Without the rise of a remarkable man, Malik Ambar, the state of Ahmednagar would have disintegrated and different parts of it would have been swallowed up by neighbouring states after the fall of Ahmednagar and capture of Bahadur Nizam Shah by the Mughals. Malik Ambar was an Ethiopian-born Abyssinian. In this article, we will discuss Rise of Malik Ambar and Frustration of Mughal Attempt which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Malik Ambar - Background

• Malik Ambar (1548–1626) was a Siddi military leader and prime minister who rose to become kingmaker and de facto ruler of the Ahmednagar Sultanate in India's Deccan region.
• Malik was born in the Adal Sultunate of modern-day Ethiopia and sold as a child by his parents before being brought to India as a king.
• Malik Ambar rose through the ranks of Changez Khan, a well-known and powerful Habshi noble of Murtaza Nizam Shah.
• While in India, he assembled a mercenary force of up to 1.5 million men. Its headquarters were in the Deccan region, and it was hired by local kings.
• When the Mughals attacked Ahmednagar, Ambar fled to Bijapur to try his luck. But he quickly returned and joined the powerful Habshi (Abyssinian) party, which was opposed to Chand Bibi.
• Malik rose to become a popular Prime Minister of the Ahmednagar Sultanate, demonstrating administrative prowess. He is also regarded as a regional pioneer in guerrilla warfare.
• Following the fall of Ahmednagar, Malik Ambar found a Nizam Shahi prince and, with the tacit support of Bijapur's ruler, established him as Murtaza Nizam Shah II, with himself as the Peshwa—a title that had been common in Ahmednagar for a long time.
• He is credited with completing a revenue settlement for much of the Deccan, which served as the foundation for subsequent settlements. He is a revered figure among Gujarat's Siddis.
• Malik Ambar gathered a large band of Maratha troopers, or bargis, around him. The Marathas were skilled at quick movements, as well as plundering and cutting off enemy troops' supplies.
• Although guerilla warfare was common among the Marathas in the Deccan, the Mughals were not used to it.
• Ambar made it difficult for the Mughals to consolidate their position in Berar, Ahmednagar, and Balaghat with the help of the Marathas.

Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khana

• Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khanan, a shrewd and cunning politician and able soldier, was the Mughal commander in the Deccan at the time. In 1601 in Telengana, at a place called Nander, he dealt Ambar a crushing defeat.
• However, he decided to make friends with Ambar because he thought it was important for the remaining Nizam Shahi kingdom to have some stability.
• In turn, Ambar found it beneficial to cultivate the Khan-i-Khanan's friendship because it allowed him to deal with his internal rivals.

Assistance of Adil Shah

• However, after Akbar's death, when the Mughals' position in the Deccan became weak due to disagreements among Mughal commanders, Ambar launched a fierce campaign to expel the Mughals from Berar, Balaghat, and Ahmednagar.
• In this endeavour, he was assisted by Ibrahim Adil Shah, the ruler of Bijapur, who believed that the Nizam Shah state should continue to serve as a buffer between Bijapur and the Mughals.
• He gave Ambar the powerful fort of Qandahar in Telengana for his family's residence and storage of treasures, provisions, and so on.
• He also loaned him 10,000 horsemen, for the support of whom a specific tract of territory was to be set aside.
• A marriage alliance between the daughter of one of Bijapur's leading Ethiopian nobles and Malik Ambar's son sealed the treaty.
• The marriage was joyfully celebrated in 1609, with Adil Shah lavishing the bride with a handsome dowry and spending nearly Rs 80,000 on fireworks alone.

