| Capture of Baroda | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Later Mughal-Maratha wars | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Maratha Empire |
 Mughal Empire | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Damaji Rao Gaekwad |
Sherkhan Babi Mohim KhanMuhammad Sarbaj | ||||||||
In 1734, Sher Khan Babi, Faujdar of Baroda, faced an advancing Maratha army led by Damaji Rao Gaekwad, prompted by local instigator Dalla. Despite a month and a half of skirmishes and support from Bhandari and Momin Khan, Sher Khan Babi was defeated and retreated after crossing the Mahi River. The Marathas occupied Baroda, and to commemorate their victory, they built the Mandvi Gate in 1736.[1][2][3][4][5]
Background
[edit]Following Maharaja Abhai Singh's departure, his deputy Ratansingh Bhandari took control of the Suba of Gujarat with an iron fist. He ruled with strictness and imposed heavy illegal fines on the people, extorting money and ransoming them.[1][2][3][4][5]
When news of Abhai Singh's departure reached them, 20,000 Maratha horsemen led by Umabai arrived in Ahmedabad to collect chauth. They set up camp at Shahibagh. In response, Bhandari summoned Gujarati troops and Nominkhan, who arrived at night. He fortified the city defenses and closed the gates. The Deccan forces launched attacks on the city in waves, and skirmishes between the Deccanis and Rajputs continued for a month. Despite the lack of payment to the Khandani, Bhandari eventually agreed to uphold the chauth agreement. The Marathas then returned to the Deccan after collecting the dues from Saurashtra.[1][2][3][4][5]
Battle
[edit]In 1734, Sher Khan Babi, the Faujdar of Baroda, traveled to his jagir in Balasinor. Following the instigation of Dalla, the Desai of Padra, the Maratha army led by Damaji Rao Gaekwad advanced towards Baroda to seize it. Despite a strong defense by Mohammed Sarbaj Khan, Sher Khan Babi sought assistance from Bhandari, who agreed to help. Sher Khan Babi prepared for battle with support from Momin Khan of Cambay. Skirmishes between his forces and the Marathas continued for a month and a half. Sher Khan Babi eventually crossed the Mahi River, but the Marathas defeated him, leading to his retreat to Balasinor and Momin Khan's return to Cambay. The Marathas then occupied Baroda. To commemorate their victory, the Marathas, at Damaji Rao Gaekwad's behest, constructed the Mandvi Gate of 33 in Baroda in 1736.[1][2][3][4][5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Ashok Kumar Arora (1978-01-01). Randput Maratha Relations 1707-1760 AD (Vol. 1). pp. 162–163.
- ^ a b c d Sardesai, Govind Sakharam (1946). New History Of The Marathas Vol.2. p. 130.
- ^ a b c d Bond, J. W.; Wright, Arnold (2006). Indian States: A Biographical, Historical, and Administrative Survey. Asian Educational Services. p. 10. ISBN 978-81-206-1965-4.
- ^ a b c d India (1940). Memoranda on the Indian States, 1940 (corrected Up to the 1st January 1940). Manager of Publications. p. 16.
- ^ a b c d Reed, Sir Stanley (1936). Indian and Pakistan Year Book and Who's who. Bennett, Coleman. p. 157.