Sack of Delhi
Part of Indian Campaign of Ahmad Shah Durrani
Mughal style portrait of Ahmad Shah Durrani, c.1757
Date 17 January – 22 February 1757[1] Location Delhi, Mughal Empire 28°36′45″N 77°17′30″E / 28.61250°N 77.29167°E / 28.61250; 77.29167 Result Durrani victory
Belligerents
Durrani Empire Supported by: Kingdom of Rohilkhand	Mughal Empire Supported by:  Maratha Confederacy
Commanders and leaders
Ahmad Shah Durrani Jahan Khan Najib ud-Daula	Alamgir II  Imad ul-Mulk  Intizam-ud-Daulah
Strength
80,000 men[2]	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Civilians: Thousands killed[3]

The Sack of Delhi occurred from 17 January – 22 February 1757, carried out by the Durrani Empire under the Afghan King Ahmad Shah Durrani. Delhi, the capital of the Mughal Empire, experienced multiple invasions by the Afghans during the 18th century.

Beginning decline since the death of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb on 3 March 1707, the Mughals faced numerous invasions from the Maratha Empire and internal conflicts over succession. Stability briefly returned under Muhammad Shah. However, the decline of the Mughals allowed adventurers such as Nader Shah to invade Mughal territories and sack Delhi. Following Nader Shah's death, his eastern domains were succeeded by Ahmad Shah Durrani, who formed the Afghan Durrani Empire and centered his power base in Kandahar, Afghanistan. After three invasions by the Afghans, the Mughals lost numerous territories including Kashmir, Punjab, and Sindh.

Invited to invade India in 1756, Ahmad Shah assembled his forces, overruning the Punjab advancing to Delhi, entering the city on 28 January, and compelling Mughal emperor Alamgir II to submit to him. The subsequent sacking of Delhi yielded immense wealth, with estimates ranging from 30 to 120 million rupees, and even as high as 300 million rupees worth of goods, which Ahmad Shah took back to Afghanistan. The sacking concluded on 22 February 1757, marking a significant blow to the already weakened Mughal Empire.

Ahmad Shah Durrani, the ruler of the Durrani Empire, embarked on numerous campaigns into India during his reign. In 1747, Ahmad Shah launched his first invasion, seizing Kabul and Peshawar from the Mughals before advancing into the Punjab. After defeating the Mughals at Lahore, Ahmad Shah met the Mughals at Manupur, where he was defeated.^[4][5]

Seeking to avenge his defeat, Ahmad Shah launched his second invasion in 1749, crossing the Indus River. Moin-ul-Mulk, the Mughal governor of the Punjab, urgently requested aid from Delhi. Ahmad Shah had demanded the revenues of Chahar Mahal, Gujrat, Aurangabad, Pasrur, and Sialkot.^[5] Moin-ul-Mulk forwarded the demands to the Mughal Emperor Ahmad Shah Bahadur. Instead of receiving reinforcements, Alamgir authorized the revenues to be given to Ahmad Shah. Helpless, Moin-ul-Mulk had no choice but to accept. The second invasion's relative ease bolstered Ahmad Shah's ambitions in future invasions.^[6][7]

After tribute from Chahar Mahal had not been realized, Ahmad Shah launched his third invasion in November 1751.^[5][8] Ahmad Shah initially sent ambassadors to Lahore while he advanced, demanding the revenues of Chahar Mahal. Moin-ul-Mulk, unable to pay the full sum, gave a tribute of 900,000 rupees and promised to send more if Ahmad Shah withdrew. Ahmad Shah took the rupees and continued advancing.^[9]

Moin-ul-Mulk mobilized 50,000 men in response and entrenched himself at Shahdara, twenty-two miles north of Lahore on the Ravi River.^[10] Ahmad Shah bypassed this by crossing the Ravi by route of Ghazipur, and arriving at Lahore from Niazbeg. Moin-ul-Mulk quickly dashed back to Lahore with his army, and entrenched himself outside the city. Following this, Ahmad Shah besieged Lahore. The siege continued for four months,^[5] with the surrounding countryside laid to waste. In March 1752, Moin-ul-Mulk attempted to move his camp, however this plan was found out. On 5 March 1752, while trying to relocate, Afghan forces descended upon the Mughals and defeated them, with Moin-ul-Mulk being captured. Lahore was plundered, and its population massacred.^[11][8]

