Diler Khan Daudzai was a Mughal general who served under Aurangzeb and was the governor of Awadh. He was born in India,[1] and was son of Nawab Darya Khan Rohilla, a Rohilla Pathan who traced his descent to the Pashtun Daudzai tribe,[2] and a mansabdar who served under the Indian Muslim Mir Bakhshi, Shaikh Farid Bukhari in 1603.[3] He is known to battle and kill Murarbaji, the military general of Shivaji and the in-charge of Purandar Forts.[4][5]

Diler Khan
دلیر خان
Mughal subahdar of Awadh
MonarchAlamgir I
Personal details
BornMughal Empire
DiedMughal Empire
ParentNawab Darya Khan Daudzai
OccupationSubahdar, sipahsalar
Military service
Allegiance Mughal Empire
Branch/serviceMughal Army
Years of service1660s-1670s
RankGeneral
Battles/warsMughal-Maratha Wars
Battle of Bhupalgarh
Battle of Purandar
Battle of Salher

He was also responsible for the Mughal victory over Shivaji in the Battle of Bhupalgarh.[6]

Campaign against Marathas

All of Aurangzeb's attempts to overthrow Shivaji went in vain. So he sent Jai Singh, along with Diler Khan to overthrow the Marathas and establish Mughal rule in the Deccan. Diler Khan insisted on capturing Purandar Fort. But Mirza Jai Singh, being a shrewd and experienced general, knew that hoisting the Mughal flag on Purandar will not be easy. So he advised Diler Khan to move his army on Vajragarh. Purandar Fort was a short distance from Vajragarh. If Vajragarh is captured, the Mughal cannons could easily capture the Purandar Fort. [7]

On 13 April 1665, Diler Khan was successful in capturing Vajragarh. The Mughal army under Diler Khan and Jai Singh celebrated the victory over Vajragarh with booming of guns. Diler Khan then turned his attention to Purandar.

On 16 May 1665, Diler Khan faced Murarbaji, the in-charge of Purandar Fort. Murarbaji fought valiantly but was killed by Diler Khan's arrow.[8]

References

  1. ^ Athar Ali. The Mughal Nobility Under Aurangzeb. p. 251. Dilir Khan Rohela - Birthplace: India
  2. ^ Rijksmuseum (Netherlands). Rijksprentenkabinet, Hermann Goetz (1958). The Indian and Persian Miniature Paintings in the Rijks-prentenkabinet (Rijksmuseum) Amsterdam. p. 37.
  3. ^ Henry Beveridge (1979). The Maāt̲h̲ir-ul-umarā Being Biographies of the Muḥammadan and Hindu Officers of the Timurid Sovereigns of India from 1500 to about 1780 A.D. p. 455.
  4. ^ Srivastava, Ashirbadi Lal (1969). The Mughul Empire, 1526-1803 A.D. S. L. Agarwala. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  5. ^ Aiyangar, Sakkottai Krishnaswami (1941). Ancient India and South Indian History & Culture: Papers on Indian History and Culture; India to A.D. 1300. Oriental Book Agency. p. 35.
  6. ^ "Battle of Bhupalgarh".
  7. ^ Elliot, Henry Miers (21 March 2013). The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians: The Muhammadan Period. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-108-05589-5.
  8. ^ Joshi, Rita (1985). The Afghan Nobility and the Mughals: 1526-1707. Vikas Publishing House. ISBN 9780706927528.
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