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{{Short description|Nawab of Punjab in 1758}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Adina Beg Khan
| image = Adina Beg tells his beads (6124587257) (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = ''Adina Beg tells his beads'', possibly by [[Nainsukh]], {{circa|1750}}, [[The San Diego Museum of Art]]
| honorific_prefix = ''[[Janab]]'' ''[[Indian honorifics|Zafar Jang Bahadur]]''
| honorific_suffix = ''[[Indian honorifics|Bahram Jang]]''
| birth_name = Dīnā Araīŋ
| birth_date = 1710
| birth_place = {{ubl|[[Sharaqpur]], [[Lahore Subah]], [[Mughal Empire]] | {{small|(present-day
[[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]], Pakistan)}} }}
| death_cause = [[Colic]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1758|09|15|1710|||df=yes}}
| death_place = {{ubl|[[Khanpur, Hoshiarpur|Khanpur]], [[Maratha Confederacy]] |{{small|(present-day [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], India)}} }}
| resting_place = Muslim Cemetery, [[Khanpur, Hoshiarpur|Khanpur]]
| resting_place_coordinates = {{coord|31.545594|75.913260}}
| children = Sadiq Beg Khan ''a daughter''
| profession = {{hlist|Soldier|accountant|statesman|politician}}
| father = Channu Arain
| notable_works =
| title =
| office = [[List of monarchs of Punjab|Nawab of Punjab]]
| monarch = [[Alamgir II]]{{efn|For recognition}} [[Rajaram II of Satara|Rajaram II]]{{efn|For tribute}}
| suboffice = 12 April 1758, [[Lahore Fort]]
| subterm = '''[[Investiture]]'''
| deputy = {{Collapsible list|title=''See list''
|Khwaja Said Khan {{small|([[Vizier|Wazir]])}}
|Sadiq Beg Khan {{small|(in [[Lahore]])}}
|Salih Muhammad Khan {{small|(in [[Multan]])}}}}
| term_start = 10 April 1758
| term_end = 15 September 1758
| predecessor = ''Office established''{{efn|Mir Momin Khan {{small|(as [[Subahdar|Mughal Governor]] of [[Subah of Lahore|Lahore]])}} [[Nawab Ali Mohammad Khan Khakwani|Ali Mohammad Khakwani]] {{small|(as [[Khogyani (Pashtun tribe)#Emergence in the subcontinent|Nawab of Multan]])}}}}
| successor = ''Office abolished''{{efn|Sabaji Shinde {{small|(as [[Maratha Confederacy|Maratha Governor]] of [[Subah of Lahore|Lahore]])}} Bapuji Trimbak {{small|(as [[Maratha Confederacy|Maratha Governor]] of [[Subah of Multan|Multan]])}}}}
| office1 = [[Subah of Lahore|Subahdar of Lahore]]
| monarch1 = [[Alamgir II]]
| term_start1 = 9 May 1756
| term_end1 = 4 October 1756
| predecessor1 = [[Mughlani Begum]]
| successor1 = Khwaja Abdullah Khan
| deputy1 = Sayyid Jamil-ud-Din Khan
| monarch2 = [[Alamgir II]]
| term_start2 = April 1755
| term_end2 = December 1755
| predecessor2 = [[Mughlani Begum]]
| successor2 = [[Mughlani Begum]]
| deputy2 = Sadiq Beg Khan
| office3 = [[Subah of Multan|Subahdar of Multan]]
| monarch3 = [[Alamgir II]]
| term_start3 = 9 May 1756
| term_end3 = 4 October 1756 Disputed with [[Nawab Ali Mohammad Khan Khakwani|Ali Mohammad Khakwani]]
| predecessor3 = [[Nawab Ali Mohammad Khan Khakwani|Ali Mohammad Khakwani]]
| successor3 = [[Nawab Ali Mohammad Khan Khakwani|Ali Mohammad Khakwani]]
{{Collapsed infobox section begin |cont = yes |Other political offices |titlestyle = border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| office = [[Subahdar|Nazim]] of [[Doaba|Bist Doab]]
| governor = [[Mughlani Begum]] Jahan Khan
| term_start = May 1757
| term_end = November 1757
| monarch = [[Alamgir II]]
| predecessor = [[Mughlani Begum]]
| successor = Sarfaraz Khan
| deputy = Sadiq Beg Khan
| term_start1 = 12 April 1755
| term_end1 = November 1756
| monarch1 = [[Alamgir II]]
| predecessor1 = Shah Nawaz Khan
| successor1 = [[Mughlani Begum]]
| deputy1 = Sadiq Beg Khan
| governor2 = [[Zakariya Khan Bahadur|Zakariya Khan]]
| term_start2 = 1739
| term_end2 = 1740
| monarch2 = [[Muhammad Shah]]
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 = Shah Nawaz Khan
| deputy2 = Nidhan Singh
| office3 = [[Faujdar]] of [[Sirhind]]
| governor3 = [[Mughlani Begum]]
| term_start3 = 11 April 1755
| term_end3 = November 1757
| monarch3 = [[Alamgir II]]
| predecessor3 =
| successor3 = Abdul Samad Khan
| deputy3 = Sadiq Beg Khan
| office4 = [[Naib|Naib Nazim]] of [[Doaba|Bist Doab]]
| governor4 = Shah Nawaz Khan
| monarch4 = [[Muhammad Shah]]
| term_start4 = 1740
| term_end4 = 11 January 1748
| predecessor4 = Nidhan Singh
| successor4 =
| office5 = [[Shiqdar]] of [[Sultanpur Lodhi|Sultanpur]]
| governor5 = Shah Nawaz Khan
| monarch5 = [[Muhammad Shah]]
| term_start5 = 1739
| term_end5 = 1740
| predecessor5 =
| successor5 = ''Office merged with the Nazim of Bist Doab''{{Collapsed infobox section end}} }}
| nickname = ''[[Nawab]] [[Sahib]]''
| relatives = Khwaja Said Khan (brother) Khwaja Mirza Khan (son-in-law)
| blank1 = Religion
| data1 = [[Sunni Islam]]{{efn|School of Thought: [[Hanafi]]}}
| awards = [[File:Imperial Seal of the Mughal Empire.svg|20px]] [[Farzi (coat)|Farzi]]
| signature = Signature of Adina Beg Khan (2).png
| alma_mater =
| allegiance = {{flagicon image|Alam of the Mughal Empire.svg|border=}} [[Mughal Empire]] {{flagicon image|Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|border=}} [[Maratha Empire]]
| branch = {{tree list}}
* {{flagicon image|Flag of the Mughal Empire (triangular).svg|border=}} [[Army of the Mughal Empire|Mughal Army]]
** [[Mansabdar]]i
{{tree list/end}}
| commands = {{collapsible list|title = {{nobold|''See list''}}|[[Sultanpur Lodhi|Sultanpur]] [[Jalandhar]] [[Sirhind]] [[Lahore]] [[Multan]] [[Batala]]}}
| unit =
| service_years = 1730–1758
| rank = [[Sepoy]], [[Mansabdar]], [[Faujdar]], [[Ispahsalar]]
| battles = {{collapsible list|title = {{nobold|''See list''}}|{{tree list}}
*'''[[Mughal–Afghan Wars|Mughal–Afghan War]]'''
**[[Battle of Lahore (1748)]]
**[[Battle of Manupur (1748)]]
*'''[[Afghan–Sikh wars]]'''
**[[Battle of Mahilpur (1757)]]
*'''[[Afghan–Maratha War]]'''
**[[Afghan–Maratha War#Initial campaign and success|Siege of Sirhind (1758)]]
{{tree list/end}}
}}
| native_name = {{nq|ادینہ بیگ خاں}}
}}

