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{{Short description|War between British East India Company and the Maratha}}
{{Good article}}
{{Infobox military conflict
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Third Anglo-Maratha War
| conflict = Third Anglo-Maratha War<ref>{{cite web|title=Maratha Wars|url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Maratha-Wars|website=Britannica Encyclopædia}}</ref>
| partof = the [[Anglo-Maratha Wars (disambiguation)|Anglo-Maratha Wars]]
| image =
| image = Indian Camp Scene.jpg
| caption =
| date = November 1817&nbsp;– February 1819
| image_size = 300px
| place = The modern state of [[Maharashtra]] and neighbouring areas
| caption = Indian camp scene
| date = 5 November 1817 – 9 April 1819
| result = Formal end of the Maratha empire and firm establishment of the British East India Company in India
| place = The modern state of [[Maharashtra]] and neighbouring areas
| combatant1 = [[File:Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|23px]] [[Maratha Empire]]<br>
| result = British victory
* [[Baji Rao II|Peshwa Baji Rao II]]
*Formal end of the Peshwa rule.
* [[Holkar|Malharrao Holkar]]
*Shinde, Holkar and Bhonsale subjected to British suzerainty.
* [[Mudhoji II Bhonsle]]
*[[Chhatrapati]] (Maratha emperor) retained under British suzerainty.
* [[Daulat Scindia|Daulatrao Shinde]]
*British East India Company takes control over all Maratha territories.
* [[Pindari|Various Pindaris]]
| combatant2 = [[File:Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg|23px]] [[East India Company]]
| combatant1 = [[File:Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|23px]] [[Maratha Empire|Maratha Confederacy]]<br>
*[[File:Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|23px]] [[Peshwa|Peshwa's Rule]]
| commander1 =<br>
*[[File:Indore Flag.svg|23px]] [[Indore State]]
* [[Bapu Gokhale]] (Peshwa Baji Rao II)
*[[File:Nagpur State Flag.png|23px]] [[Nagpur State]]
* Appa Saheb Bhonsle
*[[File:Flag of Gwalior (State).svg|23px]] [[Gwalior State]]
* Malharrao Holkar
*[[File:Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|23px]] [[Pindari|Pindari Irregulars]]
| commander2 =<br>
| combatant2 = [[File:Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg|23px]] [[East India Company]]<br> [[File:Flag of the State of Hyderabad (18th century-1900).svg|23px]] [[Hyderabad State]]
* [[Francis Rawdon-Hastings]]
| commander1 = [[File:Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|23px]] [[Baji Rao II]]<br>[[File:Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|23px]] [[Bapu Gokhale]] (General of Baji Rao II)<br>[[File:Indore Flag.svg|23px]] [[Hari Rao Holkar]]<br>[[File:Indore Flag.svg|23px]] [[Malhar Rao Holkar III]]<br>[[File:Nagpur State Flag.png|23px]] [[Mudhoji II Bhonsle]]<br>[[File:Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|23px]] Trimbakji Dengle-Patil<br>[[File:Flag of Gwalior (State).svg|23px]] [[Daulat Rao Scindhia]]
* [[John Malcolm]]
| commander2 = [[File:Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg|23px]] [[Francis Rawdon-Hastings]]<br>[[File:Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg|23px]] [[John Malcolm]]<br>[[File:Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg|23px]] [[Sir Thomas Hislop, 1st Baronet|Thomas Hislop]]<br>[[File:Flag of the State of Hyderabad (18th century-1900).svg|23px]] [[Asaf Jah III]]
* [[Sir Thomas Hislop, 1st Baronet|Thomas Hislop]]
| strength1 =
| strength1 = <!--Over 100,000 -->
| strength2 =
| strength2 = <!-- Over 10,000 -->
| casualties1 =
| casualties1 =
| casualties2 =
| casualties2 =
}}
}}
{{Campaignbox Third Anglo-Maratha War}}
The '''Third Anglo-Maratha War''' (1817–1819) was the final and decisive conflict between the [[East India Company]] and the [[Maratha Empire]] in [[India]]. The war left the Company in control of most of India. It began with an invasion of Maratha territory by 110,400 East India Company troops,{{sfn|Bakshi|Ralhan|2007|p=261}} the largest such British controlled force amassed in India. The troops were led by the [[Governor-General of India|Governor General]] [[Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings|Hastings]] and he was supported by a force under [[Sir Thomas Hislop, 1st Baronet|General Thomas Hislop]]. The operations began with action against [[Pindaris]], a band of Muslim and Maratha robbers from central India.{{#tag:ref|"Thus, many Pindaris were originally Muslim or Maratha cavalrymen who were disbanded or found Pindari life better than formal military service...Most Pindaris professed to be Muslims, but some could not even repeat the karma or Muslim creed nor knew the name of the prophet."{{sfn|McEldowney|1966|p=18}}|group=note}}
{{Campaignbox Anglo-Maratha Wars}}
The '''Third Anglo-Maratha War''' (1817–1819) was the final and decisive conflict between the [[British East India Company]] and the [[Maratha Empire]] in [[India]]. The war left the Company in control of most of India. It began with an invasion of Maratha territory by British East India Company troops,{{sfn|Bakshi|Ralhan|2007|p=261}} and although the British were outnumbered, the Maratha army was decimated. The troops were led by [[Governor-General of India|Governor General]] [[Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings|Hastings]], supported by a force under [[Sir Thomas Hislop, 1st Baronet|General Thomas Hislop]]. Operations began against the [[Pindaris]], a band of Muslim mercenaries and Marathas from central India.{{refn|"Thus, many Pindaris were originally Muslim or Maratha cavalrymen who were disbanded or found Pindari life better than formal military service... Most Pindaris professed to be Muslims, but some could not even repeat the ''kalima'' or Muslim creed nor knew the name of the prophet."{{sfn|McEldowney|1966|p=18}}|group=note}}


The [[Baji Rao II|Peshwa Baji Rao II]]'s forces, followed by those of [[Mudhoji II Bhonsle]] of [[Nagpur]] and [[Holkar|Malharrao Holkar]] of [[Indore]], rose against the British company. Pressure and diplomacy convinced the fourth major Maratha leader, [[Daulat Scindia|Daulatrao Shinde]] of [[Gwalior]], to remain neutral even though he lost control of [[Rajasthan]]. British victories were swift, resulting in the breakup of the Maratha Empire and the loss of Maratha independence. The Peshwa was defeated in the battles of [[Battle of Khadki|Khadki]] and [[Battle of Koregaon|Koregaon]] and he was forced to flee. Several minor battles were fought by the Peshwa's forces to prevent his capture.
[[Peshwa]] [[Baji Rao II]]'s forces, supported by those of [[Mudhoji II Bhonsle]] of [[Nagpur]] and [[House of Holkar|Malharrao Holkar III]] of [[Indore]], rose against the East India Company. Pressure and diplomacy convinced the fourth major Maratha leader, [[Daulat Scindia|Daulatrao Shinde]] of [[Gwalior]], to remain neutral even though he lost control of [[Rajasthan]].


British victories were swift, resulting in the breakup of the Maratha Empire and the loss of Maratha independence. Several minor battles were fought by the Peshwa's forces to prevent his capture.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|pp=79–86}}
The Peshwa was eventually captured and placed on a small estate at [[Bithur]], near [[Kanpur]]. Most of his territory was annexed and became part of the [[Bombay Presidency]]. The Maharaja of [[Satara]] was restored as the ruler of his territory as a [[princely state]]. In 1848 this territory was also annexed by the Bombay Presidency under the [[doctrine of lapse]] policy of [[Lord Dalhousie]]. Bhonsle was defeated in the [[Sitabuldi Fort|battle of Sitabaldi]] and Holkar in the [[battle of Mahidpur]]. The northern portion of Bhonsle's dominions in and around Nagpur, together with the Peshwa's territories in [[Bundelkhand]], were annexed by British India as the [[Saugor and Nerbudda Territories]]. The defeat of the Bhonsle and Holkar also resulted in the acquisition of the Maratha kingdoms of Nagpur and Indore by the British. Along with Gwalior from Shinde and [[Jhansi]] from the Peshwa, all of these territories became princely states acknowledging British control. The British proficiency in Indian war-making was demonstrated through their rapid victories in Khadki, Sitabardi, Mahidpur, Koregaon, and Satara.{{sfn|Black|2006|p=78}}

The Peshwa was eventually captured and placed on a small estate at [[Bithur]], near [[Kanpur]]. Most of his territory was annexed and became part of the [[Bombay Presidency]]. The Maharaja of Satara was restored as the ruler of his territory as a [[princely state]]. In 1848 this territory was also annexed by the Bombay Presidency under the [[doctrine of lapse]] policy of [[Lord Dalhousie]]. Bhonsle was defeated in the [[Sitabuldi Fort|battle of Sitabuldi]] and Holkar in the [[battle of Mahidpur]]. The northern portion of Bhonsle's dominions in and around Nagpur, together with the Peshwa's territories in [[Bundelkhand]], were annexed by British India as the [[Saugor and Nerbudda Territories]]. The defeat of the Bhonsle and Holkar also resulted in the acquisition of the Maratha kingdoms of Nagpur and Indore by the British. Along with Gwalior from Shinde and [[Jhansi]] from the Peshwa, all of these territories became princely states acknowledging British control. The British proficiency in Indian war-making was demonstrated through their rapid victories in Khadki, Sitabuldi, Mahidpur, and Satara.{{sfn|Black|2006|p=78}}


==The Marathas and the British==
==The Marathas and the British==
[[image:Joppen1907India1805a.jpg|thumb|200px|Map of India after the Second Anglo-Maratha War]]
[[File:Joppen1907India1805a-21.jpg|thumb|200px|Map of India after the Second Anglo-Maratha War, 1805]]
The Maratha Empire was founded in 1674 by [[Shivaji]] of the [[Bhosle]] dynasty. Common elements of the citizenry of Shivaji's Maratha Empire were the [[Marathi]] language, the Hindu religion, a strong sense of belonging, and a national feeling.{{sfn|Subburaj|2000|p=13}} Shivaji led resistance efforts to free the Marathas from the Muslim [[Sultanate of Bijapur]] and established rule of the native Marathas. This kingdom was known as the [[Hindavi Swarajya]] ("Indian self-rule") in the [[Marathi]] language. Shivaji's capital was located at [[Raigad fort|Raigad]]. Shivaji successfully defended his kingdom from attacks by the [[Mughal Empire]]. A key component of the Maratha administration was the council of eight ministers called the ''[[Ashta Pradhan]]'' (council of eight). The senior-most member of the Ashta Pradhan was called the ''Peshwa'' or the ''Mukhya Pradhan'' (prime minister). The Peshwa was the right-hand man of Shivaji.{{sfn|Mehta|2005|pp=64–65}} Shivaji and most of the Maratha warriors belonged to the [[Maratha]] caste of the four tier [[Hindu]] [[caste system]] whereas all of the Peshwas belonged to the [[Brahmin]] caste. After Shivaji's death the Maratha empire began to disintegrate. The Peshwas transformed themselves into hereditary rulers of the state and forced the monarchy into ceremonious seclusion. Shivaji's descendant was stripped of power and was kept prisoner in the fortress of [[Satara]].{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=1}} Such an arrangement was unparalleled in Indian history.
The Maratha Empire was founded in 1674 by Chhatrapati [[Shivaji]] Maharaj the [[Bhosle]] dynasty.{{sfn|Subburaj|2000|p=13}} Shivaji Maharaj's capital was located at [[Raigad fort|Raigad]]. Shivaji Maharaj successfully defended his empire from attacks by the [[Mughal Empire]] and his [[Maratha Empire]] went on to defeat and overtake it as the premier power in India within few decades. A key component of the Maratha administration was the council of eight ministers, called the ''[[Ashta Pradhan]]'' (council of eight). The senior-most member of the Ashta Pradhan was called the ''Peshwa'' or the ''Pant Pradhan'' (prime minister). {{citation needed|date=March 2018}}


===Growing British power===
===Growing British power===
While the Marathas were fighting the Mughals in the early 18th century, the British held small trading posts in [[Bombay]], [[Madras]] and [[Calcutta]]. The British fortified the naval post of Mumbai after they saw the Marathas defeat the [[Portuguese India|Portuguese]] at neighbouring [[Vasai]] in May 1739. In an effort to keep the Marathas out of Mumbai, the British sent envoys to negotiate a treaty. The envoys were successful, and a treaty was signed on 12 July 1739 that gave the [[British East India Company]] rights to free trade in Maratha territory.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=1}} In the south, the [[Nizam of Hyderabad]] had enlisted the support of the French for his war against the Marathas.{{refn|Meaning "Administrator of the Realm", the title of Nizam was specific to the native sovereigns of [[Hyderabad State]], India, since 1719.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=2}}|group=note}} In reaction to this, the Peshwa requested support from the British, but was refused. Unable to see the rising power of the British, the Peshwa set a precedent by seeking their help to solve internal Maratha conflicts.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=2}} Despite the lack of support, the Marathas managed to defeat the Nizam over a period of five years.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=2}}{{failed verification|date=March 2021|reason=the source provided does not prove ethe statement made}}
{{Colonial India}}
While the Marathas were fighting the Mughals in the early 18th century, the British held settlements in [[Bombay]], [[Madras]] and [[Calcutta]]. The British fortified the naval base of Bombay after they saw the Marathas defeat the [[Portuguese India|Portuguese]] at neighbouring [[Vasai]] in May 1739. In an effort to keep the Marathas out of Bombay, the British sent envoys to negotiate a treaty. The envoys were successful, and a treaty was signed on 12 July 1739 that gave the East India Company rights to free trade in Maratha territory.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=1}} In the south, the [[Nizam of Hyderabad]] had enlisted the support of the French for his war against the Marathas.{{#tag:ref|Meaning "Administrator of the Realm", the title of Nizam was specific to the native sovereigns of [[Hyderabad State]], India, since 1719.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=2}}|group=note}} In reaction to this, the Peshwa requested support from the British, but was refused. Unable to see the rising power of the British, the Peshwa set a precedent by seeking their help to solve internal Maratha conflicts.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=2}} Despite the lack of support, the Marathas managed to defeat the Nizam over a period of five years.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=2}}


During the period 1750–1761, the British defeated the French in India and established supremacy in [[Bengal]] in the east and [[Madras]] in the south. They were unable to expand to the west as the Marathas were dominant there, but they entered [[Surat]] on the west coast via the sea.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=3}}
During the period 1750–1761, British defeated the French East India Company in India, and by 1793 they were firmly established in [[Bengal]] in the east and [[Madras]] in the south. They were unable to expand to the west as the Marathas were dominant there, but they entered [[Surat]] on the west coast via the sea.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=3}}


The Marathas marched beyond the [[Indus River|Indus]] as their empire grew.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=3}} The responsibility for managing the sprawling Maratha empire in the north was entrusted to two Maratha leaders, Shinde and Holkar, as the Peshwa was busy in the south.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=4}} The two leaders did not act in concert, and their polices were influenced by personal interests and financial demands. They alienated other Hindu rulers like the Rajputs, the Jats, and the Rohillas, and they failed to diplomatically win over other Muslim leaders.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=4}} A large blow to the Marathas came in their defeat on 14 January 1761 at Panipat against the Afghan [[Ahmad Shah Abdali]]. An entire generation of Maratha leaders lay dead on the battlefield as a result of that conflict.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=4}} Between 1761 and 1773, the Marathas regained the lost ground in the north.{{sfn|Sen|1994|pp=4–9}}
The Marathas marched beyond the [[Indus River|Indus]] as their empire grew.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=3}} The responsibility for managing the sprawling Maratha empire in the north was entrusted to two Maratha leaders, Shinde and Holkar, as the Peshwa was busy in the south.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=4}} The two leaders did not act in concert, and their policies were influenced by personal interests and financial demands. They alienated other Hindu rulers such as the Rajputs, the Jats, and the Rohillas, and they failed to diplomatically win over other Muslim leaders.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=4}} A large blow to the Marathas came in their defeat on 14 January 1761 at Panipat against a combined Muslim force that gathered defeating Marathas led by the Afghan [[Ahmad Shah Abdali]]. An entire generation of Maratha leaders lay dead on the battlefield as a result of that conflict.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=4}} However, between 1761 and 1773, the Marathas regained the lost ground in the north.{{sfn|Sen|1994|pp=4–9}}