Assistance of Bijapur and Marathas to Malik Ambar

• With the support of Bijapur and the active assistance of the Marathas, Ambar quickly forced Khan-i-Khanan to retreat to Burhanpur. As a result, by 1610, Akbar had lost all of his gains in the Deccan.
• Despite sending Prince Parvez to the Deccan with a large army, he was unable to meet the challenge posed by Malik Ambar. Even Ahmednagar was lost, and Parvez was forced to make a humiliating peace with Ambar.
• Malik Ambar's affairs continued to prosper, and the Mughals were unable to re-establish themselves as long as he had the solid support of the Marathas and other Deccan elements.
• Malik Ambar, on the other hand, grew arrogant and alienated his allies over time.
• The Khan-i-Khanan, who had been reassigned as the Mughal viceroy of the Deccan, took advantage of the situation and won over a number of Habshi and Maratha nobles to his side, including Jagdev Rai, Babaji Kate, Udaji Ram, and others.
• Jahangir himself recognised the importance of the Marathas, writing in his Memoirs that the Marathas "are a hardy lot and are the centre of resistance in that country."

Rise of Mughal Power

• In 1616, Khan-i-Khanan defeated the combined forces of Ahmednagar, Bijapur, and Golconda with the assistance of Maratha sardars.
• The Mughals occupied Khirki, the new Nizam Shahi capital, and burned down all of its buildings before fleeing. The Deccani alliance against the Mughals was shaken by this defeat. Ambar, on the other hand, maintained his defiance.
• Jahangir sent a grand army under his son, prince Khurram (later Shah Jahan), to carry on Khan-i-Khanan's victory and himself moved to Mandu to support the prince (1618).
• Ambar had no choice but to submit in the face of this threat. It is noteworthy, however, that in the treaty, Jahangir did not attempt to expand on Akbar's conquests in the Deccan.
• This was not due to any military weakness on Jahangir's part, as some have suggested, but to deliberate policy. Jahangir, it appears, did not want to extend Mughal commitments in the Deccan or become too involved in its affairs.
• Furthermore, he remained hopeful that his moderation would allow the Deccani states to settle down and coexist peacefully with the Mughals.
• As part of this policy, Jahangir attempted to win over Bijapur by sending a gracious farman to Adil Shah, whom he addressed as "son."

War with Mughals

• Despite these setbacks, Ambar led the Deccani resistance against the Mughals, and there was no peace in the Deccan.
• However, two years later, the combined Deccani forces were soundly defeated by the Mughals.
• Ambar was required to restore all Mughal territories as well as 14 kos of adjoining territory. The Deccani states were required to pay a Rs 5,000 indemnity. Prince Khurram was credited with these victories.
• This second defeat, so soon after the first, finally shattered the Deccani states' united front against the Mughals.
• The old rivalries between the Deccani states resurfaced. Ambar launched a series of campaigns against Bijapur in order to reclaim Sholapur, a point of contention between the two states.
• Ambar arrived in Bijapur quickly, burned the new capital of Nauraspur built by Ibrahim Adil Shah, and forced him to flee to the fort for safety. This could be considered the pinnacle of Ambar's power.

Significance of Malik Ambar

• Despite his remarkable military skill, energy, and determination, Ambar's achievements were short-lived due to his inability or unwillingness to reach an agreement with the Mughals.
• The main significance of Ambar's rise, however, was that it represented a clear recognition of the Marathas' importance in Deccani affairs.
• The Marathas' success under Malik Ambar's leadership gave them confidence, allowing them to play an independent role later on.
• Malik Ambar attempted to improve the administration of the Nizam Shahi state by implementing Todar Mal's land revenue system.
• He abolished the old system of contract land distribution (ijara), which was ruinous for peasants, and replaced it with the zabti system.
• After 1622, when the Deccan was in turmoil due to Prince Khurram's rebellion against Jahangir, Malik Ambar was able to reclaim many of the old territories that had been ceded to the Mughals.
• As a result, Jahangir's attempt to consolidate the Mughal position in the Deccan was thwarted.

Conclusion

The long-term benefits to Ahmednagar of reopening the dispute with the Mughals may be questioned. As a result, Shah Jahan decided that he had no choice but to extinguish Ahmednagar as an independent state. Malik Ambar passed away in 1626 at the age of 80. However, the bitter fruits of his legacy had to be reaped by his heirs.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Who was the key military leader who resisted Mughal expansion in the Deccan region during the late 16th century?

