Afghan–Maratha War: Difference between revisions

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 | image             = The Third battle of Panipat 13 January 1761.jpg
 | caption           = [[Third Battle of Panipat]], 14 January 1761
-| conflict          =
+| conflict          =Afghan–Maratha War
 | partof            = the [[Indian campaign of Ahmad Shah Durrani]]
 | date              = 28 April 1751–10 September 1790
 | place             = [[Punjab]] and region around [[Delhi]]
 | result            = '''Maratha victory:'''{{blist
-| [[Afghan Empire]] retains control over much of contended territories including [[Peshawar]] and the [[Punjab]] until the [[Sutlej]]
+| [[Marathas]] successfully capture northwestern parts of the [[Indian subcontinent]], including [[Punjab]] and the city of [[Peshawar]], [[Multan ]] and [[Attock]] from the Afghans
+| [[Durrani Empire|Afghan Empire]] retains control over much of contended territories including [[Peshawar]] and the [[Punjab]] until the [[Sutlej]]
 | [[Mughal emperor]] exiled and [[Delhi]] occupied by Afghan vassal [[Kingdom of Rohilkhand|Rohilkhand]]
-| [[Maratha Confederacy]] loses influence over the imperial government at Delhi
+| [[Maratha Empire]] loses influence over the imperial government at Delhi
+| [[Maratha Resurrection]] and attempts of invasion by [[Taimur Shah Durrani]] hatled by Marathas and Sikhs
 }}
 | status            =
-| combatant1        = [[Afghan Empire]]{{blist|{{flagicon image|Flag of the Rampur State.svg}} [[Kingdom of Rohilkhand|Rohilkhand]]}}
+| combatant1        = [[Durrani Empire|Afghan Empire]]{{blist|{{flagicon image|Flag of the Rampur State.svg}} [[Kingdom of Rohilkhand|Rohilkhand]]|[[File:Flag of Jaipur.svg|25px|]] [[Kingdom of Amber|Jaipur]]|[[Image:Flag of Jodhpur alternate.svg|25px]] [[Jodhpur State|Jodhpur]]|Pathan Rebels|{{flagicon image|Flag of the State of Amb.svg|border=}} [[Amb (princely state)|Amb State]]|{{flagicon image|FlagofKalat.svg}} [[Khanate of Kalat|Khanate of Kalat]]|{{flagicon image|Flag of Awadh.svg|border=}} [[Oudh State]]|{{flagicon image|Alam of the Mughal Empire.svg|border=}} [[Mughal Empire]]}}
 | combatant2        = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|border=}} [[Maratha Empire]]<br>[[Sikh Confederacy]]
 | commander1        = {{plainlist|
 * [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]]
 * [[Timur Shah Durrani]]
-* {{flagicon image|Flag of the Rampur State.svg|border=}} [[Najib ad-Dawlah|Najib-ud-Daula]]}}
+* {{flagicon image|Flag of the Rampur State.svg|border=}} [[Najib ad-Dawlah|Najib-ud-Daula]]
+* {{flagicon image|Flag of the Rampur State.svg|25px}} [[Zabita Khan]]
+* {{flagicon image|Flag of the Rampur State.svg|25px}} [[Ghulam Qadir]]{{KIA}}
+*[[Muhammad Khan Bangash|Muhammad Bangash]]
+* [[File:Flag of Jaipur.svg|25px|]] [[Madho Singh I]]
+* [[File:Flag of Jaipur.svg|25px|]] [[Pratap Singh of Jaipur|Pratap Singh]]
+* [[Image:Flag of Jodhpur alternate.svg|25px]] [[Vijay Singh of Marwar|Vijay Singh]]
+*[[File:Flag of Awadh.svg|22px]] [[Shuja-ud-Daula]]}}
 | commander2        = {{plainlist|
 * {{flagicon image|Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|border=}} [[Sadashivrao Bhau]]{{KIA}}
@@ Line 23: / Line 32: @@
 *{{flagicon image|Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|border=}} [[Ibrahim Khan Gardi]]{{KIA}}
 * {{flagicon image|Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|border=}} [[Tukoji Rao Scindia]]{{KIA}}
-* {{flagicon image|Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|border=}} [[Shamsher Bahadur]]{{KIA}}
+* {{flagicon image|Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|border=}} [[Shamsher Bahadur I (Krishna Rao)|Shamsher Bahadur]]{{KIA}}
 * {{flagicon image|Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|border=}} [[Raghunathrao|Raghunath Rao]]
 * {{flagicon image|Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|border=}} [[Sakharam Bapu Bokil]]
-*  {{flagicon image|Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|border=}} [[Mahadji Scindia]] (WIA)
+*  {{flagicon image|Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|border=}} [[Mahadaji Shinde|Mahadji Scindia]]
 * {{flagicon image|Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|border=}} [[Malhar Rao Holkar]]
-* {{flagicon image|Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|border=}} [[Dattaji Scindia]]{{KIA}}