Ahmad Shah confirmed Moin-ul-Mulk as the governor of Punjab under him, and sent envoys to Delhi to confirm the annexation of the Punjab which was officially ceded in April 1752, with Kashmir also being annexed.^[5][8] Moin-ul-Mulk ruled over the Punjab until his death in November 1753, and was succeeded by Mughlani Begum. However, in March 1756, she was imprisoned by Mughal vizier Imad ul-Mulk, who replaced her with Adina Beg to govern the Punjab. Mughlani Begum invited Ahmad Shah to lead another incursion into India, promising vast riches.^[12][13]

Further invited by Najib ud-Daula and even the Mughal emperor Alamgir II himself due to the tyrannies of Imad ul-Mulk, Ahmad Shah accepted the invitations began his fourth invasion in November 1756, leaving Peshawar on the 15th, and crossing Attock on the 26th.^[14][1] He reached Lahore on 20 December, seizing the city with effectively token resistance.^[3] Ahmad Shah garnered tribute from the city before continuing his march, crossing the Sutlej on the 10th of January at Ludhiana, while the advance guard under his general, Jahan Khan, had seized Sirhind, Karnal, and Panipat.^[15][16]

The Marathas assembled a contingent of 3,400 men under Antaji Mankeshwar, who battled the Afghans at Narela. The Marathas were however, defeated and forced to withdraw with losses of 100 men.^[17][18] With this, Najib ud-Daula officially defected to the Afghans, and Imad ul-Mulk surrendered not long after. Jahan Khan advanced to Luni and besieged Shahdara following this on 17 January, and the Jama Masjid in Delhi saw Ahmad Shah's name read in the Khutbah. Ahmad Shah then advanced on Delhi, arriving before the city on 28 January.^[19][20]

Threatening that he would sack the city, Ahmad Shah pressed his demands unto the Mughals. Alamgir II met Ahmad Shah at the Fatehpuri Mosque, and he led a grand entry into the city, which was marked with a gun salute.^[21] However much of the inhabitants of the city had already fled or hidden, with the streets completely deserted. Many people barricaded themselves in their houses. Ahmad Shah's name was also inserted in the Khutbah for other mosques.^[3]

Alamgir was placed under house arrest,^[22] and houses outside the city of Delhi were ravaged. On the 29th, bazaars were sacked and Jahan Khan's soldiers extracted tribute from Feroz Shah Kotla. On 30 January, Ahmad Shah minted coins in his name, and married Timur Shah Durrani to a daughter of Alamgir II.^[23]

Ahmad Shah then ordered all Hindus wear distinctive marks on their head,^[24] as well as forbidding non-Muslims from wearing the turban. Ahmad Shah also demanded extensive amounts of tribute from the Mughal nobility. Upon being refused, Ahmad Shah sent his own tax collectors, extracting further tribute, with individuals suspected of hiding valuables being subject to torture such as foot whipping, with many thousands dying under the torture or being crippled, and several others committing suicide. Taxes were levied on every house in Delhi as well.^[3]

Imad ul-Mulk was forced to hand over gold and ornaments valued at 10 million rupees, and another 300,000 gold coins.^[2][25] Over 100 wives of Intizam-ud-Daulah were also seized, with Intizam ud-Daulah also being summoned to Ahmad Shah and demanded to summon over 10 million rupees. Intizam, unable to produce such wealth, confessed knowledge of wealth his father had buried, and tipped off that an old lady named Sholapuri Begum knew the whereabouts.^[2]

Sholapuri Begum was threatened with iron pins to be driven under her nails unless she revealed the spot, which she did after fainting and regaining consciousness. After digging for three days, over 15 million rupees worth of cash was recovered, and many goods such as two hundred golden candles that were the size of a man. The wealth also included diamonds, rubies, pearls, and emeralds.^[2][26]

Following the sacking, Ahmad Shah continued campaigning against the Marathas and Jats until March 1757, when he began preparing to return to Afghanistan. On his return to Delhi in March, the city was sacked once again.^[27]

The total loot Ahmad Shah carried back to Afghanistan is disputed. Its been estimated from contemporary writers that Ahmad Shah seized 30 to 120 million rupees, and even as high as 300 million rupees worth of goods. Over 28,000 elephants, camels, and mules carried Ahmad Shah's loot, alongside his 80,000 men, who carried whatever they took, with many of Ahmad Shah's cavalry returning on foot, while they loaded loot unto their horses.^[28][29] The massacres induced by Ahmad Shah throughout the later campaign made the Yamuna River flow red with blood for two weeks.^[18]