Mughlani Begum (died 1779) also known as Suraya Murad BegumKhoja, Neelam. (2021). Historical Mistranslations: Identity, Slavery, and Genre in Eighteenth-Century India. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 31(2), 283–301. doi:10.1017/S1356186320000656. Retrieved on 20 August 2026 from: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-royal-asiatic-society/article/abs/historical-mistranslations-identity-slavery-and-genre-in-eighteenthcentury-india/056C77763819E014F725F800FA2AFFB4 or Murad Begum, was the wife of Moin-ul-Mulk (Mir Mannu), the governor of the Subah of Lahore from 1748 to 1753. Mir Mannu had been forced to transfer his allegiance to Ahmad Shah Abdali of the Durrani Empire in April 1752. Mughlani Begum was the defacto ruler of the province of Lahore as regent from 1753, after the death of her husband, later serving as a viceroy for the Durranis.Chatterjee, Indrani. (2000). A slave’s quest for selfhood in eighteenth-century Hindustan. The Indian Economic and Social History Review, 37(1), 56. Retrieved on 21 August 2026 from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/001946460003700103 In 1756, when she was ousted from power by Adina Beg, and was known for playing her friends and foes against each other for her personal gains.
Early life Mughlani Begam, originally named Surayya Begam, and also known as Murad Begum, was married to Moin-ul-Mulk, popularly called Mir Mannu, who served as the Viceroy of Punjab from 1748 to 1753. Her father was Jani Khan, a prominent noble at the Delhi court, and her mother, Dardana Begam, was the daughter of Nawab Abd al-Samad Khan, the Viceroy of Punjab from 1713 to 1726, and sister to Nawab Zakariya Khan, who governed Punjab from 1726 to 1745. In her husband's family, she was given the name Murad Begam, but she was commonly known as Mughlani Begam.
Biography Following her husband's sudden death on November 3, 1753, when unpaid Mughal troops refused to release Muin’s body until their wages were settled, she took control of the treasury and worked for three days to clear their dues, preventing a major rebellion. A power struggle ensued when Bhikari Khan attempted to take Muin’s body to Delhi, but Begam insisted on bringing it to Lahore. Facing resistance, she secured the loyalty of Indian commanders and sent Qasim Khan to win over the Mughal troops by offering them rewards. Meanwhile, she strategically deployed guards to take control of Muin’s body, forcing Bhikari Khan’s men to retreat. With the army under her command, she successfully brought her husband's body to Lahore, where he was buried near Shahidganj, demonstrating her political acumen and leadership in a time of instability.
After Muin-ul-Mulk’s death, news of his passing reached Delhi on November 12, 1753. The next day, Emperor Ahmad Shah appointed his three-year-old son, prince Mahmud Khan, as the Viceroy of Lahore and Multan. Alongside him, Muin-ul-Mulk’s two-year-old son, Muhammad Amin, was named his deputy. However, the actual administration was controlled by Mumin Khan, while the real authority remained with Begum Sahiba. Since Punjab had been under Afghan rule since 1752, the true authority was exercised by Ahmad Shah Abdali rather than the Mughal emperor in Delhi. Unsatisfied with a mere nomination from Delhi, Begum sought Abdali’s confirmation to secure her son’s position. Both she and Mumin Khan submitted to Jahan Khan, the governor of Peshawar, requesting his help in obtaining approval from Abdali. As a result, by January 1754, Ahmad Shah Durrani officially appointed Muhammad Amin as the Governor of Punjab, with Mumin Khan as his deputy, an event marked with great celebrations.
Bhikari Khan’s Revolt and the Rise of Qasim Khan (1754)
Bhikari Khan, a powerful Turkish general and close associate of Muin-ul-Mulk, expected to be appointed deputy governor of Punjab after Muin's death. However, when Mumin Khan was given the position instead, he felt betrayed and sought support from Delhi’s Wazir, Intizam-ud-Daulah, who opposed the Begam. The Wazir granted Bhikari Khan the deputy governorship, but the Begam refused to recognize the order. Enraged, Bhikari Khan began gathering troops, primarily Afghan fighters from Kasur, fortified his residence, and openly defied her authority. To assert his power, he forcibly collected wealth from the people and built the Sunahri Masjid in Lahore. However, the Begam strategically weakened his influence by increasing the salaries of Mughal officers and granting them titles. She also won over Khwajah Mirza Khan, a key ally of Bhikari Khan, by appointing him as the head of Eminabad. With Khwajah Mirza’s help, she executed a plan to capture Bhikari Khan, who was arrested and imprisoned in her palace under tight security.
Even after Bhikari Khan's fall, challenges to the Begam’s rule continued. The instability in Delhi and her leadership as a woman encouraged other ambitious Turkish generals to seek power in Punjab. Among them was Qasim Khan, a soldier who had risen to prominence under Moin-ul-Mulk and had supported the Begam against Bhikari Khan. As a reward for his loyalty, she appointed him as the faujdar (military commander) of Patti in Lahore district. To strengthen his position, she provided him with cannons, cavalry, infantry, and financial support. Qasim Khan, whom she regarded as a son, played a crucial role in maintaining her authority amidst ongoing threats to her rule.
