Maratha invasion of Awadh

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Maratha invasion of Awadh
Part of Later Mughal-Maratha wars

Bajirao riding a horse during his campaigns as Peshwa(1720-1739)
DateMarch 1737
Location
Awadh, modern day Uttar Pradesh
Territorial
changes		 No territorial changes
Belligerents

Mughal Empire

Maratha Empire
Commanders and leaders
Saadat Ali Khan
Qamar-ud-Din Khan
Hasan Khan Koka		 Baji Rao I
Malhar Rao Holkar
Mastani
Casualties and losses
Unknown 1,000 Marathas captured

The Maratha invasion on Awadh in 1737, led by Peshwa Bajirao and Malhar Rao Holkar, involved campaigns such as Malhar Rao's invasion of Bhadawar, a Rajput vassal of the Mughal Empire, resulting in the Battle of Jalesar. Nawab Saadat Ali Khan of Awadh defeated Malhar Rao at Jalesar, compelling the Marathas to retreat. Subsequently, Bajirao raided Delhi, the Mughal capital, defeating a Mughal contingent at the outskirts but withdrawing upon the approach of Vizier Qamaruddin Khan.

Background[edit]

In 1737, Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah dispatched Saadat Ali Khan, the Nawab of Awadh, to collaborate with Qamr-ud-Din Khan, the Vizier of the Mughal empire and Khan Dowran VII, who led the military administration of the Mughal Empire. The purpose of this meeting was to strategize resistance against the Marathas. Saadat Ali Khan embarked on his journey from Faizabad with a sizable army, which included prominent figures like Safdar Jung, Abdul Mansur Khan, and Shen Jung. Their mission was to execute the Imperial order and provide assistance to Anirudh Singh Bhadwariya, the son of Gopal Singh of Bhadawar, in resisting the Marathas.[1][2]

Saadat Ali Khan received information about the defeat of Anrudh Singh and the Maratha occupation of Bhadawar before reaching the town. As a result, he decided to halt his advance towards Bhadawar.[3][4]

Battle of Jalesar[edit]

Battle of Jalesar
Part of Maratha invasion of Awadh
Date23 March 1737 A.D.
Location
Jalesar
Result Mughal victory
Belligerents
Maratha Empire Mughal Empire
Commanders and leaders
Malhar Rao Holkar Saadat Ali Khan
Casualties and losses
1,000 captured Unknown

By this time on 23 March 1737, a Maratha detachment under Malhar Rao Holkar had crossed the Yamuna River with the intention of looting the Doab region and preventing the meeting of Safdaar Khan with the Wazir and Mir Bakhshi. They passed through the town of Shikohabad, which was spared from destruction after a ransom of 1,50,000 Rupees was paid. Continuing their advance, they reached Firozabad and Itimadpur, where they plundered and set fire to the towns, causing devastation in the surrounding countryside up to Moti Bagh, near Agra. Subsequently, they proceeded to the town of Jalesar, located some 26 miles northeast of Agra. Early in the morning of March 23, 1737, Abul Mansur Khan, leading 12,000 horsemen, came into view. He was at the forefront of Saadat Khan's army, which had undertaken a forced march of eighty five miles upon hearing news of the Maratha incursion into the Doab in order to reach the vicinity of Jalesar.[5][1]

Marathas, recognizing the comparative smallness of Abul Mansur Khan's force, sought to employ their traditional warfare strategy by attempting to encircle him from all directions. However, Khan skillfully avoided being besieged and instead executed a tactical withdrawal, luring the enemy closer to Saadat Khan's main army, which numbered a formidable fifty thousand soldiers. The fierce charge led by Saadat Ali caused the Maratha forces to scatter in disarray, plunging them into confusion and panic. The fleeing Maratha troops were pursued for many miles, resulting in the capture of around one thousand of them near the Itimadpur tank, situated approximately 10 miles northeast of Agra. The remainder of the Maratha forces successfully crossed the Yamuna River and later rejoined Bajirao's troops at Kotila, near Gwalior. In response, Bajirao raided Delhi.[1][4][6]

The raid on Delhi[edit]