===Anglo-Maratha relations===
===Anglo-Maratha relations===
The Maratha gains in the north were undone because of the contradictory policies of Holkar and Shinde and the internal disputes in the family of the Peshwa, which culminated in the murder of [[Narayanrao Peshwa]] in 1773.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=9}} [[Raghunathrao]] was ousted from the seat of Peshwa due to continuing internal Maratha rivalries. He sought help from the British, and they signed the [[Treaty of Surat]] with him in March 1775.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=10}} This treaty gave him military assistance in exchange for control of [[Salsette Island]] and [[Bassein Fort]].{{sfn|Sen|1994|pp=10–11}}
The Maratha gains in the north were undone because of the contradictory policies of Holkar and Shinde and the internal disputes in the family of the Peshwa which culminated in the murder of [[Narayanrao Peshwa]] in 1773.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=9}} Due to this, the Marathas virtually disappeared from north India. [[Raghunathrao]] was ousted from the seat of Peshwa due to continuing internal Maratha rivalries. He sought help from the British, and they signed the [[Treaty of Surat]] with him in March 1775.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=10}} This treaty gave him military assistance in exchange for control of [[Salsette Island]] and [[Bassein Fort]].{{sfn|Sen|1994|pp=10–11}} The treaty set off discussions amongst the British in India as well as in Europe because of the serious implications of a confrontation with the powerful Marathas. Another cause for concern was that the Bombay Council had exceeded its constitutional authority by signing such a treaty.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=11}} The treaty was the cause of the start of the [[First Anglo-Maratha War]].{{#tag:ref|This treaty, as Grant Duff says, occasioned infinite discussions amongst the British in India and in Europe, and started the First Maratha War.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=11}}|group=note}} This war was virtually a stalemate, with no side being able to defeat the other.{{sfn|Schmidt|1995|p=64}} The war concluded with the treaty of Salabai in May 1782, mediated by Mahadji Shinde. The foresight of [[Warren Hastings]] was the main reason for the success of the British in the war. He had destroyed the anti-British coalition and created a division between the Shinde, the Bhonsle, and the Peshwa.{{#tag:ref|With justifiable pride Hastings wrote to one of his friends on 7 February 1783: "Indeed, my dear Sir, there have been three or four very critical periods in our affairs in which the existence of the Company and of the British dominion in India lay at my mercy and would have been lost had I coldly attended to the beaten path of duty and avoided personal responsibility. In the redress afforded to the Nizam I drew him to our interests from the most inveterate enmity. In my negotiations with Modajee Boosla ''(sic)'' I preserved these provinces from ravage and obtained evidence of his connections even beyond his own intentions; and I effected a peace and alliance with Madajee Sindhia ''(sic)'' which was in effect a peace with the Maratha State."{{sfn|Sen|1994|pp=12–13}}|group=note}} The Marathas were still in a very strong position when the new British Governor General [[Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis|Cornwallis]] arrived in India in 1786.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=17}} After the treaty of Salabai, the British followed a policy of coexistence in the north. The British and the Marathas enjoyed more than two decades of peace, thanks to the diplomacy of [[Nana Phadnavis]], the Brahmin minister in the court of the 11-year-old Peshwa [[Baji Rao II]]. The situation changed soon after Nana's death in 1800. The power struggle between Holkar and Shinde caused Holkar to attack the Peshwa in Pune in 1801, since the Peshwa sided with Shinde. The Peshwa Baji Rao II fled Pune to safety on a British warship. Baji Rao feared loss of his own powers and signed the treaty of Vasai. This made the Peshwa in effect a subsidiary ally of the British. In response to the treaty, the Bhonsle and Shinde attacked the British, refusing to accept the betrayal of their sovereignty to the British by the Peshwa. This was the start of the [[Second Anglo-Maratha War]] in 1803. Both were defeated by the British, and all Maratha leaders lost large parts of their territory to the British.{{sfn|Schmidt|1995|p=64}}


The treaty set off discussions amongst the British in India as well as in Europe because of the serious implications of a confrontation with the powerful Marathas. Another cause for concern was that the Bombay Council had exceeded its constitutional authority by signing such a treaty.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=11}} The treaty was the cause of the start of the [[First Anglo-Maratha War]].{{refn|This treaty, as Grant Duff says, occasioned infinite discussions amongst the British in India and in Europe, and started the First Maratha War.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=11}}|group=note}} This war was a Maratha victory and almost a stalemate, with no side strong being able to completely defeat the other.{{sfn|Schmidt|1995|p=64}} The war concluded with the treaty of Salabai in May 1782, mediated by [[Mahadji Shinde]]. The foresight of [[Warren Hastings]] was the main reason for the success of the British in the war. He had destroyed the anti-British coalition and created a division between the Shinde, the Bhonsle, and the Peshwa.{{refn|With justifiable pride Hastings wrote to one of his friends on 7 February 1783: "Indeed, my dear Sir, there have been three or four very critical periods in our affairs in which the existence of the Company and of the British dominion in India lay at my mercy and would have been lost had I coldly attended to the beaten path of duty and avoided personal responsibility. In the redress afforded to the Nizam I drew him to our interests from the most inveterate enmity. In my negotiations with Modajee Boosla ''(sic)'' I preserved these provinces from ravage and obtained evidence of his connections even beyond his own intentions; and I effected a peace and alliance with Madajee Sindhia ''(sic)'' which was in effect a peace with the Maratha State."{{sfn|Sen|1994|pp=12–13}}|group=note}}
===The East India Company===
The British had travelled thousands of miles to arrive in India. They studied Indian geography and mastered local languages to deal with the Indians.{{#tag:ref|"Opposed to these were the British who had come all the way from England to establish an empire in India. They had a ''(sic)'' previous experience not only in many European wars, but also in many Indian ones. Whatever they did, they did in a planned manner. No step was taken blindly. Everything was thoroughly discussed and debated upon before it was taken up. The network of their spies spread far and wide. They mastered the Indian languages to deal with the Indians in a perfect manner. They mastered Indian geography before they made any military movement in any part of the country. Nothing was left to chance and guess-work."{{sfn|Chhabra|2005|p=40}}|group=note}} They were technologically advanced, with superior equipment to that available locally. Chhabra hypothesizes that even if the British technical superiority were discounted, they would have won the war regardless because of the discipline and organization in their ranks.{{sfn|Chhabra|2005|p=40}} After the first Anglo-Maratha war, Warren Hastings declared in 1783 that the peace established with the Marathas was on such a firm ground that it was not going to be shaken for years to come.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=20}} The British now felt the need of a new permanent approach to establish and maintain continuous contact with the Peshwa's court in Pune. The British appointed [[Sir Charles Malet, 1st Baronet|Charles Malet]], a senior merchant from Bombay, to be a permanent [[Resident (title)|Resident]] at Pune because of his knowledge of the languages and customs of the region.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=20}}


The Marathas were still in a very strong position when the new Governor General of British controlled territories [[Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis|Cornwallis]] arrived in India in 1786.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=17}} After the treaty of Salabai, the British followed a policy of coexistence in the north. The British and the Marathas enjoyed more than two decades of peace, thanks to the diplomacy of [[Nana Phadnavis]], a minister in the court of the 11-year-old [[Peshwa Sawai Madhavrao]]. The situation changed soon after Nana's death in 1800. The power struggle between Holkar and Shinde caused Holkar to attack the Peshwa in [[Pune]] in 1801, since the Peshwa sided with Shinde. The Peshwa [[Baji Rao II]] fled Pune to safety on a British warship. Baji Rao feared loss of his own powers and signed the [[Treaty of Bassein (1802)|treaty of Bassein]]. This made the Peshwa in effect a subsidiary ally of the British.
==Prelude==
The Maratha Empire had failed to upgrade its guerilla warfare tactics as their Empire grew.{{sfn|Chhabra|2005|p=39}} Efforts to westernise the armies were half-hearted and undisciplined: Newer techniques were not absorbed by the soldiers while the older methods and experience were lost.{{sfn|Chhabra|2005|p=39}} The Maratha Empire lacked an efficient spy system, and they were poor students of diplomacy. Maratha artillery was outdated, and they did not manufacture their own guns. Weapons were imported and the supply often failed. Foreign officers were responsible for the handling of the imported guns; the Marathas never trained their own men in any considerable numbers for the purpose. Military movements were made without knowledge of local geography; when moving troops or retreating they would suddenly come across a river and be trapped when they were unable to locate boats or a crossing. The enemy would take advantage of this to gain the best position and the Marathas would lose the battle or would be overtaken and slaughtered while fleeing.{{sfn|Chhabra|2005|p=39}}


In response to the treaty, the Bhonsle and Shinde attacked the British, refusing to accept the betrayal of their sovereignty to the British by the Peshwa. This was the start of the [[Second Anglo-Maratha War]] in 1803. Both were defeated by the British, and all Maratha leaders lost large parts of their territory to the British.{{sfn|Schmidt|1995|p=64}}
[[Image:Mountstuart-Elphinstone.jpg|left|thumb|Mountstuart Elphinstone]]
At the time of the war, the power of the East India Company was on the rise whereas the Maratha Empire was on the decline.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=79}} The British had been victorious in the previous Anglo-Maratha war. The Peshwa of the Maratha Empire at this time was [[Baji Rao II]]. Several Maratha leaders who had formerly sided with the Peshwa were now under British control or protection. The British had an arrangement with the [[Gaekwad]] dynasty of the Maratha province of [[Baroda]] to prevent the Peshwa from collecting revenue in that province. Gaekwad sent an envoy to the Peshwa in Pune to negotiate a dispute regarding revenue collection. The envoy, Gangadhar Shastri, was under British protection. He was murdered, and the Peshwa's minister [[Trimbak Dengle]] was suspected of the crime. The British seized the opportunity to force Baji Rao into a treaty.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|pp=79–80}} The treaty was signed on 13 June 1817; it was called "The Treaty of Pune." Key terms imposed on the Peshwa included the admission of Dengle's guilt, renouncing claims on Gaekwad, and surrender of significant swaths of territory to the British. These included his most important strongholds in the Deccan, the seaboard of Konkan, and all places north of the [[Narmada]] and south of the [[Tungabhadra]] rivers. The Peshwa was also not to communicate with any other powers in India.{{sfn|Chhabra|2005|p=17}} The British Resident [[Mountstuart Elphinstone]] also asked the Peshwa to disband his cavalry.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|pp=79–80}}


===Maratha planning===
=== Maratha-Hyderabad Relations ===
In 1762, [[Raghunathrao]] allied with the Nizam due to mutual distrust and differences with [[Madhavrao Peshwa]]. The Nizam marched towards [[Poona]], but little did he know that Rughunathrao was going to betray him. In 1763, [[Madhavrao I]] along with Raghunathrao defeated the Nizam at the [[Battle of Rakshasbhuvan]] and signed a treaty with the [[Marathas]].{{citation needed|date=March 2021}} In 1795, he was defeated by [[Madhavrao II]]'s [[Maratha]]s at the [[Battle of Kharda]] and was forced to cede [[Daulatabad, Maharashtra|Daulatabad]], [[Aurangabad, Maharashtra|Aurangabad]] and [[Sholapur]] and pay an indemnity of Rs. 30 million. A [[France|French]] general, [[Michel Joachim Marie Raymond|Monsieur Raymond]], served as his military leader, strategist and advisor.
[[File:RaigadFort1.jpg|thumb|Ruins of the old palace at Raigad fort]]
The Peshwa disbanded his cavalry, but secretly asked them to stand by, and offered them seven months' advance pay.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=80}} Baji Rao entrusted [[Bapu Gokhale]] with preparations for war.{{sfn|Duff|1921|pp=468–469}} In August 1817, the forts at Sinhagad, Raigad, and Purandar were fortified by the Peshwa.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=468}} Gokhale secretly recruited troops for the impending war.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=468}} Many [[Bhils]] and [[Boyar|Ramoshis]] were hired. Efforts were made to unify Bhonsle, Shinde, and Holkar; even the mercenary [[Pindari]]s were approached.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=468}} The Peshwa identified unhappy Indians in the service of the British Resident Elphinstone and secretly recruited them. One such person was Jaswant Rao Ghorpade. Efforts were made to secretly recruit Europeans as well.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=470}} Some Indians, such as [[Balaji Pant Natu]], stood steadfastly with the British.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=470}} Several of the Indian sepoys rejected the Peshwa's offers,{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=474}} and others reported the matter to their superior officers.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=470}} On 19 October 1817, Baji Rao II celebrated the [[Vijayadashami|Dassera]] festival in Pune, where troops were assembled in large numbers.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=80}} During the celebrations, a large flank of the Maratha cavalry pretended they were charging towards the British sepoys but wheeled off at the last minute. This display was intended as a slight towards Elphinstone {{sfn|Duff|1921|p=471}} and as a scare tactic to prompt the defection and recruitment of British sepoys to the Peshwa's side.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=471}} The Peshwa made plans to kill Elphinstone, despite opposition from Gokhale. Elphinstone was fully aware of these developments thanks to the espionage work of Balaji Pant Natu and Ghorpade.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=80}} Burton provides an estimate of the strength of various Maratha powers in or around 1817:


The [[Battle of Kharda]] took place in 1795 between the [[Nizam]] and the [[Maratha Confederacy]], in which the Nizam was badly defeated. Governor General [[John Shore, 1st Baron Teignmouth|John Shore]] followed the policy of non-intervention despite the Nizam being under his protection which led to the loss of trust of the British. This was the last battle fought together by all the Maratha chiefs under leadership of Bakshibahadur Jivabadada Kerkar. The Maratha forces consisted of cavalry, including gunners, bowmen, artillery and infantry. After several skirmishes, the Nizams infantry under Raymond launched an attack on the Marathas but Scindia forces under Jivabadada Kerkar defeated them and launched a counterattack which proved to be decisive. The rest of the Hyderabad army fled to the fort of Kharda. The Nizam started negotiations and they were concluded in April 1795.
Burton's estimate of the various Maratha powers totals to 81,00 infantry, 106,000 horse or cavalry and 589 guns. Of these the Peshwa had the highest number of cavalry at 28,000 along with 14,000 infantry and 37 guns. The Peshwa headquarters was in Pune, which was the southernmost location amongst the other Maratha powers. Holkar had the second largest cavalry amounting to 20,000, and an infantry force of 8,000. His guns totaled to 107 guns. Shinde and Bhonsle had similar numbers of cavalry and infantry with each having 15,000 and 16,000 cavalry respectively. Shinde had 16,000 infantry and Bhonsle, 18,000. Shinde had the larger share of guns amounting to 140 whereas Bhonsle had 85. Holkar, Shinde and Bhonsle were headquartered in Indore, Gwalior and Nagpur respectively. The Pashtun leader Amir Khan was located in Tonk in Rajputana and his strength was 12,000 cavalry, 10,000 infantry and 200 guns.{{sfn|Burton|1908|p=153}}{{sfn|Bakshi|Ralhan|2007|p=261}}{{sfn|United Service Institution of India|1901|p=96}} The Pindaris were located north of the Narmada valley in Chambal and Malwa region of central India. Three Pindari leaders sided with Shinde, these were Setu, Karim Khan and Dost Mohammad. They were mostly horsemen with strengths of 10,000, 6,000 and 4,000. The rest of the Pindari chiefs, Tulsi, Imam Baksh, Sahib Khan, Kadir Baksh, Nathu and Bapu were allied with Holkar. Tulsi and Imam Baksh each had 2,000 horsemen, Kadir Baksh, 21,500. Sahib Khan, Nathu and Bapu had 1,000, 750 and 150 horsemen.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|pp=86–87}}


===The British East India Company===
==Commencement==
The British had travelled thousands of miles to arrive in India. They studied Indian geography and mastered local languages to deal with the Indians.{{refn|"Opposed to these were the British who had come all the way from England to establish an empire in India. They had a ''(sic)'' previous experience not only in many European wars, but also in many Indian ones. Whatever they did, they did in a planned manner. No step was taken blindly. Everything was thoroughly discussed and debated upon before it was taken up. The network of their spies spread far and wide. They mastered the Indian languages to deal with the Indians in a perfect manner. They mastered Indian geography before they made any military movement in any part of the country. Nothing was left to chance and guess-work."{{sfn|Chhabra|2005|p=40}}|group=note}} At the time, they were technologically advanced, with superior equipment in several critical areas to that available locally. Chhabra hypothesizes that even if the British technical superiority were discounted, they would have won the war because of the discipline and organization in their ranks.{{sfn|Chhabra|2005|p=40}} After the First Anglo-Maratha war, Warren Hastings declared in 1783 that the peace established with the Marathas was on such a firm ground that it was not going to be shaken for years to come.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=20}}
[[File:Richard Colley Wellesley.jpg|thumb|px150|[[Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley]], who rapidly expanded the Company's territories with victories in the [[Anglo-Maratha Wars]]]]
The Peshwa's territory was in an area called the [[Desh, Maharashtra|Desha]], now part of the modern state of Maharashtra. The region consists of the valleys of the [[Krishna River|Krishna]] and [[Godavari River|Godavari]] rivers and the plateaus of the [[Sahyadri Mountains]]. Shinde's territory around [[Gwalior]] and [[Bundelkhand]] was a region of rolling hills and fertile valleys that slopes down toward the [[Indo-Gangetic Plain]] to the north. The Pindari territory was the valleys and forests of the [[Chambal Division|Chambal]], the north western region of the modern state of [[Madhya Pradesh]]. It was a mountainous region with a harsh climate. The Pindaris also operated from [[Malwa]], a plateau region in the north west of the state of Madhya Pradesh, north of the [[Vindhya Range]]. Holkar was based in the upper [[Narmada River]] valley.{{sfn|Nadkarni|2000|p=10}}


