Bharatpedia - User contributions [en]

Draft:Turkish invasion of Seunadesha

2026-04-24T14:39:06Z

Predator.Maratha:

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Ghurid invasion of Seunadesha
| image = File:Map of the Yadavas.png
| image_size =
| caption = [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty]] during the expansion of the empire and invasion of the Turks
| partof =
| date = 1191–1198
| place = [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]], [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Seunadesha]]
| result = Yadava victory
| combatant1 = [[Ghurid dynasty]]
| combatant2 = [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty]]
| commander1 = [[Ghurid dynasty|Qutubuddin Aibak]]
| commander2 =[[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Bhillama V]] [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Jaitrapala]]
| strength1 =
| strength2 =
| casualties1 =
| casualties2 = |
}}

==Battle==
==Historiography==

Draft:Turkish invasion of Seunadesha

2026-04-24T14:38:29Z

Predator.Maratha:

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Ghurid invasion of Seunadesha
| image = File:Map of the Yadavas.png
| image_size =
| caption = Map of [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty]]
| partof =
| date = 1191–1198
| place = [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]], [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Seunadesha]]
| result = Yadava victory
| combatant1 = [[Ghurid dynasty]]
| combatant2 = [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty]]
| commander1 = [[Ghurid dynasty|Qutubuddin Aibak]]
| commander2 =[[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Bhillama V]] [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Jaitrapala]]
| strength1 =
| strength2 =
| casualties1 =
| casualties2 = |
}}

==Battle==
==Historiography==

Draft:Turkish invasion of Seunadesha

2026-04-24T14:32:36Z

Predator.Maratha: /* Battle */

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Ghurid invasion of Seunadesha
| image = File:Map of the Yadavas.png
| image_size =
| caption = Map of [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty]]
| partof =
| date = 1191–1198
| place = [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]], [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Seunadesha]]
| result = Yadava victory
| combatant1 = [[Ghurid dynasty]]
| combatant2 = [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty]]
| commander1 = [[Qutubuddin Aibak]]
| commander2 =[[Bhillama V]] [[Jaitrapala]]
| strength1 =
| strength2 =
| casualties1 =
| casualties2 = |
}}

==Battle==
==Historiography==

Draft:Turkish invasion of Seunadesha

2026-04-24T14:31:28Z

Predator.Maratha:

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Ghurid invasion of Seunadesha
| image = File:Map of the Yadavas.png
| image_size =
| caption = Map of [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty]]
| partof =
| date = 1191–1198
| place = [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]], [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Seunadesha]]
| result = Yadava victory
| combatant1 = [[Ghurid dynasty]]
| combatant2 = [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty]]
| commander1 = [[Qutubuddin Aibak]]
| commander2 =[[Bhillama V]] [[Jaitrapala]]
| strength1 =
| strength2 =
| casualties1 =
| casualties2 = |
}}

==Battle==

Draft:Turkish invasion of Seunadesha

2026-04-24T14:31:06Z

Predator.Maratha:

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Ghurid invasion of Seunadesha
| image = File:Map of the Yadavas.png
| image_size =
| caption = Map of [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty]]
| partof =
| date = 1191–1198
| place = [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]], [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Seunadesha]]
| result = Yadava victory
| combatant1 = [[Ghurid dynasty]]
| combatant2 = [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty]]
| commander1 = [[Qutubuddin Aibak]]
| commander2 =[[Bhillama V]]
| strength1 =
| strength2 =
| casualties1 =
| casualties2 = |
}}

==Battle==

Draft:Turkish invasion of Seunadesha

2026-04-24T14:30:46Z

Predator.Maratha:

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Ghurid invasion of Seunadesha
| image = File:Map of the Yadavas.png
| image_size = 300px
| caption = Map of [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty]]
| partof = Yadav expansion in India
| date = 1191–1198
| place = [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]], [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Seunadesha]]
| result = Yadava victory
| combatant1 = [[Ghurid dynasty]]
| combatant2 = [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty]]
| commander1 = [[Qutubuddin Aibak]]
| commander2 =[[Bhillama V]]
| strength1 =
| strength2 =
| casualties1 =
| casualties2 = |
}}