'''Adina Beg Khan'''{{efn|{{langx|pa|ادینہ بیگ خاں {{small|([[Shahmukhi]])}}, ਅਦੀਨਾ ਬੇਗ ਖਾਨ {{small|([[Gurmukhi]])}}|translit=Adīna Bēg Khāṅ}}}} ({{IPA|pa|ədinaː beːɡ xãː|lang}}; {{circa|1710}} – 15 September 1758)<ref>{{Cite web |title=The first local governor of Punjab {{!}} Political Economy {{!}} thenews.com.pk |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/564203-first-local-governor-punjab |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-04-02 |title=Dina Arain: the master 'double game' player |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/617952/dina-arain-the-master-double-game-player |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}</ref> was a [[Punjabi Muslims|Punjabi]] general, statesman, and [[warlord]] who served as the [[List of monarchs of Punjab|Nawab of Punjab]] from April 1758 until his death in September of the same year.{{sfn|Beale|1894}}<ref name=K.RoyIHB>{{cite book | last=Roy |first=Kaushik |title=India's Historic Battles: From Alexander the Great to Kargil |publisher=Permanent Black, India |pages=80–1 |isbn=978-81-7824-109-8|date=2004 }}</ref> He began his career as a [[patwari]] ([[accountant]]) and later as a [[sepoy]] after joining the [[Army of the Mughal Empire|Mughal army]], eventually drawing the attention of the Mughal nobles.{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=25–33}} After serving through various posts, he was appointed as the [[Subahdar]] of the entirety of Punjab by [[Raghunath Rao]] on behalf of [[Rajaram II of Satara|Rajaram II]] in 1758 and had earlier been recognised as the [[Nawab]] by Emperor [[Alamgir II]] during the power vacuum.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Syed |first1=Muzaffar H. Syed|last2=Kumar |first2=Anil |last3=Usmani |first3=B. D. |last4=Gupta |first4=Pramod |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=US5gEAAAQBAJ&dq=&pg=PA194 |title=History of Indian Nation : Medieval India |date=2022|publisher=K. K. Publications|isbn= 978-8178441580|language=en|page=194}}</ref>