The British believed that a new permanent approach was needed to establish and maintain continuous contact with the Peshwa's court in [[Pune]]. The British appointed [[Sir Charles Malet, 1st Baronet|Charles Malet]], a senior merchant from Bombay, to be a permanent [[Resident (title)|Resident]] at Pune because of his knowledge of the languages and customs of the region.{{sfn|Sen|1994|p=20}}
{{See also|Battle of Khadki}}
The war was mostly a mopping-up operation intended to complete the expansion of the earlier Anglo-Maratha war, which was stopped due to economic concerns of the British.{{sfn|Black|2006|pp=77–78}} The war began as a campaign against the Pindaris.{{sfn|Sarkar|Pati|2000|p=48}} Seeing that the British were in conflict with the Pindaris, the Peshwa's forces attacked the British at 16:00 on 5 November 1817 with the Maratha left attacking the British right. The Maratha forces comprised 20,000 cavalry, 8,000 infantry, and 20 guns{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=80}} whereas the British had 2,000 cavalry, 1,000 infantry, and eight guns.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=81}} On the Maratha side, an additional 5,000 horse and 1,000 infantry were guarding the Peshwa at [[Parvati Hill]]. The British numbers include Captain Ford's unit, which was en route from [[Dapodi]] to [[Khadki]].{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=81}} The British had also asked General Smith to come to Khadki for the battle but they did not anticipate he would arrive in time.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=81}}


==War preparations==
Three hills in the region were the Parvati Hill, the [[Chaturshringi Hill]], and the Khadki hill. The Peshwa watched the battle from the Parvati Hill whereas the East India Company troops were based on the Khadki hill.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=80}} The two hills are separated by a distance of four kilometres. The river Mula is shallow and narrow and could be crossed at several locations.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=80}} A few canals (''nallas'' in Marathi) joined the river and though these were not obstacles, some of them were obscured due to the vegetation in the area.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=80}}
The Maratha Empire had partly declined due to the Second Anglo-Maratha War.{{sfn|Chhabra|2005|p=39}} Efforts to modernize the armies were half-hearted and undisciplined: newer techniques were not absorbed by the soldiers, while the older methods and experience were outdated and obsolete.{{sfn|Chhabra|2005|p=39}} The Maratha Empire lacked an efficient spy system, and had weak diplomacy compared to the British. Maratha artillery was outdated, and weapons were imported. Foreign officers were responsible for the handling of the imported guns; the Marathas never used their own men in considerable numbers for the purpose. Although Maratha infantry was praised by the likes of Wellington, they were poorly led by their generals and heavily relied on Arab and Pindari mercenaries. The confederate-like structure that evolved within the empire created a lack of unity needed for the wars.{{sfn|Chhabra|2005|p=39}}


[[File:Mountstuart-Elphinstone.jpg|left|thumb|Mountstuart Elphinstone]]
The Maratha army was a mix of [[Rohillas]], [[Rajputs]], and Marathas. It also included a small force of the [[Portuguese India|Portuguese]] under their officer, de Pinto.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=80}} The left flank of the Maratha army, commanded by Moropant Dixit and Raste, was stationed on the flat ground on which the [[University of Pune]] stands today.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=80}} The centre was commanded by Bapu Gokhale and the right was under Vinchurkar. British troop movements began on 1 November 1817 when Colonel Burr moved his forces towards what is now Bund Garden via the Holkar Bridge.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=81}} The Maratha were successful initially in creating and exploiting a gap in the British left and centre. These successes were nullified by the Maratha horses being thrown into disarray by a hidden canal and the temporary loss of command by Gokhale, whose horse was shot. The Marathas were rendered leaderless when Moropant Dixit on the right was shot dead. The British infantry advanced steadily, firing volley after volley, causing the Maratha cavalry to retreat in a matter of four hours. The British soon claimed victory. The British lost 86 men and the Maratha about 500.{{sfn|John Murray (Firm)1861|p=324}}{{sfn|Chhabra|2005|p=19}}
At the time of the war, the power of the British East India Company was on the rise, whereas the Maratha Empire was on the decline. The British had been victorious in the previous Anglo-Maratha war and the Marathas were at their mercy. The Peshwa of the Maratha Empire at this time was [[Baji Rao II]]. Several Maratha leaders who had formerly sided with the Peshwa were now under British control or protection. The British had an arrangement with the [[Gaekwad]] dynasty of the Maratha province of [[Baroda State|Baroda]] to prevent the Peshwa from collecting revenue in that province. Gaekwad sent an envoy to the Peshwa in Pune to negotiate a dispute regarding revenue collection. The envoy, Gangadhar Shastri, was under British protection. He was murdered, and the Peshwa's minister Trimbak Dengle was suspected of the crime.


The British seized the opportunity to force Baji Rao into a treaty.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|pp=79–80}} The treaty (The [[Treaty of Poona|Treaty of Pune]]) was signed on 13 June 1817. Key terms imposed on the Peshwa included the admission of Dengle's guilt, renouncing claims on Gaekwad, and surrender of significant swaths of territory to the British. These included his most important strongholds in the Deccan, the seaboard of Konkan, and all places north of the [[Narmada River|Narmada]] and south of the [[Tungabhadra]] rivers. The Peshwa was also not to communicate with any other powers in India.{{sfn|Chhabra|2005|p=17}} The British Resident [[Mountstuart Elphinstone]] also asked the Peshwa to disband his cavalry.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|pp=79–80}}
===The Pindaris===

{{See also|Pindaris}}
===Maratha planning===
[[Image:Malwa India 1823.png|thumb|Location of Malwa in a 1823 depiction of India. Malwa was the headquarters of some of the Pindaris in the early 19th century]]
[[File:RaigadFort1.jpg|thumb|Ruins of the old palace at Raigad fort]]
After the second Anglo-Maratha war, Shinde and Holkar had lost many of their territories to the British. They encouraged the Pindaris to raid the British territories.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=86}} The Pindaris, who were mostly cavalry, came to be known as the ''Shindeshahi'' and the ''Holkarshahi'' after the patronage they received from the respective defeated Maratha leaders.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|pp=86–87}} The Pindari leaders were Setu, Karim Khan, Dost Mohammad, Tulsi, Imam Baksh, Sahib Khan, Kadir Baksh, Nathu, and Bapu. Of these, Setu, Karim Khan, and Dost Mohammad belonged to Shindeshahi and the rest to Holkarshahi.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=87}} The total strength of the Pindaris in 1814 was estimated at 33,000.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=86}} The Pindaris frequently raided villages in Central India. The result of the Pindari raids was that Central India was being rapidly reduced to the condition of a desert because the peasants were unable to support themselves on the land. They had no option but to join the robber bands or starve.{{sfn|Russell|1916|p=396}} In 1815, 25,000 Pindaris entered the [[Madras Presidency]] and destroyed over 300 villages on the [[Coromandel coast]]. Another band swept the Nizam's kingdom while a third entered [[Malabar]]. Other Pindari raids on British territory followed in 1816 and 1817. [[Francis Rawdon-Hastings]] saw that there could not be peace or security in India until the predatory Pindaris were extinguished.{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|p=194}}
The Peshwa disbanded his cavalry, but secretly asked them to stand by, and offered them seven months' advance pay.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=80}} Baji Rao entrusted [[Bapu Gokhale]] with preparations for war.{{sfn|Duff|1921|pp=468–469}} In August 1817, the forts at Sinhagad, Raigad, and Purandar were fortified by the Peshwa.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=468}} Gokhale secretly recruited troops for the impending war.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=468}} Many [[Bhils]] and [[Ramoshi]]s were hired. Efforts were made to unify Bhonsle, Shinde, and Holkar; even the mercenary [[Pindari]]s were approached.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=468}} The Peshwa identified unhappy Marathas in the service of the British Resident Elphinstone and secretly recruited them. One such person was Jaswant Rao Ghorpade. Efforts were made to secretly recruit Europeans as well, which failed.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=470}} Some people, such as [[Balaji Pant Natu]], stood steadfastly with the British.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=470}} Several of the sepoys rejected the Peshwa's offers,{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=474}} and others reported the matter to their superior officers.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=470}} On 19 October 1817, Baji Rao II celebrated the [[Vijayadashami|Dassera]] festival in Pune, where troops were assembled in large numbers.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=80}} During the celebrations, a large flank of the Maratha cavalry pretended they were charging towards the British sepoys but wheeled off at the last minute. This display was intended as a slight towards Elphinstone {{sfn|Duff|1921|p=471}} and as a scare tactic to prompt the defection and recruitment of British sepoys to the Peshwa's side.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=471}} The Peshwa made plans to kill Elphinstone, despite opposition from Gokhale. Elphinstone was fully aware of these developments thanks to the espionage work of Balaji Pant Natu and Ghorpade.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=80}}

Maratha powers were estimated at 81,000 infantry, 106,000 horse or cavalry and 589 guns. Of these the Peshwa had the highest number of cavalry at 28,000, along with 14,000 infantry and 37 cannon. The Peshwa headquarters was in Pune. Holkar had the second largest cavalry, amounting to 20,000, and an infantry force supplemented with 107 artillery units. Shinde and Bhonsle had similar numbers of cavalry, artillery and infantry. Holkar, Shinde and Bhonsle were headquartered in Indore, Gwalior and Nagpur respectively.{{sfn|Nadkarni|2000|p=10}} The Afghan leader Amir Khan was located in Tonk in Rajputana and his strength was 12,000 cavalry, 10,000 infantry and 200 guns.{{sfn|Burton|1908|p=153}}{{sfn|Bakshi|Ralhan|2007|p=261}}{{sfn|United Service Institution of India|1901|p=96}} The Pindaris were located north of the Narmada valley in Chambal and Malwa region of central India. Three Pindari leaders sided with Shinde, these were Chitu, Karim Khan and Wasil Mohammad. They led horsemen with strengths of 10,000, 6,000 and 4,000 but most were armed only with spears. The rest of the Pindari chiefs, Tulsi, Imam Baksh, Sahib Khan, Kadir Baksh, Nathu and Bapu were allied with Holkar. Tulsi and Imam Baksh each had 2,000 horsemen, Kadir Baksh, 21,500. Sahib Khan, Nathu and Bapu had 1,000, 750 and 150 horsemen.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|pp=86–87}}


===British planning===
===British planning===
The [[East India Company]] viewed the killing of their envoy, Gangadhar Shastri, as definitive intent by the Peshwa to undermine British control over the Maratha, and operations were commenced in order to place the entire region effectually into the possession of the Company.<ref name="mapw">{{cite book |last1=Burton |first1=R.G. |title=The Mahratta And Pindari War |date=1910 |publisher=Government Press |location=Simla |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.284400/mode/2up}}</ref> Although some regard the war as a mopping-up operation of the earlier Second Anglo-Maratha war,{{sfn|Black|2006|pp=77–78}} historians note the fact that the British assembled the largest army they had ever at that time organised in India indicated the importance the British placed on defeating the Maratha.<ref name="mapw" /> The army, numbering roughly 120,000 men, consisted of the Grand Army or [[Bengal Army]] under the command of the [[Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings|Marquess of Hastings]], and the Army of the Deccan under [[Sir Thomas Hislop, 1st Baronet|General Hislop]].{{sfn|Bakshi|Ralhan|2007|p=259}} This included over 60 battalions of Native Infantry, multiple battalions derived from British regiments, numerous sections of cavalry and dragoons, in addition to artillery, horse artillery and rocket troops, all armed with the most modern weapons and equipped with highly organised supply lines.<ref name="mapw" />
To lead an army against the Pindaris in the hope of engaging them in a regular battle was not possible. To effectively crush the Pindaris, they would have to be surrounded so that they could have no means of escape.{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|p=194}} Francis Rawdon-Hastings obtained authority from the British government to take action against the Pindaris{{sfn|Russell|1916|p=396}} while performing diplomacy with the principal Maratha leaders to act in concert with him. The Pindaris continued to have the sympathy of almost all the Maratha leaders. In 1817 Rawdon-Hastings collected the strongest British army which had yet been seen in India, numbering roughly 120,000 men. The army was assembled from two smaller armies, the Grand Army or [[Bengal army]] in the north under his personal command, and the Army of the Deccan under [[Sir Thomas Hislop, 1st Baronet|General Hislop]] in the south.{{sfn|Bakshi|Ralhan|2007|p=259}} The British plan was to normalize relations with the Shinde, Holkar, and [[Muhammad Amir Khan|Amir Khan]]. The three were known to be well disposed towards the Pindaris and harboured them in their territories. Shinde was secretly planning with the Peshwa and the [[Kingdom of Nepal|Nepal]] Ministry to form a coalition against the British. His correspondence with Nepal was intercepted and presented to him in Durbar.{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|pp=194–195}} He was forced to enter into a treaty by which he pledged to assist the British against the Pindaris and to prevent any new gangs being formed in his territory. Diplomacy, pressure, and the treaty of Gwalior kept Shinde out of the war. Amir Khan disbanded his army on condition of being guaranteed the possession of the principality of [[Tonk (princely state)|Tonk]] in [[Rajputana]]. He sold his guns to the British and agreed to prevent predatory gangs from operating from his territory.{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|pp=194–195}} The army for the war was composed of two armies, the Grand Army or the Bengal Army with a strength of 40,000 troops and the Army of the Deccan with a strength of 70,400. The Grand Army was divided in to three divisions and a reserve. The left division was led by Major General Marshall and the central division was under Francis Rawdon-Hastings. The reserve was under General Ochterlony.{{sfn|Bakshi|Ralhan|2007|pp=259–261}} The second army, the Army of the Deccan was composed of five divisions. The divisions were led by [[Sir Thomas Hislop, 1st Baronet|General Hislop]], Brigadier General Doveton, General Malcolm, Brigadier General Smith, Lieutenant Colonel Adams. The Army of Deccan comprised of 70,400 troops bringing the total strength of the entire composite East India Company army to 110,400.{{sfn|Bakshi|Ralhan|2007|pp=259–262}} In addition the Madras and Pune residencies each had two battalions and a detail of an artillery unit. The Madras residency had an additional three troops of the 6th Bengal Cavalry.{{sfn|United Service Institution of India|1901|p=101}} In October and early November, the first division of the Grand Army was sent to Sind, the second to Chambal, the third to Eastern Narmada. The reserve division was used to pressurise Amir Khan. The effect of the dispatching of the first and second divisions was to cut off Shinde from his potential allies. He and Amir Khan were thus pressured in to signing a treaty.{{sfn|United Service Institution of India|1901|p=101}}


This massive force quickly induced Shinde, who was secretly planning with the Peshwa and the [[Kingdom of Nepal|Nepal]] Ministry to form a coalition against the British,{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|pp=194–195}} into coming to terms with the British. In early November 1817, he was forced to enter into a treaty in which he ceded all his armed forces and major forts.<ref name="mapw" /> Amir Khan disbanded his army on condition of being guaranteed the possession of the principality of [[Tonk (princely state)|Tonk]] in [[Rajputana]]. He sold his guns to the British and agreed to prevent predatory gangs from operating from his territory. By these actions, the British kept two major allies of the Maratha out of the war before any hostilities had begun.{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|pp=194–195}}
The first and third division of the army of the deccan were concentrated at Harda to hold the fords of the Narmada. The second division was used placed at Malkapur to keep a watch on the Berar Ghats. The fourth division marched to Khandesh occupying the region between Pune and [[Amravati]] (Berar) administrative divisions whereas the fifth division was placed at [[Hoshangabad]] and the reserve division was placed between the [[Bhima]] and [[Krishna]] rivers.{{sfn|United Service Institution of India|1901|p=102}}


