History of Maratha Wars

The first conflict (1775–82) began as the British supported Raghunath Rao’s candidacy for Confederacy Peshwa (chief minister). The British were defeated at Wadgaon (see Wadgaon, Convention of) in January 1779. However, they fought the Marathas until the Treaty of Salbai (May 1782), with the island of Salsette next to Bombay being the only British gain.

First Anglo-Maratha War

• Madhavrao I, his child, succeeded him. He recovered pieces of the Maratha authority and region lost during the Battle of Panipat.
• The English were very much aware of the developing force of the Marathas.
• There was a fight for control in the Maratha camp after Madhavrao I passed away.
• His sibling Narayanrao succeeded him as Peshwa. However, his uncle Raghunathrao tried to remove the position. Thus, he looked for help from the English for this.
• In this way, in 1775, Raghunathrao marked the Treaty of Surat, where he surrendered Salsette and Bassein to the English in return for 2500 men.
• The British and Raghunathrao armed forces attacked the Peshwa and crushed them.
• The Treaty of Purandar, made in 1776 between the British Calcutta Council and Nana Phadnavis, a Maratha servant, was refuted by the British Calcutta Council under Warren Hastings.

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After effects of the First Anglo-Maratha War

• The East India Company kept Salsette and Broach.
• It additionally got a guarantee from the Marathas that they would recover the Deccan lands from Hyder Ali of Mysore.
• The Marathas additionally expressed that they wouldn’t surrender additional territories to the French.
• Raghunathrao was to get yearly benefits of Rs.3 lakh.
• After the Treaty of Purandar, the British returned all procured regions to the Marathas.
• Madhavrao II (child of Narayanrao) was recognized as Peshwa by the English.

Second Anglo-Maratha War

The second war was triggered in December 1802 with the defeat of Peshwa Baji Rao II by the Holkars (a principal Maratha clan) and as he accepted British protection under the Treaty of Bassein (1803–05). Lord Lake destroyed the Bhonsle and Sindhia families at Delhi and Laswari. Sir Arthur Wellesley conquered the Sindhia and Bhonsle families at Assaye and Aragon (later the Duke of Wellington). After that, the Holkar clan joined in, and the Marathas were given full reign throughout central India and Rajasthan.

The Second Anglo-Maratha War was fought in Central India between 1803 and 1805. The Holkars’ victory over Baji Rao II in the Battle of Poona was significant in the Anglo-Maratha wars event.

As a result, Peshwa surrendered to British protection by signing the Treaty of Bassein in 1802. It required them to cede land in exchange for the maintenance of a subsidiary force and an agreement not to sign any further treaties. Other Maratha rulers disagreed and sought to challenge the British, such as the Scindia rulers of Gwalior and the Bhonsle rulers of Nagpur and Berar.

In 1803, the second Anglo-Maratha war erupted in Central India. In these battles, the British defeated all of the Maratha troops. Three important treaties were struck between the British Empire and the Maratha Empire, with the British acquiring control of key Indian areas.

These treaties include:

• Treaties of Deogaon and Bhonsle (1803),
• Surji-Anjangaon and Scindia (1803), and
• Rajghat and Holkar (1805).

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Third Anglo-Maratha War

It commenced in 1817 when Lord Hastings, a British governor-general, attacked Maratha territory while fighting Pindari bandit bands. In November 1817, the Peshwa soldiers revolted against the British, followed by the Bhonsle and Holkar forces, while Sindhia remained neutral. The Peshwa’s abdication and the absorption of his holdings followed quickly, assuring the British dominance in India.

The Battle of Koregaon-Bhima was between the British and the Peshwa part of the Maratha Confederacy in Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818. The Mahar Community played an essential role in the Battle of Bhima Koregaon. This community has been coming to the location to remember their victory over the Peshwa since 1927. This battle took place during the Third Anglo-Maratha War. The Marathas were defeated, Peshwa was imprisoned, and his domains were taken by the British. As a result, the British gained complete control over India.

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The Battle’s Overall Significance and Place in Indian History

The first, second, and third Anglo Maratha wars significantly impacted Indian history. At the time, the British had already taken control of the Mughal Empire. The British, however, were still unable to gain power in the south, which was ruled by Maratha chieftains. The Maratha wars began in 1777 and finished in 1818, with the British capturing the entire nation.

Conclusion

The Maratha Empire came to an end due to the significant conflicts in Indian history. After these wars, India became a British property entirely, with the British mapping and defining it thoroughly. On the final day of the Battle of Wadgaon, the Marathas overcame the British soldiers on January 13, 1779. This battle took place during the First Anglo-Maratha War (1775-1782), which began on March 6, 1775, with the Treaty of Surat and ended on May 17, 1782, with the Treaty of Salbai.