Though illiterate, Adina Beg served as the [[Shiqdar]] of [[Sultanpur Lodhi|Sultanpur Pargana]], [[Faujdar]] of [[Sirhind|Sirhind Sarkar]], [[Naib|Naib Nazim]] and then [[Subahdar|Nazim]] of [[Doaba|Bist Doab Sarkar]] and, later, the [[Subahdar]] of the [[Subah of Lahore|Subahs of Lahore]] and [[Subah of Multan|Multan]], though his claim in Multan was disputed.<ref name="clash v common">{{cite conference|last=Gandhi|first=Rajmohan|author-link=Rajmohan Gandhi |title=Clash versus Commonsense |conference=Fourth THAAP Conference 2013: 'Cultural Roots of Art and Architecture of the Punjab' |journal=[[Trust for History, Arts and Architecture of Pakistan]] |location=Lahore |date=6–10 December 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=49–50}} He joined hands with the Sikh leader [[Jassa Singh Ahluwalia]] and the [[Marathas]] in defeating the Afghans.{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=56}}{{sfn|Mehta|2005|pp=236, 260}} Despite being short, Adina Beg's reign has often been compared with that of his ideological aftercomer [[Ranjit Singh]] by modern historians.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-12-05 |title=Indian professor goes down the 'history lane' |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1060591 |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}</ref>

