Rise of the Marathas and the Third Battle of Panipat
Modern History › India on the Eve of British Conquest · Topic 3.7
The Marathas rose under the Peshwas, built a confederacy of five great families and reached Lahore by the mid-eighteenth century. Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated them at Panipat on 14 January 1761, which ended their claim to rule India but not their power.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · India on the Eve of British Conquest
At a Glance
- What it is The rise of the Maratha power under the Peshwas and its defeat at Panipat
- Builder of the confederacy Baji Rao I, Peshwa from 1720 to 1740
- Five houses Gaekwad, Bhonsle, Holkar, Sindhia and the Peshwa of Poona
- Panipat 14 January 1761: Abdali defeated the Marathas
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: India on the Eve of British Conquest
Where Does It Fit?
This is the seventh topic of the category on India on the eve of British conquest. The earlier topics covered the successor and independent states. This topic covers the Marathas, the most formidable new state. The next topic assesses the nature and limits of all the regional states. Previous topic: Independent Kingdoms: Mysore, Kerala and the Rajputs, Jats and Rohillas. See also The Maratha Confederacy in the 18th Century (Peshwas, Bhonsles, Gaikwads, Holkars, Scindias) and Ahmad Shah Abdali and allies Maratha commander Sadashivrao Bhau Afghan allies Najib-ud-Daula…">Third Battle of Panipat (1761) – Marathas vs. Ahmad Shah Abdali.
How Did the Marathas Rise?
As the Mughal Empire declined, the Marathas, among the staunchest and hardiest adversaries of the empire, got a chance to rise in power. They controlled a large part of the country and received tribute from areas not directly under them. By the middle of the eighteenth century they were in Lahore, thinking of becoming rulers of a north Indian empire, and at the Mughal court they played kingmaker.
Under the capable leadership of the Peshwas, the Marathas uprooted Mughal authority from Malwa and Gujarat. At one time they claimed the right to be the chief inheritors of the Mughal dominion. In 1737 Baji Rao I invaded Delhi with a small army of 500 horsemen, a sign of how weak the capital had become.
What Was the Maratha Confederacy?
Baji Rao I (1720-40), considered the greatest of the Peshwas, started a confederacy of prominent Maratha chiefs to manage the fast-growing Maratha power. It also partly appeased the kshatriya section of the Marathas, led by the senapati Dabodi, since the Peshwas were Brahmins. Under the arrangement each prominent family under a chief was given a sphere of influence to conquer and rule, in the name of the then Maratha king, Shahu.
| Family | Seat |
|---|---|
| Gaekwad | Baroda |
| Bhonsle | Nagpur |
| Holkar | Indore |
| Sindhia | Gwalior |
| Peshwa | Poona |
The confederacy worked cordially from Baji Rao I to Madhavrao I. The defeat at Panipat in 1761 and the death of the young Peshwa Madhavrao I in 1772 then weakened the Peshwa’s control over it. The chiefs united on occasion, as against the British in 1775-82, but more often they quarrelled among themselves.
Why Did the Marathas Clash With Abdali?
The Marathas had moved north. In 1758 Raghunath Rao had expelled Najib-ud-Daula, Abdali’s agent, from Delhi and captured Punjab. The Marathas had by then taken Delhi and Lahore and pushed Abdali’s son out of Lahore. Muslim leaders in India, alarmed by this expansion, appealed to Ahmad Shah Abdali to stop it, and in 1759 Abdali returned to take revenge on the Marathas.
Najib-ud-Daula brought the Rohilla chiefs into the coalition and was a key ally. Shuja-ud-Daula, the Nawab of Awadh, also joined the Afghan side in 1760. Some of the declining Mughal nobility and smaller states supported the Afghans too.
What Happened at Panipat in 1761?
The Third Battle of Panipat was fought on 14 January 1761 near Panipat, about 97 km north of Delhi. The Afghans cut the Maratha supply lines, and the Marathas were besieged at Panipat with food running low. Sadashivrao Bhau, the commander-in-chief, chose to force a battle rather than wait for reinforcements. The Afghan side destroyed several Maratha flanks, and the Maratha centre and right collapsed after Afghan reserves arrived.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date | 14 January 1761 |
| Sides | The Marathas against Ahmad Shah Abdali, with the Rohilla chief Najib-ud-Daula and Shuja-ud-Daula of Awadh |
| Maratha commander | Sadashivrao Bhau, killed; Vishwasrao also killed |
| Result | Victory for Abdali |
| Casualties | Sources give very different figures, so none is stated here |
The Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao is reported never to have recovered from the shock of the defeat.
What Were the Consequences of Panipat?
