Plunder of Murshidabad (1742): Difference between revisions

Plunder of Murshidabad
	Part of Maratha invasions of Bengal
Date	1742 CE
Location	Murshidabad, Bengal Subah (now West Bengal, India)
Result	Maratha victory
Territorial; changes	Marathas plunder Murshidabad
Belligerents
Maratha Empire Nagpur;	Nawab of Bengal
Commanders and leaders
Bhaskar Pandit; Mir Habib	Haji Ahmed
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

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The Plunder of Murshidabad was a battle fought between the Maratha Empire and the Nawab of Bengal during the first Maratha invasion of Bengal. The Marathas attacked Murshidabad, and plundered it in the absence of Alivardi Khan.^[5] The Nawab of Bengal, Alivardi Khan later returned to the Bengal from his Orissa campaign where he repulsed the Marathas at First Battle of Katwa.^[6]

Background[edit]

In 1742, the Maratha General Raghoji I of Nagpur had invaded the Bengal Sultanate in hopes of gaining the annual Chauth payment from the Nawab Alivardi Khan. Mir Habib, who was a general for Alivardi had defected to the side of the Maratha Empire and decided to help in the First Maratha invasion of Bengal, where him and Bhaskar Ram Kolhatkar would march to Murshidabad, at the time the capital of the Bengal Sultanate, and plunder it in the absence of Nawab Alivardi Khan.^[7]

Battle[edit]

During the first Maratha invasion of Bengal, Alivardi Khan gathered reinforcements from Murshidabad for his Orissa campaign, which left it undefended. Bhaskar Ram Kolhatkar decided to return to his own country to stop the campaigns in Orissa. Mir Habib however, objected this. He informed Bhaskar how it would be easy to plunder Murshidabad in the absence of Alivardi or a proper garrison. Mir Habib then marched from Katwa to Murshidabad and started plundering the town, with the Marathas committing several atrocities along the way.^[8]^[9]^[10] Upon hearing news of the Marathas having plundered his capital, Alivardi Khan would make a quick march back to Murshidabad, however Mir Habib had already departed. Alivardi Khan would pursue them, meeting them at the First Battle of Katwa where he defeated the Marathas and repulsed them from Bengal. Peace negotiations would take place later where Alivardi Khan agreed to pay Chauth and cede parts of Odisha to the Marathas.^[11]^[12]^[13]^[14]

Atrocities[edit]

After plundering the capital, the Marathas committed many atrocities in the area, such as raping women and killing civilians. Many contemporary historians agree on said atrocities, with some historians calling the Marathas "Slayers of pregnant women and infants," several modern historians uncovered acts of gang-rape done by the Marathas.^[15]^[16]

Aftermath[edit]

After the plunder, the Marathas attempted to expand further into the territory of Eastern Bengal, however they would be repulsed by Nawab Alivardi Khan, who would then later enter into a peace treaty with the Marathas, in which he agreed to pay Chauth.^[17]^[18] The Marathas would annex parts of Odisha, and incorporate it as a province.^[19]^[20]^[21]

References[edit]

^ Lindsay, J. O. (1957). The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, the Old Regime, 1713-1763. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-04545-2.
^ History of Orissa: From the Earliest Times to the British Period. Bharatiya Publishing House. 1980.
^ Vaish, Devi Charan Lal (1972). "The Rise of British Power and the Fall of Marathas".
^ Bengal, Past & Present: Journal of the Calcutta Historical Society. The Society. 1934.
^ Jadunath Sarkar (1932). Bihar and Orissa During the Fall of Mughal Empire (Jadunath Sarkar).
^ Lindsay, J. O. (1957). The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-04545-2.
^ Kalikinkar Datta (1939). Alivardi and his times.
^ Jadunath Sarkar (1932). Bihar and Orissa During the Fall of Mughal Empire (Jadunath Sarkar).
^ Datta, Kalikinkar (1939). Aliardi And His Times.
^ Lindsay, J. O. (1957). The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-04545-2.
^ Ray, Bhabani Charan (1960). Orissa Under Marathas 1751-1803.
^ Kalikinkar Datta (1939). Alivardi and his times.
^ Lindsay, J. O. (1957). The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-04545-2.
^ New Cambridge History of India. The Marathas - Cambridge History of India (Vol. 2, Part 4).
^ Lindsay, J. O. (1957). The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-04545-2.
^ New Cambridge History of India. The Marathas - Cambridge History of India (Vol. 2, Part 4).
^ Kalikinkar Datta (1939). Alivardi and his times.
^ Ray, Bhabani Charan (1960). Orissa Under Marathas 1751-1803.
^ Lindsay, J. O. (1957). The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-04545-2.
^ Kalikinkar Datta (1939). Alivardi and his times.
^ New Cambridge History of India. The Marathas - Cambridge History of India (Vol. 2, Part 4).

