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Exactly 250 years ago, Asaf-ud-Daula — the fourth nawab of Awadh – made a bold move. Claiming the throne soon after his father’s demise, he moved to Lucknow and made it the power centre.
When he set up his court, Lucknow – which was an important economic centre in those days – also became the capital of Awadh. But what led to change was a family saga full of high on drama, ‘saas-bahu’ tug-of-war and a story of revenge.In the last week of January 1775, a deluge of sadness engulfed the house of Awadh in Faizabad. The ruling nawab – Shuja-ud-Daula had departed – all of a sudden, at the age of 43 years.A few days later, Asaf had declared himself to be the nawab of Awadh despite the general sentiment of the nobility being against him.
He also approached his mother — Bahu Begum — to give her some expenses even though ten days of his father’s death had not passed. Though hurt by her son’s rash behaviour, Bahu Begum – who believed that good or bad, her only son was her sole treasure — agreed to give Asaf a sum of Rs six lakh in addition to gifts to help him establish himself as the Nawab of Awadh.Few months later, Nawab started living in Lucknow never to come back again.
The move made it north India’s important centre of power. In the Nawab’s desire to craft a unique identity for himself, Lucknow earned its unique identity.
The Palace Intrigue
The shifting of capital from Faizabad to Lucknow is no less than the plot of a soap opera. Asaf-ud-Daula was the eldest child of the then ruling Nawab and his principal wife Bahu Begum. He was also made the heir apparent in the lifetime of his father. But as time passed by, even Shuja started doubting the capabilities of Asaf especially amid news of his frequent visits to Lucknow to pursue his pastimes.The sentiment was shared by his domineering mother who also held an evolved sense of political acumen. Even to the nobles and officials, Asaf was a pampered mumma’s boy who was both volatile, intemperate and incompetent.Contemporary travellers also detested Asaf. French nobleman Comte Louis Federbe De Modave — who was employed in the court of Shuja-ud-daula described Asaf as: “the new nawab is grotesquely overweight… so that he cannot ride a horse…”Shuja had ten sons and the second in line to the throne — Saadat Ali – was Asaf’s contender.
Apple of his grand-mother’s eye, Saadat enjoyed a virtuous reputation and displayed tactfulness in matters of administrative importance.He was in-charge of Rohilkhand at that time and led an army of 20,000 soldiers. Shuja had even begun to consider Saadat as his successor.Asaf’s mother, however, was blinded by her love for the son, and she continued to resist the hostility. On one occasion, she even told her mother-in-law that to her all of Shuja’s sons may mean the same but for her, Asaf was her sole treasure.
When Shuja died, Asaf was quick to declare his stake on the title of Nawab.During his lifetime as the ruler, Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula had banished a man by the name of Murtaza Khan alongwith his brother for their father’s aspirations against his mother – the Nawab Begum. It is believed that Murtaza Khan had been nursing a deep grudge against the family of Shuja-ud-Daula and had intended to bring ruin to that house, mentions KS Santha in her book ‘Begums of Awadh’.In Lucknow – where Asaf-ud-Daula visited frequently — Murtaza and his brother managed to gain his favour, only as part of their larger plan to avenge their ceremonial exit from Faizabad.Described as ‘too weak and simple to grasp the intricate moves’, Asaf imposed all his trust in Murtaza and appointed him as his minister. He also bestowed upon him the title of Mukhtar-ud-Daula which placed him above all the other ministers in his court.
Empowered by the Nawab’s blind faith, Murtaza started executing his plan. Immediately after the death of Shuja, Murtaza instigated Asaf to apply to his mother for expense even when she was in mourning.Asaf took the money and frittered it away (presumably in Lucknow) only to raise another demand. It is also said that at the insistence of Murtaza Khan, Asaf made a residence for himself in Yakh Mahal in Lucknow and never returned to Faizabad.
Meanwhile, Murtaza manoeuvred this move to keep Asaf away from the influence of the two begums, his grandmother and mother.
The Flash Point
While the Nawab remained contended with the very idea of him pursuing a leisurely life of amusement, unhampered and unchecked by the strict begums, Murtaza became his proxy and grew powerful. He slowly undertook to impair the government and appointed his own men in various offices — including his brother Saiyyad Mohammad Khan as his deputy, who he sent to Faizabad on behalf of the Nawab.
He also began to dismiss the trusted old servants of the family.On several occasions, the Khan brothers flouted royal protocols of the zenana and walked into the Nawab’s mother palace with a dagger which was an act of utmost disrespect. The situation became explosive in no time. Bahu Begum got her security beefed up immediately. Her brothers – who had been living with her – were quick to join.Lashing out at Murtaza, a frustrated Bahu Begum stated, “…when men are like this… women stand a bad chance.
”Failing to arrest the increasing influence of Murtaza and feeling insecure, she contacted the East India Company’s resident of Awadh John Bristow, but he, too, was of little help to her as Murtaza was able to manipulate him in favour of the Nawab.In his resolve for revenge, Murtaza had also pledged to ruin Shuja’s wife financially. So, he cleverly persuaded the Nawab by saying, “All the accumulated wealth of Safdar Jung and Shuja-ud-Daula is with the Begum and it all will go to keep up the style of their eunuchs…if you direct, I shall go and get it out of them as best as I can…” Nawab gave in to his malicious persuasion.Soon after, Murtaza took along John Bristow and a huge force to Faizabad. His body language and behaviour had become rude and threatening. Acting as a mediator, Bristow told Begum to give a sum of Rs 60 lakh to the Nawab as a final payment to him through a written agreement. Feelings ran high creating a tense situation for a few days.One of the Begum’s brothers, Mirza Ali made her accept Bristow’s proposal so as to get rid of Asaf (and more importantly the pestering Khan brothers) through a written agreement.
Bristow stood as guarantor, and the helpless mother gave away all her wealth.The deed read that if Asaf violated the arrangements, he shall be sinner in the sight of God and the prophets and the Imams. The list included 70 elephants, 860 bullock carriages, in-laid hookah with a coiled tube worth Rs 70,000, a saddle with gold mounting worth Rs 17,000, in addition to precious stones and necklaces of pearls and web of cloth kashnai velvet, tents of velvet etc costing about Rs 8 lakh.
Murtaza got them evaluated in Lucknow through his bankers and alleged that the market worth was Rs 11 lakh lesser than the promised amount.
So, the Bahu Begum paid the balance. The amount was used in the making of Asaf’s Lucknow.(This article is based on facts and references from ‘Begums of Awadh’ by KS Santha; ‘Tarikh-e-Farahbakhsh’ Volume 1 by Munshi Faiz Baksha; ‘Memoirs and Delhi and Faizabad’ by William Hoey; and ‘The Life and Times of the Nawabs of Lucknow’ by Ravi Bhatt)
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