Bengal under siege: The devastating Maratha raids which destroyed the region in the 18th century

Bengal under siege: The devastating Maratha raids which destroyed the region in the 18th century
Bengal under siege: The devastating Maratha raids which destroyed the region in the 18th century

New Delhi: The Maratha invasions of Bengal was one of the most brutal and chaotic chapters of the eastern Indian region during the later medieval period. The invasions took place between 1742 and 1751, and Bengal was plundered mercilessly by the attackers. During the Maratha expeditions in Bengal, the invading Maratha forces frequently tormented the Bengal Subah which comprised of present-day Bengal, Bihar, and parts of Odisha.

The expeditions took place under the directions of Raghuji I who founded the Nagpur Kingdom. From April 1742 to March 1751, Marathas invaded Bengal many times which led to massive economic losses in the Bengal Subah. In this article, we will take a look at the Maratha invasions of Bengal.

The Maratha attacks in Bengal

After its emergence, the Maratha Empire was able to thwart and even defeat the Mughals, establishing itself as one of the most powerful forces in the Indian subcontinent. At that time. Bengal Subah was the richest province in the Mughal Empire and hence, the Marathas targeted this region. During its invasions, the Maratha forces raided and plundered cities and villages in Bengal, causing widespread devastation. However, the Marathas never really managed to occupy Bengal as Nawab Alivardi Khan managed to repel them.

The attacks began in 1742 but Nawab Alivardi Khan repelled the Maratha forces, even though Murshidabad, the then capital of Bengal and also the region of Hooghly was plundered. Under the leadership of Raghuji I, the Maratha forces met the army of Alivardi Khan in the First Battle of Katwa, in which the Bengali army won. During that invasion, Bhaskar Pant, one of the key members of the Maratha invasion of Bengal in the early years, was killed.

In 1745, the Marathas occupied Odisha and ravaged Murshidabad. It was again led by Raghuji and Alivardi Khan’s forces defeated his army at the Second Battle of Katwa. However, Bengal was heavily pillaged even during this attack. In the Battle of Burdwan in 1747, Alivardi Khan defeated the Janoji Bhonsle led Marathas.

During the invasions, the Marathas were called ‘Bargis’ by the people of Bengal. As per European sources, the Bargis plundered villages and as per the estimate of Jan Kersseboom, the Dutch East India Company’s chief in Bengal, around 4,00,000 civilians in Bengal and Bihar died due to the conflict. Crimes were perpetrated on women and children, and people were brutally tortured. The Bargi atrocities were corroborated by contemporary Dutch and British accounts. In 1751, the Maratha invasions finally came to an end when the Nawab of Bengal signed a peace treaty with them.

 Between 1742 and 1751, the Maratha Empire launched devastating raids into Bengal, targeting the wealthy province. Led by Raghuji I, these invasions caused widespread destruction, economic ruin, and immense suffering.   knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge