Maratha invasions of Bengal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maratha Invasions of Bengal |
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| Part of Decline of the Mughal Empire | |||||||
 A Maratha Ditch, built around forts and factories to protect against Maratha raids |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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 Nawab of Bengal |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Raghoji I Bhaskar Pandit † Janoji Bhonsle Sabaji Bhonsle |
Alivardi Khan Gopal Singha Dev Mir Jafar Chitrasen Rai Rai Durlabh Ghulam Mustafa Khan Ataullah Khan Zainuddin Ahmed Abdus Salam Sheikh Masum † Syed Ahmed Khan |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 40,000 (in 1742) 12,000 (in 1748) |
15,000 Cavalry and 8,000 Musketeers (in 1748) |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown |
Unknown |
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The Maratha invasions of Bengal were a series of attacks by the Maratha forces on the region of Bengal. These invasions happened between 1742 and 1751. Bengal at that time included modern-day Bengal, Bihar, and parts of Orissa. The Marathas were led by Raghoji Bhonsle from the Nagpur area. These attacks caused a lot of damage and economic problems in Bengal.
Contents
Why Did the Marathas Invade Bengal?
The Marathas were a powerful group in India. After a successful military campaign in another region, they turned their attention to Bengal. They invaded Bengal five times between April 1742 and March 1751. Their goal was often to collect a tax called chauth. This tax was a payment for protection or to avoid further attacks.
The First Attack in 1742
In 1742, Bengal faced its first major Maratha attack. The ruler of Bengal, known as the Nawab Alivardi Khan, tried to stop them. He managed to push back the invaders. However, the cities of Murshidabad and Hooghly were badly looted during this time.
More Attacks and Their Impact
There were five invasions in total from 1742 to 1751. These repeated attacks were very hard on the people of Bengal. During these invasions, Maratha warriors, sometimes called "Bargis," committed cruel acts against the local people. This included people from Bengal and Bihar.
- Looting and Destruction: Reports from local kingdoms and European traders say that the Bargis looted many villages. They burned down houses and destroyed tools used by weavers. This made it very hard for people to make a living.
- Loss of Life: One report from a Dutch company leader in Bengal estimated that about 400,000 civilians died. These deaths happened in western Bengal and Bihar because of the conflict.
- People Fleeing: Many people in western Bengal ran away to eastern Bengal to find safety. They were scared of the Maratha attacks.
- Economic Damage: The attacks severely hurt Bengal's economy. Many people who were killed or forced to flee were merchants, textile weavers, and silk workers. These were important jobs for the region's economy. For example, in 1742, a factory reported that Bargis burned down many houses where silk goods were made.
In 1743, two Maratha armies invaded Bengal. One belonged to Raghoji Bhosle, and the other to Balaji Rao. Nawab Alivardi Khan had to agree to pay them money and promise to pay the chauth tax in the future.
Some historical texts describe the Marathas' success. One text, Chitrachampu, said their victories were due to their "wonderfully fast horses." Another text, Annadamangal, suggested the attacks were partly because Alivardi's soldiers had damaged temples.
More attacks happened in 1748 in Bihar, in 1750 on Murshidabad, and in 1751 in Western Bengal.
The Nawab of Bengal also faced problems from within his own army. For example, in 1748, some soldiers rebelled and took control of Patna for a while. These internal issues also weakened the Nawab's forces. Besides losing land, the Nawab also lost a lot of money. Farming and trade were disrupted, and many people moved away from western Bengal.
How the Conflict Ended
In 1751, the Marathas and the Nawab of Bengal signed a peace treaty. They agreed that the Marathas would not cross the Subarnarekha River again. The lands beyond this river were given to the Marathas.
- Orissa Under Maratha Control: According to the treaty, Mir Habib, who had joined the Marathas, became the governor of Orissa. He was still technically under the Nawab of Bengal, but the Marathas had real control over Orissa by 1751.
- Formal Takeover: After Mir Habib was killed in 1752, the Marathas officially made Orissa part of their Nagpur kingdom.
- Payments to Marathas: The Nawab of Bengal agreed to pay 1.2 million rupees every year as the chauth tax for Bengal and Bihar. In return, the Marathas promised not to invade Bengal again. The Nawab also paid 3.2 million rupees to cover the unpaid chauth from previous years.