==Early life==
Named Dina at birth, Adina was born into a [[Punjabi Muslims|Punjabi Muslim]] family of the [[Arain]] tribe, in the village of [[Sharaqpur]] (now in the [[Sheikhupura district]] of [[Punjab, Pakistan]]), {{convert|20|mi|spell=in}} from [[Lahore]]. His father, Channu Arain was professionally a farmer. He was brought up as a soldier in a [[Mughal dynasty|Mughal]] family, later becoming collector of revenue.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dhavan |first=Purnima |title=The Oxford Handbook of the Mughal World |date=2020 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-190-22264-2 |editor-last=Eaton |editor-first=Richard M. |editor-link=Richard M. Eaton |chapter=Warriors and Zamindars in Mughal Punjab |doi=10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190222642.013.13 |editor-last2=Sreenivasan |editor-first2=Ramya |editor-link2=Ramya Sreenivasan |chapter-url=https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/34708/chapter-abstract/296421480?redirectedFrom=fulltext}}</ref>

==Rise to power==
Beg began his career as a domestic servant{{sfnp|Gupta|1944|loc=p. 57: "Adina Beg Khan was{{nbsp}}... of low birth, unlettered, but endowed with a masterful ambition and a persevering temper. He was first employed{{nbsp}}... as a servant in the households of Mughal officers, and rose to power by patient labour and force of character, until, he ultimately became Viceroy of the Panjab and played an important part in the closing scenes of Muslim rule in the province."}} in the homes of Mughal officials. Proximity to Mughal officers inspired him to join as a soldier in the [[Army of the Mughal Empire|Mughal army]].{{sfn|Beale|1894}} As a soldier, he was sent to various cities including [[Prayagraj|Illahabad]], [[Kanpur|Kanhapur]] and [[Bajwara]],<ref>{{Cite book |last=H. M Elliot |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281007/page/n197/mode/1up?q=Adina |title=History Of India Vol Viii |date=1877}}</ref> however becoming disillusioned with his poor prospects he took up the more lucrative position of ''[[patwari]]'' in the village of [[Kang Khurd|Kang]] near [[Sultanpur Lodhi|Sultanpur]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Husain|first=Jamil|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rGzVAAAAMAAJ&q=|title=The Land Problem of Pakistan |magazine=The Pakistan Review |issn=0031-0077 |volume=3 |date=1955 |pages=37–38 |publisher=Ferozsons}}</ref> He soon came under the patronage of Lala Sri Nivas Dhir, a wealthy [[Hindu]] merchant from Sultanpur, and obtained the revenue contracts for all the villages in the territory of Kang.{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=25}} In 1739, aiming to replace the newly deceased district officer of Sultanpur, Adina travelled to Lahore and secured an interview with the Viceroy of the Punjab, [[Zakariya Khan Bahadur]]. Impressing in his interview, the viceroy demanded security for his good behaviour, and on being guaranteed by Lala Sri Nivas, Adina was appointed [[faujdar]] of Sultanpur.{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=26}}<ref name="clash v common"/> On his appointment he returned the favour by making his patron his assistant, and his patron's brother Bhwani Das, who knew Persian, his superintendent.<ref name="clash v common"/>

That same year, [[Nader Shah]] [[Nader Shah's invasion of the Mughal Empire|invaded the Mughal Empire]]. Sultanpur, located on the road from [[Lahore]] to [[Delhi]] was ravaged by Persian troops. Adina Beg's success in restoring order, providing relief and securing the release of prisoners enhanced his reputation.<ref name="clash v common"/> Zakariya Khan, learning of his performance, appointed him [[Subahdar]] of the Doaba with instructions to restrain the lawlessness and halt the rising threat of the [[Sikh]] [[Misl]]s.<ref name="clash v common"/> Soon after his appointment Adina Beg dispatched troops against the Sikhs and carried out a massive slaughter against them.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Green |first=Lepel Henry |title=The Rajas Of The Punjab |publisher=Atlantic Publishers and Distributors (P) Ltd |year=1870 |isbn=9788126935413 |volume=2nd |pages=456}}</ref> Notably after restoring peace and order in the area, he ignored orders to take decisive steps to crush the Sikhs and instead pursued means of making peace with them.<ref name="auto2">Hari Ram Gupta, ''History of the Sikhs'', Vol-II</ref>{{page needed|date=July 2023}} Recognising the decline of his Mughal employers he sought to make alliances with local groups, and granted [[jagir]]s to a number of Sikhs whilst also employing many in his armed forces, notably [[Jassa Singh Ramgarhia]].<ref name="auto2"/><ref>Purnima Dhavan (2011). ''When Sparrows Became Hawks: The Making of the Sikh Warrior Tradition, 1699–1799'', Oxford University Press</ref>