===Attack on the Pindaris===
==Major events of the war==
===Conflict in Pune and the pursuit of Baji Rao II===
The attack on the Pindaris was carried out as planned. The Pindaris were attacked, and their homes were surrounded and destroyed. General Hislop from the Madras Residency attacked the Pindaris from the south and drove them beyond the Narmada river, where governor general Francis Rawdon-Hastings was waiting with his army.{{sfn|Sinclair|1908|pp=195–196}} Karim Khan surrendered to the British and was given lands in Gorakhpur.{{sfn|Hunter|1909|p=495}} The principal routes from Central India were occupied by British detachments. The Pindari forces were completely broken up, scattered in the course of a single campaign. They made no stand against the regular troops, and even in small bands they were unable to escape the ring of forces drawn around them. The Pindaris rapidly dispersed over the country. The Pindari chiefs were reduced to the condition of hunted outlaws. The desperate Pindaris expected the Marathas to help them, but none dared to give them even a place of shelter for their families. Karim and Setu had still 23,000 men between them but such a force was no match for the armies that surrounded them. In whatever direction they turned they were met by British forces. Defeat followed defeat. One gang made their escape to the south, leaving all their baggage behind them. Many fled to the jungles and perished. Others sought refuge in the villages, but were killed without mercy by the villagers who had not forgotten the sufferings they had been inflicted upon by the Pindaris.{{sfn|Sinclair|1908|pp=195–196}} The Pindari chiefs Karim Khan and Wasil Mohammed had been present with their Durras at the battle of Mahidpur. Since by this time the Maratha powers had been reduced significantly, the pursuit of Setu and the other leaders was resumed with vigor. All the leaders had surrendered before the end of February and the Pindari system and power was brought to a close. They were removed to Gorakhptir where they obtained grants of land for their subsistence. Karim Khan became a farmer on the small estate he received beyond the Ganges in Gorakpur. Wasil Mohammed attempted to escape. He was found and committed suicide by taking poison.{{sfn|Keightley|1847|p=165}} Setu, a [[Jat]] by caste,{{sfn|Travers|2007|p=19}} was hunted by John Malcolm from place to place until he had no followers left. He vanished into the jungles of Central India in 1819{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|p=196}} and was killed by a tiger.{{sfn|Hunter|1909|p=495}}{{#tag:ref|Chithu is reffered to as Setu in Marathi.{{sfn|Naravane|2006||p=86}} "So the famous Chithu, the Pindari chieftain, who, wandering alone in the jungle on the banks of the Tapti River after the defeat and dispersal of his robber horde in 1818, fell a victim to a man-eating tiger, his remains being identified by the discovery of his head and a satchel containing his papers in the tiger's lair."{{sfn|Burton|2002|pp=246–247}} |group=note}}
[[File:Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-92) - Francis Rawdon-Hastings (1754-1826), Second Earl of Moira and First Marquess of Hastings - RCIN 407508 - Royal Collection.jpg|thumb|[[Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings|The Marquess of Hastings]]. ''[[Portrait of Lord Moira]]'' by [[Joshua Reynolds]], 1790]]
The war began as a campaign against the [[Pindaris]],{{sfn|Sarkar|Pati|2000|p=48}} but the first battle occurred at [[Pune]] where the Peshwa, [[Baji Rao II]], attacked the under-strength British cantonment on 5 November 1817. The Maratha forces comprised 20,000 cavalry, 8,000 infantry, and 20 artillery guns{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=80}} whereas the British had 2,000 cavalry, 1,000 infantry, and eight artillery units.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=81}} What followed was the [[Battle of Khadki]] where the Maratha were initially successful in creating and exploiting a gap in the British lines, but were soon nullified by the advance of the British infantry, which firing volley after volley, caused the Maratha to retreat in a matter of four hours. The British soon claimed victory with the loss of 86 men compared to the 500 Maratha killed.{{sfn|Murray|1901|p=324}}{{sfn|Chhabra|2005|p=19}}


[[File:Battle of Kirki, 1817.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Battle of Khadki, 1817]]
===Flight of the Peshwa===
While Pune was surrendered to the British, the Peshwa and his forces fled first to [[Purandar fort|Purandar]] and then toward the city of [[Satara (city)|Satara]].{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=482}} His commander-in-chief [[Bapu Gokhale]] organised the retreat to guard the Peshwa in flight.
On the orders of Elphinstone, General Smith arrived in Yerwada near Pune on 13 November at the site of the present Deccan College.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=81}} Smith and his troops crossed the river on 15 November and took up positions at Ghorpadi. On the morning of 16 November, the Marathas were engaged in a battle with the British. While the Maratha generals such as Purandare, Raste, and Bapu Gokhale were ready to advance on to the British forces, they were demoralized after learning that the Peshwa and his brother had fled to [[Purandar]]. A force of 5,000 additional Marathas was located at the confluence of two rivers—the [[Mula]] and the [[Mutha]]—under the leadership of Vinchurkar, but they remained idle. Bapu Gokhale retreated to guard the Peshwa in flight. The next morning, General Smith advanced towards the city of Pune and found that the Peshwa had fled towards the city of [[Satara]].{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=482}} During the day Pune surrendered, and great care was taken by General Smith for the protection of the peaceful part of the community. Order was soon re-established.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=482}} The British forces entered [[Shanivar Wada]] on 17 November and the Union flag was hoisted by the British spy Balaji Pant Natu.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=82}}{{sfn|Rao|1977|p=135}}
The Peshwa then fled to the town of [[Koregaon Bhima|Koregaon]] where the [[Battle of Koregaon]] (also known as the battle of Koregaon Bhima) took place on 1 January 1818 on the banks of the river Bhima, north west of Pune. Captain Stauton arrived near Koregaon along with 500 infantry, two six-pounder guns, and 200 irregular horsemen. Only 24 of the infantry were of European origin; they were from the Madras Artillery. The rest of the infantry was composed of Indian [[sepoy]]s employed by the British.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=81}} A fierce battle ensued that lasted the entire day. Streets and guns were captured and recaptured, changing hands several times. Although Baji Rao's commander Trimabkji killed Lieutenant Chishom, the Marathas were forced to evacuate the village and retreated during the night. The British lost 175 men and about a third of the irregular horse, with more than half of the European officers wounded. The Marathas lost 500 to 600 men.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=487}}


After the battle the British forces under general Pritzler{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=487}} pursued the Peshwa, who fled southwards towards [[Karnataka]] with the Raja of Satara.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=487}} The Peshwa continued his flight southward throughout the month of January.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=483}}{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=488}} Not receiving support from the Raja of Mysore, the Peshwa doubled back and passed General Pritzler to head towards [[Solapur]].{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=488}} Until 29 January the pursuit of the Peshwa had not been productive. Whenever Baji Rao was pressed by the British, Gokhale and his light troops hovered around the Peshwa and fired long shots. Some skirmishes took place, and the Marathas were frequently hit by shells from the horse artillery. There was, however, no advantageous result to either party.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=489}} On 7 February General Smith entered Satara and captured the royal palace of the Marathas. He symbolically raised the British flag.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=489}}
The Peshwa now fled to [[Koregaon]]. The [[Battle of Koregaon]] took place on 1 January 1818 on the banks of the river Bhima, north west of Pune. General Stauton arrived near Koregaon along with 500 infantry, two six-pounder guns, and 200 irregular horsemen. Only 24 of the infantry were of European origin; they were from the Madras Artillery. The rest of the infantry was composed of Indians employed by the British.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=81}} The small village of Koregaon was on the north bank of the river, which was shallow and narrow at this time of year. The village had a fortified enclosure constructed in the standard Maratha fashion. Stauton occupied the village but was unable to take the fortified enclosure, which was occupied by the Marathas. The British were cut off from the river, their only source of water. A fierce battle ensued that lasted the entire day. Streets and guns were captured and recaptured, changing hands several times.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=84}} The Peshwa watched the battle from atop a nearby hill about two miles away. The Marathas evacuated the village and retreated during the night. The British lost 175 men and about a third of the irregular horse, with more than half of the European officers wounded. The Marathas lost 500 to 600 men.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=487}} When the British found the village evacuated in the morning, Staunton took his battered troops and pretended to march on to Pune, but actually went to Shirur. The gallant defense by such a small and disciplined British force against an overwhelmingly large Maratha force is recorded in the annals of the East India Company as the most glorious example of valor and fortitude.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=84}}


[[File:Bajirao II Peshwa India.jpg|thumb|left|Bajirao II]]
After the battle the British forces under general Pritzler{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=487}} pursued the Peshwa, who fled southwards towards [[Karnataka]] with the Raja of Satara.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=487}} The Peshwa continued his flight southward throughout the month of January.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=483}}{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=488}} Not receiving support from the Raja of Mysore, the Peshwa doubled back and passed General Pritzlier to head towards [[Solapur]].{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=488}} Until 29 January the pursuit of the Peshwa had not been productive. Whenever Baji Rao was pressed by the British, Gokhale and his light troops hovered around the Peshwa and fired long shots. Some skirmishes took place, and the Marathas were frequently hit by shells from the horse artillery. There was, however, no advantageous result to either party.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=489}} On 7 February General Smith entered Satara and captured the royal palace of the Marathas. He symbolically raised the British flag.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=489}} The next day, the ''Bhagwa Zenda''—the flag of Shivaji and the Marathas—was raised in its place.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=489}} To gain support of the population, the British declared that they would not interfere with the tenets of any religion. They announced that all Watans, [[Inamdar|Inams]],{{#tag:ref|Watans and Inams were the properties or lands of the absentee landlords, mostly the high caste Brahmins. ''Watan'' and ''Inam'' are terms specific to Maharasthra. [[Jagir]] is another such term in Maharashtra. Someone who held a Watan was called Watandar; a holder of an inam was an Inamdar. [[Zamindar]] is a similar term used in the state of [[Bengal]]. Watans and Inams were abolished in independent India.{{sfn|Government of Maharashtra|1961}}|group=note}} pensions, and annual allowances would be continued provided that the recipients withdrew from the service of Baji Rao.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=489}} During this time Baji Rao remained in the vicinity of Solapur.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=491}}
On 19 February, General Smith got word that the Peshwa was headed for [[Pandharpur]]. General Smith's troops attacked the Peshwa at Ashti en route. During this battle, Gokhale died while defending the Peshwa from the British. The Raja of Satara was captured along with his brother and mother. The death of Gokhale and the skirmish at Ashti hastened the end of the war.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=493}} By 10 April 1818, General Smith's forces had taken the forts of [[Sinhagad]] and Purandar.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=517}} Mountstuart Elphinstone mentions the capture of Sinhagadh in his diary entry for 13 February 1818: "The garrison contained no Marathas, but consisted of 100 Arabs, 600 Gosains, and 400 Konkani. The [[Kiladar|Qiladar]] was a boy of eleven; the garrison was treated with great liberality; and, though there was much property and money in the place, the Qiladar was allowed to have whatever he claimed as his own."{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=517}}{{refn|[[Kiladar|Qiladar]] means the commandant of a fort, castle or garrison.{{sfn|Yule|Burnell|1903|p=483}}|group=note}}


On 3 June 1818 Baji Rao surrendered to the British and negotiated the sum of {{Indian Rupee}} eight [[lakhs]] as annual maintenance.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=513}} Baji Rao obtained promises from the British in favour of the [[Jagirdar]]s, his family, the Brahmins, and religious institutions.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=513}} The Peshwa was sent to [[Bithur]] near [[Kanpur]].{{sfn|Duff|1921|pp=513–514}} While the downfall and banishment of the Peshwa was mourned all over the Maratha Empire as a national defeat, the Peshwa contracted more marriages and spent his long life engaged in religious performances and excessive drinking.{{sfn|Chhabra|2005|p=21}}
On 19 February, General Smith got word that the Peshwa was headed for [[Pandharpur]]. General Smith's troops attacked the Peshwa at [[Ashti, Wardha|Ashti]] en route. During this battle, Gokhale died while defending the Peshwa from the British. He fought bravely and died with a sword in his hand.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=491}} The Raja of Satara was captured along with his brother and mother. The Raja was glad to be free from servitude to the [[Chitpavan|Konkanastha Brahmins]] and Baji Rao.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=492}} The death of Gokhale and the skirmish at Ashti hastened the end of the war.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=493}} Soon after this Baji Rao was deserted by the [[Patwardhan]]s.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=494}}


===Conflict with the Pindaris===
By 10 April 1818, General Smith's forces had taken the forts of [[Sinhagad]] and Purandar.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=517}} Mountstuart Elphinstone mentions the capture of Sinhagadh in his diary entry for 13 February 1818: "The garrison contained no Marathas, but consisted of 100 Arabs, 600 Gosains, and 400 Konkani. The Killadar was a boy of eleven; the real Governor, Appajee Punt Sewra, a mean-looking Carcoon. The garrison was treated with great liberality; and, though there was much property and money in the place, the Killadar was allowed to have whatever he claimed as his own."{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=517}}{{#tag:ref|Killadar means the commandant of a fort, castle or garrison.{{sfn|Yule|Burnell|p=483}}|group=note}} On 3 June 1818 Baji Rao surrendered to the British and negotiated the sum of {{Indian Rupee}} eight [[lakhs]] as annual maintenance.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=513}} Baji Rao obtained promises from the British in favor of the [[Jagirdar]]s, his family, the Brahmins, and religious institutions.{{sfn|Duff|1921|p=513}} The Peshwa was sent to [[Bithur]] near [[Kanpur]].{{sfn|Duff|1921|pp=513–514}} While the downfall and banishment of the Peshwa was mourned all over the Maratha Empire as a national defeat, the Peshwa seemed unaffected. He contracted more marriages and spent his long life engaged in religious performances and excessive drinking.{{sfn|Chhabra|2005|p=21}}
[[File:Malwa India 1823.png|thumb|Location of Malwa in an 1823 depiction of India. Malwa was the headquarters of some of the Pindaris in the early 19th century]]
The Pindaris, who were mostly cavalry armed with spears, came to be known as the ''Shindeshahi'' and the ''Holkarshahi'' after the patronage they received from the respective Maratha leaders.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|pp=86–87}} The major Pindari leaders were Chitu, Karim Khan, and Wasil Mohammad and their total strength was estimated at 33,000.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=86}} The Pindaris frequently raided villages in Central India and it was thought that this region was being rapidly reduced to the condition of a desert because the peasants were unable to support themselves on the land.{{sfn|Russell|1916|p=396}} In 1815, 25,000 Pindaris entered the [[Madras Presidency]] and destroyed over 300 villages on the [[Coromandel coast]]. Other Pindari raids on British territory followed in 1816 and 1817 and therefore [[Francis Rawdon-Hastings]] wanted the Pindaris extinguished.{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|p=194}}

In opposition to what the British forces expected as they entered the region in late 1817, they found that the Pindaris had not devastated the area. In fact the British found a super-abundance of food and forage, especially grain, which added immensely to the security of their supplies.<ref name="mapw" /> The Pindaris were attacked, and their homes were surrounded and destroyed. General Hislop from the Madras Residency attacked the Pindaris from the south and drove them beyond the Narmada river, where governor-general Francis Rawdon-Hastings was waiting with his army.{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|pp=195–196}} With the principal routes from Central India being occupied by British detachments, the Pindari forces were completely broken up, scattered in the course of a single campaign. Being armed only with spears, they made no stand against the regular troops, and even in small bands they were unable to escape the ring of forces drawn around them.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

The Pindari forces proved unable to counter the British and the Pindari chiefs were soon reduced to the condition of hunted outlaws. Karim and Chitu had still 23,000 soldiers between them but such a force was no match for the armies that surrounded them. In whatever direction they turned they were met by British forces; defeat followed defeat. Many fled to the jungles, while others sought refuge in the villages, but were killed without mercy by local villagers who had not forgotten the sufferings inflicted upon them by the Pindaris.{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|pp=195–196}} All the leaders had surrendered before the end of February 1818 and the Pindari system and power was brought to a close. They were removed to Gorakhptir where they obtained grants of land for their subsistence. Karim Khan became a farmer on the small estate he received beyond the Ganges in Gorakpur. Wasil Mohammed attempted to escape, and after he was found Mohammed committed suicide by imbibing poison.{{sfn|Keightley|1847|p=165}} Chitu, another Pindari warrior,{{sfn|Travers|1919|p=19}} was hunted by John Malcolm from place to place until he had no followers left. He vanished into the jungles of Central India in 1819{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|p=196}} and was killed by a tiger.{{sfn|Hunter|1909|p=495}}{{refn|Chithu is referred to as Setu in Marathi.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=86}} "So the famous Chithu, the Pindari chieftain, who, wandering alone in the jungle on the banks of the Tapti River after the defeat and dispersal of his robber horde in 1818, fell a victim to a man-eating tiger, his remains being identified by the discovery of his head and a satchel containing his papers in the tiger's lair."{{sfn|Burton|1936|pp=246–247}} |group=note}}