==Battle==

Draft:Turkish invasion of Seunadesha

2026-04-19T07:07:00Z

Predator.Maratha:

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Ghurid invasion of Seunadesha
| image = File:Map of the Yadavas.png
| image_size = 300px
| caption = Map of [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty]]
| partof =
| date = 1191–1198
| place = [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]], [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Seunadesha]]
| result = Yadava victory
| combatant1 = [[Ghurid dynasty]]
| combatant2 = [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty]]
| commander1 = [[Qutubuddin Aibak]]
| commander2 =[[Bhillama V]]
| strength1 =
| strength2 =
| casualties1 =
| casualties2 = |
}}

==Battle==

Draft:Turkish invasion of Seunadesha

2026-04-19T07:00:59Z

Predator.Maratha:

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Turkish invasion of Seunadesha
|place = [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]], [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Seunadesha]]
}}

==Battle==

Draft:Turkish invasion of Seunadesha

2026-04-19T07:00:40Z

Predator.Maratha:

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Turkish invasion of Seunadesha
|location = [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]], [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Seunadesha]]
}}

==Battle==

Draft:Turkish invasion of Seunadesha

2026-04-19T06:58:57Z

Predator.Maratha:

==Battle==

Draft:Turkish invasion of Seunadesha

2026-04-19T06:58:17Z

Predator.Maratha: Created page with "J"

Battle of Agra

2026-04-19T06:45:06Z

Predator.Maratha:

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Battle of Agra
| image = Agra Fort Rempart.jpg
| image_size = 300px
| caption = Agra Fort ramparts
| partof = [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]]
| date = 10 October 1857
| place = Near [[Agra]], [[India]]
| result = British victory
| combatant1 = {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[British Empire]]
| combatant2 = [[File:Flag of the Mughal Empire.png|35px]][[Mughal Empire]]
| commander1 = {{flagicon|Great Britain}} Edward Greathed
| commander2 =
| strength1 = 1,900 Indian soldiers 750 British soldiers 12 guns
| strength2 = 10,000 12 guns
| casualties1 = 433 including 101 Europeans and 332 Indians
| casualties2 = 4,800|
}}
{{Campaign box India 1857}}

The '''Battle of Agra''' was a comparatively minor but nevertheless decisive action during the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]]. Indian rebels attacked a column of British troops which had relieved a garrison at [[Agra]], but although they surprised the column, they were defeated and dispersed. This allowed the [[United Kingdom|British]] to establish communications across all of Northern India, and to concentrate troops for the vital [[Siege of Lucknow#Second relief|Relief of Lucknow]].

==Background==
The city and fort of Agra stand on the River [[Yamuna]], close to the [[Taj Mahal]]. Before the rebellion broke out, Agra was the administrative centre of what was then known as the [[North-Western Provinces]] (not to be confused with the later [[North-West Frontier Province]]). The Lieutenant Governor of the province was [[John Russell Colvin]]. Stationed in the military cantonments nearby were the 3rd Bengal Fusiliers (a "European" regiment of infantry of the [[East India Company]]'s army), a battery of artillery also manned by white troops, and the 44th and 67th Regiments of Bengal Native Infantry. The 3rd Bengal Fusiliers had recently been raised, and had a large number of unacclimatised men on the sick list.<ref>Edwardes (1963), p.42</ref> The military commander was an aged Brigadier Polwhele.

The loyalty of the [[sepoy]]s (Indian soldiers) of the Bengal Army had been wavering for several years, as they feared that the actions and reforms of the East India Company were threatening Indian society and their own [[caste]] and status. After increasing unrest during the early months of 1857, the sepoys at [[Meerut]] broke into rebellion on 10 May 1857. They subsequently moved to [[Delhi]], where they called on more sepoys to join them, and for the Emperor [[Bahadur Shah II]] to lead a nationwide rebellion. The city soon fell to the rebels. On 16 May, 52 British refugees who had failed to escape from the city were executed in front of the King's palace.