==Imprisonment==
Nader Shah's invasion resulted in widespread looting, and led to Zakariya Khan being unable to pay his soldiers. After widespread protests by the soldiers, Zakariya Khan ordered his Diwan Lakhpat Rai to make the payments. The Diwan was imprisoned when he refused to do so and his brother Jaspat Rai was then ordered to demand arrears from all the nazims and faujdars in order to raise money.<ref name="clash v common"/> Adina Beg subsequently found himself imprisoned for being in arrears and was stripped of his position as governor of the Doaba.<ref name="clash v common"/>

After a year, Bhwani Das was released on the security of his brother Sri Navas and Adina escaped and fled to the hills. Bhwani Das was then re-arrested and ordered to disclose the accounts of Adina which he refused to do so. He was then placed in a large pot and half boiled.{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=25}} The now released Diwan, Lakhpat Rai, was so impressed by his loyalty that he halted the punishment and granted him one request.{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=29}} The latter demanded the reinstatement of Adina. Moved by the display of devotion, Zakariya awarded a robe of honour to Adina and made him Deputy Governor of the Doaba under his son Shahnawaz.{{sfn|Gupta|1944|p=63}}

==Durrani Invasions==
The death of Zakariya Khan on 1 July 1745 created a power struggle to succeed him as viceroy and six months later his son Yahiya Khan was named as his successor.{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=30}} Recognising the hostility between Yahiya Khan and his younger brother Shahnawaz, Adina sought to develop relations with Yahiya whilst also maintaining the trust of Shahnawaz.{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=25}} To support the Yahiya government in Lahore he assisted in Lakhpat Rai's campaign against the Sikhs between April and June 1746. In November 1746, Shahnawaz began an insurrection and forcibly occupied Lahore demanding a complete division of his father's property. This time Adina placed himself in the camp of Shahnawaz and the following March, on hearing news that Yahiya was seeking to launch an attack against Shahnawaz, Adina led an attack near the tomb of Hazrat Ishan.{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=25}} Shahnawaz was victorious and marched into Lahore unopposed on 21 March 1747 to usurp the Punjab government. He subsequently appointed Adina in charge of civil and military affairs for the Doaba. Shahnawaz now lobbied the Delhi government to become subahdar of Lahore in return for the release of Yahiya. However, on Yahiya's escape from captivity in July, Shahnawaz lost his bargaining power and on the advice of Adina he invited [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]] to invade the [[Mughal Empire]].{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=33}}

Adina then notified the Delhi government of Shahnawaz's treachery, and on hearing of the news, the Delhi government hurriedly acquiesced to Shahnawaz's demands. They were however too late to halt [[Indian campaign of Ahmad Shah Durrani|Durrani's invasion]]. Durrani defeated his former ally Shahnawaz at Lahore before marching on Delhi. Adina was twice injured when assisting [[Moin-ul-Mulk]] (also known as Mir Mannu) in the Mughal victory at the [[Battle of Manupur (1748)|Battle of Manupur]] which forced Durrani's retreat to [[Kabul]]. In return, the newly appointed subahdar of Lahore Mir Mannu reinstated Adina as faujdar of the Doaba. Durrani followed up his initial invasion a year later acquiring more territory to the west of the Indus River. During his third invasion, he defeated Mir Mannu at the [[Battle of Lahore (1752)|Battle of Lahore]] and established Afghan supremacy in the Punjab although he kept Mir Mannu in place as his governor at Lahore. Following the war, Adina tried to gain favour with Mir Mannu and offered his support to a campaign against the Sikhs in Jullundur as a means to dispel suspicions of his treachery during the Afghan invasions.{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=42}}