+* {{flagicon image|Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|border=}} [[Dattaji Rao Scindia|Dattaji Scindia]]{{KIA}}
 * {{flagicon image|Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|border=}} [[Tukoji Rao Holkar]]
 * [[Jassa Singh Ahluwalia]]
@@ Line 36: / Line 45: @@
 }}
 }}
+The '''Afghan–Maratha War''' was fought between the [[Durrani Empire|Afghan Empire]] under [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]] and the [[Maratha Empire|Maratha Confederacy]] and the [[Sikh Confederacy]] between 1758 and 1761.<ref>{{cite book|first=George C.|last=Kohn|page=|title=Dictionary of Wars}}</ref> It took place in [[Northwest India (pre-1947)|north-west]] [[Indian subcontinent|India]], primarily the region around [[Delhi]] and [[Punjab]].<ref name="War">[https://books.google.com/books?id=zp0FbTniNaYC&dq=maratha+plunder+rohilkhand&pg=PA103 War, Culture and Society in Early Modern South Asia, 1740-1849]</ref>. The war was continued by the Rohilla Afghans and [[Taimur Shah Durrani]] till 1790.
+==Background==
+===Pathan War and Marathas===
+In April 1751, a Bangash incursion into northern India was repelled at Qadirganj. When the Rohilla Pathans advanced to support their Sunni allies, they encountered strong resistance near Farrukhabad from [[Maratha forces]] led by Gangadhar Jaswant and [[Jawahir Singh]] Jat. The engagement resulted in a decisive defeat for the Rohillas: their commander, Sadulla Khan, retreated from the battlefield, while [[Bahadur Khan]] was killed. Reports suggest that around 10,000 Rohilla fighters perished in the battle, forcing the invaders to withdraw across the Ganges on 28 April.
+===Ahmad Shah Durrani===
+In 1757, the [[Afghan Empire|Afghans]] invaded [[Hindustan]] and [[Sack of Delhi (1757)|captured the Mughal capital of Delhi]], forcing the Mughal emperor to cede territories up till the [[Sutlej]] to the [[Afghan Empire]]. Delhi was placed under the occupation of an Afghan vassal, the [[Kingdom of Rohilkhand]]. The Afghan emperor, [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]] installed his son [[Timur Shah Durrani]] in [[Multan]] and returned to [[Afghanistan]].<ref name="War" />
+=== Battle of Delhi (1757) ===
+{{Main|Battle of Delhi (1757)}}
+The Mughal emperor and the imperial grand vizier alarmed by this foreign occupation, secretly sent for his vassal, the Peshwa. The Maratha Peshwa [[Balaji Baji Rao]] sent his brother [[Raghunath Rao]] along with [[Shamsher Bahadur]], Ramsingha, Gangadhar Tatya, [[Sakharam Bapu Bokil]], Naroshankar Rajebahadur, Sidhojiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh, Mankojiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh, Maujiram Bania and a large army towards Delhi. They were accompanied by [[Malhar Rao Holkar]] of [[Malwa]] who had much experience in [[North India]] and with its rulers. The Marathas [[Battle of Delhi (1757)|captured Delhi]] in August 1757. They decisively defeated the Rohillas near Delhi in 1758.<ref name="War" />
+==Initial campaign & success==
+{{Main|Maratha conquest of North-west India}}
+In the [[Punjab]], [[Adina Beg|Adina Beg Khan]], along with the [[Sikhs]] revolted against the oppressive Afghans. He decided to request the Maratha support as a large Afghan army was expected to reinforce and Adina needed more alliance to battle the invaders. On 7 March, [[Raghunathrao]] had encamped at [[Rajpura]] where he received Adina Beg Khan's envoys, and was informed that the latter, accompanied by 15,000 Sikh fighters, belonging to the bands (the jathas) of [[Jassa Singh Ahluwalia]] and Baba [[Ala Singh]] of [[Patiala]] had closed upon [[Sirhind-Fategarh|Sirhind]] from the other side of the [[Satluj]]. A concerted attack on the fort of Sirhind was made by the Marathas and the Sikhs on 8 March 1758. Ahmad Samad Khan, with his 15,000 Afghan troops, held out for about two weeks before his capitulation on 21 March. After the victory, the town was thoroughly sacked by the victors. Therefore, the victorious allies marched up to [[Lahore]] and the city fell after some initial fighting. Then, the allies forced the Afghans into the [[Khyber Pass]].<ref name="Advance">[https://books.google.com/books?id=d1wUgKKzawoC&dq=Advanced+Study+in+the+History+of+Modern+India+1707-1813++while+encamped+in+karnal&pg=PA234 Advanced Study in the History of Modern India]</ref> The captured [[Uzbeks|Uzbek]], [[Pashtuns|Pashtun]] and [[Khorasani Turkic|Khorasani]] soldiers were brutally tortured and forced to clean up the holy temples desecrated by them.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kulkarni |first=Uday S. |date=21 October 2019 |title=How the Marathas captured ATTOCK in modern day Pakistan |url=https://www.esamskriti.com/e/History/Indian-History/How-the-Marathas-captured-ATTOCK-in-modern-day-Pakistan-1.aspx |website=esamskriti}}</ref>