===Events in Nagpur===
===Events in Nagpur===
[[image:Sitabuldi fort gate.JPG|right|thumb|250px|Sitabardi fort today]]{{See also|Sitabuldi Fort}}
[[File:Sitabuldi fort gate.JPG|thumb|250px|Sitabuldi Fort today]]
Madhoji Bhonsle, also known as Appa Saheb, consolidated his power in Nagpur after the murder of his cousin, the imbecile ruler Parsoji Bhonsle. He entered into a treaty with the British on 27 May 1816.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=82}} He ignored the request of the British Resident Jenkins to refrain from contact with Baji Rao II. Jenkins asked Appa Saheb to disband his growing concentration of troops and come to the residency, which he also refused to do. Appa Saheb openly declared support for the Peshwa, who was already fighting the British near Pune. As it was now clear that a battle was in the offing, Jenkins asked for reinforcements from nearby East India Company troops. He already had about 1,500 men under Lieutenant-Colonel Hopentoun Scott.{{sfn|Burton|1908|p=159}} Jenkins sent word for Colonel Adams to march to Nagpur with his troops.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=82}} Like other Maratha leaders, Appa Shaeb employed Arabs in his army.{{sfn|Burton|1908|p=53}} They were typically involved in holding fortresses. While they were known to be among the bravest of troops, they were not amenable to discipline and order. The total strength of the Marathas was about 18,000.{{sfn|Burton|1908|p=160}}
[[Mudhoji II Bhonsle|Mudhoji Bhonsle]], also known as Appa Saheb, consolidated his power in [[Nagpur]] after the murder of his cousin, the imbecile ruler Parsoji Bhonsle, and entered into a treaty with the British on 27 May 1816.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=82}} He ignored the request of the British Resident Jenkins to refrain from contact with Baji Rao II. Jenkins asked Appa Saheb to disband his growing concentration of troops and come to the residency, which he also refused to do. Appa Saheb openly declared support for the Peshwa, who was already fighting the British near Pune. As it was now clear that a battle was in the offing, Jenkins asked for reinforcements from nearby British East India Company troops. He already had about 1,500 men under Lieutenant-Colonel Hopentoun Scott.{{sfn|Burton|1908|p=159}} Jenkins sent word for Colonel Adams to march to Nagpur with his troops.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=82}} Like other Maratha leaders, Appa Shaeb employed Arabs in his army.{{sfn|Burton|1908|p=53}} They were typically involved in holding fortresses. While they were known to be among the bravest of troops, they were not amenable to discipline and mostly armed with only [[matchlock]]s and swords. The total strength of the Marathas was about 18,000.{{sfn|Burton|1908|p=160}}


The Residency was to the west of the Sitabardi hill, a {{convert|300|yd|adj=on}} hillock running north-south. The East India Company troops occupied the north end of the hillock.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=83}} The Marathas, fighting with the Arabs, made good initial gains by charging up the hill and forcing the British to retreat to the south. British commanders began arriving with reinforcements: Lieutenant Colonel Rahan on 29 November, Major Pittman on 5 December, and Colonel Doveton on 12 December. The British counterattack was severe and Appa Saheb was forced to surrender. The British lost 300 men, of which 24 were Europeans; the Marathas lost an equal number. A treaty was signed on 9 January 1818. Appa Saheb was allowed to rule over nominal territories with several restrictions. Most of his territory, including the forts, was now controlled by the British. They built additional fortifications on Sitabardi hill.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=83}}
The British Residency was to the west of the [[Sitabuldi Fort]] located close to Nagpur. The British East India Company troops occupied the north end of the hillock associated with the fort.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=83}} The Marathas, fighting with the Arabs, made good initial gains by charging up the hill and forcing the British to retreat to the south. British commanders began arriving with reinforcements: Lieutenant Colonel Rahan on 29 November, Major Pittman on 5 December, and Colonel Doveton on 12 December. The British counterattack was severe and Appa Saheb was forced to surrender. A force of 5,000 Arabs and Hindustanis however remained secured within the walls of Nagpur with the British laying siege to the city from 19 December. Attempts by the British to breach the walls failed with the loss of over 300 men, of which 24 were Europeans. The British agreed to pay the defenders 50,000 rupees to abandon Nagpur, which they did on 30 December.<ref name="mapw" /> A treaty was signed on 9 January 1818. Appa Saheb was allowed to rule over nominal territories with several restrictions. Most of his territory, including the forts, was now controlled by the British. They built additional fortifications on Sitabuldi.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=83}}


A few days later Appa Saheb was arrested. He was being escorted to Allahabad when he escaped to Punjab to seek refuge with the Sikhs. They turned him down and he was captured once again by the British near Jodhpur. [[Raja Mansingh]] of Jodhpur stood surety for him and he remained in Jodhpur, where he died on 15 July 1849 at 44 years of age.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=83}}
A few days later Appa Saheb was arrested. He was being escorted to Allahabad when he escaped to Punjab to seek refuge with the Sikhs. They turned him down and he was captured once again by the British near Jodhpur. [[Raja Mansingh]] of Jodhpur stood surety for him and he remained in Jodhpur, where he died on 15 July 1849 at 44 years of age.{{sfn|Naravane|2006|p=83}}


===Subjugation of Holkar===
===Events in Holkar===
[[File:Joppen1907India1823a.jpg|thumb|200px|Map of India after the Third Anglo-Maratha War, 1819]]
{{See also|Battle of Mahidpur}}
[[image:Joppen1907India1823a.jpg|thumb|200px|Map of India after the Third Anglo-Maratha War]]
Holkar was offered terms similar to those offered to Shinde; the only difference was that Holkar accepted and respected the independence of Amir Khan. The Court of Holkar was at this time practically nonexistent. When Tantia Jog, an official of the Holkar, urged acceptance of the offer he was suspected of being in collusion with the British. In reality he made the suggestion because he was aware of the power of the British as he had seen their armies in action when he had commanded a battalion in the past.{{sfn|Kibe|1904|pp=351–352}} Holkar responded to the Peshwa's call for insurrection against the British by initiating a battle in Mahidpur.{{sfn|Bakshi|Ralhan|2007|p=315}}


[[File:Battle of Mehidpoor 2nd position, 21 Dec 1817.jpg|thumb|Battle of Mehidpoor 2nd position, 21 Dec 1817]]
The battle of Mahidpur between Holkar and the British was fought on 21 December 1817. The charge on the British side was led by Malcolm himself. A deadly battle ensued lasting from midday until 3:00&nbsp;am. Malcolm was loyally served by European and Indian soldiers and all displayed great bravery.{{sfn|Prakash|2002|p=135}} Lieutenant General Thomas Hislop was commander in chief of the Madras army. Hislop came in sight of the Holkar army about 9:00&nbsp;am.{{sfn|Hough|1853|p=71}} The East India Company's army lost 800 men{{sfn|Sarkar|Pati|2000|p=48}} but Holkar's force was destroyed.{{sfn|Prakash|2002|p=135}} The East India Company's losses were 800 killed or wounded but Holkar's loss was much larger with about 3,000 killed or wounded.{{sfn|Keightley|1847|165}} These losses meant Holkar was deprived of any means of rising in arms against the British,{{sfn|Prakash|2002|p=136}} and this broke the power of the Holkar dynasty. The battle of Mahidpur proved disastrous for the Maratha fortunes. Henry Durand wrote, "After the battle of Mahidpur not only the Peshwa's but the real influence of the Mahratta States of Holkar and Shinde were dissolved and replaced by British supremacy."{{sfn|Government of Madhya Pradesh|1827|p=79}} Although the power of the Holkar family was broken, the remaining troops remained hostile and a division was retained to disperse them. The ministers made overtures of peace,{{sfn|Keightley|1847|p=165}} and on 6 January 1818 the Treaty of Mandeswar was signed;{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|pp=195–196}} Holkar accepted the British terms in totality.{{sfn|Prakash|2002|p=136}} Holkar came under British authority as an independent prince subject to the advice of a British Resident.{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|pp=195–196}}


The Court of Holkar, based at [[Indore]], was at this time practically nonexistent. The dynasty was headed by 11-year-old [[Malhar Rao Holkar III]] under the regency of his dead father's mistress [[Tulsi Bai Holkar]]. Tulsi Bai was executed by her own troops in December 1817 for allying with the British; soon after, the British advanced into Holkar's territory, encountering his army about 40&nbsp;km north of Indore at the [[Battle of Mahidpur]].{{sfn|Kibe|1904|pp=351–352}}{{sfn|Bakshi|Ralhan|2007|p=315}}<ref name="mapw" />
==End of the war and its effects==
[[File:Nassak Diamond copy3.JPG||250px|thumb||The [[Nassak Diamond]] was seized from the Peshwa by the British and sent to London]]


The battle of Mahidpur between Holkar and the British was fought on 21 December 1817, lasting from midday until 3:00&nbsp;am. Lieutenant General Thomas Hislop was commander of the British forces which came in sight of the Holkar army at about 9:00&nbsp;am.{{sfn|Hough|1853|p=71}} The British lost around 800 men{{sfn|Sarkar|Pati|2000|p=48}} but Holkar's force was destroyed,{{sfn|Prakash|2002|p=135}} with about 3,000 killed or wounded.{{sfn|Keightley|1847|p=165}} These losses effectively knocked the Holkar out of the conflict{{sfn|Prakash|2002|p=136}} and broke the power of the Holkar dynasty. The Battle of Mahidpur also proved to be a major setback for the Marathas as well. Henry Durand wrote, "After the battle of Mahidpur not only the Peshwa's but the real influence of the Mahratta States of Holkar and Shinde were dissolved and replaced by British supremacy."{{sfn|Government of Madhya Pradesh|1827|p=79}} The remnants of Holkar's army were pursued across the territory by the British, suffering further casualties in small-scale skirmishes.<ref name="mapw" /> Holkar was captured and his ministers made overtures of peace,{{sfn|Keightley|1847|p=165}} and on 6 January 1818 the Treaty of Mandeswar was signed;{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|pp=195–196}} Holkar accepted the British terms in totality.{{sfn|Prakash|2002|p=136}} Large quantities of [[Prize of war|spoils of war]] was taken by the British, which remained an acrimonious issue for many years afterwards.<ref name="mapw" /> Holkar came under British authority as a puppet prince subject to the advice of a British Resident.{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|pp=195–196}}
At the end of the war, all of the Maratha powers had surrendered to the British. Shinde and the Pashtun Amir Khan were subdued by the use of diplomacy and pressure, which resulted in the Treaty of Gwailor{{sfn|Prakash|2002|p=300}} on 5 November 1817. Under this treaty, Shinde surrendered Rajasthan to the British and agreed to help them fight the Pindaris. Amir Khan agreed to sell his guns to the British and received a land grant at Tonk in Rajuptana.{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|pp=194–195}} Holkar was defeated on 21 December 1817 and signed the Treaty of Mandeswar{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|pp=195–196}} on 6 January 1818. Under this treaty the Holkar state became subsidiary to the British. The young Malhar Rao was raised to the throne.{{sfn|Dutt|1908|p=173}}{{sfn|Lethbridge|1879|p=193}} Bhonsle was defeated on 26 November 1817 and was captured but he escaped to live out his life in [[Jodhpur]].{{sfn|Dutt|1908|p=173}}{{sfn|Lethbridge|1879|p=192}} The Peshwa surrendered on 3 June 1818 and was sent off to Bithur near Kanpur under the terms of the treaty signed on 3 June 1818.{{sfn|Dutt|1908|p=174}} Of the Pindari leaders, Karim Khan surrendered to Malcolm in February 1818; Wasim Mohammad surrendered to Shinde and eventually poisoned himself; and Setu was killed by a tiger.{{sfn|Lethbridge|1879|p=193}}{{sfn|Russell|1907|p=396}}{{sfn|Dutt|1908|p=172}}


==Operations against remaining Maratha forces==
The war left the British, under the auspices of the British East India Company, in control of virtually all of present-day India south of the [[Sutlej River]]. The famed [[Nassak Diamond]] was acquired by the Company as part of the spoils of the war.{{sfn|United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals|1930|p=121}} The British acquired large chunks of territory from the Maratha Empire and in effect put an end to their most dynamic opposition.{{sfn|Black|2006|p=77}} The terms of surrender Malcolm offered to the Peshwa were controversial amongst the British for being too liberal: The Peshwa was offered a luxurious life near Kanpur and given a pension of about 80,000 pounds. A comparison was drawn with [[Napoleon]], who was confined to a small rock in the south Atlantic and given a small sum for his maintenance. Trimbakji Dengale was captured after the war and was sent to the fortress of Chunar{{sfn|Wheeler|1880|p=495}} in Bengal where he spent the rest of his life. With all active resistance over, John Malcolm played a prominent part in capturing and pacifying the remaining fugitives.{{sfn|Hunter|1907|p=204}}


By mid 1818, all of the Maratha leaders had surrendered to the British. Shinde and the Afghan Amir Khan were subdued by the use of diplomacy and pressure, which resulted in the [[Gwalior State|Treaty of Gwalior]]{{sfn|Prakash|2002|p=300}} on 5 November 1817. Under this treaty, Shinde surrendered Rajasthan to the British and agreed to help them fight the Pindaris. Amir Khan agreed to sell his guns to the British and received a land grant at Tonk in Rajputana.{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|pp=194–195}} Holkar was defeated on 21 December 1817 and signed the Treaty of Mandeswar{{sfn|Sinclair|1884|pp=195–196}} on 6 January 1818. Under this treaty the Holkar state became subsidiary to the British. The young Malhar Rao was raised to the throne.{{sfn|Dutt|1908|p=173}}{{sfn|Lethbridge|1879|p=193}} Bhonsle was defeated on 26 November 1817 and was captured but he escaped to live out his life in [[Jodhpur]].{{sfn|Dutt|1908|p=173}}{{sfn|Lethbridge|1879|p=192}} The Peshwa surrendered on 3 June 1818 and was sent off to Bithur near Kanpur under the terms of the treaty signed on 3 June 1818.{{sfn|Dutt|1908|p=174}} Of the Pindari leaders, Karim Khan surrendered to Malcolm in February 1818; Wasim Mohammad surrendered to Shinde and eventually poisoned himself; and Setu was killed by a tiger.{{sfn|Lethbridge|1879|p=193}}{{sfn|Russell|1916|p=396}}{{sfn|Dutt|1908|p=172}}
The Peshwa's territories were absorbed into the [[Bombay Presidency]] and the territory seized from the Pindaris became the [[Central Provinces]] of British India. The princes of Rajputana became symbolic feudal lords who accepted the British as the paramount power. Thus Francis Rawdon-Hastings redrew the map of India to a state which remained more or less unaltered until the time of [[Lord Dalhousie]].{{sfn|Hunter|1907|p=203}} The British brought an obscure descendant of [[Shivaji]], the founder of the Maratha Empire, to be the ceremonial head of the Maratha Confederacy to replace the seat of the Peshwa. An infant from the Holkar family was appointed as the ruler of Nagpur under British guardianship. The Peshwa adopted a son, [[Nana Sahib]], who went on to be one of the leaders of the [[Rebellion of 1857]].{{sfn|Hunter|1907|p=203}} After 1818, Montstuart Elphinstone reorganized the administrative divisions for revenue collection,{{sfn|Kulkarni|1995|p=98}} thus reducing the importance of the [[Patil]], the [[Deshmukh]], and the [[Deshpande]].{{sfn|Kulkarni|1995|pp=98–99}} The new government felt a need to communicate with the local [[Marathi]]-speaking population; Elphinstone pursued a policy of planned standardization of the Marathi language in the Bombay Presidency starting after 1820.{{sfn|McDonald|1968|pp=589–606}}


[[File:Asirgarh Fort1.jpg|thumb|Asirgarh Fort]]
{{Anglo-Maratha Wars | Prev=[[Second Anglo-Maratha War]] | Next=—}}