In 1752, whilst travelling in [[Gurdaspur district|Gurdaspur]], he found the town of [[Dina Nagar|Adinanagar]].{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=43}}

==Consolidating power==
[[File:Painting of Nawab Adina Beg Khan and Deendar Khoja.jpg|thumb|Painting of Nawab Adina Beg Khan (right) and Deendar Khoja (left), circa 18th century]]
On Mir Mannu's death on 3 November 1753, his two-year-old son was proclaimed viceroy, with his mother [[Mughlani Begum|Surayya Begum]] becoming de facto ruler.{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=44}} Amid the political upheaval, Adina asserted independence from both the [[Durrani Empire]] and Mughal government at Delhi. In 1755, Adina drew the support of zamindars and an army of Sikhs to confront the threat of Qutb Khan who had seized Sirhind and on 11 April 1755, he met [[Mian Qutb Shah|Qutb Khan]] in battle, emerging victorious and extending his control of the Doaba as far as [[Sirhind]]. He used his victory to demand the new territory from the Delhi government, and the Mughal Wazir noting their military incompetence and poverty agreed.{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=47}} Adina was conferred with the title Zafar Jung Bahadur and all the hill chiefs submitted to him and paid tribute. Now in control of Jullundur and Sirhind, Adina sought to acquire Lahore. Taking advantage of unrest in Lahore against the Begum's deputy Khwaja Abdullah, the son of [[Abd al-Samad Khan]],<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=7QhuAAAAMAAJ&q=abdullah+saif |title= Muslim Society in Northern India During the Eighteenth Century |page= 530 |author= Muhammad Umar |date= 1998 |isbn= 9788121508308 }}</ref> he marched on the capital and installed Sadiq Beg Khan to manage state affairs. This victory was however short lived as the Begum, with the help of the Afghans, drove Sadiq Beg Khan from power and restored Khwaja Abdullah's position. In 1756, the Mughal Wazir used Adina to conduct an intrigue to dispose the Begum from government in Lahore and bring her to Delhi.{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=49}} On completion of the mission, Adina was made subahdar of [[Subah of Lahore|Lahore]] and [[Subah of Multan|Multan]] by the Mughal government at Delhi in return for an annual tribute of thirty lakh of rupees. The position was however short lived, as the Afghans successfully marched on Lahore to dispose Adina's deputy Sayyid Jamal-ud-Din and restore Khwaja Abdullah.

In November 1756, following advances from the Begum the Afghans launched a campaign to ransack Delhi. Adina, accompanied by Sadiq Beg and Jamal-ud-Din abandoned his positions and fled to [[Hansi]].{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=53}} The Afghans successfully sacked Delhi in 1757, and the Begum was granted the Doaba and Jammu and Kashmir as a fief. In turn the Begum invited Adina to rule the Doaba on her behalf. The new Viceroy at Lahore, Jahan Khan, then demanded the full obedience of Adina and threatened to lay waste to the Doaba if refused.{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=53}} Adina agreed, however soon disagreement over the payment of tribute to Jahan Khan heightened tensions. Jahan Khan invited Adina to court to discuss ways to subdue the Sikhs, but was rebuffed by Adina who sent agents in his place. A detachment of troops was then sent to arrest Adina, however he retired to the foothills and recruited a large body of Sikh soldiers to counter the detachment. The Sikhs led by Sodhi Bharbag Singh and [[Jassa Singh Ahluwalia]] routed the Afghans and looted their luggage. In return Adina granted the Sikhs leave to pillage the Doaba including the city of Jullundur. Amid the looting and Afghan defeat, and anarchy persisted in the Punjab between November 1757 to February 1758.{{sfn|Gupta|1940|p=56}}

