Mian-Moin-ul-Mulk also known by his title Mir Mannu (died 1753) was the
Mughal and later
Durrani
The Durrānī ( ps, دراني, ), formerly known as Abdālī (), are one of the largest tribes of Pashtuns. Their traditional homeland is in southern Afghanistan ( Loy Kandahar region), straddling into Toba Achakzai in Balochistan, Pakistan, but ...
governor of the
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising a ...
between 1748 and 1753.
Early life
Moin-ul-Mulk was the son of
Qamar-ud-Din Khan
Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi (11 August 16711 June 1748) also known as Chin Qilich qamaruddin Khan, Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah and Nizam I, was the 1st Nizam of Hyderabad. He was married to the daughter of a Syed nobleman of Gulbarga. H ...
,
Grand Vizier of the
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
, and younger brother of
Intizam-ud-Daulah.He was belonged to an
Arain
Arain (also known as Raeen) are a large Punjabi agricultural tribe with strong political identity and organisation, found mainly in the Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Sindh with a small population in parts of Indian Punjab, Uttar Pradesh ...
tribe.
Subedar of Lahore
In March 1748, Moin-ul-Mulk successfully commanded troops in the defeat of
Ahmad Shah Durrani at the
Battle of Manupur. During the campaign, his father was struck and killed by a cannonball whilst encamped and praying. 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.
[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.]
After Durrani's retreat to
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
, Moin-ul-Mulk was made governor of the
Subah of Lahore on 11 April 1748 by
Muhammad Shah Rangila.
The appointment of Moin-ul-Mulk was opposed by the new wazir Safdar Jung.
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
Sialkot ( ur, ) is a city located in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the capital of Sialkot District and the 13th most populous city in Pakistan. The boundaries of Sialkot are joined with Jammu (the winter capital of Indian administered Jammu and Ka ...
,
Gujrat,
Pasrur
Pasrur (Punjabi and ur, ), is a city of Sialkot District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The city is the capital of Pasrur Tehsil and is administratively subdivided into 26 wards of municipal committee Pasrur.
It is located at 32°16'0N 74 ...
and Aurangabad to the Afghans.
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
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the old ...
and
Adina Beg
Adina Mirza Beg Khan ( pa, ; 1710 - 15 September 1758) was a Punjabi General and administrator who served as the last governor of Punjab of the Mughal Empire, including the provinces of Lahore and Multan. He was the last Nawab of Punjab, de fa ...
in
Jalandhar
Jalandhar is the third most-populous city in the Indian state of Punjab and the largest city in Doaba region. Jalandhar lies alongside the Grand Trunk Road and is a well-connected rail and road junction. Jalandhar is northwest of the state ...
. His army additionally consisted of 20,000 Sikh troops.
Moon-ul-Mulk knew he would need the help of Sikhs to defeat Durrani. So he had started to give them land and stopped killing and hunting them. But once the war was over he went back to hunting the Sikhs and their families. Bringing in chained women and children to be tortured and put to death. 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.
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.
In the resulting peace agreement ratified by the Mughal emperor on 13 April, the subahs of Lahore and
Multan
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the old ...
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.
Death
Moin-ul-Mulk died in November 1753 after falling from his horse. 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
Mughlani Begum also known as Murad Begum, ruled Punjab from Lahore for few years in 1753. She was known for playing her friends and foes against each other for her personal gains. She was the wife of Moin-ul-Mulk (Mir Mannu), who was Governor of ...
.
After his death, the Punjab hastened into turmoil as competing groups vied for political supremacy in Lahore, Multan and Delhi.
In popular culture
Indian film director
Surjit Singh Sethi
Surjit Singh Sethi (1928-1995) was an Indian playwright, novelist, short story writer and lyricist who wrote in Punjabi. He was also a film maker and theatre personality.
Biography
Surjit Singh Sethi was born at Gujarkhan, Punjab Province, ...
made ''Mughlani Begum'', a 1979
Punjabi-language film about the Begum and Mir Mannu.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mulk, Moin-ul-
Mughal Empire people
1753 deaths
Year of birth missing
History of Punjab