{{Indo-British conflicts | Prev=[[Second Anglo-Maratha War]] | Next=[[First Anglo-Sikh War]]}}
During the last stages of the conflict, from 1818 to 1819, British military operations switch to capturing Maratha-held forts which were still holding out under the command of their [[Kiladar|qiladars]]. On February 27, 1818, British forces under the command of [[Sir Thomas Hislop, 1st Baronet|Sir Thomas Hislop]] approached [[Thalner|Thalner Fort]], assuming it was friendly; the fort's qilidar, Tulsiram Mama, ordered his troops to fire on the British, outraging Hislop who laid siege to the fort. After ordering several bombardments against the fort walls, he personally led a storming party which captured the fort and overwhelmed its garrison (which was composed mostly of Arab soldiers). Mama was tried and executed for [[perfidy]], and was hung on a nearby tree.<ref>Deshpande, Arvind M., ''John Briggs in Maharashtra: A Study of District Administration Under Early British Rule'' (1987), Mittal Publications, {{isbn|978-0836422504}}, pg. 31</ref> Other forts in the region, such as Naralla Fort and [[Malegaon fort|Malegaon Fort]] were gradually captured and occupied by the British. At Malegaon Fort, the British encountered unexpectedly strong resistance from the fort garrison, which led them to bring in a 2,600-strong reinforcement force consisting of a mixture of infantry and artillery, after which a storming party captured the fort.<ref name="mapw" />

In early 1819, almost all of the forts had been taken, with the lone holdout being [[Asirgarh Fort]], which was under the command of qiladar Jeswant Rao Lar. In March of that year, a massive British contingent lay siege to Asirgarh, capturing and occupying the town next to the fort to serve as a temporary base of operations. The 1,200-strong garrison was subject to constant artillery bombardments before the British launched an assault, which led to the fort's capture on 9 April. With the capture of Asirgarh Fort, the British victory was complete and all military operations ceased.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cannon |first1=Richard |title=Historical Record of the 67th Foot |date=1849 |publisher=Parker, Furnivall & Parker |location=London |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/57663/57663-h/57663-h.htm#Page_14}}</ref><ref name="mapw" />

==Aftermath==
[[File:Nassak Diamond copy3.JPG|250px|thumb|The [[Nassak Diamond]] was seized from the Peshwa by the British and sent to London]]

The war left the British, under the auspices of the British East India Company, in control of virtually all of present-day India south of the [[Sutlej River]], either through direct British rule, or through [[princely state]]s. The famed [[Nassak Diamond]] was seized by the Company as part of the spoils of the war.{{sfn|United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals|1930|p=121}} The British acquired large chunks of territory from the Maratha Empire and in effect put an end to their most dynamic opposition.{{sfn|Black|2006|p=77}} The terms of surrender Malcolm offered to the Peshwa were controversial amongst the British for being too liberal: The Peshwa was offered a luxurious life near Kanpur and given a pension of about 80,000 pounds. A comparison was drawn with [[Napoleon]], who was then confined to a small rock in the southern Atlantic and given a small sum for his maintenance. Trimbakji Dengale was captured after the war and was sent to the fortress of Chunar<!--{{sfn|Wheeler|1880|p=495}} unattached reference -->in Bengal where he spent the rest of his life. With all active resistance over, John Malcolm played a prominent part in capturing and pacifying the remaining fugitives.{{sfn|Hunter|1907|p=204}}

The Peshwa's territories were absorbed into the [[Bombay Presidency]] and the territory seized from the Pindaris eventually became the nucleus of the [[Central Provinces]] of British India. The princes of Rajputana were effectively reduced to feudal lords who accepted the British as the paramount power. Thus Hastings redrew the map of India to a state which remained more or less unaltered until the time of [[Lord Dalhousie]].{{sfn|Hunter|1907|p=203}} The British recognised [[Pratap Singh (Raja of Satara)]], a direct descendant of [[Shivaji]] as the ceremonial head of the Maratha Confederacy. [[Raghuji Bhonsle III]], then not even ten years old, was appointed as the ruler of Nagpur under British guardianship. The Peshwa adopted a son, [[Nana Sahib]], who went on to be one of the leaders of the [[Rebellion of 1857]].{{sfn|Hunter|1907|p=203}} After 1818, Mountstuart Elphinstone reorganized the administrative divisions for revenue collection,{{sfn|Kulkarni|1995|p=98}} thus reducing the importance of the [[Patil (title)|Patil]], the [[Deshmukh]], and the [[Deshpande]].{{sfn|Kulkarni|1995|pp=98–99}}

The new government felt a need to communicate with the local [[Marathi language|Marathi]]-speaking population; Elphinstone pursued a policy of planned standardization of the Marathi language in the Bombay Presidency starting after 1820.{{sfn|McDonald|1968|pp=589–606}}


==See also==
==See also==
{{Commons category|Third Anglo-Maratha War}}
* [[British Empire]]
* [[British Raj]]
* [[Maratha Empire]]
* [[History of India]]
* [[First Anglo-Maratha War]]
* [[Second Anglo-Maratha War]]
* [[Shivaji]]


==Notes==
==Notes==
Line 138: Line 161:


==References==
==References==
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* {{Citation|title=The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India: pt. II. Descriptive Articles on the Principal Castes and Tribes of the Central Provinces|volume=4 of The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India|first=Robert Vane|last=Russell|publisher=Macmillan and Co., Limited|location=London|oclc=8530841|year=1916|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xGXhAAAAMAAJ}}
* {{Citation|title=Power and Criminality: a Survey of Famous Crimes in Indian History|first=S. Venugopala|last=Rao|publisher=Allied Publishers|year=1977|oclc=4076888|location=Bombay|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=9q8EAAAAMAAJ&q=balaji+pant+natu+spy&dq=balaji+pant+natu+spy&hl=en&ei=00qaTLW1BI32tgO-6PCpAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA}}
* {{Citation|title=Issues in Modern Indian History: for Sumit Sarkar|first1=Sumit|last1=Sarkar|first2=Biswamoy|last2=Pati|editor=Biswamoy Pati|publisher=Popular Prakashan|year=2000|location=Mumbai|isbn=978-81-7154-658-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S2Yn4LlujqsC&q=9788171546589}}
* {{Citation|title=Shivaji and His Times|publisher=MC Sarkar & Sons|location=Calcutta|year=1919|oclc=459363111|pages=482–85|first=Sir Jadunath|last=Sarkar}}
* {{Citation|title=Issues in Modern Indian History: for Sumit Sarkar|first1=Sumit|last1=Sarkar|first2=Biswamoy|last2=Pati|editor=Biswamoy Pati|publisher=Popular Prakashan|year=2000|location=Mumbai|ISBN=9788171546589|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=S2Yn4LlujqsC&dq=9788171546589&source=gbs_navlinks_s
* {{Citation|title=An Atlas and Survey of South Asian History |first=Karl J.|last=Schmidt|publisher=M.E. Sharpe|location=Armonk, N.Y.|year=1995|isbn=978-1-56324-334-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FzmkFXSgxqgC&q=9781563243349}}
* {{Citation|title=Anglo-Maratha Relations, 1785–96|volume=2 of Anglo-Maratha Relations, Sailendra Nath Sen|first=Sailendra Nath|last=Sen|publisher=Popular Prakashan|year=1994|location=Bombay|isbn=978-81-7154-789-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y-kanqrtVhYC&q=9788171547890}}
}}
* {{Citation|title=An Atlas and Survey of South Asian History |first=Karl J.|last=Schmidt|publisher=M.E. Sharpe|location=Armonk, N.Y.|year=1995|ISBN=9781563243349|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=FzmkFXSgxqgC&dq=9781563243349&source=gbs_navlinks_s}}
* {{Citation|title=History of India|first=David|last=Sinclair|publisher=Christian Knowledge Society's Press|location=Madras|year=1884|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I1gOAAAAQAAJ&q=history+of+india+david+sinclair}}
* {{Citation|title=Anglo-Maratha Relations, 1785–96|volume=Volume 2 of Anglo-Maratha Relations, Sailendra Nath Sen|first=Sailendra Nath |last=Sen|publisher=Popular Prakashan|year=1994|location=Bombay|ISBN=9788171547890|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Y-kanqrtVhYC&dq=9788171547890&source=gbs_navlinks_s}}
* {{citation|title=RRB Technical Cadre|first=V.V.K|last=Subburaj|publisher=Sura Books|year=2000|location=Chennai|isbn=81-7254-011-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P9RePB4CK3oC}}
* {{Citation|title=History of India|first=David|last=Sinclair|publisher=Christian Knowledge Society's Press|location=Madras|year=1884|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=I1gOAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=history+of+india+david+sinclair&hl=en&ei=Lk17TJTKA8nSngfK1sCdCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false}}
* {{Citation|title=Comrades in Arms&nbsp;– A War Book for India|first=John|last=Travers|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Bombay|year=1919|oclc=492678532|url=https://archive.org/details/comradesinarms030578mbp}}
*{{citation|title=RRB Technical Cadre|first=V.V.K|last=Subburaj|publisher=Sura Books|year=2000|location=Chennai|ISBN=8172540116|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=P9RePB4CK3oC&source=gbs_navlinks_s}}
* {{citation|title=Journal of the United Service Institution of India|volume=30|last=United Service Institution of India|year=1901|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Trr2oCgPThAC|access-date=September 26, 2010}}
* {{Citation|year=1930|author=United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals|title=Court of Customs and Patent Appeals Reports|volume=18|location=Washington|oclc=2590161|publisher=Supreme Court of the United States|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OIcdAAAAMAAJ&q=E.+F.+BENDLER}}
* {{Citation|title=Comrades in Arms&nbsp;– A War Book for India|first=John|last=Travers|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Bombay|year=1918|oclc=492678532|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=bZ8e1odYuocC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false}}
* {{citation|title=Journal of the United Service Institution of India|volume=30|last=United Service Institution of India|year=1901|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Trr2oCgPThAC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false|accessdate=September 26, 2010}}
* {{Citation|date=1930|author=United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals|title=Court of Customs and Patent Appeals Reports|volume=18|location=Washington|oclc=2590161|publisher=Supreme Court of the United States|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=OIcdAAAAMAAJ&q=E.+F.+BENDLER&dq=E.+F.+BENDLER&pgis=1}}
{{Refend}}
{{Refend}}

{{Good Article}}
== Further reading ==
* {{Citation|title=Shivaji and His Times|publisher=MC Sarkar & Sons|location=Calcutta|year=1919|oclc=459363111|pages=482–85|first=Sir Jadunath|last=Sarkar}}
* {{Citation|title=Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707–1813|first=J. L|last=Mehta|publisher=Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd|year=2005|isbn=978-1-932705-54-6|location=Berkshire, UK; Elgin, Ill.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d1wUgKKzawoC&q=9781932705546}}
*https://sites.google.com/vvdatalink.com/vv-datalink/knowledge/history/indian-history/mordern-history/anglo-maratha-wars {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125033212/https://sites.google.com/vvdatalink.com/vv-datalink/knowledge/history/indian-history/mordern-history/anglo-maratha-wars |date=2022-01-25 }}

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{{MarathaEmpire}}
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{{Indian Independence Movement}}
[[Category:Conflicts in 1817]]
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Conflicts in 1818]]

[[Category:British rule in India]]
[[Category:Military history of the British East India Company]]
[[Category:Wars involving the Maratha Confederacy|Anglo-Maratha War 3]]
[[Category:Wars involving British India]]
[[Category:Wars involving India|Anglo-Maratha War 3]]
[[Category:Wars involving the Maratha Empire|Anglo-Maratha War 3]]
[[Category:Wars involving the United Kingdom|Anglo-Maratha War 3]]
[[Category:Wars involving the United Kingdom|Anglo-Maratha War 3]]
[[Category:Maratha Empire]]
[[Category:1810s]]
[[Category:1817 in India]]
[[Category:1817 in India]]
[[Category:1818 in India]]
[[Category:1818 in India]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1817]]

[[Category:Conflicts in 1818]]
[[ca:Guerra Pindari]]
[[Category:Wars involving British India]]
[[de:Dritter Marathenkrieg]]
[[Category:Wars involving the British East India Company]]
[[mr:तिसरे इंग्रज-मराठा युद्ध]]
[[ru:Англо-маратхские войны]]
[[sv:Marattkrigen]]
[[ta:ஆங்கிலேய மராத்திப் போர்]]
[[uk:Англо-маратхські війни]]

Latest revision as of 14:01, 11 September 2024

Third Anglo-Maratha War[1]
Part of the Anglo-Maratha Wars

Indian camp scene
Date5 November 1817 – 9 April 1819
Location
The modern state of Maharashtra and neighbouring areas
Result

British victory

  • Formal end of the Peshwa rule.
  • Shinde, Holkar and Bhonsale subjected to British suzerainty.
  • Chhatrapati (Maratha emperor) retained under British suzerainty.
  • British East India Company takes control over all Maratha territories.
Belligerents

Maratha Confederacy

East India Company
Hyderabad State
Commanders and leaders
Baji Rao II
Bapu Gokhale (General of Baji Rao II)
Hari Rao Holkar
Malhar Rao Holkar III
Mudhoji II Bhonsle
Trimbakji Dengle-Patil
Daulat Rao Scindhia
Francis Rawdon-Hastings
John Malcolm
Thomas Hislop
Asaf Jah III

The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1819) was the final and decisive conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India. The war left the Company in control of most of India. It began with an invasion of Maratha territory by British East India Company troops,[2] and although the British were outnumbered, the Maratha army was decimated. The troops were led by Governor General Hastings, supported by a force under General Thomas Hislop. Operations began against the Pindaris, a band of Muslim mercenaries and Marathas from central India.[note 1]

Peshwa Baji Rao II's forces, supported by those of Mudhoji II Bhonsle of Nagpur and Malharrao Holkar III of Indore, rose against the East India Company. Pressure and diplomacy convinced the fourth major Maratha leader, Daulatrao Shinde of Gwalior, to remain neutral even though he lost control of Rajasthan.

British victories were swift, resulting in the breakup of the Maratha Empire and the loss of Maratha independence. Several minor battles were fought by the Peshwa's forces to prevent his capture.[4]

The Peshwa was eventually captured and placed on a small estate at Bithur, near Kanpur. Most of his territory was annexed and became part of the Bombay Presidency. The Maharaja of Satara was restored as the ruler of his territory as a princely state. In 1848 this territory was also annexed by the Bombay Presidency under the doctrine of lapse policy of Lord Dalhousie. Bhonsle was defeated in the battle of Sitabuldi and Holkar in the battle of Mahidpur. The northern portion of Bhonsle's dominions in and around Nagpur, together with the Peshwa's territories in Bundelkhand, were annexed by British India as the Saugor and Nerbudda Territories. The defeat of the Bhonsle and Holkar also resulted in the acquisition of the Maratha kingdoms of Nagpur and Indore by the British. Along with Gwalior from Shinde and Jhansi from the Peshwa, all of these territories became princely states acknowledging British control. The British proficiency in Indian war-making was demonstrated through their rapid victories in Khadki, Sitabuldi, Mahidpur, and Satara.[5]

The Marathas and the British

[edit]
Map of India after the Second Anglo-Maratha War, 1805

The Maratha Empire was founded in 1674 by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj the Bhosle dynasty.[6] Shivaji Maharaj's capital was located at Raigad. Shivaji Maharaj successfully defended his empire from attacks by the Mughal Empire and his Maratha Empire went on to defeat and overtake it as the premier power in India within few decades. A key component of the Maratha administration was the council of eight ministers, called the Ashta Pradhan (council of eight). The senior-most member of the Ashta Pradhan was called the Peshwa or the Pant Pradhan (prime minister). [citation needed]

Growing British power

[edit]

While the Marathas were fighting the Mughals in the early 18th century, the British held small trading posts in Bombay, Madras and Calcutta. The British fortified the naval post of Mumbai after they saw the Marathas defeat the Portuguese at neighbouring Vasai in May 1739. In an effort to keep the Marathas out of Mumbai, the British sent envoys to negotiate a treaty. The envoys were successful, and a treaty was signed on 12 July 1739 that gave the British East India Company rights to free trade in Maratha territory.[7] In the south, the Nizam of Hyderabad had enlisted the support of the French for his war against the Marathas.[note 2] In reaction to this, the Peshwa requested support from the British, but was refused. Unable to see the rising power of the British, the Peshwa set a precedent by seeking their help to solve internal Maratha conflicts.[8] Despite the lack of support, the Marathas managed to defeat the Nizam over a period of five years.[8][failed verification]

During the period 1750–1761, British defeated the French East India Company in India, and by 1793 they were firmly established in Bengal in the east and Madras in the south. They were unable to expand to the west as the Marathas were dominant there, but they entered Surat on the west coast via the sea.[9]

