as in the case of Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha. The Emperor and the ''Mir Bakhshi'' exchanged compliments, under which their real sentiments were easily perceived. Some months before this time Hussain Ali Khan had obtained in his own favour a grant of the [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]] provinces, in super session of ''Nizam-ul-Mulk'' Chin Kilich Khan ([[Asaf Jah I|Mir Qamar ud-Din]]). He had then no intention of proceeding there in person, but meant to exercise the government through a deputy, [[Daud Khan Panni]].
He rejected his predecessor Daud Khan Panni's agreements of tribute to the Marathas.<ref>{{cite book |title= Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part - II |author= Satish Chandra |date= 2005 |page= 281 }}</ref> Farrukhsiyar sent Daud Khan Panni, the newly appointed governor of Burhanpur,<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=20duAAAAMAAJ&q=Daud+Khan+Panni+,+the+newly+appointed+Governor+of+Burhanpur+. |title= Madhya Pradesh, District Gazetteers: East Nimar |page= 70 |publisher= Government Central Press |author= V. S. Krishnan, P. N. Shrivastav |year= 1969 }}</ref> a secret message to attack and kill Hussain Khan, if possible. Daud Khan Panni attempted to gain the backing of the Marathas in order to attack Hussain Khan, while the Nizam left in disgust.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=vZxXAAAAMAAJ&q=Nizamul+-+Mulk+left+in+disgust+in+1715 |title= The Commerce of Cambay from the Earliest Period to the Nineteenth Century |page= 84 |author= Vengalil A. Janaki  |date= 1980 |publisher= Department of Geography, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda ; copies can be had from University Publications Sales Unit }}</ref> However, at the Battle of Burhanpur, Daud Khan was easily defeated and killed by Hussain Khan, who captured Farrukhsiyar's letters to the rebel at his camp.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=HHyVh29gy4QC&dq=daud+khan+panni+killed&pg=PA267 |title= The Mughal Empire: Part 1, Volume 5 |author=  John F. Richards, Gordon Johnson |date= 1993 |publisher= Cambridge University Press |page= 267 |isbn= 9780521566032 }}</ref> The Marathas had remained inactive during the battle.


==Deccan Campaigns==
Hussain Khan was eager to establish his firm hold over the Deccan. Without much precaution, he declared hostility to the Marathas.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=d1wUgKKzawoC&dq=hussain+shahu&pg=PA75 |title= Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813 |page= 75 |author= Jaswant Mehta |date= 2005 |publisher= Publisher:New Dawn Press, Incorporated |isbn= 9781932705546 }}</ref> As a result, Maratha raiding and indecisive open warfare continued.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=HHyVh29gy4QC&dq=husain+indecisive+warfare+marathas&pg=PA269 |title= The Mughal Empire: Part 1, Volume 5 |author= John F. Richards, Gordon Johnson |date= 1993 |publisher= Cambridge University Press |isbn= 9780521566032 }}</ref> In 1717, his general Zulfiqar Beg sent 4,000 horse and 2,000 infantry to punish Khandoji Dabhade, who was defeated and killed.<ref>{{cite book |page= 56 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=STxAAAAAMAAJ&q=Khandoji |title= Eighteenth Century Deccan |date= 1963 |author= Setumadhava Rao Pagdi, P. Setu Madhava Rao  |publisher= the University of Michigan | isbn=9788171543670 }}</ref> In order to avenge his death, Syed Hussain Ali Khan sent Muhakkam Singh, the son of Churaman Jat (who was loyal to the Barha Sayyids), and his brother Saif-ud-Din Khan Barha, to punish the Marathas. Dahbade and his Marathas, who were plundering [[Khandesh]], were defeated at a battle near [[Ahmadnagar]]. The army dispersed and fled, after which Syed Hussain Ali Khan ravaged the Maratha territory up to the suburbs of [[Satara (city)|Satara]].<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=STxAAAAAMAAJ&q=Muhakamsingh+spread+devastation+to+the+gates+of+Satara+. |title= Eighteenth Century Deccan |page= 56 |author= Setumadhava Rao Pagdi, P. Setu Madhava Rao |date= 1963 |publisher= Popular Prakashan |isbn= 9788171543670 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=nf1tAAAAMAAJ&q=husain+Chandrasen+Jadhav |title=The Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society: Volume 87 |page= 14 |publisher=  Mythic Society (Bangalore, India) |date= 1996 }}</ref> In these campaigns he was assisted by the Maratha chiefs Chandrasen Jadhav and Nemaji Sindhia.
Sayyid Hussain Ali Khan was appointed the Viceroy of the Deccan. In an unprecedented measure, he was given a grand seal which gave him full authority to assign jagirs in the Deccan, appoint and dismiss officers and commandants of the great fortresses, which were previously jealously guarded by the Mughal royals in order to serve as a counterweight against overly ambitious provincials.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Mughal_Empire/HHyVh29gy4QC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=daud+khan+panni+killed&pg=PA267&printsec=frontcover |title= The Mughal Empire: Part 1, Volume 5 |author= John F. Richards, Gordon Johnson |date= 1993 |publisher= Cambridge University Press |page= 267 |isbn= 9780521566032 }}</ref>  


He rejected his predecessor Daud Khan Panni's agreements of tribute to the Marathas.<ref>{{cite book |title= Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part - II |author= Satish Chandra |date= 2005 |page= 281 }}</ref> Farrukhsiyar sent Daud Khan Panni, the newly appointed governor of Burhanpur,<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Madhya_Pradesh_District_Gazetteers_East/20duAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Daud+Khan+Panni+,+the+newly+appointed+Governor+of+Burhanpur+.&dq=Daud+Khan+Panni+,+the+newly+appointed+Governor+of+Burhanpur+.&printsec=frontcover |title= Madhya Pradesh, District Gazetteers: East Nimar |page= 70 |publisher= Government Central Press |author= V. S. Krishnan, P. N. Shrivastav |year= 1969 }}</ref> a secret message to attack and kill Hussain Khan, if possible. Daud Khan Panni attempted to gain the backing of the Marathas in order to attack Hussain Khan, while the Nizam left in disgust.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Commerce_of_Cambay_from_the_Earliest/vZxXAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Nizamul+-+Mulk+left+in+disgust+in+1715&dq=Nizamul+-+Mulk+left+in+disgust+in+1715&printsec=frontcover |title= The Commerce of Cambay from the Earliest Period to the Nineteenth Century |page= 84 |author= Vengalil A. Janaki  |date= 1980 |publisher= Department of Geography, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda ; copies can be had from University Publications Sales Unit }}</ref> However, at the Battle of Burhanpur, Daud Khan was easily defeated and killed by Hussain Khan, who captured Farrukhsiyar's letters to the rebel at his camp.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Mughal_Empire/HHyVh29gy4QC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=daud+khan+panni+killed&pg=PA267&printsec=frontcover |title= The Mughal Empire: Part 1, Volume 5 |author=  John F. Richards, Gordon Johnson |date= 1993 |publisher= Cambridge University Press |page= 267 |isbn= 9780521566032 }}</ref> The Marathas had remained inactive during the battle.
In 1717, fearing that the Sayyid brothers would replace him, Farrukhsiyar blinded three princes who had the potential to be raised to the throne, including his younger brother.<ref>{{cite book |title= Baji Rao: the Warrior Peshwa |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=5KohEAAAQBAJ&dq=farrukhsiyar+blinded+three+princes&pg=PT18 |publisher= Roli Books |author= Jaiwant E Paul |date= 2017 | isbn=9789351941200 }}</ref>