Maratha raid on Delhi
Part of Maratha invasion of Awadh
Date28 March 1737 A.D.
Location
Delhi
Result Indecisive[7]
Belligerents
Maratha Empire Mughal Empire
Commanders and leaders
Baji Rao I Qamar-ud-din Khan
Hasan Khan Koka

The Maratha raid on Delhi occurred on March 28, 1737, when the Marathas, led by Bajirao, targeted the Mughal Empire near Talkatora, close to Delhi.[8][9] Bajirao sought to avenge for the Marathas' prior defeat at the Battle of Jalesar by Saadat Ali Khan. After defeating the Mughal army under Hasan Khan Kota, Bajirao and the Marathas raided Delhi. The Mughal emperor dispatched a force, led by Mir Hasan Khan Koka, to check Bajirao's advance. The Marathas defeated his force on 28 March 1737 in outskirts of Delhi at Rikabganj. When the news of the defeat of the Mughal troops by the Marathas spread, a sudden fear seized the citizens of Delhi who expected the attack of the Maratha conqueror any moment. But Baji Rao did not proceed with his victory although he could have taken the city unopposed. He had received intelligence that the Vazir Qamar-ud-Din Khan with his army was coming towards Delhi in rapid marches when he heard that Baji Rao was before the gates of the capital. The Peshwa realised that any further stay in the city would greatly imperil his position and endanger the lines of communication with the Maratha mainland. He was content with the imperial offer of the Viceroyalty of Malwa. He, therefore, left Delhi with his soldiers towards the south. During his way back he encountered the Mughal Vizier Qamar-ud Din Khan at Badshahpur. After a long and tiring march following a heavy engagement, the Peshwa was in no mood to attack the Vazir. Neither could the Vazir array his forces for battle, as his artillery and a part of his men were yet on the road. There was a brush between the two forces in the failing light of the day; one elephant and a few horses were seized by the Marathas with the loss of 30 men at their side.[10] Afterwards, they moved another eight miles before encamping for the night. Finding himself heavily outnumbered to the Wazir’s army and possibility of reinforcement from the other Mughal nobles he made a decision to quickly retreat from Badshahpur during early night. Passing through Rajputana Bajirao reached Narnol and then Ajmer. The Mughals could not pursue the Marathas and the Emperor had recalled them to Delhi. The Rajput princes once again affirmed their loyalty to the Peshwa and solicited his protection. [11][12] Baji Rao’s dash on Delhi may be said to mark the apogee of his career of conquest. Bajirao's dash on Delhi was executed with such daring and audacity that neither the Mughal generals nor the Mughal intelligence could comprehend or predict his moves.[13] This event caused great consternation and dismay in the capital. Although the Peshwa left the city suddenly, he exposed the weakness of the government. The demoralizing effect which the Peshwa’s surprise attack produced on the army and the citizens of Delhi was permanent.[14]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Srivastava, Ashirbadi Lal (1954). The First Two Nawabs of Awadh. Shiva Lal Agarwala & Company. pp. 53–56. ISBN 978-0-8426-1549-5.
  2. ^ Alam, Muzaffar (1986). The Crisis of Empire in Mughal North India: Awadh and the Punjab, 1707-48. Oxford University Press. pp. 270–271. ISBN 978-0-19-561892-1.
  3. ^ Andhare, B. R. (1984). Bundelkhand Under the Marathas, 1720-1818 A.D.: A Study of Maratha-Bundela Relations. Vishwa Bharati Prakashan.
  4. ^ a b Gupta, Bhagavānadāsa (1987). A History of the Rise and Fall of the Marathas in Bundelkhand, 1731-1804: Based on Original Sources. Neha Prakashan. pp. 42–43.
  5. ^ Cheema, G. S. (2002). The Forgotten Mughals: A History of the Later Emperors of the House of Babar, 1707-1857. Manohar Publishers & Distributors. p. 172. ISBN 978-81-7304-416-8.
  6. ^ Azhar, Mirza Ali (1982). King Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh. Royal Book Company. pp. 84–85.
  7. ^ Gordon, Stewart, ed. (1993). The New Cambridge history of India Vol II Part 4. p. 125. The campaign of 1737 was indecisive, though Bajirao attacked Delhi, even briefly holding the Emperor to ransom.
  8. ^ Tucker, Spencer C. (2009-12-23). A Global Chronology of Conflict: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East - 6 volumes: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East. ABC-CLIO. p. 732. ISBN 978-1-85109-672-5.
