Moin-ul-Mulk

Moin-ul-Mulk also known by his title Mir Mannu (died 1753) was the Mughal and later Durrani governor of the Lahore Subah between 1748 and 1753.

Early life

Moin-ul-Mulk was the son of Qamar-ud-Din Khan, Grand Vizier of the Mughal Empire, and younger brother of Intizam-ud-Daulah.[1]

Subedar of Lahore

In March 1748, Moin-ul-Mulk successfully commanded troops in the defeat of Ahmad Shah Durrani at the Battle of Manupur.[2] During the campaign, his father was struck and killed by a canonball whilst encamped and praying.[3] In battle he held the Mughal vanguard until reinforcements arrived from Safdar Jung, subsequently making a bold dash of cavalry which resulted in the routing of Durrani's forces.[1]

After Durrani's retreat to Afghanistan, Moin-ul-Mulk was made governor of the Subah of Lahore on 11 April 1748 by Muhammad Shah Rangila.[4] The appointment of Moin-ul-Mulk was opposed by the new wazir Safdar Jung.[5]

Soon into Moin-ul-Mulk's reign in the Punjab, Durrani launched a second invasion in December 1749. Despite requests to Delhi, the Mughal government led by Safdar Jung refused to send reinforcements to his aid. Realising he could not defeat the Afghans, he opened negotiations. The terms of the treaty promised revenue from the Chahar Mahal region, namely Sialkot, Gujrat, Pasrur and Aurangabad to the Afghans.[4]

In 1751–52, Durrani launched his third invasion on the pretext of non-payment of revenue from the Chahar Mahal region. Moin-ul-Mulk concentrated his forces by requesting troops from Kaura Mal in Multan and Adina Beg in Jalandhar. His army additionally consisted of 20,000 Sikh troops.[5] Moin-ul-Mulk led his troops across the Ravi to confront Afghan troops under Jahan Khan and Durrani. However instead of joining up with Jahan Khan, Durrani detoured to Lahore from the north-east. Moin-ul-Mulk retreated to Lahore where he entrenched his forces outside the city walls.[5] Durrani besieged Lahore for four months, causing widespread devastation in the surrounding areas. Again no reinforcements were sent from Delhi and no Mughal noble came to Moin-ul-Mulk's aid, resulting in his defeat on 6 March 1752.[4] In the resulting peace agreement ratified by the Mughal emperor on 13 April, the subahs of Lahore and Multan were ceded to the Durrani Empire. Impressed by Moin-ul-Mulk's bravery during the siege, Durrani conferred on him the title Farzand Khan Bahadur Rustam-e-Hind and reinstated him as governor of Lahore, albeit now on his behalf.[4]

Death

Moin-ul-Mulk died in November 1753 after falling from his horse.[6] Durrani's three-year-old son, Mahmud Khan, succeeded as the Afghan governor of Lahore and Multan, with Moin-ul-Mulk's two-year-old son, Muhammad Amin Khan, as his deputy. In reality power was exercised through Moin-ul-Mulk's widow Mughlani Begum.[5] After his death, the Punjab hastened into turmoil as competing groups vied for political supremacy in Lahore, Multan and Delhi.[7]

References
  1. Siddiqi, Zameeruddin. “THE WIZARAT OF SAFDAR JANG.” Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, vol. 29, 1967, pp. 190–204. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/44155496. Accessed 3 Aug. 2020.
  2. Dupree, Louis (2014). Afghanistan. Princeton University Press. p. 355. ISBN 1400858917.
  3. Sarkar, Sir Jaduanth. Fall of the Mughal Empire (Vol 1 ed.). p. 223.
  4. Lal Mehta, Jaswant (2005). Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 252. ISBN 1932705546.
  5. Roy, Kaushik (2015). War and Society in Afghanistan: From the Mughals to the Americans, 1500–2013. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0199089442.
  6. Keene, Henry George (1887). The Fall of the Moghul Empire of Hindustan. Library of Alexandria. ISBN 146552035X.
  7. Saggu VSM, D.S (7 Jun 2018). Battle Tactics And War Manoeuvres of the Sikhs. Notion Press. ISBN 1642490067.
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