Hussain Khan was eager to establish his firm hold over the Deccan. He threw all precaution to the winds, and declared hostility to all the Marathas without discrimination, coming into head-on collision with the Maratha chieftains.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Advanced_Study_in_the_History_of_Modern/d1wUgKKzawoC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=hussain+shahu&pg=PA75&printsec=frontcover |title= Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813 |page= 75 |author= Jaswant Mehta |date= 2005 |publisher= Publisher:New Dawn Press, Incorporated |isbn= 9781932705546 }}</ref> As a result, Maratha raiding and indecisive open warfare continued.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Mughal_Empire/HHyVh29gy4QC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=husain+indecisive+warfare+marathas&pg=PA269&printsec=frontcover |title= The Mughal Empire: Part 1, Volume 5 |author= John F. Richards, Gordon Johnson |date= 1993 |publisher= Cambridge University Press |isbn= 9780521566032 }}</ref> In 1717, his general Zulfiqar Beg, who was sent with four thousand horse and two thousand infantry to punish Khandoji Dabhade, was defeated and killed.<ref>{{cite book |page= 56 |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Eighteenth_Century_Deccan/STxAAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Khandoji&printsec=frontcover |title= Eighteenth Century Deccan |date= 1963 |author= Setumadhava Rao Pagdi, P. Setu Madhava Rao  |publisher= the University of Michigan | isbn=9788171543670 }}</ref> In order to avenge his death, Hussain Ali Khan sent Muhakkam Singh, the son of Churaman Jat (who was loyal to the Barha Sayyids), and his brother Saif-ud-Din Khan Barha, to punish the Marathas. Dahbade and his Marathas, who were plundering [[Khandesh]], were signally defeated at a battle near [[Ahmadnagar]]. The army dispersed and fled, after which Hussain Khan ravaged the Maratha territory up to the suburbs of [[Satara (city)|Satara]].<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Eighteenth_Century_Deccan/STxAAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Muhakamsingh+spread+devastation+to+the+gates+of+Satara+.&dq=Muhakamsingh+spread+devastation+to+the+gates+of+Satara+.&printsec=frontcover |title= Eighteenth Century Deccan |page= 56 |author= Setumadhava Rao Pagdi, P. Setu Madhava Rao |date= 1963 |publisher= Popular Prakashan |isbn= 9788171543670 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Quarterly_Journal_of_the_Mythic_Soci/nf1tAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=husain+Chandrasen+Jadhav&dq=husain+Chandrasen+Jadhav&printsec=frontcover |title=The Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society: Volume 87 |page= 14 |publisher=  Mythic Society (Bangalore, India) |date= 1996 }}</ref> In these campaigns Hussain Khan was assisted by the Maratha chiefs Chandrasen Jadhav and Nemaji Sindhia.
=== Negotiating ===


In 1717, in fear that the Sayyid brothers would replace him, Farrukhsiyar blinded three princes who had the potential to be raised to the throne, including his younger brother.<ref>{{cite book |title= Baji Rao: the Warrior Peshwa |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Baji_Rao_The_Warrior_Peshwa/5KohEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=farrukhsiyar+blinded+three+princes&pg=PT18&printsec=frontcover |publisher= Roli Books |author= Jaiwant E Paul  |date= 2017 }}</ref>
Sayyid brothers were accused of treachery due to their abilities to negotiate peace with the [[Maratha Confederacy]].


==Rebellion of Prince Nikusiyar==
== Short-reign emperors ==
The rivals of the Syed Brothers proclaimed [[Neku Siyar|Nikusiyar]], another puppet-king, as the emperor of India at Agra. Abdullah Khan favoured settlement with Nikusiyar, while Hussain Khan insisted on a fight with him. His view prevailed, and the Syed Brothers defeated Nikusiyar and his allies. Hussain Khan besieged Agra in June, and Nikusiyar surrendered in August.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Modern_India/NoUYYLKmz7EC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=mitra&printsec=frontcover |title= Modern India |author= Kallidaikurichi Aiyah Nilakanta Sastri  |date= 1950 |publisher= S. Viswanathan }}</ref> Nikusiyar was sent to prison where he died.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Outline_History_of_the_Islamic_World/S9kbAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=niku+siyar&dq=niku+siyar&printsec=frontcover |title= Outline History of the Islamic World|page= 69 |author= Masudul Hasan, Abdul Waheed  |date= 1974 |publisher= Ferozsons }}</ref> His supporter, Mitrasen, committed suicide.


==End of the Sayyid brothers==
=== Enthronement of Rafi-ad-Darajat ===
[[File:Asaf Jah I.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Nizam-ul-Mulk was instated as the [[Grand Vizier]] of the [[Mughal Empire]], by [[Muhammad Shah]] on 21 February 1722, to overthrow the Sayyid Brothers.]]
[[File:Rafi ud-Darajat of India (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Rafi ud-Darajat]]|252x252px]]


The Sayyid brothers becoming the sole authority of Mughal politics reduced the status of the Turkic and the Irani noblemen in the Mughal court. This excited the jealousy of these nobles, who used to enjoy high status under Emperor Farukhshiyar. As a result, they formed a force of counter-revolution against the Sayyid brothers.
The Sayyid Brothers raised [[Rafi ud-Darajat|Rafi-ud-Darajat]] to the throne, a grandson of [[Bahadur Shah I]], who was 20 years old. Rafi-ud-Darajat was no more than a show-piece, as he could not be served food and water without the permission of the Sayyid Brothers. Hussain Ali Khan exercised complete authority.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7QhuAAAAMAAJ&q=Rafi-ud-Darajat+guards+meals |title= Muslim Society in Northern India During the Eighteenth Century |page=355 |author= Muhammad Umar |date=1998 |publisher= Available with the author |isbn= 9788121508308 }}</ref> As Rafi-ad-Darajat was in an advanced stage of consumption, he was deposed on June 4, 1719 and died a week later after his deposition.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gQk9AAAAIAAJ&dq=sayyid+brothers+shah+jahan+ii&pg=PA457 |page=457 |title= The Cambridge Shorter History of India |publisher=CUP Archive }}</ref>


The leader of the Counter Revolution was [[Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I|Nizam-ul-Mulk]]. To subdue the counter-revolution, the Sayyid brothers shifted Nizam-ul-mulk from Delhi. Nizam was appointed as the Subahdar of Malwa. In due course Nizam captured the forts of [[Asirgarh]] and [[Burhanpur]] in Deccan. Moreover, Nizam also killed Mir Alam Ali Khan, the adopted son of Syed Hussain Ali Khan, who was the Deputy Subahdar of the Deccan.
=== Rebellion of Prince Nikusiyar ===
The rivals of the Syed Brothers proclaimed [[Neku Siyar|Nikusiyar]], another puppet-king, as emperor. Abdullah Khan favoured Nikusiyar, against the wishes of Hussain Khan. Hussain's view prevailed, and the Syed Brothers defeated Nikusiyar and his allies. Hussain Khan besieged Agra in June, and Nikusiyar surrendered in August.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=NoUYYLKmz7EC&q=mitra |title= Modern India |author= Kallidaikurichi Aiyah Nilakanta Sastri  |date= 1950 |publisher= S. Viswanathan }}</ref> Nikusiyar was sent to prison where he died.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=S9kbAAAAMAAJ&q=niku+siyar |title= Outline History of the Islamic World|page= 69 |author= Masudul Hasan, Abdul Waheed  |date= 1974 |publisher= Ferozsons }}</ref> His supporter, Mitrasen, committed suicide and the Sayyid Brothers fought Jai Singh of Jaipur. At Fatehpur Sikri, they divided the spoils of Agra amongst themselves.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gQk9AAAAIAAJ&dq=sayyid+brothers+shah+jahan+ii&pg=PA457 |page=457 |title= The Cambridge Shorter History of India |publisher=CUP Archive }}</ref>


Meanwhile, in Delhi a plot was devised against the Sayyid brothers. Nizam-ul-mulk ultimately killed Syed Hussain Ali Khan on 9 October 1720. Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha with a big army set out to avenge his brother's murder. But Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha was defeated at Hasanpur near Palwal (Haryana) in 15–16 November in the same year and imprisoned. Thus the protracted career of the Sayyid brothers came to an end.
=== Enthronement of Shah Jahan II ===
[[File:Shah Jahan II of India.jpg|thumb|Shah Jahan II|left|255x255px]]
Rafi-ud-Daulah was enthroned as Shah Jahan II. He, too, lived within the fort, as a prisoner of the Sayyid Brothers, and was not allowed independence even in his private life. [[Inayatullah Kashmiri]], who was the maternal uncle of [[Farrukhsiyar]], raised an army for overthrowing the Sayyids. But in June, 1719, Inayatullah Khan was seized at Delhi and thrown into prison.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=yoI8AAAAIAAJ&dq=rafi-ad-darajat+sayyid+brothers&pg=PA339 |title=The Cambridge History of India |date=1955 |page=340 }}</ref>