[1] Lindsay, J. O. (1957). The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, the Old Regime, 1713-1763. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-04545-2.

[2] History of Orissa: From the Earliest Times to the British Period. Bharatiya Publishing House. 1980.

[3] Vaish, Devi Charan Lal (1972). "The Rise of British Power and the Fall of Marathas".

[4] Bengal, Past & Present: Journal of the Calcutta Historical Society. The Society. 1934.

[5] Jadunath Sarkar (1932). Bihar and Orissa During the Fall of Mughal Empire (Jadunath Sarkar).

[6] Lindsay, J. O. (1957). The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-04545-2.

[7] Kalikinkar Datta (1939). Alivardi and his times.

[8] Jadunath Sarkar (1932). Bihar and Orissa During the Fall of Mughal Empire (Jadunath Sarkar).

[9] Datta, Kalikinkar (1939). Aliardi And His Times.

[10] Lindsay, J. O. (1957). The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-04545-2.

[11] Ray, Bhabani Charan (1960). Orissa Under Marathas 1751-1803.

[12] Kalikinkar Datta (1939). Alivardi and his times.

[13] Lindsay, J. O. (1957). The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-04545-2.

[14] New Cambridge History of India. The Marathas - Cambridge History of India (Vol. 2, Part 4).

[15] Lindsay, J. O. (1957). The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-04545-2.

[16] New Cambridge History of India. The Marathas - Cambridge History of India (Vol. 2, Part 4).

[17] Kalikinkar Datta (1939). Alivardi and his times.

[18] Ray, Bhabani Charan (1960). Orissa Under Marathas 1751-1803.

[19] Lindsay, J. O. (1957). The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-04545-2.

[20] Kalikinkar Datta (1939). Alivardi and his times.

[21] New Cambridge History of India. The Marathas - Cambridge History of India (Vol. 2, Part 4).

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[7]

[8]