+The Maratha and Sikh forces gave chase to the [[Pathans]] on horseback and were in quick pursuit of them in which they went on to capture [[Attock]] and then [[Peshawar]] from the Afghans.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mikaberidze |first=Alexander |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jBBYD2J2oE4C |title=Conflict and Conquest in the Islamic World: A Historical Encyclopedia [2 volumes]: A Historical Encyclopedia |date=2011-07-22 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-59884-337-8 |page=43 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="mehta">{{Cite book|last=Mehta|first=Jaswant Lal|title=Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813|publisher=New Dawn Press, Incorporated|year=2005|isbn=9781932705546|pages=236, 260}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Pletcher|first=Kenneth|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VsujRFvaHI8C&pg=PA198|title=The History of India|publisher=Britannica Educational Pub.|year=2010|isbn=9781615301225|pages=198}}</ref><ref name="barua">{{Cite book|last=Barua|first=Pradeep|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FIIQhuAOGaIC&pg=PA55|title=The state at war in South Asia|publisher=University of Nebraska Press|year=2005|isbn=9780803213449|pages=55|quote=The Marathas attacked soon after and, with some help from the Sikhs, managed to capture Attock, Peshawar, and Multan between April and May 1758.}}</ref>
+Maratha general Bapuji Trimbak was given the charge of guarding [[Multan]] and [[Dera Ghazi Khan]] from the Afghans.<ref name="google">{{cite book|title=Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707–1813|author=Mehta, J.L.|date=2005|publisher=New Dawn Press, Incorporated|isbn=9781932705546|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d1wUgKKzawoC&pg=PA264|page=264|access-date=2015-08-22}}</ref>
+Adina Beg's sudden death threw Punjab into turmoil. Many of his soldiers, particularly Afghan mercenaries deserted his army camp and added to the number of freebooters, thus creating chaos and anarchy everywhere. Sikhs started again to revolt against Muslim ruling elite, which had caused Punjab to go into political and economic turmoil. Khawaja Mirza who was now the Maratha governor of Haryana-Delhi could not cope with the situation. He sent an express appeal to the [[Peshwa]] for reinforcements, alerted all the junior Maratha officers to help him restore law and order in the state and he also recalled Maratha detachments from Peshawar and Attock to safeguard his position in [[Karnal]]. [[Tukoji Rao Holkar|Tukojirao Holkar]] and Narsoji Pandit, the Maratha commanders of Peshawar and Attock had to withdraw their troops from the frontier posts. Sabaji Scindia was now given the charge of Peshawar.<ref name="Advance"/>
+A massive army of Marathas under their new commanders, the [[House of Scindia|Scindias]], reached [[Machhiwara]] in March 1759. Like Raghunathrao, Dattaji also didn't want to stay in Punjab for long. As there was no news of Abdali's invasion, Dattaji deferred the appointment of any permanent governor in Punjab. After deliberations with his advisors, Dattaji deputed Sabaji to take care of Lahore, Peshawar and Attock along with the assistance of [[Tukoji Rao Holkar|Tukojirao]], who was deputed by Malharrao. Other officers and Dattaji himself for now left Punjab for the suppression of [[Najib-ud-Daula]] in the [[Indo-Gangetic Plain|Ganges valley]]. Bapurao Trymbak took the charge of [[Rohtas Fort]], while other officers were appointed on the frontier posts.<ref name="Advance"/>