News of the revolt spread fast. The British were warned by telegraph messages sent before Delhi was captured, but Indian messengers and other travellers also rapidly spread excited versions of the events. Colvin called a meeting on 17 May. His first instinct was to withdraw the East India Company's administrators and their families into the [[Agra Fort]] but was persuaded by others including Robert Drummond, the chief magistrate, that while the sepoys' loyalty was suspect, the general population of the province was loyal to the British. Any appearance of panic by the British would provoke disturbances.<ref>Hibbert (1978), p;.153</ref> In fact, the news of the rebellion caused public order in the province to break down very rapidly. There was resentment over heavy tax assessments, and other inter-communal feuds soon surfaced. Indian police guards over treasuries and prisons deserted and armed bands roamed the countryside.<ref>Hibbert (1978), pp.144-151</ref>

==Action at Sacheta==
Despite the officers of the two Bengal Native Infantry regiments at Agra insisting that their men were loyal, the increasingly surly demeanour of their men prompted the British to disarm them on 31 May. The British then heard that a large rebel force was approaching from the direction of [[Fatehpur, Rajasthan|Fatehpur]]. This force consisted largely of the brigades of Bengal Native troops which had been stationed at [[Neemuch|Nimach]] and [[Nasirabad, Ajmer|Nasirabad]] and which had joined the rebellion. It numbered approximately 7000 infantry, 1500 cavalry and 8 guns.<ref name=OtagoNews>{{cite web | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW18571114.2.10 | title=India - The Battle of Agra | work=Otago Witness | date=14 November 1857 | accessdate=15 October 2018 | page=6 | via=National Library of New Zealand }}</ref> These former regulars of the Bengal Army were generally well trained and organised troops.

A contingent of troops from the state of [[Kota, Rajasthan|Kotah]], which was thought to support the British, was sent to block the Fatehpur road. On 4 June, the Kotah contingent defected ''en masse''.<ref name=OtagoNews/> Colvin belatedly gave permission for the 6,000 British civilians and their families and dependents (incuding many who had already fled the disturbances in the countryside) to move from the vulnerable civil cantonment into the fort. This move was done in such haste and even panic that most of the civilians were forced to leave their valuables and other property behind.

On 7 June, Brigadier Polwhele led his troops to face the rebel force. They took insufficient ammunition and water. The infantry were still dressed in thick scarlet uniforms, and the movement did not start until 11:00 am, in the full heat of the day at the height of summer. A village named Sacheta (or Sarsia) dominated the Fatehpur road. Polwhele's late start allowed the rebels to occupy it, and from its cover they directed a heavy fire on the British force. Although some of the 3rd Bengal Fusiliers eventually stormed the village, Polwhele had only a small number of Militia cavalry, and the rebel cavalry outflanked the British and threatened their rear. Some of the rebel cavalry captured and burned some houses in the cantonment. The British had suffered heavy casualties, including the commander of the artillery battery, and expended almost all their ammunition. They retreated in some disorder into the fort, abandoning one gun.<ref name=RobertsXXI>Roberts (1897), Chapter XXI</ref> That afternoon and evening, the British defeat prompted a general uprising within the city of Agra. The police defected and released several thousand convicts, adding to the general disorder. Every house in the cantonment was looted by mobs and set on fire.

Within the fort, there was general panic, as the soldiers and civilians feared an imminent assault. However, the rebel force instead marched off to join the rebels in Delhi.

==Siege==
Before the refugees had crowded into the fort, Reade, the next most senior civilian after Colvin, had ensured that adequate provisions had been stockpiled inside the fort, but the sanitation and medical facilities were poor. There was much confusion and ineffectual argument. The British were able to send a dispatch to [[Charles Canning, 1st Earl Canning|Lord Canning]], the Governor General of Bengal, shortly after the debacle at Sacheta and the uprising within the city. Canning's reply was received in early August. It relieved Polwhele of his appointment.<ref>Hibbert (1978), p.160</ref> Colvin himself was increasingly incapable of managing the situation, ignoring pressing matters to deal with routine correspondence or irrelevancies.<ref>Hibbert (1978), pp/160-161</ref> His health had been poor for some time, and he died in early September. The government of India later decided that overall authority in the province was to be wielded by Colonel Hugh Fraser of the Bengal Engineers.<ref name=RobertsXXI/>

Lieutenant Colonel Cotton succeeded Polwhele as military commander in August, and imposed some order on the chaos within the fort.<ref>Hibbert (1978), p.161</ref> He also mounted an expedition to [[Aligarh]], some {{convert|40|mi|km}} away on the road to Delhi and Meerut. The expedition failed to make contact with any other British forces and achieved little, but restored much of the soldiers' health and morale.<ref>Hibbert (1978), p.162</ref> However, the British were effectively confined to the fort, within which life settled into inactivity and boredom.

==Relief==
On 21 September, the [[Siege of Delhi]] ended with the storming of the city by the British. Within days, the victorious besiegers had organised columns which secured the countryside around the city. The strongest column, which numbered 750 British soldiers, and 1,900 [[Sikh]] and [[Punjab (region)|Punjabi]] soldiers, consisted of: the [[9th Queen's Royal Lancers|9th Lancers]], detachments from the 1st, 2nd and 5th Punjab Cavalry (a squadron of each), [[4th Horse (Hodson's Horse)|Hodson's Horse]] (irregular levies), the [[8th (The King's) Regiment of Foot|8th]] and [[75th (Stirlingshire) Regiment of Foot|75th Foot]], the [[56th Punjabi Rifles (Frontier Force)|2nd Punjab Infantry]] and [[4th Punjab Infantry Regiment|4th Punjab Infantry]] with two troops of Bengal Horse Artillery and a field battery of Bengal Artillery and 200 Sappers and Miners. The column's commander was Brigadier [[Edward Greathed]] (formerly the commanding officer of the [[8th (The King's) Regiment of Foot|8th (King's) Regiment]]), who was not generally highly regarded by his junior officers.<ref>Hibbert (1978), p.310</ref> It moved out of Delhi on 24 September. Several officers were surprised that the column was able to move so promptly, given the exhausted and debauched state of many units after the siege and storming of the city, but all the column's soldiers were glad to escape the city, with its stench of many unburied dead bodies.<ref>Hibbert (1978), pp.321-322</ref>

Greathed's column was directed to move to Cawnpore. Although the commanders at Delhi did not have detailed information on the situation in [[Awadh|Oudh]], it was known that [[Lucknow]] was besieged and Cawnpore was threatened. The column moved along the [[Grand Trunk Road]], fighting a sharp action against rebels at [[Bulandshahr]]<ref name=RobertsXX>Roberts (1897), Chapter XX</ref> and taking indiscriminate punitive measures against several Indian villages.<ref name=Hibbert323>Hibbert (1978), p.323</ref> The defenders of Agra meanwhile were overjoyed at hearing the news that Delhi had been stormed, but were suddenly panicked by rumours that rebels fleeing Delhi would combine with other rebels from [[Central India Agency|Central India]] and the Gwalior Contingent (a division of troops modelled on the Bengal Army but in the service of Maharajah [[Jayajirao Scindia]] of Gwalior, which had joined the rebellion soon after its outbreak) and storm Agra. They sent a succession of urgent requests to Greathed

==Battle==
Finally swayed by these pleas, Greathed left a small detachment at Aligarh to maintain control of the district, and marched his troops and his large baggage train of elephants, camels and bullock carts {{convert|44|mi|km}} to Agra in twenty-eight hours.<ref name=Hibbert323/> He arrived on the morning of 10 August and crossed the Yamuna by a bridge of boats. His force received a cool reception from the garrison. His battle-weary British troops in worn [[khaki]] dress were mistaken at first for [[Afghanistan|Afghan]] tribesmen by some of the civilian women. By contrast many of the civilians were fashionably and smartly dressed, and the soldiers of the garrison were still splendid in scarlet uniforms with pipeclayed white belts.<ref>Edwardes (1963), p.43</ref>

Having recovered from their earlier state of panic, the senior officers of the garrison now assured Greathed that on news of his approach, the enemy had retreated across the Khara Naddi, a stream {{convert|9|mi|km}} distant. A sentry who the night before had alerted his officers to the sound of large bodies of men marching was ignored.<ref name=Hibbert323/> Greathed's tired brigade therefore marched to a parade ground about {{convert|1.5|mi|km}} from the fort, and began to pitch camp. They did not post pickets or sentries, even though there were fields of ''bajra'', a tall millet-like crop which hid any approaching enemy from view, in front of the parade ground. The column's baggage animals with tents and supplies were still arriving, and many of the occupants of the fort and inhabitants of the city went to view Greathed's troops. Greathed himself and his staff went to take breakfast in the fort.

