Battle of Bihar
In 1743 Maratha Army under Balaji Baji Rao marched through Bihar plundering and sacking various places harrassing and torturing people who didn't payed tribute devastating the whole region.[1][2][3]
| Balaji Baji Rao's March through Bihar | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Maratha invasions of Bengal | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Bengal Subah |
 Maratha Empire | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Ahmad Daud Khan Qureshi Ghausur Khan † |
Balaji Baji Rao Pilaji Jadhav | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| Unknown | 50,000 | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Inhabitants of Bihar slaughtered with harrassment and torture also making many of them captives and selling them as Slaves. | |||||||||
Maratha March through Bihar
Balaji Rao led a large army of about 50,000 cavalry into Bihar, causing great fear throughout the region. As he marched, he demanded money from the people and mistreated them in many ways. According to Ghulam Husain, those who paid him or gave him expensive gifts were spared, while those who resisted were killed and their homes were looted.[1]
Ahmad Khan Qureshi, the grandson of Daud Khan Qureshi (who founded the town of Daudnagar in Gaya district), tried to defend the nearby Ghauspur fort. However, Balaji’s soldiers besieged the fort and forced him to pay a ransom of 50,000 rupees to save his life. The town of Daudnagar was also looted. The people of Patna became very worried about their safety, and some even sent their families to Hajipur on the other side of the Ganges River. However, Balaji did not go to Patna. He marched through Tikari, Gaya, Manpur, Bihar, and Monghyr, reaching Bhagalpur, where his soldiers treated the people badly. Many residents of Bhagalpur fled to the other side of the Ganges.[1]
One brave woman, the widow of Ghaus Khan (a general who had died in battle), could not leave with her family, so she decided to protect her home and honor. Impressed by her courage, Balaji spared her property and even sent a group of his soldiers to guard her house until his army had left the area.[1]
Reference
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Datta, Kalikinkar (1963). Alivardi and His Times. World Press. pp. 83–84.
- ↑ Sarkar, Jadunath (1991). Fall Of The Mughal Empire- Vol. I (4Th Edn.). Orient Longman. p. 51. ISBN 978-81-250-1149-1.
- ↑ Sinha, Bindeshwari Prasad (1976). Comprehensive History of Bihar: pt. 2 [1976]. Kashi Prasad Jayaswal Research Institute. p. 65.