Siege of Sirhind (1758) | |||||||
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Part of Afghan-Maratha War | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Casualties and losses | |||||||
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During the Maratha invasion of the Punjab in 1758, the Mughal-ki-Sarai near Ambala, Rajpura, and Sarai Banjara were all significant locations that witnessed the passage of the Maratha army. The siege of Sarhind, however, was a pivotal moment in this campaign. [1] [2]
The Governor of Sarhind, Abdus Samad Khan, found himself outnumbered and outgunned by the Marathas and Adina Beg Khan's Sikh forces. With no other option left, he barricaded himself inside the fort. The Marathas and Sikhs laid siege to the fort, engaging in a fierce battle that lasted for several days. As the battle raged on, the Marathas and Sikhs showed no mercy to the inhabitants of Sarhind. They plundered everything in sight, [3] leaving no one unscathed. Men and women alike were stripped bare, and houses were pulled down for their timber. The looting was so thorough that not a single person was left with a single piece of clothing. Eventually, Abdus Samad Khan and Jangbaz Khan fled from the fort in fear. The Marathas overtook them and imprisoned them. [4] The Marathas and Sikhs continued their rampage through Sarhind, leaving behind a trail of destruction in their wake. The siege of Sarhind was a brutal and devastating episode in the Afghan-Maratha conflict. It serves as a stark reminder of the violence and chaos that can ensue during times of war and conflict. [5] [6]
Raghunathrao Bhat, also known as Ragho Ballal or Raghoba Dada, was the younger son of Peshwa Bajirao I who served as the 11th Peshwa of the Maratha Empire for a brief period from 1773 to 1774.
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Adina Beg Khan was a Punjabi general and administrator who served as the last governor of the Punjab region of the Mughal Empire, including the provinces of Lahore and of Multan. He defeated Afghans after rising to power and was recognised as the Nawab of Punjab by Mughal emperor Alamgir II, who also gave him title of Jang Bahadur.
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The Afghan-Maratha War was fought between the Afghan Empire under Ahmad Shah Durrani and the Maratha Empire and the Sikh Confederacy between 1758 and 1761. It took place in north-west India, primarily the region around Delhi and Punjab.
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Ahmad Shah Durrani, the founder of the Durrani Empire, invaded Indian subcontinent for eight times between 1748 and 1767, following the collapse of Mughal Empire in the mid-18th century. His objectives were met through the raids and deepened the political crisis in India.
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Sikh attacks on Delhi were common in the second half of the 18th century. The Sikhs attacked Delhi 19 times between 1766 and 1788.
Mian Qutb Shah or Qutb Khan was an Indian Muslim Sardar and formerly a collector of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He was best known as the slayer of Dattaji Rao Scindia.
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The Maratha–Patiala clashes were a significant chapter in Indian military history, in which two formidable powers, the Marathas and the Sikhs, collided in a series of engagements and battles. This period of conflict, often argued to be marked by strategic brilliance, fierce battles, and shifting alliances, occurred in 18th-century India—a time when regional powers vied for dominance and control.
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