In the late 18th century, Ahmad Khan embarked on an extraordinary and perilous five-year journey to London, seeking compensation from the East India Company for the devastation wrought upon his homeland in Broach, India. His quest, detailed in Rahul Markovits' book 'A Passage to Europe: The Extraordinary Travels Of An Indian Prince In The Age Of Revolutions,' highlights the ruthless methods of the British during their colonial expansion.
Ahmad Khan was part of the entourage of three high-born sons of the deceased nawab of Broach, who had been left destitute by the East India Company's 'looting and plundering.' Their initial aim was to petition the company directors for pensions.
A Journey Fraught with Obstacles
The party's travels were marked by significant delays and dangers. They were stranded for six months in Baghdad due to a rebellion, followed by an eight-month stay in Constantinople after a 1,200-mile desert trek. Ahmad and the nawab's son he accompanied, Navasish Khan, were then quarantined for a month in Marseilles. Their journey further stalled when they became trapped for a year in Lyon during a siege, during which their hotel was shelled 42 times. Navasish Khan died during this period, likely from a stroke.
Continuing alone, Ahmad spent seven months in Versailles, unable to travel to Britain due to France's war with the country. During this time, he learned French and even produced a bilingual copy of the Declaration of the Rights of Man in French and Persian.
A Protracted Return and Suspicion
After finally receiving permission and funding to travel to London via Switzerland, Ahmad spent two months there before beginning his return journey. This included a stop in Lyon to collect Navasish's body, which had been prepared for transport by having its limbs removed.
Upon his return to India, Ahmad was immediately arrested. British intelligence, specifically Nathan Crow, suspected him of being a spy carrying secret letters from the French to Tipu Sultan, a major adversary of the British in India. Despite a search of Navasish's coffin, no incriminating evidence was found. Nevertheless, Ahmad was interrogated, charged with treason, and imprisoned for three years, caught in a web spun by civil servant and spymaster William Wickham, who was operating an informant network for the East India Company.
Markovits' research suggests that Ahmad may not have been a prince, as he claimed in France to secure assistance, but possibly a mercenary soldier from Afghanistan. His arduous journey and subsequent unjust imprisonment shed light on the dubious practices employed by the British during the colonization of India.