==Afghan expulsion and Maratha alliance==
In early 1758, Adina sought out allies to expel the Afghans from the Punjab and restore stability. He struck a deal with Sikh leaders Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Sodhi Vadhbhag Singh, and with their help defeated the Afghans at [[Battle of Mahilpur (1757)|Mahilpur]].{{sfn|Mehta|2005}} By March 1758 he had also enlisted the support of [[Raghunathrao]] of the [[Maratha Empire]], and together they expelled the Afghans from Lahore. The Maratha and Sikh forces then gave chase to the retreating Afghans on horseback and were in quick pursuit of them in which they went on to capture [[Attock]] and then [[Peshawar]] from the Afghans.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mikaberidze |first1=Alexander |title=Conflict and Conquest in the Islamic World: A Historical Encyclopedia |id=[2 volumes] |date=22 July 2011 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-59884-337-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jBBYD2J2oE4C |language=en |page=43 |quote=The Marathas, assisted by Sikhs, defeated the Afghans and captured Attock, Peshwar and Multan in the spring of 1758.|quote-page=43}}</ref>{{sfn|Mehta|2005|pp=236, 260}}<ref>{{Cite book|last=Pletcher|first=Kenneth|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VsujRFvaHI8C&pg=PA198|title=The History of India|publisher=Britannica Educational|date=2010|isbn=9781615301225|page=198}}</ref><ref name="barua">{{Cite book|last=Barua|first=Pradeep|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FIIQhuAOGaIC&pg=PA55|title=The state at war in South Asia|publisher=University of Nebraska Press|date=2005|isbn=9780803213449|page=55|quote=The Marathas attacked soon after and, with some help from the Sikhs, managed to capture Attock, Peshawar, and Multan between April and May 1758.}}</ref> The Punjab now came under Maratha rule, with Adina appointed [[subahdar]] and later [[Nawab]] of the Punjab in 1758 in return for a yearly tribute of seventy five lakh of rupees. Raghunathrao and [[Malhar Rao Holkar]], the two commanders-in-chief of the Maratha forces, remained in Lahore for three months after which they retired to the [[Deccan]] leaving Adina in sole control.<ref name=K.RoyIHB/> Now in control of the entirety of the Punjab, Adina entrusted Lahore to his son-in-law Khwaja Mirza and Multan to Salih Muhammad Khan, and set up his headquarters in [[Batala]] nearer to his traditional power base in the Doaba.{{sfn|Mehta|2005}} He also appointed his brother, Khwaja Said Khan as his deputy.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chhabra |first=G. S. |url=https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.29082/page/414/mode/1up |title=Advanced study in History of the Punjab vol.1 |date=1960 |language=English}}</ref> To entrench his position he sought to eliminate his rivals, and declared his erstwhile allies the Sikhs, outlaws. He pursued two expeditions against the Sikhs, including an abortive siege of the mud fort Ram Rauni near [[Amritsar]].{{sfn|Mehta|2005}}

==Personal life and death==
Adina Beg married a [[tawaif]] (dancer) in the early years of his career. Despite their estranged relationship, the couple had a son, Sadiq Beg Khan and a daughter who was wed to Khwaja Mirza Khan. After becoming the Nawab, Adina Beg unknowingly married a [[Sayyid]] woman. Upon discovering her lineage, he divorced her but gave her maintenance all his life.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-12 |title=A STRANGE CHARACTER WHO RAISED HIMSELF FROM ORDINARY LIFE, BY SHEER SHREWDNESS TO BE THE ACTING GOVERNOR OF THE PUNJAB DIRECT NEIGHBOUR OF MIMAR FAMILY IN MOHALLA CHABUK SAWARAN. - Chughtai's Art Blog |url=https://blog.chughtaimuseum.com/?p=11813&utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-02-08 |language=en-US}}</ref> On 15 September 1758, only a few months after his appointment, Adina Beg died at [[Khanpur, Hoshiarpur|Khanpur]] near [[Hoshiarpur]] after suffering from a [[Biliary colic|colic attack]].{{sfn|Beale|1894}} The Marathas appointed Sabaji Shinde to succeed him as the governor of the Punjab.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sykes |first1=Percy |title=History of Afghanistan |date=2014 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-315-82810-7 |volume=1, 2 |pages=359 |doi=10.4324/9781315828107}}</ref> A tomb was erected at his grave in Khanpur.{{sfn|Beale|1894}} His life is described in an unpublished Persian manuscript, the ''Ahwal-i-Dina Beg Khan''.