Qasim Khan’s Defeat and Imprisonment (1754) After suppressing Bhikari Khan's rebellion in 1754, Mughlani Begam appointed Qasim Khan as the faujdar of Patti, providing him with troops, cannons, and financial support. However, during his campaign, he faced repeated defeats against the rising Sikh forces, hesitating to attack while his troops suffered heavy losses. His brother Alim Beg Khan's failed assault on a Sikh-held village further weakened his position, as even a small group of Sikh horsemen managed to rout his army. Overconfident, Qasim Khan later claimed to have allied with 8,000 Sikhs and planned to seize Lahore and march on Delhi, but he squandered resources by gifting arms to the Sikhs while neglecting his soldiers’ pay. This led to a mutiny within his ranks, and his own troops besieged his camp, cut down his tent ropes, and dragged him to Mughlani Begam, who had him imprisoned under strict guard within her palace.
Mughlani Begam’s Struggles and Controversies (1754)
In May 1754, Muhammad Amin Khan, the child governor of Punjab, died under suspicious circumstances, showing signs of poisoning like his father. With no immediate opposition, the Begam declared herself the ruler and sought recognition from Delhi and Kandahar. However, the Mughal Emperor was preoccupied with his struggles, and although Alamgir II later appointed Mumin Khan as governor, the Begam retained actual control. Her rule, however, faced severe challenges. The province was in chaos, and her reliance on eunuchs for administration led to inefficiency and conflicts among her advisors. Various regions, including Multan, Chahar Mahal, and northern Punjab, were either under Afghan rule or controlled by independent leaders like Adina Beg Khan, leaving only a small territory loyal to Lahore. Additionally, the Begam's personal life became a subject of scandal, as she was accused of improper relationships, particularly with Ghazi Beg Khan and the young Miskin. These rumors further undermined her credibility and contributed to the instability of her rule.
Revolt of Khwajah Mirza Khan (1754)
Despite their own moral failings, the courtiers of Lahore opposed the rule of Mughlani Begam, leading to fresh revolts. One of the key figures in this uprising was Khwajah Mirza Khan, an Uzbek chief who had once been a trusted commander under Moin-ul-Mulk. After initially siding with Bhikari Khan, he later accepted the Begam’s favor and was appointed faujdar of Eminabad, where he effectively controlled his territory, crushing Sikh resistance and maintaining order.
However, Bhikari Khan, still imprisoned, conspired with Mirza Khan’s brother, Khwajah Muhammad Said Khan, to overthrow the Begam. Encouraged by this plan, Mirza Khan marched to Lahore in December 1754, won over the Begam’s soldiers, and took control of her palace, looting its wealth, jewels, and valuables. The Begam was removed from power and confined in her mother's residence. Mirza Khan then declared himself Nawab, placing an aigrette on his head and distributing titles and rewards to his Mughal allies. Initially, several Mughal nobles submitted to his authority, but their unity soon collapsed due to jealousy and internal rivalries. Despite hosting gatherings and making promises of loyalty, the commanders turned against each other, leading to widespread disorder. While Mirza Khan launched some military campaigns against the Sikhs, his inability to maintain stability and secure revenue weakened his rule, allowing chaos to spread across the province.
Mughlani Begam’s Revenge and Lahore’s Turmoil (1755) After being ousted from power, Mughlani Begam sought revenge against Khwajah Mirza and Bhikari Khan, who had played key roles in her downfall. She sent her uncle, Khwajah Abdullah Khan, to Ahmad Shah Abdali’s court in Kandahar, accusing the Mughal nobles of causing chaos in Punjab. Abdali ordered his general, Aman Khan, to march on Lahore with 10,000 troops in April 1755. Khwajah Mirza was easily defeated and imprisoned, while Lahore was plundered. The Begam was reinstated, and Khwajah Abdullah became her deputy. Bhikari Khan was handed over to the Begam, who had him brutally beaten and personally stabbed him before his corpse was discarded outside the city. However, Khwajah Abdullah soon turned against the Begam by July, confined her to her mother’s house, and took full control of Lahore, ruling with tyranny and oppressing the city’s inhabitants for wealth. Meanwhile, Adina Beg Khan, the powerful governor of Jullundur Doab, saw an opportunity amidst the unrest. In September 1755, he marched on Lahore, where Khwajah Abdullah’s oppressive rule had made him widely despised. Without resistance, Abdullah fled to Multan, allowing Adina Beg to seize the capital, appoint Sadiq Beg Khan as his deputy, and return to Jullundur.
Mughlani Begam’s Capture by the Delhi Wazir (March 1756)
After losing power, Mughlani Begam sought help from Delhi’s powerful Wazir, Imad-ul-Mulk, reminding him of his past betrothal to her daughter. At the same time, Mughal nobles from Lahore complained to the Wazir about her misrule and alleged immoral conduct, claiming she intended to marry her daughter to Ahmad Shah Durrani’s son. Imad-ul-Mulk, facing financial difficulties and eager to reassert Mughal control over Punjab, decided to intervene. Disguising his military expedition as a hunting trip, he left Delhi in January 1756, accompanied by Prince Ali Gauhar and a force of 10,000 troops. Adina Beg Khan, then in control of Lahore, suggested a cautious approach to avoid resistance and proposed sending a smaller force instead. Following this advice, Imad-ul-Mulk sent eunuch Nasim Khan with several thousand troops, who, along with Adina Beg’s forces, reached Lahore in March 1756. The local governor, Khwajah Abdullah Khan, fearing capture, fled the city, allowing the Begam to reclaim her residence and authority.