  9. ^ Bowman, John (2000). Columbia Chronologies of Asian History and Culture. Columbia University Press. p. 285. ISBN 978-0-231-11004-4.
  10. ^ Dighe, V. g (1944). Peshwa Bajirao I And Maratha Expansion. p. 136. After a long and tiring march following a heavy engagement, the Peshwa was in no mood to attack the Vazir. Neither could the Vazir array his forces for battle, as his artillery and a part of his men were yet on the road. There was a brush between the two forces in the failing light of the day; one elephant and a few horses were seized by the Marathas and then they moved another eight miles before encamping for the night.
  11. ^ Srinivasan, C. K. (1961). Baji Rao I, the Great Peshwa. Asia Publishing House. p. 104. When the news of the defeat of the Mughal troops by the Marathas spread, a sudden fear seized the citizens of Delhi who expected the attack of the Maratha conqueror any moment. But Baji Rao did not proceed with his victory although he could have taken the city unopposed. He had received intelligence that the Vazir with his army was coming towards Delhi in rapid marches when he heard that Baji Rao was before the gates of the capital. The Peshwa realised that any further stay in the city would greatly imperil his position and endanger the lines of communication with the Maratha mainland. He was content with the imperial offer of the Viceroyalty of Malwa. He, therefore, left Delhi with his soldiers towards the south. The Peshwa suspected that the Nizam was active. He directed Chimnaji Appa that " if he (Nizam) attempts to cross the Narmada, fall instantly on his rear and put heel ropes on him." 3 Twenty miles from Delhi at a place called Badshahpur the Mughal soldiers of the Vazir were sighted. In fact an advance party of the Mughals saw Baji Rao and Mastani " seated on the saddle cover, drinking and singing while they rested." Now the Peshwa had to retreat as quickly as possible as a combination of the Mughal forces would prove disastrous to the Marathas. Passing through Rajputana he reached Narnol and then Ajmer. The Mughals could not pursue the Marathas and the Emperor had recalled them to Delhi. The Rajput princes once again affirmed their loyalty to the Peshwa and solicited his protection.
  12. ^ Gupta, Hari Ram (1961). Marathas and Panipat. Panjab University. p. 335. There were 10,000 horse and 20,000 foot in the fort. An action was fought at Rikabganj in which the imperial troops were worsted. The Mughals lost 600 men in killed and wounded, 2,000 horses and one elephant. Meanwhile Wazir Qamr-ud-din Khan was hurrying towards Delhi. SBajirao checked his advance at Badshahpur, 33 kilometres south-west of the city and 10 kilometres south of the spot where Gurgaon railway station now stands. The Peshwa followed by his mistress Mastani "'seated on one saddle cover" on a tall horse "riding stirrup to stirrup with him, as seen by Ashob's two elder brothers fighting in Janish Khan's corps under the Wazir, delivered the assault. He lost thirty men. Finding himself unequal to the Wazir's army, and fearing the combination of Samsamud-daulah and S'aadat Khan with the Wazir, he slipped away from the field early in the night, this being the seventh day of the dark half of the moon, on 10 April.
  13. ^ Srinivasan, C. K. (1961). Baji Rao I, the Great Peshwa. Asia Publishing House. p. 105. Baji Rao's dash on Delhi may be said to mark the apogee of his career of conquest. It was executed with such daring and audacity that neither the Mughal generals nor Mughal intelligence could comprehend or foresee the Peshwa's movements. It was indeed a most famous assault on the tottering Empire.
  14. ^ Zahiruddin Malik (1973). A Mughal Statement Of 18th Century. p. 78. Baji Rao in order"to teach the Emperor a wholesome lesson', appeared at the gates of Delhi on March 28, 1737, when the imperial generals were still absent.This caused great consternation and dismay in the capital. Although the Peshwa left the city suddenly, he exposed the weakness of the government. The demoralizing effect which the Peshwa's surprise attack produced on the army and the citizens of Delhi was permanent.
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