Mughal conquest of Malwa - Wikipedia

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The Mughal conquest of Malwa was a military campaign launched by the Mughal Empire in 1560 during the reign of Akbar (r. 1556–1605) against the Sultanate of Malwa, which had broken free from Mughal rule during the rebellion of Sher Shah Suri from the emperor Humayun. Thus, Akbar had a claim to the province. Baz Bahadur had been the governor of Malwa in the Sur Empire but broke away after the death of Sher Shah.^[1]

In early 1561, Akbar launched a campaign to expand his empire by moving against Malwa. Firmly believing that a ruler must always keep his army engaged in warfare, he dispatched his trusted generals, Adham Khan and Pir Muhammad Khan, to subjugate the region. At that time, Malwa was under the rule of Baz Bahadur—a self-styled “Shah” who led a life steeped in music, drinking, and pleasure rather than the serious duties of governance. When the Mughal army reached Sarangpur, the Malwa capital, Baz Bahadur’s forces quickly unraveled; his most reliable officers abandoned him, leaving him no choice but to flee before the disciplined imperial troops.^[2] All of Baz Bahadur’s treasures, elephants, and his harem fell into the hands of the victors. However, his beloved wife Rupamati, chose to take poison rather than be captured by what she considered a crude conqueror. According to Badauni, the two commanders treated human beings as if they were mere “leeks, cucumbers, and radishes,” committing acts of extreme cruelty by massacring prisoners and even executing their wives and children, sparing not even Sayyids and holy men clutching the Quran. Inflated by his easy success, Adham Khan acted as though he were an independent ruler, reporting his victory and sending only a few elephants to the emperor while keeping the remainder of the spoils for himself. Although Akbar was not generally known for extreme cruelty and often showed restraint, he became deeply agitated upon learning that Adham Khan had kept the most valuable spoils for himself, including many captive women, sending only a few elephants as a gesture back to Agra.^[2] Upon hearing this betrayal, Akbar acted without delay. Leaving Agra with a small, loyal escort, he reached Sarangpur faster than any messenger could have arrived. When he did, Adham Khan immediately bowed in submission, but Akbar, showing no leniency, refused him even the simplest courtesies such as a drink of water or fresh clothes. Not long after, Akbar’s foster mother, Maham Anaga, arrived in Malwa and worked hard to ease the tension between her son, Adham Khan, and the emperor. Although Akbar eventually forgave Adham Khan after the stolen loot was returned, the issue was not completely resolved, as Adham Khan—still displaying arrogance—secretly kept two exceptionally beautiful women for himself. As Akbar prepared to return to Agra, news of this theft forced him to halt his journey to address the matter.^[2]

Worried about the repercussions, Maham Anaga took desperate action. Fearing that her son might suffer a harsher punishment if the secret were exposed, she bribed one of the female guards to kill the two women and hide their bodies, remarking coldly that “severed heads make no sound.” Once back in Agra, Akbar decisively relieved Adham Khan of his command and called him back to court, entrusting the ongoing Malwa campaign entirely to Pir Muhammad Khan.^[2] However, Pir Muhammad Khan soon proved to be overambitious. He pushed further south, capturing Bijargarh and invading Khandesh, the refuge of Baz Bahadur. In his zeal, he even seized the fort of Asirgarh and advanced all the way to Burhanpur, leaving a trail of devastation in his wake. Yet his fortunes turned when he ignored his officers’ advice and attempted a nighttime crossing of the Narmada River. In the dark, he fell off his horse and drowned^[2][3]

With the loss of its leader, the Mughal forces were compelled to withdraw from Malwa, allowing Baz Bahadur a brief chance to regain control of his kingdom. This setback, however, was only temporary. In 1562, Akbar sent another army under Abdullah Khan Uzbeg, which successfully re-established Mughal rule in the region. Baz Bahadur then spent years as a fugitive until he finally surrendered in November 1570 Akbar pardoned him and appointed him as a court musician.^{[4][2][5][6][7]}