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Short description|Maratha plunder of Murshidabad.}}
+{{Short description|Maratha plunder of Murshidabad}}
- <!-- Do not remove this line! -->
-<!-- Do not remove this line! -->The '''Plunder of Murshidabad''' was a battle fought between the [[Maratha Empire]] and the Nawab of [[Bengal]] during the first [[Maratha invasions of Bengal|Maratha invasion of Bengal]]. The Marathas attacked [[Murshidabad]], and plundered it in the absence of [[Alivardi Khan]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jadunath Sarkar |url=http://archive.org/details/bihar-orissa-during-fall-of-mughals-jadunath-sarkar |title=Bihar and Orissa During the Fall of Mughal Empire (Jadunath Sarkar) |date=1932}}</ref> The Nawab of Bengal, [[Alivardi Khan]] later returned to the Bengal from his Orissa campaign where he repulsed the Marathas at [[First Battle of Katwa]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lindsay |first=J. O. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ejh1RnNDt4C&pg=PG555 |title=The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763 |date=1957 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-04545-2 |language=en}}</ref>
 {{Battle
-| conflict          = Plunder of Murshidabad (1742)
+| conflict          = Plunder of Murshidabad
-| place             = [[Murshidabad]], [[West Bengal]]
 | partof            = [[Maratha invasions of Bengal]]
+| date              = 1742 [[Common Era|CE]]
-| result            = [[Maratha]] victory<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ejh1RnNDt4C&pg=PG555 | title=The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, the Old Regime, 1713-1763 | isbn=978-0-521-04545-2 | last1=Lindsay | first1=J. O. | date=1957 | publisher=Cambridge University Press }}</ref>
+| place             = [[Murshidabad]], [[Bengal Subah]] (now [[West Bengal]], India)
-*Marathas plunder [[Murshidabad]]
+| result            = [[Maratha]] victory<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ejh1RnNDt4C&pg=PG555 | title=The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, the Old Regime, 1713-1763 | isbn=978-0-521-04545-2 | last1=Lindsay | first1=J. O. | date=1957 | publisher=Cambridge University Press }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4QZDAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Plunder+of+Murshidabad%22 | title=History of Orissa: From the Earliest Times to the British Period | date=1980 | publisher=Bharatiya Publishing House }}</ref>
 | combatant1        = [[File:Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|25px]] [[Maratha Empire]]
 *[[File:Nagpur State flag.png|20px]] [[Kingdom of Nagpur|Nagpur]]
 | combatant2        = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Principality of Bengal (15th-18th century).svg}} [[Nawab of Bengal]]
 | commander1        = [[File:Nagpur State flag.png|20px]] [[Bhaskar Ram Kolhatkar|Bhaskar Pandit]]<br>[[File:Nagpur State flag.png|20px]] [[Mir Habib]]
-| commander2        = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Principality of Bengal (15th-18th century).svg}} [[Alivardi Khan]]
 | strength2         = Unknown
 | strength1         = Unknown
 | casualties1       = Unknown
 | casualties2       = Unknown
+| territory         = Marathas plunder Murshidabad<ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wvcgAAAAMAAJ | title=The Rise of British Power and the Fall of Marathas | last1=Vaish | first1=Devi Charan Lal | date=1972 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=niYTV4QnGM0C&q=%22Plunder+of+Murshidabad%22 | title=Bengal, Past & Present: Journal of the Calcutta Historical Society | date=1934 | publisher=The Society }}</ref>
+| commander2        = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Principality of Bengal (15th-18th century).svg}} Haji Ahmed
 }}
+The '''Plunder of Murshidabad''' was a battle fought between the [[Maratha Empire]] and the Nawab of [[Bengal]] during the first [[Maratha invasions of Bengal|Maratha invasion of Bengal]]. The Marathas attacked [[Murshidabad]], and plundered it in the absence of [[Alivardi Khan]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jadunath Sarkar |url=http://archive.org/details/bihar-orissa-during-fall-of-mughals-jadunath-sarkar |title=Bihar and Orissa During the Fall of Mughal Empire (Jadunath Sarkar) |date=1932}}</ref> The Nawab of Bengal, [[Alivardi Khan]] later returned to the Bengal from his Orissa campaign where he repulsed the Marathas at [[First Battle of Katwa]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lindsay |first=J. O. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ejh1RnNDt4C&pg=PG555 |title=The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763 |date=1957 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-04545-2 |language=en}}</ref>
 == Background ==
@@ Line 26: / Line 23: @@
 == Battle ==
-During the first Maratha invasion of Bengal, [[Alivardi Khan]] gathered reinforcements from Murshidabad for his Orissa campaign, which left it undefended. [[Bhaskar Ram Kolhatkar]] decided to return to his own country to stop the campaigns in Orissa. [[Mir Habib]] however, objected this. He informed Bhaskar how it would be easy to plunder Murshidabad in the absence of Alivardi or a proper garrison. [[Mir Habib]] then marched from Katwa to [[Murshidabad]] and started plundering the town, with the Marathas committing several atrocities along the way.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jadunath Sarkar |url=http://archive.org/details/bihar-orissa-during-fall-of-mughals-jadunath-sarkar |title=Bihar and Orissa During the Fall of Mughal Empire (Jadunath Sarkar) |date=1932}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Datta |first=Kalikinkar |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.49905 |title=Aliardi And His Times |date=1939}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Lindsay |first=J. O. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ejh1RnNDt4C&pg=PG555 |title=The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763 |date=1957 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-04545-2 |language=en}}</ref> Upon hearing news of the Marathas having plundered his capital, [[Alivardi Khan]] would make a quick march back to [[Murshidabad]], however [[Mir Habib]] had already departed. [[Alivardi Khan]] would pursue them, meeting them at the [[First Battle of Katwa]] where he defeated the Marathas and repulsed them from Bengal. Peace negotiations would take place later where [[Alivardi Khan]] agreed to pay Chauth and cede parts of [[Odisha]] to the Marathas.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ray |first=Bhabani Charan |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.136229 |title=Orissa Under Marathas 1751-1803 |date=1960}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Kalikinkar Datta |url=http://archive.org/details/dli.calcutta.10547 |title=Alivardi and his times |date=1939}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Lindsay |first=J. O. |url=https://books.google.ca/books?id=7ejh1RnNDt4C&pg=PG555&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763 |date=1957 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-04545-2 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=New Cambridge History of India |url=http://archive.org/details/the-marathas-1600-1818-cambridge-history-of-india-vol.-2-part-4 |title=The Marathas - Cambridge History of India (Vol. 2, Part 4)}}</ref>