A) Malik Ambar
B) Aurangzeb
C) Ibrahim Adil Shah
D) Sher Shah Suri

2. Which military strategy was most associated with Malik Ambar?

A) Siege warfare
B) Guerrilla warfare
C) Naval blockades
D) Trench warfare

3. In which Sultanate did Malik Ambar rise to power?

A) Bengal Sultanate
B) Delhi Sultanate
C) Ahmadnagar Sultanate
D) Bijapur Sultanate

4. What was Malik Ambar's primary contribution to the economy of the Deccan?

A) Introduction of new taxes
B) Development of irrigation systems
C) Trade with Europe
D) Establishment of industrial zones

5. What was the main challenge faced by Malik Ambar during his rule?

A) Political instability within the Sultanate
B) Invasion by the Marathas
C) Mughal expansion
D) Famines and droughts

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Evaluate the role of Malik Ambar in the resistance against Mughal imperialism in the Deccan region. How did his strategies impact the Mughal expansion?

Answer: Malik Ambar played a pivotal role in resisting Mughal imperialism in the Deccan. Through his military acumen, he employed guerrilla warfare tactics that significantly hampered Mughal advances into the region. His successful defense of Ahmadnagar, along with strategic alliances, delayed the Mughal annexation of the Deccan for several years. His innovative use of war elephants and cavalry made him a formidable opponent to the Mughals, who were unable to gain a firm foothold in the region during his lifetime.

Q2: Analyze the economic reforms introduced by Malik Ambar in the Deccan region. How did these reforms contribute to the region's stability?

Answer: Malik Ambar introduced several economic reforms, most notably in the field of agriculture. He improved irrigation systems, which led to better crop yields and agricultural stability in the Deccan. His introduction of a new currency system helped stabilize the economy, and his patronage of trade contributed to the prosperity of the region. By focusing on self-sufficiency and economic infrastructure, Malik Ambar ensured the financial resilience of the Deccan Sultanate, enabling it to withstand external threats.

Q3: Discuss the military and political legacy of Malik Ambar. What impact did his leadership have on the subsequent political landscape of the Deccan?

Answer: Malik Ambar’s military strategies and political leadership left a lasting impact on the Deccan region. His use of guerrilla warfare became a model for future resistance movements against imperial powers. Politically, he set a precedent for effective regional governance, where the central authority was fortified despite external pressures. His alliances with other regional powers, including the Marathas, ensured that the Deccan Sultanates retained some degree of autonomy in the face of Mughal aggression. His leadership also inspired subsequent generations of Deccan rulers to adopt more effective military and administrative practices.

Previous Year Questions on Malik Ambar

1. UPSC CSE 2017 (History Paper):

Question: "Discuss the role of Malik Ambar in the political and military landscape of the Deccan during the late 16th century."

Answer: Malik Ambar played a crucial role in shaping the military and political landscape of the Deccan during the late 16th century. His military genius in resisting the Mughal forces through guerrilla warfare allowed him to retain control over large parts of the Deccan Sultanate. Politically, he became the de facto ruler of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate and introduced administrative reforms that improved the governance and economic conditions of the region.

2. UPSC CSE 2016 (History Paper):

Question: "Evaluate the military strategies of Malik Ambar in resisting Mughal imperialism. How effective were they in preventing Mughal expansion into the Deccan?"

Answer: Malik Ambar’s military strategies, including the use of guerrilla tactics, ambushes, and effective management of resources, were highly effective in resisting Mughal expansion into the Deccan. His forces, despite being smaller in number, used the terrain to their advantage and executed swift raids that kept the Mughals at bay. His tactics delayed Mughal domination of the Deccan, giving the local rulers a breathing space to reorganize and resist further incursions.