- End of an ambition The battle ended the Maratha ambition of ruling over India
- Loss in the north Maratha expansion in the north stalled for about ten years, and Punjab passed out of their control
- Weaker Peshwa The Peshwa’s hold over the confederacy loosened, and chiefs quarrelled more
- Quick recovery The Marathas recovered quickly under Madhavrao and Mahadji Shinde and within a decade regained a position of power in India
- Challenge to the English They became the most formidable challenge to the English East India Company in the struggle for supremacy
As an analytical point, Panipat did not destroy the Maratha state; it ended its claim to the whole of India. The Anglo-Maratha Wars at the end of the century are covered in a later category.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Biggest regional power The Marathas were the main rival of the Company in the late eighteenth century
- Direct facts The five houses, Baji Rao I and the date of Panipat are standard Prelims items
- Link to later wars The weakened confederacy set the stage for the Anglo-Maratha Wars
What Came Next?
The next topic assesses the nature and limitations of all the regional states of the eighteenth century. Next topic: Nature and Limitations of the Regional States.
Key People and Terms
- Peshwa The chief minister of the Maratha king, later the real ruler at Poona
- Baji Rao I The Peshwa from 1720 to 1740 who built the confederacy
- Confederacy A union of chiefs under one overall head
- Shahu The Maratha king in whose name the chiefs ruled
- Sadashivrao Bhau The Maratha commander at Panipat
- Madhavrao I The young Peshwa who died in 1772
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Baji Rao I: Peshwa 1720-40; invaded Delhi in 1737 with 500 horsemen.
- Five houses: Gaekwad (Baroda), Bhonsle (Nagpur), Holkar (Indore), Sindhia (Gwalior), Peshwa (Poona).
- Raghunath Rao expelled Najib-ud-Daula and took Punjab in 1758.
- Third Battle of Panipat: 14 January 1761.
- Madhavrao I died in 1772.
Do Not Confuse With
- Peshwa and Maratha king The Maratha king was Shahu; the Peshwa was his chief minister
- Holkar and Sindhia Holkar at Indore; Sindhia at Gwalior
- Panipat 1761 and Plassey 1757 Panipat ended Maratha hopes in the north; Plassey began British rule in Bengal
Memory Hook
Five houses, one Peshwa, and one day at Panipat.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about the Maratha confederacy and its fall at Panipat. These points add depth.
- Strength of the system The confederacy gave chiefs a sphere to conquer, which fuelled expansion
- Weakness of the system After 1761 and 1772 the Peshwa could not control the chiefs
- Overreach Rapid expansion to the north alarmed other powers and produced a coalition against the Marathas
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Examine the causes and consequences of the Maratha defeat at the Third Battle of Panipat.”
How to Answer
- Rise Outline the confederacy and Maratha expansion to the north.
- Causes Abdali’s alliance, supply cuts and the Maratha decision to force battle.
- Consequences Loss of northern ambitions and a weaker Peshwa, but quick recovery.
- Conclude Say that Panipat ended the claim to all-India rule, not Maratha power.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Maratha confederacy?
The Maratha confederacy was started by Peshwa Baji Rao I (1720-40) to manage the fast-growing Maratha power. Each prominent family, the Gaekwad of Baroda, Bhonsle of Nagpur, Holkars of Indore, Sindhias of Gwalior and the Peshwa of Poona, got a sphere of influence to conquer and rule in the name of King Shahu.
Who was Baji Rao I?
Baji Rao I was the Peshwa from 1720 to 1740 and is considered the greatest of the Peshwas. He started the Maratha confederacy, and in 1737 invaded Delhi with a small army of 500 horsemen, which shows how weak Mughal power in the capital had become.
When was the Third Battle of Panipat fought?
The Third Battle of Panipat was fought on 14 January 1761 between the Marathas and Ahmad Shah Abdali. Abdali won, with Najib-ud-Daula of the Rohillas and Shuja-ud-Daula of Awadh on his side, and Sadashivrao Bhau and Vishwasrao were killed on the Maratha side.
Why did the Marathas lose at Panipat?
The Afghans cut the Maratha supply lines and besieged them at Panipat, and Sadashivrao Bhau chose to force a battle rather than wait for reinforcements. Muslim leaders and several regional powers had joined Abdali against the Maratha advance in the north.
What were the effects of Panipat on the Marathas?
Panipat ended the Maratha ambition of ruling all India, stalled their northern expansion for about ten years and loosened the Peshwa's control over the chiefs. The Marathas nevertheless recovered within a decade under Madhavrao and Mahadji Shinde.
What was the importance of Madhavrao I's death in 1772?
The death of the young Peshwa Madhavrao I in 1772, together with the defeat at Panipat, weakened the Peshwas' control over the confederacy. The chiefs united on occasion, as against the British in 1775-82, but more often quarrelled among themselves.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Baji Rao I was the Peshwa from 1720 to 1740.
He started the Maratha confederacy.
2 The Holkars of Gwalior and the Sindhias of Indore were two houses of the Maratha confederacy.
The Holkars were at Indore and the Sindhias at Gwalior.
3 Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated the Marathas at the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761.
The date was 14 January 1761.
4 Shuja-ud-Daula of Awadh fought on the side of the Marathas at Panipat.
He joined Abdali's side.
5 Madhavrao I, the Peshwa, died in 1772.
His death further weakened Peshwa control.
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