==In popular culture==
* In the 2010 historical TV series ''[[Maharaja Ranjit Singh (TV series)|Maharaja Ranjit Singh]]'' telecasted on [[DD National]], the character of Adina Beg is portrayed by [[Rajendra Gupta]].

== Gallery ==
{{Gallery
| title = Depictions of Adina Beg Khan
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| File: Adina Beg Khan.jpg
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| Elderly Adina Beg Khan
| File:Adina Beg tells his beads (6124587257).jpg
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| Adina Beg with prayer beads
| File: Painting of Adina Beg Khan leaning against a bolster.jpg
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| Painting of Adina Beg Khan leaning against a bolster
| File: Deed house Chabuk Sawaran dated to 1170 AH (1756 CE), related to the governance of Adina Beg Khan.jpg
| alt4=
| Deed house Chabuk Sawaran dated to 1170 AH (1756 CE), related to the governance of Adina Beg Khan
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==See also==
*[[History of Punjab]]
*[[List of Punjabi Muslims]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{cite encyclopaedia |last1=Beale |first1=Thomas William |title=Adina Beg Khan |date=1894 |publisher=W. H. Allen & Co. |location=London |page=34 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.510327/page/n41/mode/2up?q=adina |encyclopaedia=An Oriental Biographical Dictionary |isbn=9781404706484 |via=Internet Archive}} ([https://books.google.com/books?id=zaoYAAAAIAAJ Alternative link: via Google Books])
* {{cite journal |last1=Gupta |first1=Hari Ram |title=Adina Beg Khan |journal=Journal of the Panjab University Historical Society and the Panjab Historical Society |date=December 1940 |volume=6 |pages=23–77 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.33392/page/n49/mode/2up}}
* {{cite book |last1=Gupta |first1=Hari Ram |title=Studies in Later Mughal History of the Panjab (1707-1793) |date=1944 |publisher=Minerva; Sang-e-Meel |location=Lahore |pages=56–108 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.62988/page/n71/mode/2up |chapter=IV. Adina Beg Khan: The Mughal Viceroy of the Panjab}}
* {{Cite book|last=Mehta|first=Jaswant Lal|title=Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813|publisher=New Dawn Press|date=2005|isbn=9781932705546}}

==Further reading==
* Gandhi, Surjit Singh, ''Struggle of the Sikhs for Sovereignty''. Delhi, 1980
* {{cite web |last1=Khan |first1=Sarang |title=Adina Beg: Soldier, Statesman, Diplomat, Hero |url=https://punjabiwaseb.com/2020/10/08/adina-beg-soldier-statesman-diplomat-hero/ |website=Punjabi Waseb |language=en |date=9 October 2020}}
* Bhagat Singh, ''Sikh Polity''. Delhi, 1978

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beg, Adina}}
[[Category:People from the Maratha Empire]]
[[Category:Mughal generals]]
[[Category:1710s births]]
[[Category:1758 deaths]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing]]
[[Category:People from Sheikhupura District]]
[[Category:18th-century Indian Muslims]]
[[Category:18th-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:Arain]]

Adina Beg Khan - Revision history

ZitaKight7091 at 02:07, 30 April 2026