==Aftermath==
==End of the Sayyid brothers==
Sayyid Abdullah Khan remained a prisoner in the citadel of Delhi, under the charge of Haider Quli Khan, for another two years. He was "treated with respect, receiving delicate food to eat and fine clothes to wear". But so long as he survived, the Mughals remained uneasy, not knowing what sudden change of fortune might happen. Thus the nobles never ceased their efforts in alarming Muhammad Shah.<ref>{{cite book |title= Mughal Empire in India: A Systematic Study Including Source Material · Volume 1 |page= 675 |date= 1999 |publisher= Atlantic Publishers and Distributors |author= S.R. Sharma  }}</ref>
{{See also|Battle of Balapur}}
Contemporary evidence suggests that public opinion did not approve of Farrukhsiyar, but turned against the Sayyid Brothers after his execution. The way in which members of the imperial family were treated provoked an outburst of anger.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=NXsBAAAAMAAJ&q=munim+khan+1719 |title=A Mughal Statesman of the Eighteenth Century, Khan-i-Dauran, Mir Bakshi of Muhammad Shah, 1719-1739 |page=37 |author= Zahiruddin Malik |date=1973 |publisher=the] Centre of Advanced Study, Department of History, Aligarh Muslim University |isbn=9780210405444 }}</ref> The rising power of the Sayyid brothers aroused the jealousy of other nobles, including the Iranis and Turanis, whose status had been reduced. As a result, they formed a force of counter-revolution against the Sayyid brothers under the leadership of [[Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I|Nizam-ul-Mulk]]. To subdue the counter-revolution, the Sayyid brothers shifted Nizam-ul-mulk from Delhi and he was appointed as Subahdar of [[Malwa]]. In due course Nizam captured the forts of [[Asirgarh]] and [[Burhanpur]] in the Deccan. Moreover, Nizam had also killed Mir Alam Ali Khan, the adopted son of Syed Hussain Ali Khan, who was the Deputy Subahdar of the Deccan.


At the Battle of Hasanpur many Barha Sayyids had maintained their entrenchments and continued the fight for an hour even after the capture of Qutb-ul-Mulk. When at length they were satisfied that the day was lost, the Sayyids began to cross the [[Yamuna|Jamna]] back to the Sayyid country at [[Jansath]]. Allahyar Khan left for Delhi, and Saifuddin Khan left the prince Muhammad Ibrahim at the orchard of Qutbuddin Khan, close to the village of Nekpur. Saifuddin Khan left for Jansath and sent Baqir Ali Khan and Khizr Khan to Delhi who carried off the Sayyid women and children back to the Sayyid country. In the confusion, one of the daughters of Syed Najmuddin Ali Khan, one of the brothers of Qutb-ul-Mulk, had taken refuge in the house of a mirasin or singer attached to the sayyids, and was discovered by the adherents of the emperor Muhammad Shah. She was placed in the care of his mother, Nawab Qudsiya, who proposed to marry the girl to Muhammad Shah.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Later_Mughal/ak5oFjTys8MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=muhammad+shah&pg=RA1-PA92&printsec=frontcover |title= Later Mughal |page= 93 |author= William Irvine |date= 1971|publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Distri }}</ref> Complaining that such a thing had never happened to a Barha Sayyid, Qutb-ul-Mulk did not agree to the proposal. Thereafter Muhammad Shah dropped this idea.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Muslim_Society_in_Northern_India_During/7QhuAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=daughter+najmuddin+ali+khan&dq=daughter+najmuddin+ali+khan&printsec=frontcover |title= Muslim Society in Northern India During the Eighteenth Century |author= Muhammad Umar |date= 1998 |publisher= the University of Michigan |page= 22 |isbn= 9788121508308 }}</ref>
[[File:Asaf Jah I of Hyderabad.jpg|thumb|362x362px|Nizam-ul-Mulk was instated as the [[Grand Vizier]] of the [[Mughal Empire]], by [[Muhammad Shah]] on 21 February 1722, to overthrow the Sayyid Brothers.]]Meanwhile, in [[Delhi]], a plot was devised against the Sayyid brothers. Syed Hussain Ali Khan was ultimately killed by Haider Beg of the [[Dughlats|Dughlat clan]] on 9 October 1720. Syed Hassan Ali Khan with a big army set out to avenge his brother's murder but he was defeated at Shahpur (later [[Palra, Gurgaon#Geography|Hasanpur]] in Haryana) on 15–16 November 1720 and was imprisoned.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9ctx4pwLrIoC&dq=rafi+ud+daulah+death&pg=PA141 |title=History of India |page=142 |author=Sir Roper Lethbridge  |date=1879  |publisher=the University of Michigan }}</ref> Bringing the protracted career of the Sayyid brothers to an end.


In order to reduce the power of the Turani nobles, Muhammad Shah thought of using the services of Qutb-ul-Mulk after setting him free and raising him to a high mansab. He sent a message to Qutb-ul-Mulk in this regard and received an encouraging reply from him. However, on hearing of this overture made by Muhammad Shah to Qutb-ul-Mulk and fearing the dire implications thereof, Qutb-ul-Mulk's opponents had him poisoned to death on 12 October 1722.<ref>{{cite book |title= Muslim Society in Northern India During the Eighteenth Century |page= 280 |author= Muhammad Umar |publisher= the University of Michigan |date= 1998 |isbn= 9788121508308 |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Muslim_Society_in_Northern_India_During/7QhuAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=He+sent+a+message+to+Abdullah+Khan+in+this+regard+and+received+an+encouraging+reply+from+him&dq=He+sent+a+message+to+Abdullah+Khan+in+this+regard+and+received+an+encouraging+reply+from+him&printsec=frontcover}}</ref>
==Aftermath==
Sayyid Abdullah Khan remained a prisoner in the citadel of Delhi for another two years, under the charge of Haider Quli Khan. He was "treated with respect, receiving delicate food to eat and fine clothes to wear". But so long as he survived, the Mughals remained uneasy, not knowing what sudden change of fortune might happen. Thus the nobles never ceased their efforts in alarming Muhammad Shah.<ref>{{cite book |title= Mughal Empire in India: A Systematic Study Including Source Material · Volume 1 |page= 675 |date= 1999 |publisher= Atlantic Publishers and Distributors |author= S.R. Sharma  }}</ref>


==Also known as==
The Barha Sayyids held their ground at the Battle of Hasanpur, then retreated and evacuated their families to Jansath (friendly territory of the Sayyids). One of the relative of Qutb-ul-Mulk was discovered while taking refuge in a house attached to the Sayyids. She was taken to Muhammad Shah's mother, who proposed her marriage to the emperor, but Qutb-ul-Mulk objected, and the idea was dropped by Muhammad.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ak5oFjTys8MC&dq=muhammad+shah&pg=RA1-PA92 |title= Later Mughal |page= 93 |author= William Irvine |date= 1971|publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Distri }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=7QhuAAAAMAAJ&q=daughter+najmuddin+ali+khan |title= Muslim Society in Northern India During the Eighteenth Century |author= Muhammad Umar |date= 1998 |publisher= the University of Michigan |page= 22 |isbn= 9788121508308 }}</ref>
There are several different spellings and terms for the Sayyid Brothers:


* Syed brothers
In order to reduce the power of the Turani nobles, Muhammad Shah thought of using the services of Qutb-ul-Mulk after setting him free and raising him to a high mansab. But Qutb-ul-Mulk's opponents had him poisoned to death on 12 October 1722.<ref>{{cite book |title= Muslim Society in Northern India During the Eighteenth Century |page= 280 |author= Muhammad Umar |publisher= the University of Michigan |date= 1998 |isbn= 9788121508308 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=7QhuAAAAMAAJ&q=He+sent+a+message+to+Abdullah+Khan+in+this+regard+and+received+an+encouraging+reply+from+him}}</ref> In 1723 Muhammad Shah released Sayyid Najmuddin Ali Khan Barha from prison to defeat Hamid Khan and [[Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah I|Nizam-ul-Mulk]] in their separatist policy in [[Gujarat]], and as a result Najmuddin Ali Khan Barha was given the governorship of [[Ajmer]] after the defeat of Hamid Khan.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IrzuyqW1aRwC&dq=hamid+khan+sarbuland+khan&pg=PA508 |title= Hyderabad Affairs:Volume 4 |page=508 |date=1883 |author=Moulvi Syed Mahdi Ali|publisher=Harvard University }}</ref>
* Saiyads of Barha
* Saiyid Brothers
* Saadat e Bara
* Sayyids of Barha
* Sayeeds of Barha
* Sayeed brothers


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Saadat-e-Bara]], a community of [[Sayyid]]s, which had considerable influence during the reign of the [[Mughal Empire]].
* [[Saadat-e-Bara]], a community of [[Sayyid]]s, which had considerable influence during the reign of the [[Mughal Empire]]
* [[Saadat Ali Khan I|Saadat Khan]] He played a major role in the overthrow of the Sayyid Brothers.
* [[Saadat Ali Khan I|Saadat Khan]] He played a major role in the overthrow of the Sayyid Brothers
* [[Sadaat-e-Bilgram]]
* [[Sadaat-e-Bilgram]]
* [[Sayyid dynasty]] This pre-Mughal dynasty may have been connected to the Sayyid brothers. See also [[Khizr Khan]], the founder of this dynasty.


==References==
==References==
Line 167: Line 153:
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100829090350/http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/misc/mughal.html Mughal dynasty genealogy]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100829090350/http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/misc/mughal.html Mughal dynasty genealogy]


[[Category:1666 births]]
[[Category:1668 births]]
[[Category:1720 deaths]]
[[Category:1722 deaths]]
[[Category:Assassinated military personnel]]
[[Category:Assassinated military personnel]]
[[Category:Assassinated nobility]]
[[Category:Assassinated nobility]]
[[Category:Indian Muslims]]
[[Category:18th-century Indian Muslims]]
[[Category:Mughal generals]]
[[Category:Mughal generals]]
[[Category:People from Muzaffarnagar]]
[[Category:People from Muzaffarnagar]]
[[Category:Regents of India]]
[[Category:Regents in India]]
[[Category:Sibling duos]]
[[Category:Brother duos]]
[[Category:1720 murders in Asia]]
[[Category:People assassinated in the 18th century]]
[[Category:1722 murders in Asia]]
[[Category:18th-century Mughal Empire people]]
[[Category:18th-century Indian nobility]]

Latest revision as of 20:52, 28 February 2026


Syed Husain Ali Khan
Syed Hassan Ali Khan

The Sayyid brothers were Abdullah Khan II and Syed Hussain Ali Khan, two powerful Mughal nobles who were active during the decline of the Mughal Empire.[1]

They were originally Punjabi Muslims[2] belonging to the Sadaat-e-Bara clan of the Barha dynasty, who claimed to be Sayyids or the descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.[3] Their claim was generally not accepted, and they were said to be descendants of peasants from Punjab who migrated to the eastern part of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.[4] According to historian Richard M. Eaton, they were "as native to India as were Jats, Rajputs or Marathas."[5]

The brothers became highly influential in the Mughal court after Aurangzeb's death in 1707 and became de facto sovereigns of the empire when they began to seat and unseat emperors.[6][7] They restored Mughal authority to Ajmer in Rajasthan with the surrender of Maharaja Ajit Singh, and the Jat leader Churaman.[8] During their rule, the Sikh rebel Banda Singh Bahadur was captured and executed. The Sayyids engaged in recruitment of soldiers, very few of whom were not Sayyids, or inhabitants of Barha, or non-Muslims.[9]

Emperor Bahadur Shah I died in 1712, and his successor Jahandar Shah was assassinated on the orders of the Sayyid brothers. In 1713, Jahandar's nephew Farrukhsiyar (r. 1713–1719) became the emperor also with the help of the brothers. His reign marked the ascendancy of the brothers, who monopolised state power and reduced the emperor to a figurehead. The brothers conspired to send Nizam-ul-Mulk to the Deccan, away from the Mughal court to reduce his influence. In 1719, the brothers blinded, deposed and murdered Farrukhsiyar. They then arranged for his first cousin, Rafi ud-Darajat, to be the next ruler in February 1719. When Rafi ud-Darajat died of lung disease in June, they made his elder brother, Rafi ud-Daulah (Shah Jahan II), ruler. After the latter died of lung disease in September, Muhammad Shah (r. 1719–1748) ascended the throne at the age of 17 with the Sayyid brothers as regents until 1720.

To restore his de facto power, Muhammad Shah arranged for the brothers to be killed with the help of Nizam-ul-Mulk. Syed Hussain Ali Khan was murdered at Fatehpur Sikri in 1720, and Syed Hassan Ali Khan was fatally poisoned in 1722.[10]

Early appointments of the Syed brothers[edit | edit source]

The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb leads his final expedition (1705).

The two brothers, who now come into such prominence came from the old military aristocracy. Besides the prestige of the Syed lineage and the personal renown acquired by their own valor, they were the sons of Abdullah Khan Barha[11] who was chosen by Aurangzeb as the first Subedar of Bijapur in the Deccan and then Subedar of Ajmer. Abdullah Khan had risen in the service of Ruhullah Khan, Aurangzeb's Mir Bakhshi (top government official), and finally, on receiving the rank of an imperial Mansabdar, attached himself to the eldest Prince Muazzam.

In 1697, Syed Hassan Ali Khan was Faujdar (military commander) of Sultanpur, Nazarbar in Baglana, and was appointed Subahdar (governor) of Khandesh in 1698 to halt Maratha expansion in the region. Later he was appointed ruler of Hoshangabad, Khandesh (Maharashtra). He was responsible for attacking Aurangabad during the final campaign against the Marathas in 1705 and attended the funeral of Aurangzeb in 1707.

Hassan's younger brother, Hussain Ali Khan, who is known to have greater energy than his elder brother, had during the reign of Aurangzeb held charge first of Ranthambore, in Ajmer, and then of Hindaun-Bayana, in Agra.

Role in the Mughal war of succession (1707–1709)[edit | edit source]

The Emperor Bahadur Shah I (1643–1712)

After Prince Mu'izz ud-Din Jahandar Shah, the eldest of Emperor Bahadur Shah's sons, had been appointed in 1694–95 to Multan province, Syed Hassan Ali Khan and his brother followed him there. Seeking to claim honor against the Baloch zamindar in an expedition, Jahandar Shah sought not to allow this, and assigned them under Isa Khan Main, his Punjabi Muslim administrator. Consequently, the Sayyids quit the service and went to Lahore, where they lived in comparative poverty, waiting for employment from Munim Khan II, the Nazim (convenor) of that place.[12]

When Emperor Aurangzeb died and Prince Muhammad Mu'azzam Shah Alam, reached Lahore on his march to Agra to contest the throne, the Sayyids presented themselves and allied with Shah Alam. In the Battle of Jajau on 18 June 1707, they served in the vanguard where their brother, Syed Nur ud-Din Ali Khan, was left dead on the field, and Syed Hussain Ali Khan was severely wounded. Though their rank was raised to 4,000, and the elder brother received his father's title of Syed Mian, they were not treated with high favour either by the new emperor or his vizier.[13]

Bahadur Shah on horseback.

The two Sayyids quarrelled with Khanazad Khan, the Vizier Munim Khan's second son, and offended Jahandar Shah, though the conflict was settled from a visit by the vizier, there is little doubt that this difference helped to keep them out of employment. The morning after the Battle of Jajau, the Prince Jahandar Shah visited their quarters to condole with them on the death of their brother, Syed Nur ud-Din Ali Khan. Syed Hussain Ali Khan responded aggressively, which angered Jahandar Shah and so refrained from making any recommendation to his father in their favour. However, Syed Shujaat Khan Barha held the province of Ajmer, and another Sayyid Hussain Barha was made faujdar of Amber.[14]

In April 1708, Prince Azim-ush-shan nominated the younger brother Syed Hussain Ali Khan, to represent him as the governor of Bihar, in the capital Azimabad (Patna). In October 1708, Syed Hassan Ali Khan was named subah of Ajmer, (then in a disturbed state owing to the Rajput rising) which displeased Syed Shuja'at Ali Khan Barha. When Syed Hassan Ali Khan almost reached Delhi, to raise new troops and make other preparations, Emperor Bahadur Shah, changed his mind and Shuja'at Ali Khan Barha was received again into favour and maintained in his government. Sayyid Saeed Khan Barha was placed in charge of the Kachawa capital at Amber.[15] Prince Azim-ush-shan made Syed Hassan Ali Khan his deputy of Allahabad in January 1711. Khan-i Jahan Barha was made the faujdar of Moradabad.[16]

Farrukhsiyar's request to the Sayyids[edit | edit source]

Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar

When Prince Farrukhsiyar first arrived at Azimabad, Syed Hussain Ali Khan was away recapturing the Rohtas fort of Bihar, which about this time had been seized by Muhammad Raza Rayat Khan. The Sayyids had felt annoyed on hearing that Farrukhsiyar had issued coin and caused the khutba to be read in his father, Prince Azim-ush-shan's, name, without waiting to learn the result of the impending struggle at Lahore. On returning to headquarters, he declined the Prince's overtures. The Prince's mother made a private visit to the Sayyid's mother, mentioning that the Sayyids were in their position due to the kindness of the Prince's father. That father, two brothers, and two uncles had been killed, and the Prince's own means were insufficient for any enterprise. The mother said "let Syed Hussain Ali Khan then choose his own course, either let him aid Prince Farrukhsiyar to recover his rights and revenge his father's death, or else let him place the Prince in chains and send him a prisoner to Emperor Jahandar Shah". The Sayyid's mother called her son into the harem and told him that "whatever was the result he would be a gainer: if defeated, his name would stand recorded as a hero till Judgment Day; if successful, the whole of Hindustan would be at their feet and above them none but the Emperor". Finally she exclaimed, "If you adhere to Emperor Jahandar Shah, you will have to answer before the Great Judge for disavowing your mother's claim upon you."

