Battle of Mahidpur facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Mahidpur
Part of the Third Anglo-Maratha War
Date 21 December 1817 Location Mahidpur, Malwa, India Result British victory
Belligerents
British East India Company	Holkar Clan
Commanders and leaders
Sir Thomas Hislop Sir John Malcolm	Maharaja Malhar Rao Holkar III Hari Rao Holkar Bhima Bai Holkar
Casualties and losses
174 killed, 604 wounded	Around 3,000 killed and wounded

The Battle of Mahidpur was a major fight during the Third Anglo-Maratha War. It happened on December 21, 1817, in Mahidpur, a town in the Malwa region of India. This battle was fought between the Holkar faction of the Maratha Confederacy and the British East India Company. It was a very important event that greatly affected the power of the Marathas.

The Battle Begins

On December 21, 1817, the British army, led by Sir Thomas Hislop, attacked the Holkar forces. The Holkar army was led by some young people. These included 11-year-old Maharaja Malhar Rao Holkar III, 22-year-old Hari Rao Holkar, and 20-year-old Bhima Bai Holkar.

The Holkar army had strong artillery, meaning many cannons. Their cannons, led by Roshan Beg, fired a long line of 63 powerful guns. At one point, the British were close to losing the battle.

A Turning Point

However, the British got help from a person named Gafur Khan. He was a leader in the Holkar's army, but he betrayed them. Khan left the battlefield with his soldiers. After this, the Holkars were clearly defeated.

After the Battle

After their defeat, Malhar Rao III, Tatya Jog, and others escaped to Alot. A peace agreement was then signed on January 6, 1818, in a place called Mandsaur. This agreement was known as the Treaty of Mandsaur.

The Holkars had to accept all the rules the British set in the treaty. Because of this battle and the treaty, the Holkars lost a lot of their land to the British. Their state became a smaller, controlled area within the British Raj. It was known as a princely state of the Central India Agency.

The End of Maratha Power

This battle was a big step towards the final end of the Maratha Empire's power. Baji Rao II, who was trying to unite the Marathas, finally gave up in June 1818. The British then got rid of the position of Peshwa, which was a very important leader for the Marathas.

The Marathas were limited to a small kingdom called Satara. This small kingdom remained until it was taken over by the Bombay state in 1848. The Battle of Mahidpur was a key event that changed the history of India.