The Marathas marched beyond the Indus as their empire grew.[9] The responsibility for managing the sprawling Maratha empire in the north was entrusted to two Maratha leaders, Shinde and Holkar, as the Peshwa was busy in the south.[10] The two leaders did not act in concert, and their policies were influenced by personal interests and financial demands. They alienated other Hindu rulers such as the Rajputs, the Jats, and the Rohillas, and they failed to diplomatically win over other Muslim leaders.[10] A large blow to the Marathas came in their defeat on 14 January 1761 at Panipat against a combined Muslim force that gathered defeating Marathas led by the Afghan Ahmad Shah Abdali. An entire generation of Maratha leaders lay dead on the battlefield as a result of that conflict.[10] However, between 1761 and 1773, the Marathas regained the lost ground in the north.[11]

Anglo-Maratha relations

[edit]

The Maratha gains in the north were undone because of the contradictory policies of Holkar and Shinde and the internal disputes in the family of the Peshwa, which culminated in the murder of Narayanrao Peshwa in 1773.[12] Raghunathrao was ousted from the seat of Peshwa due to continuing internal Maratha rivalries. He sought help from the British, and they signed the Treaty of Surat with him in March 1775.[13] This treaty gave him military assistance in exchange for control of Salsette Island and Bassein Fort.[14]

The treaty set off discussions amongst the British in India as well as in Europe because of the serious implications of a confrontation with the powerful Marathas. Another cause for concern was that the Bombay Council had exceeded its constitutional authority by signing such a treaty.[15] The treaty was the cause of the start of the First Anglo-Maratha War.[note 3] This war was a Maratha victory and almost a stalemate, with no side strong being able to completely defeat the other.[16] The war concluded with the treaty of Salabai in May 1782, mediated by Mahadji Shinde. The foresight of Warren Hastings was the main reason for the success of the British in the war. He had destroyed the anti-British coalition and created a division between the Shinde, the Bhonsle, and the Peshwa.[note 4]

The Marathas were still in a very strong position when the new Governor General of British controlled territories Cornwallis arrived in India in 1786.[18] After the treaty of Salabai, the British followed a policy of coexistence in the north. The British and the Marathas enjoyed more than two decades of peace, thanks to the diplomacy of Nana Phadnavis, a minister in the court of the 11-year-old Peshwa Sawai Madhavrao. The situation changed soon after Nana's death in 1800. The power struggle between Holkar and Shinde caused Holkar to attack the Peshwa in Pune in 1801, since the Peshwa sided with Shinde. The Peshwa Baji Rao II fled Pune to safety on a British warship. Baji Rao feared loss of his own powers and signed the treaty of Bassein. This made the Peshwa in effect a subsidiary ally of the British.

In response to the treaty, the Bhonsle and Shinde attacked the British, refusing to accept the betrayal of their sovereignty to the British by the Peshwa. This was the start of the Second Anglo-Maratha War in 1803. Both were defeated by the British, and all Maratha leaders lost large parts of their territory to the British.[16]

Maratha-Hyderabad Relations

[edit]

In 1762, Raghunathrao allied with the Nizam due to mutual distrust and differences with Madhavrao Peshwa. The Nizam marched towards Poona, but little did he know that Rughunathrao was going to betray him. In 1763, Madhavrao I along with Raghunathrao defeated the Nizam at the Battle of Rakshasbhuvan and signed a treaty with the Marathas.[citation needed] In 1795, he was defeated by Madhavrao II's Marathas at the Battle of Kharda and was forced to cede Daulatabad, Aurangabad and Sholapur and pay an indemnity of Rs. 30 million. A French general, Monsieur Raymond, served as his military leader, strategist and advisor.

The Battle of Kharda took place in 1795 between the Nizam and the Maratha Confederacy, in which the Nizam was badly defeated. Governor General John Shore followed the policy of non-intervention despite the Nizam being under his protection which led to the loss of trust of the British. This was the last battle fought together by all the Maratha chiefs under leadership of Bakshibahadur Jivabadada Kerkar. The Maratha forces consisted of cavalry, including gunners, bowmen, artillery and infantry. After several skirmishes, the Nizams infantry under Raymond launched an attack on the Marathas but Scindia forces under Jivabadada Kerkar defeated them and launched a counterattack which proved to be decisive. The rest of the Hyderabad army fled to the fort of Kharda. The Nizam started negotiations and they were concluded in April 1795.

The British East India Company

[edit]

The British had travelled thousands of miles to arrive in India. They studied Indian geography and mastered local languages to deal with the Indians.[note 5] At the time, they were technologically advanced, with superior equipment in several critical areas to that available locally. Chhabra hypothesizes that even if the British technical superiority were discounted, they would have won the war because of the discipline and organization in their ranks.[19] After the First Anglo-Maratha war, Warren Hastings declared in 1783 that the peace established with the Marathas was on such a firm ground that it was not going to be shaken for years to come.[20]

The British believed that a new permanent approach was needed to establish and maintain continuous contact with the Peshwa's court in Pune. The British appointed Charles Malet, a senior merchant from Bombay, to be a permanent Resident at Pune because of his knowledge of the languages and customs of the region.[20]

War preparations

[edit]

The Maratha Empire had partly declined due to the Second Anglo-Maratha War.[21] Efforts to modernize the armies were half-hearted and undisciplined: newer techniques were not absorbed by the soldiers, while the older methods and experience were outdated and obsolete.[21] The Maratha Empire lacked an efficient spy system, and had weak diplomacy compared to the British. Maratha artillery was outdated, and weapons were imported. Foreign officers were responsible for the handling of the imported guns; the Marathas never used their own men in considerable numbers for the purpose. Although Maratha infantry was praised by the likes of Wellington, they were poorly led by their generals and heavily relied on Arab and Pindari mercenaries. The confederate-like structure that evolved within the empire created a lack of unity needed for the wars.[21]

Mountstuart Elphinstone

At the time of the war, the power of the British East India Company was on the rise, whereas the Maratha Empire was on the decline. The British had been victorious in the previous Anglo-Maratha war and the Marathas were at their mercy. The Peshwa of the Maratha Empire at this time was Baji Rao II. Several Maratha leaders who had formerly sided with the Peshwa were now under British control or protection. The British had an arrangement with the Gaekwad dynasty of the Maratha province of Baroda to prevent the Peshwa from collecting revenue in that province. Gaekwad sent an envoy to the Peshwa in Pune to negotiate a dispute regarding revenue collection. The envoy, Gangadhar Shastri, was under British protection. He was murdered, and the Peshwa's minister Trimbak Dengle was suspected of the crime.

The British seized the opportunity to force Baji Rao into a treaty.[22] The treaty (The Treaty of Pune) was signed on 13 June 1817. Key terms imposed on the Peshwa included the admission of Dengle's guilt, renouncing claims on Gaekwad, and surrender of significant swaths of territory to the British. These included his most important strongholds in the Deccan, the seaboard of Konkan, and all places north of the Narmada and south of the Tungabhadra rivers. The Peshwa was also not to communicate with any other powers in India.[23] The British Resident Mountstuart Elphinstone also asked the Peshwa to disband his cavalry.[22]

Maratha planning

[edit]
Ruins of the old palace at Raigad fort

The Peshwa disbanded his cavalry, but secretly asked them to stand by, and offered them seven months' advance pay.[24] Baji Rao entrusted Bapu Gokhale with preparations for war.[25] In August 1817, the forts at Sinhagad, Raigad, and Purandar were fortified by the Peshwa.[26] Gokhale secretly recruited troops for the impending war.[26] Many Bhils and Ramoshis were hired. Efforts were made to unify Bhonsle, Shinde, and Holkar; even the mercenary Pindaris were approached.[26] The Peshwa identified unhappy Marathas in the service of the British Resident Elphinstone and secretly recruited them. One such person was Jaswant Rao Ghorpade. Efforts were made to secretly recruit Europeans as well, which failed.[27] Some people, such as Balaji Pant Natu, stood steadfastly with the British.[27] Several of the sepoys rejected the Peshwa's offers,[28] and others reported the matter to their superior officers.[27] On 19 October 1817, Baji Rao II celebrated the Dassera festival in Pune, where troops were assembled in large numbers.[24] During the celebrations, a large flank of the Maratha cavalry pretended they were charging towards the British sepoys but wheeled off at the last minute. This display was intended as a slight towards Elphinstone [29] and as a scare tactic to prompt the defection and recruitment of British sepoys to the Peshwa's side.[29] The Peshwa made plans to kill Elphinstone, despite opposition from Gokhale. Elphinstone was fully aware of these developments thanks to the espionage work of Balaji Pant Natu and Ghorpade.[24]

Maratha powers were estimated at 81,000 infantry, 106,000 horse or cavalry and 589 guns. Of these the Peshwa had the highest number of cavalry at 28,000, along with 14,000 infantry and 37 cannon. The Peshwa headquarters was in Pune. Holkar had the second largest cavalry, amounting to 20,000, and an infantry force supplemented with 107 artillery units. Shinde and Bhonsle had similar numbers of cavalry, artillery and infantry. Holkar, Shinde and Bhonsle were headquartered in Indore, Gwalior and Nagpur respectively.[30] The Afghan leader Amir Khan was located in Tonk in Rajputana and his strength was 12,000 cavalry, 10,000 infantry and 200 guns.[31][2][32] The Pindaris were located north of the Narmada valley in Chambal and Malwa region of central India. Three Pindari leaders sided with Shinde, these were Chitu, Karim Khan and Wasil Mohammad. They led horsemen with strengths of 10,000, 6,000 and 4,000 but most were armed only with spears. The rest of the Pindari chiefs, Tulsi, Imam Baksh, Sahib Khan, Kadir Baksh, Nathu and Bapu were allied with Holkar. Tulsi and Imam Baksh each had 2,000 horsemen, Kadir Baksh, 21,500. Sahib Khan, Nathu and Bapu had 1,000, 750 and 150 horsemen.[33]

British planning

[edit]

The East India Company viewed the killing of their envoy, Gangadhar Shastri, as definitive intent by the Peshwa to undermine British control over the Maratha, and operations were commenced in order to place the entire region effectually into the possession of the Company.[34] Although some regard the war as a mopping-up operation of the earlier Second Anglo-Maratha war,[35] historians note the fact that the British assembled the largest army they had ever at that time organised in India indicated the importance the British placed on defeating the Maratha.[34] The army, numbering roughly 120,000 men, consisted of the Grand Army or Bengal Army under the command of the Marquess of Hastings, and the Army of the Deccan under General Hislop.[36] This included over 60 battalions of Native Infantry, multiple battalions derived from British regiments, numerous sections of cavalry and dragoons, in addition to artillery, horse artillery and rocket troops, all armed with the most modern weapons and equipped with highly organised supply lines.[34]

This massive force quickly induced Shinde, who was secretly planning with the Peshwa and the Nepal Ministry to form a coalition against the British,[37] into coming to terms with the British. In early November 1817, he was forced to enter into a treaty in which he ceded all his armed forces and major forts.[34] Amir Khan disbanded his army on condition of being guaranteed the possession of the principality of Tonk in Rajputana. He sold his guns to the British and agreed to prevent predatory gangs from operating from his territory. By these actions, the British kept two major allies of the Maratha out of the war before any hostilities had begun.[37]

Major events of the war

[edit]

Conflict in Pune and the pursuit of Baji Rao II

[edit]
The Marquess of Hastings. Portrait of Lord Moira by Joshua Reynolds, 1790

The war began as a campaign against the Pindaris,[38] but the first battle occurred at Pune where the Peshwa, Baji Rao II, attacked the under-strength British cantonment on 5 November 1817. The Maratha forces comprised 20,000 cavalry, 8,000 infantry, and 20 artillery guns[24] whereas the British had 2,000 cavalry, 1,000 infantry, and eight artillery units.[39] What followed was the Battle of Khadki where the Maratha were initially successful in creating and exploiting a gap in the British lines, but were soon nullified by the advance of the British infantry, which firing volley after volley, caused the Maratha to retreat in a matter of four hours. The British soon claimed victory with the loss of 86 men compared to the 500 Maratha killed.[40][41]

Battle of Khadki, 1817

While Pune was surrendered to the British, the Peshwa and his forces fled first to Purandar and then toward the city of Satara.[42] His commander-in-chief Bapu Gokhale organised the retreat to guard the Peshwa in flight. The Peshwa then fled to the town of Koregaon where the Battle of Koregaon (also known as the battle of Koregaon Bhima) took place on 1 January 1818 on the banks of the river Bhima, north west of Pune. Captain Stauton arrived near Koregaon along with 500 infantry, two six-pounder guns, and 200 irregular horsemen. Only 24 of the infantry were of European origin; they were from the Madras Artillery. The rest of the infantry was composed of Indian sepoys employed by the British.[39] A fierce battle ensued that lasted the entire day. Streets and guns were captured and recaptured, changing hands several times. Although Baji Rao's commander Trimabkji killed Lieutenant Chishom, the Marathas were forced to evacuate the village and retreated during the night. The British lost 175 men and about a third of the irregular horse, with more than half of the European officers wounded. The Marathas lost 500 to 600 men.[43]

After the battle the British forces under general Pritzler[43] pursued the Peshwa, who fled southwards towards Karnataka with the Raja of Satara.[43] The Peshwa continued his flight southward throughout the month of January.[44][45] Not receiving support from the Raja of Mysore, the Peshwa doubled back and passed General Pritzler to head towards Solapur.[45] Until 29 January the pursuit of the Peshwa had not been productive. Whenever Baji Rao was pressed by the British, Gokhale and his light troops hovered around the Peshwa and fired long shots. Some skirmishes took place, and the Marathas were frequently hit by shells from the horse artillery. There was, however, no advantageous result to either party.[46] On 7 February General Smith entered Satara and captured the royal palace of the Marathas. He symbolically raised the British flag.[46]

Bajirao II

On 19 February, General Smith got word that the Peshwa was headed for Pandharpur. General Smith's troops attacked the Peshwa at Ashti en route. During this battle, Gokhale died while defending the Peshwa from the British. The Raja of Satara was captured along with his brother and mother. The death of Gokhale and the skirmish at Ashti hastened the end of the war.[47] By 10 April 1818, General Smith's forces had taken the forts of Sinhagad and Purandar.[48] Mountstuart Elphinstone mentions the capture of Sinhagadh in his diary entry for 13 February 1818: "The garrison contained no Marathas, but consisted of 100 Arabs, 600 Gosains, and 400 Konkani. The Qiladar was a boy of eleven; the garrison was treated with great liberality; and, though there was much property and money in the place, the Qiladar was allowed to have whatever he claimed as his own."[48][note 6]

On 3 June 1818 Baji Rao surrendered to the British and negotiated the sum of eight lakhs as annual maintenance.[50] Baji Rao obtained promises from the British in favour of the Jagirdars, his family, the Brahmins, and religious institutions.[50] The Peshwa was sent to Bithur near Kanpur.[51] While the downfall and banishment of the Peshwa was mourned all over the Maratha Empire as a national defeat, the Peshwa contracted more marriages and spent his long life engaged in religious performances and excessive drinking.[52]

Conflict with the Pindaris

[edit]
Location of Malwa in an 1823 depiction of India. Malwa was the headquarters of some of the Pindaris in the early 19th century

The Pindaris, who were mostly cavalry armed with spears, came to be known as the Shindeshahi and the Holkarshahi after the patronage they received from the respective Maratha leaders.[33] The major Pindari leaders were Chitu, Karim Khan, and Wasil Mohammad and their total strength was estimated at 33,000.[53] The Pindaris frequently raided villages in Central India and it was thought that this region was being rapidly reduced to the condition of a desert because the peasants were unable to support themselves on the land.[54] In 1815, 25,000 Pindaris entered the Madras Presidency and destroyed over 300 villages on the Coromandel coast. Other Pindari raids on British territory followed in 1816 and 1817 and therefore Francis Rawdon-Hastings wanted the Pindaris extinguished.[55]

In opposition to what the British forces expected as they entered the region in late 1817, they found that the Pindaris had not devastated the area. In fact the British found a super-abundance of food and forage, especially grain, which added immensely to the security of their supplies.[34] The Pindaris were attacked, and their homes were surrounded and destroyed. General Hislop from the Madras Residency attacked the Pindaris from the south and drove them beyond the Narmada river, where governor-general Francis Rawdon-Hastings was waiting with his army.[56] With the principal routes from Central India being occupied by British detachments, the Pindari forces were completely broken up, scattered in the course of a single campaign. Being armed only with spears, they made no stand against the regular troops, and even in small bands they were unable to escape the ring of forces drawn around them.[citation needed]