+During the first Maratha invasion of Bengal, [[Alivardi Khan]] gathered reinforcements from Murshidabad for his Orissa campaign, which left it undefended. [[Bhaskar Ram Kolhatkar]] decided to return to his own country to stop the campaigns in Orissa. [[Mir Habib]] however, objected this. He informed Bhaskar how it would be easy to plunder Murshidabad in the absence of Alivardi or a proper garrison. [[Mir Habib]] then marched from Katwa to [[Murshidabad]] and started plundering the town, with the Marathas committing several atrocities along the way.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jadunath Sarkar |url=http://archive.org/details/bihar-orissa-during-fall-of-mughals-jadunath-sarkar |title=Bihar and Orissa During the Fall of Mughal Empire (Jadunath Sarkar) |date=1932}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Datta |first=Kalikinkar |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.49905 |title=Aliardi And His Times |date=1939}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Lindsay |first=J. O. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ejh1RnNDt4C&pg=PG555 |title=The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763 |date=1957 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-04545-2 |language=en}}</ref> Upon hearing news of the Marathas having plundered his capital, [[Alivardi Khan]] would make a quick march back to [[Murshidabad]], however [[Mir Habib]] had already departed. [[Alivardi Khan]] would pursue them, meeting them at the [[First Battle of Katwa]] where he defeated the Marathas and repulsed them from Bengal. Peace negotiations would take place later where [[Alivardi Khan]] agreed to pay Chauth and cede parts of [[Odisha]] to the Marathas.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ray |first=Bhabani Charan |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.136229 |title=Orissa Under Marathas 1751-1803 |date=1960}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Kalikinkar Datta |url=http://archive.org/details/dli.calcutta.10547 |title=Alivardi and his times |date=1939}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Lindsay |first=J. O. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ejh1RnNDt4C&pg=PG555 |title=The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763 |date=1957 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-04545-2 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=New Cambridge History of India |url=http://archive.org/details/the-marathas-1600-1818-cambridge-history-of-india-vol.-2-part-4 |title=The Marathas - Cambridge History of India (Vol. 2, Part 4)}}</ref>
 == Atrocities ==
@@ Line 32: / Line 29: @@
 == Aftermath ==
-After the plunder, the Marathas attempted to expand further into the territory of Eastern [[Bengal]], however they would be repulsed by Nawab [[Alivardi Khan]], who would then later enter into a peace treaty with the Marathas, in which he agreed to pay Chauth.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kalikinkar Datta |url=http://archive.org/details/dli.calcutta.10547 |title=Alivardi and his times |date=1939}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Ray |first=Bhabani Charan |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.136229 |title=Orissa Under Marathas 1751-1803 |date=1960}}</ref> The Marathas would annex parts of [[Odisha]], and incorporate it as a province.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lindsay |first=J. O. |url=https://books.google.ca/books?id=7ejh1RnNDt4C&pg=PG555&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763 |date=1957 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-04545-2 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Kalikinkar Datta |url=http://archive.org/details/dli.calcutta.10547 |title=Alivardi and his times |date=1939}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=New Cambridge History of India |url=http://archive.org/details/the-marathas-1600-1818-cambridge-history-of-india-vol.-2-part-4 |title=The Marathas - Cambridge History of India (Vol. 2, Part 4)}}</ref>
+After the plunder, the Marathas attempted to expand further into the territory of Eastern [[Bengal]], however they would be repulsed by Nawab [[Alivardi Khan]], who would then later enter into a peace treaty with the Marathas, in which he agreed to pay Chauth.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kalikinkar Datta |url=http://archive.org/details/dli.calcutta.10547 |title=Alivardi and his times |date=1939}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Ray |first=Bhabani Charan |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.136229 |title=Orissa Under Marathas 1751-1803 |date=1960}}</ref> The Marathas would annex parts of [[Odisha]], and incorporate it as a province.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lindsay |first=J. O. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ejh1RnNDt4C&pg=PG555 |title=The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 7, The Old Regime, 1713-1763 |date=1957 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-04545-2 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Kalikinkar Datta |url=http://archive.org/details/dli.calcutta.10547 |title=Alivardi and his times |date=1939}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=New Cambridge History of India |url=http://archive.org/details/the-marathas-1600-1818-cambridge-history-of-india-vol.-2-part-4 |title=The Marathas - Cambridge History of India (Vol. 2, Part 4)}}</ref>
 == References ==
 {{reflist}}
+[[Category:18th-century battles]]
+[[Category:Bengal Subah]]
+[[Category:Battles involving the Mughal Empire]]
+[[Category:Battles involving the Maratha Empire]]
+[[Category:1740s in the Mughal Empire]]
+[[Category:Murshidabad]]