A group of jugglers approached some of the 9th Lancers and Punjab Cavalry before suddenly revealing themselves to be Muslim fanatics, drawing swords and slashing at the cavalrymen.<ref name=Hibbert325>Hibbert (1978), p.325</ref> At the same time, two troops of rebel cavalry rode out of the ''bajra'' and engaged some of the column hand to hand, while shot from several heavy guns raked the British bivouac area. There was mass panic among the drivers of the baggage animals and the civilian spectators. Despite the shock of the surprise attack, the veteran British and Punjabi troops rallied and fell in to their ranks, in various states of undress. They disposed of the attacking cavalry and the artillery returned the rebels' cannon fire. The troops inside the fort marched down to the parade ground, still in their smart uniforms and with their bands playing.<ref name=Hibbert325/> When they arrived, the rebels were already in flight. They themselves were probably surprised by the presence of Greathed's column and supposed that they faced only the garrison of the fort. They had given orders for the bridge over the Yamuna to be destroyed to prevent the relief column arriving, but this had not been done.<ref name=RobertsXX/>

Greathed ordered a general advance. Lieutenant Colonel Cotton, of the garrison, was supposedly sennior to Greathed and after some delay while he was briefed on the situation, the advance began, the entire force in line with skirmishers in front. After {{convert|4|mi|km}}, they reached the rebels' own abandoned camp, where the infantry halted.<ref name=RobertsXX/> The cavalry maintained the pursuit, eventually reaching the Khara Naddi. They captured thirteen guns which the rebels had abandoned.

==Casualties==
Although Greathed's cavalry cut down few of the fleeing rebels, other eyewitness accounts maintained that the ground in front of the British camp was thickly strewn with dead bodies.<ref>Hibbert (1978), p.326</ref> The British themselves lost 12 killed, 54 wounded and 2 missing, plus 20 camp followers killed and wounded.

==Results==
This small but fierce action broke organised opposition to the British between Delhi and Cawnpore. After the victory, the commanders of the garrison reverted to their previous state of panic, and wanted Greathed to remain in the area to protect Agra against rebels from Gwalior. Greathed however insisted on carrying out his original orders, which were to clear the area between the Ganges and Yamuna rivers. He was also persuaded by a note received while at Bulandshahr from General [[Henry Havelock]], who said that he was on his way to relieve Lucknow and urgently needed reinforcements and transport.<ref>Edwardes (1963), p.44</ref> Greathed's force eventually formed a substantial part of the army which carried out the [[Siege of Lucknow|Second Relief of Lucknow]].

==References==
{{no footnotes|date=December 2014}}
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book|last=Edwardes|first=Michael|title=Battles of the Indian Mutiny|publisher=Pan Books|year=1963|isbn=0-330-02524-4}}
* {{cite book|last=Hibbert|first=Christopher|authorlink=Christopher Hibbert|title=The Great Mutiny|publisher=Penguin Books|year=1978|isbn=0-14-004752-2}}

==External links==
* {{cite web | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW18571114.2.10 | title=India - The Battle of Agra | work=Otago Witness | date=14 November 1857 | accessdate=15 October 2018 | page=6 | via=National Library of New Zealand }}
* {{cite web | url=https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16528| title=Forty years in India:from subaltern to commander in chief | work=Gutenburg eBooks | date=4 January 1897 | accessdate=14 August 2005 }}

{{Mughal Empire|state=expanded}}
{{coord missing|Uttar Pradesh}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Agra, Battle Of}}
[[Category:Battles of the Indian Rebellion of 1857]]
[[Category:History of Agra]]
[[Category:Battles involving the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1857 in India]]
[[Category:August 1857 events]]

User:Predator.Maratha

2026-04-10T04:39:04Z

Predator.Maratha: Created blank page