The Pindari forces proved unable to counter the British and the Pindari chiefs were soon reduced to the condition of hunted outlaws. Karim and Chitu had still 23,000 soldiers between them but such a force was no match for the armies that surrounded them. In whatever direction they turned they were met by British forces; defeat followed defeat. Many fled to the jungles, while others sought refuge in the villages, but were killed without mercy by local villagers who had not forgotten the sufferings inflicted upon them by the Pindaris.[56] All the leaders had surrendered before the end of February 1818 and the Pindari system and power was brought to a close. They were removed to Gorakhptir where they obtained grants of land for their subsistence. Karim Khan became a farmer on the small estate he received beyond the Ganges in Gorakpur. Wasil Mohammed attempted to escape, and after he was found Mohammed committed suicide by imbibing poison.[57] Chitu, another Pindari warrior,[58] was hunted by John Malcolm from place to place until he had no followers left. He vanished into the jungles of Central India in 1819[59] and was killed by a tiger.[60][note 7]

Events in Nagpur

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Sitabuldi Fort today

Mudhoji Bhonsle, also known as Appa Saheb, consolidated his power in Nagpur after the murder of his cousin, the imbecile ruler Parsoji Bhonsle, and entered into a treaty with the British on 27 May 1816.[62] He ignored the request of the British Resident Jenkins to refrain from contact with Baji Rao II. Jenkins asked Appa Saheb to disband his growing concentration of troops and come to the residency, which he also refused to do. Appa Saheb openly declared support for the Peshwa, who was already fighting the British near Pune. As it was now clear that a battle was in the offing, Jenkins asked for reinforcements from nearby British East India Company troops. He already had about 1,500 men under Lieutenant-Colonel Hopentoun Scott.[63] Jenkins sent word for Colonel Adams to march to Nagpur with his troops.[62] Like other Maratha leaders, Appa Shaeb employed Arabs in his army.[64] They were typically involved in holding fortresses. While they were known to be among the bravest of troops, they were not amenable to discipline and mostly armed with only matchlocks and swords. The total strength of the Marathas was about 18,000.[65]

The British Residency was to the west of the Sitabuldi Fort located close to Nagpur. The British East India Company troops occupied the north end of the hillock associated with the fort.[66] The Marathas, fighting with the Arabs, made good initial gains by charging up the hill and forcing the British to retreat to the south. British commanders began arriving with reinforcements: Lieutenant Colonel Rahan on 29 November, Major Pittman on 5 December, and Colonel Doveton on 12 December. The British counterattack was severe and Appa Saheb was forced to surrender. A force of 5,000 Arabs and Hindustanis however remained secured within the walls of Nagpur with the British laying siege to the city from 19 December. Attempts by the British to breach the walls failed with the loss of over 300 men, of which 24 were Europeans. The British agreed to pay the defenders 50,000 rupees to abandon Nagpur, which they did on 30 December.[34] A treaty was signed on 9 January 1818. Appa Saheb was allowed to rule over nominal territories with several restrictions. Most of his territory, including the forts, was now controlled by the British. They built additional fortifications on Sitabuldi.[66]

A few days later Appa Saheb was arrested. He was being escorted to Allahabad when he escaped to Punjab to seek refuge with the Sikhs. They turned him down and he was captured once again by the British near Jodhpur. Raja Mansingh of Jodhpur stood surety for him and he remained in Jodhpur, where he died on 15 July 1849 at 44 years of age.[66]

Events in Holkar

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Map of India after the Third Anglo-Maratha War, 1819
Battle of Mehidpoor 2nd position, 21 Dec 1817

The Court of Holkar, based at Indore, was at this time practically nonexistent. The dynasty was headed by 11-year-old Malhar Rao Holkar III under the regency of his dead father's mistress Tulsi Bai Holkar. Tulsi Bai was executed by her own troops in December 1817 for allying with the British; soon after, the British advanced into Holkar's territory, encountering his army about 40 km north of Indore at the Battle of Mahidpur.[67][68][34]

The battle of Mahidpur between Holkar and the British was fought on 21 December 1817, lasting from midday until 3:00 am. Lieutenant General Thomas Hislop was commander of the British forces which came in sight of the Holkar army at about 9:00 am.[69] The British lost around 800 men[38] but Holkar's force was destroyed,[70] with about 3,000 killed or wounded.[57] These losses effectively knocked the Holkar out of the conflict[71] and broke the power of the Holkar dynasty. The Battle of Mahidpur also proved to be a major setback for the Marathas as well. Henry Durand wrote, "After the battle of Mahidpur not only the Peshwa's but the real influence of the Mahratta States of Holkar and Shinde were dissolved and replaced by British supremacy."[72] The remnants of Holkar's army were pursued across the territory by the British, suffering further casualties in small-scale skirmishes.[34] Holkar was captured and his ministers made overtures of peace,[57] and on 6 January 1818 the Treaty of Mandeswar was signed;[56] Holkar accepted the British terms in totality.[71] Large quantities of spoils of war was taken by the British, which remained an acrimonious issue for many years afterwards.[34] Holkar came under British authority as a puppet prince subject to the advice of a British Resident.[56]

Operations against remaining Maratha forces

[edit]

By mid 1818, all of the Maratha leaders had surrendered to the British. Shinde and the Afghan Amir Khan were subdued by the use of diplomacy and pressure, which resulted in the Treaty of Gwalior[73] on 5 November 1817. Under this treaty, Shinde surrendered Rajasthan to the British and agreed to help them fight the Pindaris. Amir Khan agreed to sell his guns to the British and received a land grant at Tonk in Rajputana.[37] Holkar was defeated on 21 December 1817 and signed the Treaty of Mandeswar[56] on 6 January 1818. Under this treaty the Holkar state became subsidiary to the British. The young Malhar Rao was raised to the throne.[74][75] Bhonsle was defeated on 26 November 1817 and was captured but he escaped to live out his life in Jodhpur.[74][76] The Peshwa surrendered on 3 June 1818 and was sent off to Bithur near Kanpur under the terms of the treaty signed on 3 June 1818.[77] Of the Pindari leaders, Karim Khan surrendered to Malcolm in February 1818; Wasim Mohammad surrendered to Shinde and eventually poisoned himself; and Setu was killed by a tiger.[75][54][78]

Asirgarh Fort

During the last stages of the conflict, from 1818 to 1819, British military operations switch to capturing Maratha-held forts which were still holding out under the command of their qiladars. On February 27, 1818, British forces under the command of Sir Thomas Hislop approached Thalner Fort, assuming it was friendly; the fort's qilidar, Tulsiram Mama, ordered his troops to fire on the British, outraging Hislop who laid siege to the fort. After ordering several bombardments against the fort walls, he personally led a storming party which captured the fort and overwhelmed its garrison (which was composed mostly of Arab soldiers). Mama was tried and executed for perfidy, and was hung on a nearby tree.[79] Other forts in the region, such as Naralla Fort and Malegaon Fort were gradually captured and occupied by the British. At Malegaon Fort, the British encountered unexpectedly strong resistance from the fort garrison, which led them to bring in a 2,600-strong reinforcement force consisting of a mixture of infantry and artillery, after which a storming party captured the fort.[34]

In early 1819, almost all of the forts had been taken, with the lone holdout being Asirgarh Fort, which was under the command of qiladar Jeswant Rao Lar. In March of that year, a massive British contingent lay siege to Asirgarh, capturing and occupying the town next to the fort to serve as a temporary base of operations. The 1,200-strong garrison was subject to constant artillery bombardments before the British launched an assault, which led to the fort's capture on 9 April. With the capture of Asirgarh Fort, the British victory was complete and all military operations ceased.[80][34]

Aftermath

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The Nassak Diamond was seized from the Peshwa by the British and sent to London

The war left the British, under the auspices of the British East India Company, in control of virtually all of present-day India south of the Sutlej River, either through direct British rule, or through princely states. The famed Nassak Diamond was seized by the Company as part of the spoils of the war.[81] The British acquired large chunks of territory from the Maratha Empire and in effect put an end to their most dynamic opposition.[82] The terms of surrender Malcolm offered to the Peshwa were controversial amongst the British for being too liberal: The Peshwa was offered a luxurious life near Kanpur and given a pension of about 80,000 pounds. A comparison was drawn with Napoleon, who was then confined to a small rock in the southern Atlantic and given a small sum for his maintenance. Trimbakji Dengale was captured after the war and was sent to the fortress of Chunarin Bengal where he spent the rest of his life. With all active resistance over, John Malcolm played a prominent part in capturing and pacifying the remaining fugitives.[83]

The Peshwa's territories were absorbed into the Bombay Presidency and the territory seized from the Pindaris eventually became the nucleus of the Central Provinces of British India. The princes of Rajputana were effectively reduced to feudal lords who accepted the British as the paramount power. Thus Hastings redrew the map of India to a state which remained more or less unaltered until the time of Lord Dalhousie.[84] The British recognised Pratap Singh (Raja of Satara), a direct descendant of Shivaji as the ceremonial head of the Maratha Confederacy. Raghuji Bhonsle III, then not even ten years old, was appointed as the ruler of Nagpur under British guardianship. The Peshwa adopted a son, Nana Sahib, who went on to be one of the leaders of the Rebellion of 1857.[84] After 1818, Mountstuart Elphinstone reorganized the administrative divisions for revenue collection,[85] thus reducing the importance of the Patil, the Deshmukh, and the Deshpande.[86]

The new government felt a need to communicate with the local Marathi-speaking population; Elphinstone pursued a policy of planned standardization of the Marathi language in the Bombay Presidency starting after 1820.[87]

See also

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Notes

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ "Thus, many Pindaris were originally Muslim or Maratha cavalrymen who were disbanded or found Pindari life better than formal military service... Most Pindaris professed to be Muslims, but some could not even repeat the kalima or Muslim creed nor knew the name of the prophet."[3]
  2. ^ Meaning "Administrator of the Realm", the title of Nizam was specific to the native sovereigns of Hyderabad State, India, since 1719.[8]
  3. ^ This treaty, as Grant Duff says, occasioned infinite discussions amongst the British in India and in Europe, and started the First Maratha War.[15]
  4. ^ With justifiable pride Hastings wrote to one of his friends on 7 February 1783: "Indeed, my dear Sir, there have been three or four very critical periods in our affairs in which the existence of the Company and of the British dominion in India lay at my mercy and would have been lost had I coldly attended to the beaten path of duty and avoided personal responsibility. In the redress afforded to the Nizam I drew him to our interests from the most inveterate enmity. In my negotiations with Modajee Boosla (sic) I preserved these provinces from ravage and obtained evidence of his connections even beyond his own intentions; and I effected a peace and alliance with Madajee Sindhia (sic) which was in effect a peace with the Maratha State."[17]
  5. ^ "Opposed to these were the British who had come all the way from England to establish an empire in India. They had a (sic) previous experience not only in many European wars, but also in many Indian ones. Whatever they did, they did in a planned manner. No step was taken blindly. Everything was thoroughly discussed and debated upon before it was taken up. The network of their spies spread far and wide. They mastered the Indian languages to deal with the Indians in a perfect manner. They mastered Indian geography before they made any military movement in any part of the country. Nothing was left to chance and guess-work."[19]
  6. ^ Qiladar means the commandant of a fort, castle or garrison.[49]
  7. ^ Chithu is referred to as Setu in Marathi.[53] "So the famous Chithu, the Pindari chieftain, who, wandering alone in the jungle on the banks of the Tapti River after the defeat and dispersal of his robber horde in 1818, fell a victim to a man-eating tiger, his remains being identified by the discovery of his head and a satchel containing his papers in the tiger's lair."[61]

Citations

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  1. ^ "Maratha Wars". Britannica Encyclopædia.
  2. ^ a b Bakshi & Ralhan 2007, p. 261.
  3. ^ McEldowney 1966, p. 18.
  4. ^ Naravane 2006, pp. 79–86.
  5. ^ Black 2006, p. 78.
  6. ^ Subburaj 2000, p. 13.
  7. ^ Sen 1994, p. 1.
  8. ^ a b c Sen 1994, p. 2.
  9. ^ a b Sen 1994, p. 3.
  10. ^ a b c Sen 1994, p. 4.
  11. ^ Sen 1994, pp. 4–9.
  12. ^ Sen 1994, p. 9.
  13. ^ Sen 1994, p. 10.
  14. ^ Sen 1994, pp. 10–11.
  15. ^ a b Sen 1994, p. 11.
  16. ^ a b Schmidt 1995, p. 64.
  17. ^ Sen 1994, pp. 12–13.
  18. ^ Sen 1994, p. 17.
  19. ^ a b Chhabra 2005, p. 40.
  20. ^ a b Sen 1994, p. 20.
  21. ^ a b c Chhabra 2005, p. 39.
  22. ^ a b Naravane 2006, pp. 79–80.
  23. ^ Chhabra 2005, p. 17.
  24. ^ a b c d Naravane 2006, p. 80.
  25. ^ Duff 1921, pp. 468–469.
  26. ^ a b c Duff 1921, p. 468.
  27. ^ a b c Duff 1921, p. 470.
  28. ^ Duff 1921, p. 474.
  29. ^ a b Duff 1921, p. 471.
  30. ^ Nadkarni 2000, p. 10.
  31. ^ Burton 1908, p. 153.
  32. ^ United Service Institution of India 1901, p. 96.
  33. ^ a b Naravane 2006, pp. 86–87.
  34. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Burton, R.G. (1910). The Mahratta And Pindari War. Simla: Government Press.
  35. ^ Black 2006, pp. 77–78.
  36. ^ Bakshi & Ralhan 2007, p. 259.
  37. ^ a b c Sinclair 1884, pp. 194–195.
  38. ^ a b Sarkar & Pati 2000, p. 48.
  39. ^ a b Naravane 2006, p. 81.
  40. ^ Murray 1901, p. 324.
  41. ^ Chhabra 2005, p. 19.
  42. ^ Duff 1921, p. 482.
  43. ^ a b c Duff 1921, p. 487.
  44. ^ Duff 1921, p. 483.
  45. ^ a b Duff 1921, p. 488.
  46. ^ a b Duff 1921, p. 489.
  47. ^ Duff 1921, p. 493.
  48. ^ a b Duff 1921, p. 517.
  49. ^ Yule & Burnell 1903, p. 483.
  50. ^ a b Duff 1921, p. 513.
  51. ^ Duff 1921, pp. 513–514.
  52. ^ Chhabra 2005, p. 21.
  53. ^ a b Naravane 2006, p. 86.
  54. ^ a b Russell 1916, p. 396.
  55. ^ Sinclair 1884, p. 194.
  56. ^ a b c d e Sinclair 1884, pp. 195–196.
  57. ^ a b c Keightley 1847, p. 165.
  58. ^ Travers 1919, p. 19.
  59. ^ Sinclair 1884, p. 196.
  60. ^ Hunter 1909, p. 495.
  61. ^ Burton 1936, pp. 246–247.
  62. ^ a b Naravane 2006, p. 82.
  63. ^ Burton 1908, p. 159.
  64. ^ Burton 1908, p. 53.
  65. ^ Burton 1908, p. 160.
  66. ^ a b c Naravane 2006, p. 83.
  67. ^ Kibe 1904, pp. 351–352.
  68. ^ Bakshi & Ralhan 2007, p. 315.
  69. ^ Hough 1853, p. 71.
  70. ^ Prakash 2002, p. 135.
  71. ^ a b Prakash 2002, p. 136.
  72. ^ Government of Madhya Pradesh 1827, p. 79.
  73. ^ Prakash 2002, p. 300.
  74. ^ a b Dutt 1908, p. 173.
  75. ^ a b Lethbridge 1879, p. 193.
  76. ^ Lethbridge 1879, p. 192.
  77. ^ Dutt 1908, p. 174.
  78. ^ Dutt 1908, p. 172.
  79. ^ Deshpande, Arvind M., John Briggs in Maharashtra: A Study of District Administration Under Early British Rule (1987), Mittal Publications, ISBN 978-0836422504, pg. 31
  80. ^ Cannon, Richard (1849). Historical Record of the 67th Foot. London: Parker, Furnivall & Parker.
  81. ^ United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals 1930, p. 121.
  82. ^ Black 2006, p. 77.
  83. ^ Hunter 1907, p. 204.
  84. ^ a b Hunter 1907, p. 203.
  85. ^ Kulkarni 1995, p. 98.
  86. ^ Kulkarni 1995, pp. 98–99.
  87. ^ McDonald 1968, pp. 589–606.

References

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Further reading

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