Canberra, 7 January 2022 On the untimely death of Baji Rao, the Deccan faction in the Maratha court once again attempted to stop the hereditary appointment of the Chitpavan Brahmin Bhat family as Peshwas. This faction was led by Raghuji Bhonsle, who was also one of King Shahu’s favourite nobles. Raghuji had been at loggerheads […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 13 Peshwa Baji Rao I Section IV A Peshwa Fades Away
Canberra, 26 December 2021 The Marathas always faced obstacles in establishing strong control over the coastal region of Konkan. The Sidis, and later the Portugues, individually contested the control over this narrow, but strategically important coastal strip. The control of Konkan translated to the control of the lucrative seaborne trade that also included horses and […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 83 Shah Jahan Section IV The War of Succession 2. Civil War
Canberra, 1 January 2021 The four sons of Shah Jahan had started preparing for the inevitable succession struggle even before he actually fell ill. Each one attempted to win over as many nobles as possible to their individual camps; and the nobles responded in the only manner they would—attempting to side with the prince who […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 80 Humayun – The Sentimental Dreamer Section I: A Royal Inheritance
Canberra, 10 April 2020 On his deathbed, Babur introduced his eldest son Humayun as his successor to a specially convened council of nobles and ministers. He then went on to advise the prince, to whom he had bequeathed his kingdom, ‘do naught against your brothers, even though they may deserve it’, an instruction that the […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 65 The Bahmani Kingdom Section III The Bidar Sultans
Canberra, 2 April 2018 Ahmad Shah Bahmani After Firuz abdicated, Ahmad Shah ascended the throne without any opposition. His minister and other supporters advised him to kill Hasan Khan, Firuz’s son, since they felt that he would be a threat to the new Sultan; even if not immediately but definitely in later times. This […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 58 The Sayyid Dynasty Section I: Khizr Khan Sayyid
Canberra, 29 September 2017 When Timur ‘the Scourge of God’ departed India, the Delhi Sultanate was in an appalling state of disintegration. The once large empire had fragmented into small independent states, some of which were larger than the core Delhi Sultanate itself. Even so, the Sultanate endured for another 114 years, mostly in perilous […]
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