+Taking advantage of Sabaji's absence from Peshawar post, the Afghans marched to Peshawar. The [[Bala Hissar, Peshawar|Peshawar fort]] was taken by Afghans with heavy losses to the besieged Maratha garrison. Thereafter the Afghan invaders, under Jahan Khan overran Attock and threatened Rohtas Fort. By this time, Sabaji Scindia had reached Lahore, with fresh troops and a large number of Sikh fighters, who had once again allied with the [[Marathas]]. The combined forces of the Marathas and Sikhs massacred the Afghan garrison in which Jahan Khan lost his son and was himself wounded. The Afghans quickly vacated the forts of Peshawar and Attock and retreated west to Afghanistan. Hence, Peshawar once again fell to the Marathas.<ref name="Advance"/>
+==Defeat of the Marathas ==
+{{Main|Third Battle of Panipat}}
+It was unbearable for Abdali to overlook this defeat. Najib-ud-Daulah invited Abdali to avenge his defeat. He, along with his commander Jahan Khan invaded Punjab for the fifth time with a gigantic army of 60,000 men<ref name="google"/> accompanied by heavy field-guns and [[Zamburak]]s. Trimbakrao, the Maratha governor of Multan, at the head of 5,000 troops, made a tactical decision of retreating towards Lahore; Sabaji Shinde also vacated Peshawar and was joined by Tukoji Holkar at Attock, backing towards Lahore. The remaining Marathas, along with Sikhs and [[Jats]] offered staunch resistance to the invaders at Lahore, but they were ultimately defeated due to inferior numbers.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Shejwalkar |first=Tryambak Shankar |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.6656/page/n9/mode/2up?view=theater |title=Panipat: 1761 |publisher=Deccan College |year=1946 |location=Pune |language=English}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Gupta |first=Hari Ram |url=https://www.indianculture.gov.in/ebooks/marathas-and-panipat |title=Marathas and Panipat |publisher=Panjab University |year=1961 |edition= |location=Chandigarh |language=English}}</ref> On 24 December 1759, a ferocious battle was fought between Dattaji and [[Ahmed Shah Abdali|Abdali]] in which Dattaji's general, Sardar Bhoite was defeated with a loss of 250 Maratha soldiers after the Mughal contingent fled from the Maratha side.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Mahrattas' Thread on the Battle of Tarain (1761) |url=https://en.rattibha.com/thread/1443661378913374213}}</ref> As a consequence of his victory, Abdali managed to join forces with Najib-ud-Daula.<ref name="War"/>
+Qutub Shah, the ally of Najib Khan and the religious leader of the Rohillas, killed Dattaji and beheaded him at Burrari Ghat near Delhi in January 1760, in a treacherous ambush.<ref>{{cite book |author=Sir Jadunath Sarkar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GxMhAAAAMAAJ&q=qutb+shah+ally+of+najib |title=Fall of the Mughal Empire: 1754-1771 (Panipat) |date= |publisher=M.C. Sarkar |year=1966}}</ref>
+==Maratha Resurrection==
+{{Main|Maratha Resurrection}}
+=== Capture of Delhi===
+{{Main|Capture of Delhi (1771)}}
+===Maratha invasion of Rohilkhand===
+After taking control of Delhi, Marathas sent a large army in 1772 to "punish" Afghan [[Rohilla]]s for Panipat. Maratha army devastated Rohilkhand by looting and plundering and also took the members of royal family as captives. Maratha general Mahadaji was “very much pleased with the revenge taken by his men” for Panipat.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=uPq640stHJ0C&pg=PA8&lpg=PA8&dq=1771+scindia&source=bl&ots=Ohxv9jrPpo&sig=gdLcPTomT2FOmazdsOmytJmiiFE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=JF2_T_PEF8PYrQfPkNW2CQ&ved=0CE4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=1771%20scindia&f=false The Great Maratha Mahadaji Scindia p.9]</ref> Najib Khan's son and Nawab of Rohilkhand [[Zabita Khan]] was defeated by the [[Maratha Empire|Marathas]],<ref>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Bijnor |volume=3 |page=928}}</ref> led by [[Mahadji Sindhia]] (shinde) in 1772 and the fort of Pathargarh,([[Najibabad]]) was completely looted by the Marathas in the form of horses, elephants, guns and other valuable things, to avenge the deaths of Maratha Warriors who fell in the battle of Delhi and Panipat, Marathas also destroyed grave of Najib, scattering his bones all around.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uPq640stHJ0C&q=1771+scindia&pg=PA8 | title=The Great Maratha Mahadaji Scindia| isbn=9788185431529| last1=Rathod| first1=N. G.| year=1994}}</ref>
+===Battle of Delhi===
