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Battle of Rampura (1734)
Battle of Rampura [1]also known as Rampura campaign [2]or Mughal–Rajput campgain against Marathas[2] was fought between the joint Mughal-Rajput and Maratha forces. In the engagements which followed the Marathas emerged victorious, defeating large Mughal–Rajput forces with significantly smaller troops.
| Battle of Rampura | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Mughal–Maratha wars | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Maratha Empire |
 Mughal Empire Kingdom of Awadh Kingdom of Jaipur Kingdom of Kota Kingdom of Bundi Kingdom of Mewar Kingdom of Marwar | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Balaji Baji Rao Ranoji Scindia Malharrao Holkar Pilaji Jadhav Damaji Rao Gaekwad |
 Qamar-ud-Din Khan Muhammad Khan Bangash Khan Dowran VII Saadat Ali Khan Jai Singh II Rao Durjan Sal Hada Dalelsingh Abhai Singh | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
Total 25,000 engaged |
Total 200,000 | ||||||||
Background[edit]
Following the rains of 1734, Marathas charted a northern expedition. Although Fatehsingh Bhosale and Pratinidhi promised assistance, Chhatrapati Shahu withheld sanction. Mughal Wazir Qamruddin advanced towards Agra with 25,000 men, and Khandauran with 50,000 advanced towards Ajmer, accompanied by Sawai Jai Singh and others, combining their strength to nearly 200,000.[2]
Maratha leaders such as Ranoji Shinde, Malhar Rao Holkar, and the Pawar brothers moved north in response. On 3 December 1734, Pilaji Jadhav was ordered by the Peshwa to join the campaign, awarding him lands in Malwa. Worried, Shahu ordered Maratha chiefs to stay away from Gujarat for a while.[2]
Jadhav departed the Deccan on 16 December and penetrated Bundelkhand around mid-January 1735, making quick raids until February. Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Marathas employed their superior speed and horse warfare maneuvers to outstrip the slow Maratha forces of the Mughals.[2]
Battle[edit]
Wazir Qmaruddin's expedition[edit]
In early February 1735, Pilaji Jadhav, aided by Hirdeyshah Bundela, initiated a campaign into Bundelkhand.[3] In turn, Mughal Wazir Qamruddin Khan marched against him with 20,000–25,000 men and a few elephants. Between 3rd to 12th February, some minor skirmishes took place, after which Pilaji fell back to Pahori and Kolaras. Qamruddin advanced towards Narwar, but Pilaji surrounded his army, seizing 2,000–3,000 camels and mares. Qamruddin fled only after paying a ransom of Rs. 5 lakhs and reached the capital by 9th May. Pilaji set out for his return to the Deccan on 27th February, crossed the Narmada on 27th March through Kalabagh, and arrived at Pune on 15th June 1735. This was a major setback for Qamruddin, a major ally of further war with the Marathas. At the same time, other Maratha leaders went on gathering revenues in areas like Saugor, the Bhil country, and Bhopal.[4]
Khan-i-durran and Rajputs expedition[edit]
In 1735, when the Mughal Wazir was campaigning in the east, Khan Dauran invaded Rajasthan with a huge army and allied Rajputs. Near Rampura, he encountered Maratha commanders Holkar and Shinde, whose horseman mauled the sluggish Mughal army for days, destroying supply lines and massacring fleeing troops. When Khan Dauran refused to fight, the Marathas pillaged Kota, Bundi, Jaipur, and Jodhpur, leaving a trail of destruction. Jai Singh found his kingdom in shambles upon his return.[2]
Negotiation efforts commenced, with the Marathas declining to become part of imperial service but accepting Rs. 22 lakhs yearly as chauth from Malwa.[5] They could raise taxes in the majority of regions, yet the Mughal emperor never sanctioned the agreement. The campaign concluded in massive Mughal casualties and no actual victory since 30,000 Marathas defeated more than 200,000 imperial soldiers.[2]
Jai Singh was subsequently charged with treason, and the court shifted against him and Khan Dauran. Anti-Maratha feeling increased, and major nobles demanded a more robust imperial reaction.[2]
Reference[edit]
- ↑ Sardesai, Govind Sakharam (1946). New History of the Marathas. Phoenix Publications. p. 146.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Ashok Kumar Arora (1978-01-01). Rajput Maratha Relations 1707-1760 AD (Vol. 1). pp. 206–213.
- ↑ Kalpana Sahu. Maratha Rajput Relations During The 18th Century. pp. 68–70.
- ↑ Malik, Zahiruddin (1977). The Reign of Muhammad Shah, 1719-1748. Asia Publishing House. pp. 129–30. ISBN 978-0-210-40598-7.
- ↑ Saxena, r k (1957). Maratha Relations With The Major States Of Rajputana. pp. 1–2.