When we talk about Marathas, the first name that comes to our mind is Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj his son Sambhaji Maharaj or Peshwa Bajirao I . However, there were many other significant Maratha leaders who kept empowering the kingdom even after Shivaji died. Mahadji Scindia was one of them. Today Let’s try take a look at Mahadji Scindia or Madhavrao Scindia I history that is lesser known by peoples.
He was Born on 3rd December 1730 as the fifth and the youngest son of Sardar Ranoji Rao Scindia who served Peshwa Bajirao I and was also the founder of Scinida Dynasty. Mahadaji Scinida was a lieutenant of Peshwa. He had also participated in the Third Battle of Panipat held in 1761 which was fought between Maratha and Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Abdali. Marathas lost the battle very badly, even people says that there was no house in Maharastra where at least one person was not dead. Sadashiv Rao Bhau (the nephew of Peshwa BajiRao I), Vishwasrao (the son of Peshwa Balaji BajiRao),Shamshe Bahadur (the son of Peshwa Bajirao I and his second wife Mastani), Jankoji Rao Scindia (the third maharaja of Gwalior) and Ibraham Khan Gardi (artillery expert) are few famous names of peshwa family and maratha army who were martyred in the battle. In the result of Abdali victory Marathas lost suzerainty over panipat and ares south of panipat including DELHI to the Abdali. By God Grace Mahadji Scinida was lucky to come out of it alive, thanks only to the services of one water carrier named Ranekhan (who was to later become one of Mahadji's closest friend). He pulled the badly wounded Mahadji to safety. The Battle of Panipat had left Mahadji with a leg infection that gave him a lifelong limp. He was responsible for strengthening the Maratha Empire in North India after the Third Battle of Panipat. Actually Peshwa Madhavrao I, Nana Fadnavis and Mahadji Scindia were those who are responsible for the great comeback of the Maratha Empire. Gwalior slowly became one of the most important states for the Marathas under his leadership. During his reign, the Maratha Empire also became the leading military powers in India.
Now after a Intro lets discuss some of the greatest events happened in Mahadji Scindia life .
First of all, He Helped Shah Alam II re-establish the Mughal Empire in Delhi who was captured by Britishers in Ahmdabad. After this the Mughals went again under the Marathas in Delhi. He defeated the Jaats of Mathura and Pashtun Rohillas in Rohilkhand and captured Najibabad in 1772–73. He also defeated the British army in the First Anglo-Maratha War . In result the Treaty of Salbai happend in 1782. The Treaty of Salbai was signed between the Peshwa and the British. Sawai Madhavrao(the son of Narayanrao Peshwa) became the Peshwa and Raghunath Rao was given a pension. The territories west of the Yamuna were returned to Scindias. Raghunath Rao has his own long story of doing conspiracy in Maratha Empire. Hope we will discuss it later.
Coming back on Mahadji story this was the time when the Britishers recognised Mahadji Scindia as an independent king with Gwalior as his capital and no longer to be viewed as a part of the peshwa rule. It was decided that northern India was to be declared Mahadji area of influence and the Deccan would be the peshwa area of influence. This move of Brithishers made Nana Phadnavis think that Mahadji is going to dissociate himself as a loyal of the peshwas (even though he continued to serve as a general in the Maratha army) we can also say that this was the start of the trust issues between Mahadji Scindia and Nana Phadanvis, regent for Peshwa Sawai Madhavrao. In fact Nana Phadanvis and Mahadji Scindia had become competitors at the peshwa court at Pune.
In 1783, Mahadji Shinde wrested back the strong fort of Gwalior from Chhatar Singh, a Jaat king, and established himself there. Gwalior had earlier changed hands between the Mughals, the Marathas, the British, and the Jaats. But it was the Mahadji who regained this jewel for the Maratha Empire. Mahadji became the regent of Mughal affairs and also got the title Amir-ul-Umara in 1784.
After this Mahadji wanted to extend his influence in the north, so he sent several letters to Pune for financial help. But his resquest were sidelined for one reason or another by Nana Phadanvis. He was becoming very suspicious of Mahadji growing status in the north. He feared that Mahadji would soon outgrow his influence over the peshwa. Therefore, instead of providing timely financial help, he tried to undermine Mahadji authority by sending two more generals to the north Tukoji Holkar and Ali Bahadur( grandson of Peshwa Bajirao I and his second wife Mastani). They appeared to be trying to overrule his authority by flirting with his enemy.
Mahadji Scindia was now the all powerful force in north India, he was able to keep down any attempts by Holkar or Ali Bahadur to overthrow him he established his control over many parts of north India. He now reduced many powerful forces to nothing, whether they were the Jaats or the Rajputs in the north or the Nizam or Tipu Sultan in the south. He was also responsible for limiting the Nizams to south of Deccan. He signed a peace treaty with Tipu Sultan of Mysore in 1792 after which he used his influence to protect Tipu Sultan from the Nizams and the British.He defeated Tukoji Holkar forces at Lakheri in 1793, while Ali Bahadur form his own state of Banda in Bundelkhand. Mahadji control over North Indian territories remained untouched after the Battle of Lakheri.
I read somewhere that a truce of sorts was concluded between Nana Phadanvis and Mahadji Shinde through intermediation by the peshwa himself and Nana's friend, Haripant Phadke. In the peshwa's court, Mahadji was even said to have held the peshwa shoes in order to impress him with his loyalty. Many of his contemporaries dismissed Mahadji's genuine loyalty and gratitude as sycophancy. However the fact was that Mahadji Scinida remained loyal to the peshwas until his death.
If we talk about his Army He had employed the services of an ex-French East India Company commander by the name of Benoit de Boigne. Benoit joined mahadji as a spy of East India Company. But after working for him and knowing about his kind nature and behaviour for his army he became loyal to him. Benoit helped convert Mahadji army into a disciplined and more lethal unit, trained on European lines. Mahadji other trusted men were competent people, individuals such as Ambuji Ingle, Ranne Khan, Rayali Patil, Jivbadada Bakshi, Ladoj Deshmukh, and so on. With these forces, Mahadji Scindia became a power to destroy anybody who try to harm the peshwa or the Maratha Empire.
In 1794 Mahadji died in Wanavdi near Pune. Some people says that due to high fever he died. There is another story of his death that because the peshwa was supporting mahadji and not giving attention on Nana Phadnavis suggestions. Nana Phadnavis invited him on lunch and slowly poisoned him. He could not withstand the effects of the posion because of his old age and his health deteriorated and he died in wanavdi Pune. However He died without an heir and his adopted son Daulat Rao Scindia succeded the throne after his death.
It is sad that people don’t know about a worrior who established the whole Maratha empire again. He gave his 10 years to build the Maratha power again. Some historians have even said that Mahadji Scindia was one of the greatest Indian rulers in Medieval times. His political moves and military power were impressive. He used both his intelligence as well as power to spread Maratha power in India.He was also conversant in Sanskrit and Persian, besides being trained in the art of warfare from a very early age. Thanks to all of this, following the death of his brothers it was fully expected that Mahadji would be the rightful successor.
Hope you liked what we had discussed and glad to know about a worrior like Mahadji Scindia.
Comment box is open for querries..
Kshitij Agrawal
No comments:
Post a Comment