Syed Hussain Ali Khan then swore a binding oath that he would espouse the Prince's cause. The following night Prince Farrukhsiyar presented himself at the Khan's house, saying that he had come either to be seized and sent to Emperor Jahandar Shah or to enter into an agreement for the recovery of the throne. The Sayyid decided to fight on Prince Farrukhsiyar's behalf. He wrote at once to his elder brother, Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha, at Allahabad, inviting him to join the same side, and Prince Farrukhsiyar addressed a firman to him making many promises, and authorising him to expend the Bengal treasure, then at Allahabad, on the enlistment of troops. The two chief postings in the Empire, those of Vizier and of Amir ul Umara were formally promised to the two brothers as their reward in case of success. Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha, on being superseded at Allahabad, gives in his allegiance to Prince Farrukhsiyar.

Mughal succession crises of 1712[edit | edit source]

At first Syed Hassan Ali Khan's intention was to submit to Jahandar Shah, to whom he sent letters professing his loyalty and offering his services. Three months before the death of Emperor Bahadur Shah, he had gone to Jaunpur to restore order. In this he was not successful and the pay of his soldiers fell into arrears. The men raised a disturbance, and Syed Hassan Ali Khan's took shelter within the fort of Allahabad and promised to pay the troops once he reached the city. On the return march, word came of Emperor Bahadur Shah's death. While Syed Hassan Ali Khan was still in expectation of a favourable reply to his letter to Jahandar Shah, he was surprised to learn that Jahandar had lost favor from his own government and that a new governor (the province had been granted to a Raji Muhammad Khan, subah of Allahabad) was nominated, Syed Abdul Ghafoorr.[17]

Farrukhsiyar arrives at the friday congregation

Syed Abdul Ghafoor obtained contingents from one or two zamindars and collected altogether 6,000 to 7,000 men. When he drew near to Karra Manikpur, Syed Abul Hasan Khan, a Sayyid of Bijapur, who was Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha's Bakhshi, advanced at the head of 3,000 men to bar his progress. With Abul Hasan Khan's (who was allied to Syed Hassan Ali Khan) victory at the Battle of Sarai Alam Chand on 2 August 1712, it became clear that the Sayyids were allied against to Prince Farrukhsiyar, the new contender for the throne. Jahandar Shah confirmed Sayyid Hassan Ali Khan as governor of Allahabad.[17]

Prince Farrukhsiyar, meanwhile, had marched out with an army along with Syed Hussain Ali Khan from Patna to Allahabad to join Syed Hassan Ali Khan. Emperor Jahandar Shah learning of the defeat of his general, Syed Abdul Ghafoor sent his own son Prince Azzu-ud-Din along with Generals Lutfullah Khan and Khwaja Hussain Khan Dauran to face this army. The Second Battle of Khajwah was fought in Fatehpur District, Uttar Pradesh on 28 November 1712. Prince Farrukhsiyar defeated Prince Azzu-ud-Din, and the General Lutfullah Khan of Panipat, Sayyid Muzaffar Khan Barha, the maternal uncle of Abdullah Khan, Sayyid Hassan Khan, the son of Hussain Ali Khan, and Sayyid Mustafa Khan, who were on the opposite side, joined the faction of Farrukhsiyar.[18] This forced Jahandar Shah and his vizier to initiate the Battle of Agra on 10 January 1713, Prince Farrukhsiyar again won and became the Emperor of the Mughal Empire succeeding his uncle Jahandar Shah. Farrukhsiyar's revolt against Jahandar Shah was a risky pusuit, and his victory was due to the resources of the two Sayyid brothers.[19]

Rise of the Sayyid brothers[edit | edit source]

After his victory at the Battle of Agra in 1713, once Emperor Farrukhsiyar reached Delhi from Agre, conferred many new appointments and new titles on his generals and noblemen. Syed Hassan Ali Khan was awarded titles Nawab Qutb-ul-mulk, Yamin-ud-daulah, Syed Mian Saani, Bahadur Zafar Jung, Sipah-salar, Yar-i-wafadar and became Vizier. Syed Hussain Ali Khan was appointed first Bakhshi with the titles of Umdat-ul-mulk, Amir-ul-Umara, Bahadur, Feroze Jung, Sipah Sardar.

The Amir-ul-Umara Hussain Ali Khan, was inclined to the use of exaggerated and insolent language. Flatterers in the train of Hussain Ali Khan used to recite the verses in the emperor's presence:[20]

"The whole world and all creation seeks the shelter of your umbrella,
Kings of the world earn crowns through your emprize."

Rajputana Campaign of 1714[edit | edit source]

Ajit Singh of Marwar

The Rajput states had been in veiled revolt from the imperial authority for 50 years. Ajit Singh, Maharaja of Marwar, had taken advantage of the Mughal civil war to expel the Mughal commander from Marwar.[21] Former Emperor Bahadur Shah had been unable to reduce Ajit's power. Ajit Singh, after forbidding the slaughtering cows by Muslims for food and also the call for prayer from the Alamgiri Mosque, had entered imperial territory and taken possession of Ajmer. The Rana of Udaipur and Jai Singh II were acting in close cooperation with him, and the latter had defeated Hussain Khan Barha of Mewat in the Battle of Sambhar.[22] Early in Emperor Farrukhsiyar's reign it was determined that this encroachment must be put an end by marching against him.

Syed Hussain Ali Khan left Delhi on 6 January 1714 and Ajit Singh, "upon learning of the march of this army, was alarmed at its strength and at the prowess of the Sayyids."[23] In Ajmer, Syed Hussain Ali Khan burnt the villages belonging to Marwar, while those belonging to Amber State were left unharmed. The country was thus settled and brought under imperial rule gradually.[24] Syed Hussain Ali Khan overran Jodhpur and compelled the rebel Ajit Singh to flee and take refuge in the hills.[25][26] After a brief campaign, Raghunath, a munshi in the service of Ajit Singh came to negotiate peace with Syed Hussain Ali Khan. The terms were that Ajit Singh should give one of his daughters in marriage to Farrukhsiyar. Roshan-ud-Daulah arrived at court on 18 May 1714 with the news.

Rebellion of Churaman Jat[edit | edit source]

On the advice of the Syed brothers, the emperor Farrukhsiyar had sent Jai Singh, Maharaja of Amber, who had taken part in his father's campaigns against the Jats as a boy, in an expedition against Churaman Jat, resulting in a siege that lasted 12 months.[27][28] The Sayyids appointed their uncle Sayyid Khan-i-Jahan Barha to command a second army.[29] Churaman made overtures to the Wazir Qutb-ul-Mulk, offering tribute and surrendered his fortresses.[30] Churaman Jat became a new favorite of the Sayyids, which became a useful ally until the death of the Sayyids.[31]

Court factions[edit | edit source]

The early Mughals were Turco-Mongol origin,[32] and gradually absorbed Indian culture along with Central Asian influences.[33] The influence of Indian culture was extremely pronounced, as the Mughals successively married into the Hindu Rajput dynasties[34][35] and became Indianised, and all the Mughal emperors since Akbar had high-caste Hindu Rajput wives, and in most cases, mothers, including Jahangir and Shah Jahan.[36] There were also significant Turkish and Irani officials in the Mughal court, and many of the Mughal princesses and wives that were a part of the large Mughal royal harem were of Persian or Turkish descent.[37]

File:India, Mughal Dynasty - Husain Ali Khan Entertaining His Brothers (The Sayyid Brothers) - 2013.334 - Cleveland Museum of Art.tif As Farrukhsiyar was unable to overthrow the Sayyid brothers by himself, he raised the emperor's party with the aim to overthrow the Sayyids.[38][39] For this task he chose Khan-i Dauran (an Indian Muslim of Agra),[40] Mir Jumla,[41] Shaista Khan (Inayatullah Kashmiri, an old Alamgiri noble),[42][43] and later, Itiqad Khan,[44] the last whom he chose as the future Wazir. Itiqad Khan was related by marriage to Farrukhsiyar's mother, who was also of Kashmiri descent.[45]

There were other blocs of power such as the Irani faction, related by marriage to the court. The leader of this faction, Zulfiqar Khan, was a Shi'a Persian noble born in India, and it relied on Indian power-holders of various origin. The faction, during the year-long reign of Jahandar Shah, found opposition to Kolkatash Khan.[46] With the overthrow of Jahandar Shah, and the execution of Zulfiqar Khan by the Sayyid Brothers,[47] an Indo-Muslim party came into ascendance under the Sayyid faction.[48] The Sayyid party which ruled during the reign of Farrukhsiyar was a powerful faction linked by ties of blood and marriage. The Sayyid party was distinct from other factions as the Sayyid leaders recruited very few who were neither Sayyids, nor Muslim.[49] As the bulk of their troops were their own Sayyid clanmen, the Sayyids had greater strength and cohesion than other factions in the Mughal court. The Sayyids had developed a sort of common brotherhood among themselves and took up the cause of every individual as an insult to the whole group.[50] They were strongly united around their leaders, Qutb-ul-Mulk and Amir-ul-Umara Hussain Ali Khan. The unique privilege of the Sayyids in leading the imperial vanguard also gave them an advantage over other parts of the Mughal military and exalted their sense of social pride.[51]

The Sayyid party continuously tried to counteract Farrukhsiyar's plots to attain self-rule.[52] Another bloc, the Turanis, also formed an opposition to Sayyid rule. The Turanis were not in a position to sufficiently act as a power pressure group against the Sayyids, or to bargain from a position of strength, and Farrukhsiyar did not trust the group as he suspected they would attempt to weaken him.[53] There was a continual struggle for power between the Indian Muslim, Irani and Turani blocs at court, and each attempted to win the favour of the emperor in order to counter the other factions.[54][55]

Farrukhsiyar's struggles with the Sayyids[edit | edit source]

The Sayyid Brothers had considerably reduced the power of Mughal Empire until they were finally overthrown by Nizam-ul-Mulk.

The Sayyids saw Farrukhsiyar's accession to the throne as their doing, and resented the grant of any sharing of power to other persons. On the other hand, the small group of Farrukhsiyar's intimates, men who had known him from his childhood and stood on the most familiar terms with him, such as Khan-i Dauran,[56] were aggrieved at their exclusion from a share in the spoils, but did not believe they were strong enough to counter the Sayyids openly. Their plan, therefore was to work upon the weak-minded Farrukhsiyar by telling him:

"The Sayyids look upon you as their creation, and think nothing of you or your power. They hold the two chief civil and military officers, their relations and friends have the principal other offices, and the most profitable land assignments (jagirs). Their power will go on increasing, until should they enter on treasonable projects, there will be no one to resist them."[57]

Neither Farrukhsiyar nor his favorites dared to attack them openly, and Farrukhsiyar was obliged to submit to the Sayyid brothers, but continued his intrigues.[58] Farrukhsiyar had obtained the throne largely due to the martial kills of the Sayyid Brothers, who, from Barha had provided contingents to the imperial armies. Even as Emperor, he lacked revenues to fund his own forces, as he could not confront the Syed Brothers. Further, the Syed Brothers threatened to enthrone another imperial family member whenever Farrukhsiyar proved too demanding. Farrukhsiyar was forced to turn to other nobles, who were to be raised on an equal position to them.[59] The Sayyid Brothers, resisted the raising of other nobles to power.[60] During the Mir Bakhshi's absence during the Rajputana campaign, Farrukhsiyar started raising funds to raise troops for Khwaja Asim Khan-i Dauran and Ubaidullah Mir Jumla II in opposition to the Sayyid brothers.[61] Khan-i Dauran was put at the head of 5,000 Wala-Shahis, while Mir Jumla was given 5,000 Mughal troops, recruited by his adopted son, Amanat Khan.

Being a man of the sword and a soldier, Syed Hassan Ali Khan had no natural taste for civil and financial administration, and found no opportunity in acquiring such experience. The Sayyids had historically served military roles rather than as administrators. This Wazir was endowed with virtues of courage and generosity, but lacked the zeal for public service and resisted the drudgery of office work.[62] Ratan Chand, a Hindu Baniya of Jansath near the Sayyids home was appointed instead by Abdullah to his clerical work and trusted him with the financial affairs of the state that was meant for the Wazir. He had been recently created a Raja with the rank of 2,000 zat in 1712 by Farrukhsiyar,[63] and came to be regarded as a very effective administrator.[64][65][66] He was even entrusted with appointment of kazis. While it was usually the Wazir who brought candidates to the Emperor, Mir Jumla instead independently did this. As the Wazir suffered in influence, the Sayyids felt aggrieved, and Abdullah Khan now wrote letters to his brother to return to Delhi with all possible speed from his campaign in Rajputana. The Mir Bakhshi reached the capital on 16 July 1714.

Mir Jumla, having no real strength of character, made excuses during talks and drew to one side. While Khan Dauran was frightened that if he should ever be called on to take the lead, he may lose his life in the attempt to destroy the Sayyids. As for the Emperor, his own troops were much weaker to the Sayyids. The imperial and Wala-shahi troops comprised many low-caste men and mere artisans held commands. As the Emperor was aware of the unity and the firm resolve of the Syed Brothers, decided once more to resume friendly relations with them. In December 1714, the Syed Brothers assembled their troops and possessed themselves of the gates of the citadel containing the Emperor's palace, proposing terms of reconciliation.

Portrait of Lutfullah Khan Sadiq Panipati

The Sayyid Brothers' terms were that they would not reconciliate unless Mir Jumla and Khan-i Dauran were dismissed. Islam Khan V, Sayyid Hussain Khan Barha, Sayyid Shujaat Khan Barha and Khwaja Jafar would negotiate a settlement whereby Mir Jumla was forced out of office in Delhi and sent to Bihar on 16 December 1714.[67] However, Khan-i Dauran was spared due to the intercession of his brother Khwaja Jafar, who was a holy man, who swore that Khan-i Dauran would never act against the Sayyid Brothers.[68] Lutfullah Khan Sadiq, Farrukhsiyar's closest advisor,[69] who was despised by the Sayyid Brothers, was deprived of his rank, and his mansions and gardens were confiscated.[70] Successive agents chosen by Farrukhsiyar gave up the attempt and went over to the Sayyids as they were seen to be more capable in protecting their own interests.[71]

Syed Hussain Ali Khan entered the palace with his men, observing the same precautions as in the case of Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha. Some months before this time Hussain Ali Khan had obtained in his own favour a grant of the Deccan provinces, but he had meant to exercise the government through a deputy, Daud Khan Panni. Now it was proposed that Hussain Ali Khan would leave court and take over charge of the Deccan himself. Khan-i Dauran was appointed as the deputy of Hussain Ali Khan in his duties as Mir Bakhshi.

Deccan campaigns[edit | edit source]

Sayyid Hussain Ali Khan was appointed the Viceroy of the Deccan. In an unprecedented measure, he was given a grand seal which gave him full authority to assign jagirs in the Deccan, appoint and dismiss officers and commandants of the great fortresses, which were previously jealously guarded by the Mughal royals in order to serve as a counterweight against overly ambitious provincials.[72]

He rejected his predecessor Daud Khan Panni's agreements of tribute to the Marathas.[73] Farrukhsiyar sent Daud Khan Panni, the newly appointed governor of Burhanpur,[74] a secret message to attack and kill Hussain Khan, if possible. Daud Khan Panni attempted to gain the backing of the Marathas in order to attack Hussain Khan, while the Nizam left in disgust.[75] However, at the Battle of Burhanpur, Daud Khan was easily defeated and killed by Hussain Khan, who captured Farrukhsiyar's letters to the rebel at his camp.[76] The Marathas had remained inactive during the battle.

Hussain Khan was eager to establish his firm hold over the Deccan. Without much precaution, he declared hostility to the Marathas.[77] As a result, Maratha raiding and indecisive open warfare continued.[78] In 1717, his general Zulfiqar Beg sent 4,000 horse and 2,000 infantry to punish Khandoji Dabhade, who was defeated and killed.[79] In order to avenge his death, Syed Hussain Ali Khan sent Muhakkam Singh, the son of Churaman Jat (who was loyal to the Barha Sayyids), and his brother Saif-ud-Din Khan Barha, to punish the Marathas. Dahbade and his Marathas, who were plundering Khandesh, were defeated at a battle near Ahmadnagar. The army dispersed and fled, after which Syed Hussain Ali Khan ravaged the Maratha territory up to the suburbs of Satara.[80][81] In these campaigns he was assisted by the Maratha chiefs Chandrasen Jadhav and Nemaji Sindhia.

In 1717, fearing that the Sayyid brothers would replace him, Farrukhsiyar blinded three princes who had the potential to be raised to the throne, including his younger brother.[82]

Negotiating[edit | edit source]

Sayyid brothers were accused of treachery due to their abilities to negotiate peace with the Maratha Confederacy.

Short-reign emperors[edit | edit source]

Enthronement of Rafi-ad-Darajat[edit | edit source]

Rafi ud-Darajat

The Sayyid Brothers raised Rafi-ud-Darajat to the throne, a grandson of Bahadur Shah I, who was 20 years old. Rafi-ud-Darajat was no more than a show-piece, as he could not be served food and water without the permission of the Sayyid Brothers. Hussain Ali Khan exercised complete authority.[83] As Rafi-ad-Darajat was in an advanced stage of consumption, he was deposed on June 4, 1719 and died a week later after his deposition.[84]

Rebellion of Prince Nikusiyar[edit | edit source]

The rivals of the Syed Brothers proclaimed Nikusiyar, another puppet-king, as emperor. Abdullah Khan favoured Nikusiyar, against the wishes of Hussain Khan. Hussain's view prevailed, and the Syed Brothers defeated Nikusiyar and his allies. Hussain Khan besieged Agra in June, and Nikusiyar surrendered in August.[85] Nikusiyar was sent to prison where he died.[86] His supporter, Mitrasen, committed suicide and the Sayyid Brothers fought Jai Singh of Jaipur. At Fatehpur Sikri, they divided the spoils of Agra amongst themselves.[87]

Enthronement of Shah Jahan II[edit | edit source]

Shah Jahan II

Rafi-ud-Daulah was enthroned as Shah Jahan II. He, too, lived within the fort, as a prisoner of the Sayyid Brothers, and was not allowed independence even in his private life. Inayatullah Kashmiri, who was the maternal uncle of Farrukhsiyar, raised an army for overthrowing the Sayyids. But in June, 1719, Inayatullah Khan was seized at Delhi and thrown into prison.[88]

End of the Sayyid brothers[edit | edit source]

See also: Battle of Balapur

Contemporary evidence suggests that public opinion did not approve of Farrukhsiyar, but turned against the Sayyid Brothers after his execution. The way in which members of the imperial family were treated provoked an outburst of anger.[89] The rising power of the Sayyid brothers aroused the jealousy of other nobles, including the Iranis and Turanis, whose status had been reduced. As a result, they formed a force of counter-revolution against the Sayyid brothers under the leadership of Nizam-ul-Mulk. To subdue the counter-revolution, the Sayyid brothers shifted Nizam-ul-mulk from Delhi and he was appointed as Subahdar of Malwa. In due course Nizam captured the forts of Asirgarh and Burhanpur in the Deccan. Moreover, Nizam had also killed Mir Alam Ali Khan, the adopted son of Syed Hussain Ali Khan, who was the Deputy Subahdar of the Deccan.

Nizam-ul-Mulk was instated as the Grand Vizier of the Mughal Empire, by Muhammad Shah on 21 February 1722, to overthrow the Sayyid Brothers.

Meanwhile, in Delhi, a plot was devised against the Sayyid brothers. Syed Hussain Ali Khan was ultimately killed by Haider Beg of the Dughlat clan on 9 October 1720. Syed Hassan Ali Khan with a big army set out to avenge his brother's murder but he was defeated at Shahpur (later Hasanpur in Haryana) on 15–16 November 1720 and was imprisoned.[90] Bringing the protracted career of the Sayyid brothers to an end.

Aftermath[edit | edit source]

Sayyid Abdullah Khan remained a prisoner in the citadel of Delhi for another two years, under the charge of Haider Quli Khan. He was "treated with respect, receiving delicate food to eat and fine clothes to wear". But so long as he survived, the Mughals remained uneasy, not knowing what sudden change of fortune might happen. Thus the nobles never ceased their efforts in alarming Muhammad Shah.[91]

The Barha Sayyids held their ground at the Battle of Hasanpur, then retreated and evacuated their families to Jansath (friendly territory of the Sayyids). One of the relative of Qutb-ul-Mulk was discovered while taking refuge in a house attached to the Sayyids. She was taken to Muhammad Shah's mother, who proposed her marriage to the emperor, but Qutb-ul-Mulk objected, and the idea was dropped by Muhammad.[92][93]

In order to reduce the power of the Turani nobles, Muhammad Shah thought of using the services of Qutb-ul-Mulk after setting him free and raising him to a high mansab. But Qutb-ul-Mulk's opponents had him poisoned to death on 12 October 1722.[94] In 1723 Muhammad Shah released Sayyid Najmuddin Ali Khan Barha from prison to defeat Hamid Khan and Nizam-ul-Mulk in their separatist policy in Gujarat, and as a result Najmuddin Ali Khan Barha was given the governorship of Ajmer after the defeat of Hamid Khan.[95]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Faruqui, Munis D. (2012). The Princes of the Mughal Empire, 1504–1719. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/cbo9781139135474. ISBN 978-1-107-02217-1.
  2. ↑ Umar, Muhammad (1994). "The Barha Saiyids and Associated Clans (summary)". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 55: 432–435. ISSN 2249-1937.
  3. ↑ Claude Markovits; Maggy Hendry; Nisha George (2002). A History of Modern India, 1480-1950. Anthem. ISBN 9781843310044.
  4. ↑ A., Kolff, Dirk H. (2002). Naukar, Rajput, and sepoy : the ethnohistory of the military labour market in Hindustan, 1450-1850. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-52305-2. OCLC 717564639. As another example of such soldiers of marginal peasant origin, the Barha Sayyids, a celebrated troop of soldiers under the Mughals deserve attention. They were said to be the descendants of the families who had, at an uncertain date, moved from their homes in Panjab to a sandy and infertile tract of what is now the eastern part of the Muzaffarnagar district{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ Eaton, Richard M. (2020). India in the Persianate Age: 1000-1765. National Geographic Books. p. 342. ISBN 978-0-14-198539-8. On one side were the Saiyid brothers, whose Baraha clan of Indian Muslims was as native to India as were Jats, Rajputs or Marathas.
  6. ↑ Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. p. 193. ISBN 978-9-38060-734-4.
  7. ↑ Mohammad Yasin. Upper India Publishing House. 1958. p. 18.
  8. ↑ Krishna S. Dhir (2022). The Wonder That Is Urdu. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 119. ISBN 9788120843011.
  9. ↑ Abdul Aziz (1964). Discovery of Pakistan. the University of Michigan. p. 136.
  10. ↑ Khan, Shaharyar M. (2000). The Begums of Bhopal (illustrated ed.). I.B.Tauris. p. 18. ISBN 978-1-86064-528-0.
  11. ↑ Later Mughals by William Irvine
  12. ↑ Muzaffar Alam (1986). The Crisis of Empire in Mughal North India. Oxford University Press, Bombay. p. 21.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ↑ William Irvine (1971). Later Mughal. Atlantic Publishers & Distri. p. 204.
  14. ↑ Calcutta Review Volume 52. Indiana University. 1871. p. 335.
  15. ↑ Satish Chandra (1993). Mughal Religious Policies, the Rajputs & the Deccan. p. 99.
  16. ↑ Raj Pal Singh · (1998). Banda Bahadur and His Times. Harman Publishing House. ISBN 9788186622254.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Journal of Indian History: Volume 61. University of Allahabad. Department of Modern Indian History, more. 1983. p. 111.
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  19. ↑ Malik, Zahiruddin (1977). The Reign Of Muhammad Shah 1919-1748. p. 10.
  20. ↑ William Irvine (1971). Later Mughal. Atlantic Publishers & Distri.
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  22. ↑ Journal of the Rajasthan Institute of Historical Research: Volume 12. Rajasthan Institute of Historical Research. 1975. p. 21.
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  25. ↑ CUP Archive. The Cambridge Shorter History of India. CUP Archive. p. 456.
  26. ↑ Zahiruddin Malik, Zahir Uddin Malik (1977). The reign of Muhammad Shah, 1719-1748. Asia Publishing House. p. 49. ISBN 9780210405987.
  27. ↑ Ranbir Sinh (2001). History of Shekhawats. the University of Michigan. p. 30. ISBN 9788186782743.
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  29. ↑ Calcutta Review: Volume 52. Indiana University. 1871. p. 335.
  30. ↑ William Irvine (1971). Later Mughal. Atlantic Publishers & Distri. p. 326.
  31. ↑ Ram Pande (2006). Social and Political History of the Jats, Bharatpur Upto 1826. the University of Michigan. p. 22.
  32. ↑ Berndl, Klaus (2005). National Geographic Visual History of the World. National Geographic Society. pp. 318–320. ISBN 978-0-7922-3695-5.
  33. ↑ Foltz, Richard (July 1996). "THE CENTRAL ASIAN NAQSHBANDĪ CONNECTIONS OF THE MUGHAL EMPERORS". Journal of Islamic Studies. 7 (2): 229–239. doi:10.1093/jis/7.2.229. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  34. ↑ Gilbert, Marc Jason (2017). South Asia in World History. Oxford University Press. p. 79. ISBN 978-0-19-976034-3.
  35. ↑ Mohammada, Malika (2007). The Foundations of the Composite Culture in India. Aakar Books. p. 300. ISBN 978-81-89833-18-3.
  36. ↑ Lefèvre, Corinne (2007). "Recovering a Missing Voice from Mughal India: The Imperial Discourse of Jahāngīr (r. 1605–1627) in His Memoirs". Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient. 50 (4): 452–489. doi:10.1163/156852007783245034. JSTOR 25165207. S2CID 153839580. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  37. ↑ Chaurasia, Radhey Shyam (2002). History of Modern India: 1707 A.D. To Upto 2000 A.D. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. ISBN 81-269-0085-7.
  38. ↑ Kaushar Ali (1977). A New History of Indo-Pakistan, Since 1526. Aziz Publishers.
  39. ↑ Ashvini Agrawal (1983). Studies in Mughal History. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 195. ISBN 9788120823266.
  40. ↑ William Irvine (1971). Later Mughal. Atlantic Publishers & Distri. p. 262.
  41. ↑ Michael J Sweet (2010). Mission to Tibet: The Extraordinary Eighteenth-Century Account of Father Ippolito Desideri S. J. Wisdom Publications. ISBN 9780861719303.
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  44. ↑ Jagadish Narayan Sarkar (1976). A Study of Eighteenth Century India: Political history, 1707-1761. Saraswat Library.
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  46. ↑ Zahiruddin Malik (1977). The Reign Of Muhammad Shah 1919-1748. p. 24.
  47. ↑ Muni Lal (1989). Mini Mughals. Konark Publishers. p. 28. ISBN 9788122001747.
  48. ↑ Zahiruddin Malik (1977). The Reign Of Muhammad Shah 1919-1748. p. 23.
  49. ↑ Abdul Aziz (1964). Discovery of Pakistan. the University of Michigan. p. 136.
  50. ↑ Mohammad Yasin (1958). A Social History of Islamic India, 1605-1748. p. 18.
  51. ↑ Zahiruddin Malik (1977). The Reign Of Muhammad Shah 1919-1748. p. 32.
  52. ↑ Ashvini Agrawal (1983). Studies in Mughal History. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 195. ISBN 9788120823266.
  53. ↑ Zahiruddin Malik (1977). The Reign Of Muhammad Shah 1919-1748. p. 30.
  54. ↑ Radhey Shyam Chaurasia (2002). History of Modern India: 1707 A.D. to Upto 2000 A.D. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 5. ISBN 9788126900855.
  55. ↑ History of Modern India: 1707 A.D. to Up to 2000 A.D. by Radhey Shyam Chaurasia, Atlantic Publishers & Dist, ISBN 81-269-0085-7
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  63. ↑ Rajvanshi Samaj ki mahan vibhitiyan, Ghaziabad, 7 May 2017
  64. ↑ History of Origin of Some Clans in India, Mangal Sen Jindal, Pub. Sarup and Sons, 1992
  65. ↑ The Kingmaker of the Mughal Empire (2018) Avnish Rajvanshi Productions
  66. ↑ A Sketch of the History of Hindustán from the First Muslim Conquest to the Fall of the Mughal Empire by Henry George Keene, published by W. H. Allen & Co., 1885
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  69. ↑ G. S. Cheema (2002). The Forgotten Mughals:A History of the Later Emperors of the House of Babar, 1707-1857. Manohar Publishers & Distributors. p. 117. ISBN 9788173044168.
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  73. ↑ Satish Chandra (2005). Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part - II. p. 281.
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  75. ↑ Vengalil A. Janaki (1980). The Commerce of Cambay from the Earliest Period to the Nineteenth Century. Department of Geography, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda ; copies can be had from University Publications Sales Unit. p. 84.
  76. ↑ John F. Richards, Gordon Johnson (1993). The Mughal Empire: Part 1, Volume 5. Cambridge University Press. p. 267. ISBN 9780521566032.
  77. ↑ Jaswant Mehta (2005). Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813. Publisher:New Dawn Press, Incorporated. p. 75. ISBN 9781932705546.
  78. ↑ John F. Richards, Gordon Johnson (1993). The Mughal Empire: Part 1, Volume 5. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521566032.
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  80. ↑ Setumadhava Rao Pagdi, P. Setu Madhava Rao (1963). Eighteenth Century Deccan. Popular Prakashan. p. 56. ISBN 9788171543670.
  81. ↑ The Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society: Volume 87. Mythic Society (Bangalore, India). 1996. p. 14.
  82. ↑ Jaiwant E Paul (2017). Baji Rao: the Warrior Peshwa. Roli Books. ISBN 9789351941200.
  83. ↑ Muhammad Umar (1998). Muslim Society in Northern India During the Eighteenth Century. Available with the author. p. 355. ISBN 9788121508308.
  84. ↑ The Cambridge Shorter History of India. CUP Archive. p. 457.
  85. ↑ Kallidaikurichi Aiyah Nilakanta Sastri (1950). Modern India. S. Viswanathan.
  86. ↑ Masudul Hasan, Abdul Waheed (1974). Outline History of the Islamic World. Ferozsons. p. 69.
  87. ↑ The Cambridge Shorter History of India. CUP Archive. p. 457.
  88. ↑ The Cambridge History of India. 1955. p. 340.
  89. ↑ Zahiruddin Malik (1973). A Mughal Statesman of the Eighteenth Century, Khan-i-Dauran, Mir Bakshi of Muhammad Shah, 1719-1739. the] Centre of Advanced Study, Department of History, Aligarh Muslim University. p. 37. ISBN 9780210405444.
  90. ↑ Sir Roper Lethbridge (1879). History of India. the University of Michigan. p. 142.
  91. ↑ S.R. Sharma (1999). Mughal Empire in India: A Systematic Study Including Source Material · Volume 1. Atlantic Publishers and Distributors. p. 675.
  92. ↑ William Irvine (1971). Later Mughal. Atlantic Publishers & Distri. p. 93.
  93. ↑ Muhammad Umar (1998). Muslim Society in Northern India During the Eighteenth Century. the University of Michigan. p. 22. ISBN 9788121508308.
  94. ↑ Muhammad Umar (1998). Muslim Society in Northern India During the Eighteenth Century. the University of Michigan. p. 280. ISBN 9788121508308.
  95. ↑ Moulvi Syed Mahdi Ali (1883). Hyderabad Affairs:Volume 4. Harvard University. p. 508.

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