Capture of Delhi (1771)
Location
Delhi,India
Result Maratha victory[1]
Territorial
changes		 Delhi annexed into Maratha Empire
Belligerents
Kingdom of Rohilkhand Maratha Empire
Commanders and leaders
Zabita Khan Mahadji Scindia
Visaji Krushna Biniwale

The Capture of Delhi was a battle in 1771 when the forces of the Maratha Empire led by Mahadaji Shinde captured Delhi along with the Red Fort, and gave Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II the throne back with a treaty.[citation needed] The Marathas captured Delhi from Najib Khan's son Zabita Khan who was put in charge by the Afghans. With this capture, the Marathas regained their lost supremacy in North India after the Third Battle of Panipat and conquered much of the lost territories which they lost after the Third Battle of Panipat.[2][need quotation to verify][3]

In the Third Battle of Panipat, the Maratha Empire suffered a serious blow at the hands of the Muslim axis of the Durrani Empire, the Nawab of Awadh and the Kingdom of Rohilkhand under Najib ad-Dawlah. After the death of Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao Bhat, Madhavrao I became Peshwa[4] under the regency of Raghunathrao Bhat. Mahadji Shinde's victory over the Jats of Mathura, Rajputs of Rajasthan and Pashtun-Rohillas of Rohilkhand (in the western part of present-day Uttar Pradesh state) re-established the Marathas in the northern India.[5]

Capture

The Peshwa's instructions ended the passive policy and advocated for a strong stance against the Rohillas. Visaji Krishna demanded nazar from Zabita Khan, who refused and was expelled from the camp. The Maratha army marched to Delhi, where Saif-i-uddin Muhammad Khan secured the peaceful surrender of the city. However, Zabita Khan's troops inside the fort refused to submit, leading to a breach in the ramparts.[6] The Marathas entered Delhi on February 10, 1771, with a force of 3,000 horse.[7] They presented nazar and professed allegiance to the emperor, seizing the surrounding area and removing Najib's appointees. The Maratha chiefs demanded 40 lakhs of rupees for restoring the emperor, the cession of Meerut and neighboring districts, and the right to appoint imperial officials below the Wazir and receive half of their nu/ar. Saif-ud-din Muhammad Khan accepted these terms on behalf of the emperor and forwarded them for ratification.[8][9][10]

References

  1. ^ Ghosh, D. K. Ed. A Comprehensive History Of India Vol. 9. p. 537.
  2. ^ Stewart Gordon (2003). New Cambridge History of India: The Marathas (Vol. 2, Part 4) (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781139055666.
  3. ^ Ghosh, D. K. Ed. A Comprehensive History Of India Vol. 9. p. 535.
  4. ^ Majumdar, Ramesh Chandra (1991). The Maratha Supremacy (2nd ed.). Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhaban. p. 201.
  5. ^ Gaurav, Sarthak; Ranganathan, Thiagu (2023-01-31). Accidental Gamblers: Risk and Vulnerability in Vidarbha Cotton. Cambridge University Press. p. 26. ISBN 978-1-009-27659-7.
  6. ^ Ghosh, D. K. Ed. A Comprehensive History Of India Vol. 9. p. 535.
  7. ^ Rathod, N. G. (1994). The Great Maratha Mahadaji Scindia. Sarup & Sons. p. 8. ISBN 978-81-85431-52-9.
  8. ^ Ghosh, D. K. Ed. A Comprehensive History Of India Vol. 9. p. 537.
  9. ^ Board, Pratiyogita Darpan Editorial. Pratiyogita Darpan Extra Issue Series-3 Indian History. Upkar Prakashan.
  10. ^ Cheema, G.S. "The Forgotten Mughals". prsxg39yc761iwd5ibj0yw.on.drv.tw. p. 353. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
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