Ghous Mohammad Khan, Fifth Nawab, 1807-27

Between 1801 and 1807, Wazir engaged in a vigorous campaign to recover the territories and forts that the weak rulers of Bhopal had ceded to its neighbors. Meanwhile Ghous Mohammad Khan the heir apparent, engaged in treacherous deals with Marhattas of Gwalior and Nagpur. This left the British unsure of Bhopal’s commitment to resisting Marhatta power, while Wazir was negotiating with the Britishers for a treaty that would give Bhopal protection against its neighbors. Ghous’s actions is described by Major William Hough in “A Brief History Of The Bhopal Principality Of Central India” as follows:

So eager was this prince to ruin Vizier Mahomed, that he engaged to surrender
the fort of Islamnuguur, pay four lakhs of rupees in cash, and present an annual
tribute of 50,000 to Sindiah, with 11,000 rupees to his public officers.
Having consented to these terms, he proceeded to Bhopal, after being invested
with an honorary dress by Dowlut Rao Sindiah, whose ostensible support he seems
to have thought sufficient to maintain him in power; nor does he appear to have
met with any opposition on the part of Vizier Mahomed. But what could Vizier
Mahomed do while the Nawab was alive, and the son was permitted to exercise the
powers of Nawab; and the minister had not always possessed the full executive
authority.

However, Hayat died on 17 November 1807, aged 73, after a fairly inglorious reign of 29 years. Ghous Mohammad Khan succeeded him 18 days later. Soon Raghuji Bhonsle sent a force of 40,000 under his able general, Sadiq Ali. Sadiq Ali took over Bhopal and demanded that Ghous hand over Wazir and his wife as hostage. Sadiq later decided to take Ghous’s son Moiz as hostage. No sooner had Sadiq Ali left Bhopal than Wazir swooped down from Ginnor and, in a lightning assault, routed the Nagpur forces and resumed governance of Bhopal. Ghous was accused of supreme treachery, his advisers Munshi Suraj Mal, Bani Lal, Lalji Mustafa and Lala Roop Chand were executed in full public view. Ghous was banished to Raisen, never to exercise executive authority again, but still remaining Nawab Of Bhopal.