The Marathas had gained control of a considerable part of India in the intervening period (1707%u20131757). In 1758, they occupied Delhi, captured Lahore and drove out Timur Shah Durrani, the son and viceroy of the Afghan ruler, Ahmad Shah Abdali. This was the high-water mark of the Maratha expansion, where the boundaries of their empire extended in the north to the Indus and the Himalayas, and in the south nearly to the extremity of the peninsula. This territory was ruled through the Peshwa, who talked of placing his son Bishvas Rao on the Mughal throne. However Delhi still remained under the nominal control of Mughals, key Muslim intellectuals including Shah Waliullah and other Muslim clergy in India and Punjab were alarmed at these developments. In desperation they appealed to Ahmad Shah Abdali, the ruler of Afghanistan, to halt the threat.
RE:From wiki - an article on the 3rd battle of Panipat
by Tamil natan on Mar 20, 2008 06:27 PM Permalink
The Marathas under Sadashivrao Bhau (referred to as the Bhau or Bhao in sources) responded to the news of the Afghans' return to North India by raising an even bigger army, and they marched North. The Bhau's force was bolstered by some Mahratta forces under Holkar, Scindia, the Gaikwad, Gobind Pant Kher aka Govind Pant Bundelle as he was caretaker of the Bundelkhand area, contingents of the Rajputs and Suraj Mal of Bharatpur the Jats. This combined army of over 100,000 regular troops captured the Mughal capital, Delhi, from a small Afghan garrison in December 1759. The Bhau ordered the sacking of the already depopulated city and is said to have planned to place his nephew and the Peshwa's son, Viswas Rao, on the Mughal throne.[citation needed] The Sikhs and Jats (with the exception of Ala Singh, the first Maharaja of Patiala), did not support the Marathas because of their refusal to sack Delhi, which was at that time a Maratha protectorate, and their only source of supplies in the north. Their withdrawal from the ensuing battle was to play a crucial role in its result.
RE:RE:From wiki - an article on the 3rd battle of Panipat
by Tamil natan on Mar 20, 2008 06:31 PM Permalink
The main reason for the failure of Marathas was that they went to war without good allies. Though their infantry was based on European style contingent and had some of the best French made guns of the times, their artillery was static and lacked mobility against the fast moving Afghan forces.[9] They had failed to acquire allies in North India. The body of Vishwasrao and the Bhau were recovered by the Afghans and under Ahmad Shah's personal direction were cremated according to Hindu custom. The Bhau's wife Parvatibai was saved by Holkar as per the directions of Bhau and eventually they returned to Pune. About 40,000 Maratha civilians and soldiers were slain while many of the fleeing Maratha women jumped into the Panipat wells rather than risk rape and dishonour. Many others did their best to hide in the streets of Panipat where the locals of the town refused to give them refuge on account of the fear of now victorious afghans.
The Marathas expansion was stopped in the battle, and soon broke into infighting within their empire. They never regained any unity, and were soon under increasing pressure from the British. Their claims to empire were officially ended in 1818.
About 40,000 Maratha civilians and soldiers were slain while many of the fleeing Maratha women jumped into the Panipat wells rather than risk rape and dishonour.
RE:From wiki - an article on the 3rd battle of Panipat
by arun naik on Mar 21, 2008 12:26 PM Permalink
TAMIL RATAN - EXCELLENT. YOU ARE REAL INDIAN WHO CARES FOR INDIA AND BELIEVE IN TRUTH. WHAT MARATHAS DID IN PAST WAS FOR INDIA ONLY TO SAVE INDIA FROM OUTSIDERS, AS OUR NATIONAL DUTY. YOU HAVE HONESTLY PRESENTED THIS FACT. OTHERS SHOULD READ THIS FACT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT MARATHAS HAVE DONE FOR INDIA. I AM REALY HAPPY TO READ.