+In October, Mahadji, accompanied by [[Rane Khan]] Bhai and Jiwabadada Baxi, arrived in Delhi. On October 2nd, the combined forces of Rana Khan and Jiwabadada defeated Ghulam and Ismail Beg, leading to the capture of Delhi. They proceeded to lay siege to the Agra fort, which they also captured, and reinstated a blinded Shah Alam to his throne. While Ismail Beg surrendered, Ghulam Kadir fled the area. Rana Khan, Raji Patil, Devji Gawli, and Baghirathrao Shinde were then sent to persuade Ghulam Kadir, eventually capturing the Aligarh fort. Ghulam Kadir subsequently fled. After the Marathas had liberated Delhi, a hunt for Ghulam Kadir was mounted by the Marathas. Ghulam Kadir fled to Meerut, which in turn was encircled by the Marathas.{{Sfn|Sarkar|1952|p=328}} After the conditions there had become intolerable, he managed to break the encirclement during the night with 500 horsemen and tried to escape to Ghausgarh.{{Sfn|Sarkar|1952|p=328}} But during the engagement of his horsemen by a Maratha patrol, he lost sight of his entourage. Then his horse stumbled and broke its leg and he had to continue his escape alone and on foot. He reached Bamnauli (Uttar Pradesh), where he sought refuge in a house of a Brahmin and offered him a reward for a horse and a guide, who could lead him to Ghausgarh.{{Sfn|Sarkar|1952|pp=328–329}} But the Brahmin recognized him and alerted a party of Marathas, who captured him on 18{{nbsp}}December{{Sfn|Sarkar|1952|p=329}}{{Sfn|Malik|1982|p=565}} or 19{{nbsp}}December 1788.{{Sfn|Garg|1996|p=94}}
+===Execution of Ghulam Kadir===
+Ghulam Kadir remained in Maratha custody for some time but was initially unharmed.<ref name=":0" />On 28 February 1789, Shinde received a letter from Shah Alam II demanding the eyes of Ghulam Kadir as the Shah would otherwise retire to [[Mecca]] and live as a beggar.<ref>{{Cite book |last=The Director Of Archives |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.52109 |title=Sindhia As Regent Of Delhi (1954) |date=1954 |pages=17–19}}</ref> Mahadji then ordered the removal of his eyes, nose, tongue, lips, and upper limbs, which were sent to Shah Alam in a casket. After this was done, his hands, feet, and genitals were cut off, and on 3 March 1789, he was hanged from a tree and beheaded at [[Mathura]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Deodhar |first=Y. n |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.103377 |title=Nana Phadnis And The External Affairs Of The Maratha Empire |date=1962 |pages=125–128}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Dalrymple |first=William |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-T2lDwAAQBAJ |title=The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company |date=2019-09-10 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-4088-6440-1 |pages=304 |language=en}}</ref>
+===Taimur Shah Durrani and India===
+{{Main|Battle of Merta}}
+[[Taimur Shah Durrani]] tried numerous times for and indian expedition but failed with an failure.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Varma |first=Birendra |date=1969 |title=Afghan Ambassadors in India (1773-1800) |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44138392 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=31 |pages=335–343 |issn=2249-1937}}</ref> In 1790 during the [[Battle of Merta]], [[Vijay Singh of Marwar]] request [[Taimur Shah]] to help him against [[Mahadaji Shinde]]. The Afghan ruler sent a force of 45,000 soldiers to help the [[Rajputs]]. However it was defeated in the [[Battle of Merta]], according to some other accounts due to the treaty of 1785 with the [[Sikhs]], [[Ambaji Inagle]] and the Sikhs replused the army before it could reach Merta to help the Rajputs.<ref name=":0" />
+==Reference==
+{{reflist}}
+==Sources==
+* {{Cite journal|last=Garg|first=Sanjay|date=1996|title=A Seal of Ghulam Qadir Rohilla|url=https://www.academia.edu/2969164|journal=Numismatic Studies|volume=4|pages=91–94}}
+* {{Cite journal|last=Malik|first=Zahiruddin|date=1982|title=Persian Documents pertaining to the tragic End of Ghulam Qadir Rohilla, 1780–1789|journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress|volume=43|pages=565–571|issn=2249-1937|jstor=44141288}}
+* {{Cite book|last=Sarkar|first=Jadunath|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.1681/page/n1/mode/2up|title=Fall of the Mughal Empire|publisher=M. C. Sarkar & Sons|year=1952|edition=2|volume=III|location=Calcutta|author-link=Jadunath Sarkar}}
+[[Category:Battles involving the Maratha Empire]]