Zabita Khan
Encyclopedia
Zabita Khan Rohilla was Rohilla
chieftain in the time of the Mughal
Emperor Shah Alam
(r. 1707 - 1712). He was the son of the Rohilla
Sardar
Najib-ud-Daula, who founded the city of Najibabad
, Zabita Khan is also known to have fought alongside his father during the Battle of Panipat (1761). After the death of his father on October 30, 1770, Zabita took over, and during his rule, Rohilkhand
was invaded by the Marathas to retaliate against the Rohillas' participation in the Afghan
Maratha
war. Zabita Khan gave tough resistance but was defeated and forced to flee to the camp of the Nawab of Awadh
, Shuja-ud-Daula
; and his country was ravaged by Marathas.
Zabita Khan was accused by Mirza Najaf Khan
of high treason after allying himself with the Sikh
s in order to become the official Mir Bakshi of the Mughal Empire
, his son Abdul Qadir Khan Rohilla was also accused of betrayal.
However after the Rohilla War
of 1773-4, the territory was annexed.
Rohilla
The Rohilla are a community of Hindi-speaking Pashtun also known as Pathan, historically found in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in North India. Most are now also found in Pakistan where they are now part of the Mohajir community. At one time, they form one of the largest Pashtun diaspora community...
chieftain in the time of the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Emperor Shah Alam
Bahadur Shah I
Bahadur Shah was a Mughal Emperor, who ruled India from 1707 to 1712. His original name was Qutb ud-Din Muhammad Mu'azzam later titled as Shah Alam by his father. He took the throne name Bahadur Shah in 1707. His name Bahādur means "brave" & "hero" in Turko-Mongol languages...
(r. 1707 - 1712). He was the son of the Rohilla
Rohilla
The Rohilla are a community of Hindi-speaking Pashtun also known as Pathan, historically found in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in North India. Most are now also found in Pakistan where they are now part of the Mohajir community. At one time, they form one of the largest Pashtun diaspora community...
Sardar
Sardar
Sardar is a title of Indo-Aryan origin that was originally used to denote feudal princes, noblemen, and other aristocrats. It was later applied to indicate a Head of State, a Commander-in-chief, and an Army military rank...
Najib-ud-Daula, who founded the city of Najibabad
Najibabad
Najibabad is a pleasant city / partially hill station and a municipal board in Bijnor district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It has a railway junction and is one of the administrative blocks of the Bijnor district...
, Zabita Khan is also known to have fought alongside his father during the Battle of Panipat (1761). After the death of his father on October 30, 1770, Zabita took over, and during his rule, Rohilkhand
Rohilkhand
Rohilkhand is a region of northwestern Uttar Pradesh state of India.Rohilkhand lies on the upper Ganges alluvial plain and has an area of about 25,000 km²/10,000 square miles...
was invaded by the Marathas to retaliate against the Rohillas' participation in the Afghan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
Maratha
Maratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
war. Zabita Khan gave tough resistance but was defeated and forced to flee to the camp of the Nawab of Awadh
Nawab of Awadh
The Nawab of Awadh is the title of rulers who governed the state of Awadh in India in the 18th and 19th century. The Nawabs of Awadh originated form Persia-Establishment:...
, Shuja-ud-Daula
Shuja-ud-Daula
Shuja-ud-Daula was the Subedar Nawab of Oudh from 5 October 1754 to 26 January 1775, and the son of Muhammad Nasir.Though a minor royal, he is best known for his key roles in two definitive battles in Indian history - the Third Battle of Panipat which ended Maratha domination of India, and the...
; and his country was ravaged by Marathas.
Zabita Khan was accused by Mirza Najaf Khan
Mirza Najaf Khan
Mirza Najaf Khan was a Persian adventurer in the court of Mughal emperor Shah Alam II. He had royal lineage, having been a Safavi prince, when that dynasty was deposed by Nader Shah in 1735. He came to India around 1740 and may even have come a year earlier with the Afsharids. His sister married...
of high treason after allying himself with the Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
s in order to become the official Mir Bakshi of the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
, his son Abdul Qadir Khan Rohilla was also accused of betrayal.
However after the Rohilla War
Rohilla War
The First Rohilla War of 1773-1774 was a punitive campaign by Shuja-ud-Daula, Nawab of Awadh, against the Rohillas, Afghan highlanders settled in Rohilkhand, northern India...
of 1773-4, the territory was annexed.