Raj Chauhan / A Tribute To The Ever-Victorious Peshwa Baji Rao I
Among the youngest to be made a Peshwa, legendary Maratha General Peshwa Baji Rao I, in his military career of 20 years, never lost a battle. He, along with his able commanders, was responsible for a host of victories that were hitherto perceived unattainable and helped expand the Maratha rule far and wide. Commemorating the 320th birth anniversary of this great general, we bring to the fore several of his acts of valour, astuteness and exemplary strategy...
“As a third-generation Artillery soldier, I am fortunate to have spent a large part of my childhood, training years and service life in these parts of Maharashtra, Malwa and Bundelkhand, where the great Peshwa, his legendary Generals and intrepid Maratha soldiers once moved at will.”
- Raj Chauhan
The 18th of August, 2020 was the 320th birth anniversary of legendary Maratha General Peshwa Baji Rao I, one of the best cavalry commanders the world has ever seen. The year 2020 is also the 300th year of Baji Rao being made the Peshwa. Unfortunately today, this great warrior remains forgotten. This small article is my tribute to this great son of our motherland.
Peshwa Baji Rao Ballal Bhat was appointed Peshwa while not yet 20 years of age. In his military career spanning 20 years, Baji Rao never lost a battle. In his military victories, he was ably supported by his younger brother Chimaji Appa, and young generals Malharrao Holkar, Ranoji Shinde, the Pawar brothers, Pilaji Jadhav, and Fateh Singh Bhosle. In the caste-ridden 18th century India, like Shivaji Maharaj before him, Baji Rao chose his military commanders from across castes, merit being the only criterion for selection.
Surrounded by enemies all around, the Marathas under Baji Rao I defeated the Mughals to the North, Nizam Asaf Jah to the East, the Assyrian Siddis and the Portuguese to the South West.
A few important battles are covered in brief:
Defeat of Nizam Asaf Jah I in the Battle of Palkhed (February 1728)
Nizam Asaf Jah, the most powerful Mughal General was the Mughal Governor of the Deccan. Supported by his powerful Artillery, Nizam attacked Chhatrapati Shahuji’s territories. Young Peshwa Baji Rao displayed military sagacity and understanding of ‘manoeuvre warfare’ unmatched by any other contemporary military leader. Instead of facing the Nizam’s forces, he launched raids into Nizam’s territories in present-day Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat to draw out Nizam. Confident of an easy victory over the Peshwa, Nizam followed Baji Rao. Moving almost 2000 km in a short period of three to four months in what Nizam thought was a wild goose chase, which was actually a carefully laid trap by Baji Rao. Baji Rao trapped him in a little waterless hilly tract of Palkhed, about 20 miles west of modern Aurangabad. Cut off from water and food supplies, Nizam was forced to capitulate and sign the humiliating treaty of Mungi-Paithan on 06 March 1728. This is one of the finest examples of a smaller force defeating a larger force by using manoeuvre in battle while avoiding a pitched battle. But a much larger victory employing ‘manoeuvre warfare’ awaited Peshwa Baji Rao.
"In his military career spanning 20 years, Baji Rao never lost a battle. The Marathas under Baji Rao defeated the Mughals to the North, Nizam Asaf Jah to the East, the Assyrian Siddis and the Portuguese to the South West"
Bundelkhand campaign (March 1729)
I have not covered Balaji’s campaign in Bundelkhand. I am sure most would have seen the movie Bajirao-Mastani and have some idea of this battle.
Campaign against the Siddis (1733-36)
The Abyssinian origin Siddis controlled the strategically important territory on the western coast of India. They had expanded their rule to a large part of the central and northern Konkan region. In addition to being a threat to the fledging Maratha Empire, the Siddis were also carrying out large scale religious prosecution. Prompted by cries for help from the inhabitants of the Konkan (the family of the Peshwas originally hailed from the Konkan), Peshwa launched a series of military and diplomatic campaigns resulting in the comprehensive defeat of the Siddis. On 25 September 1736, the Siddis signed a peace treaty, which confined them to Janjira, Gowalkot and Anjanvel. Chimaji Appa played a major role in these military victories.
Diplomatic expedition to Rajputana (1736)
Peshwa’s diplomatic dexterity was amply displayed during his diplomatic expedition to Rajputana, accompanied by his wife Kashibai. This visit, forming a better understanding with the Ranas of Mewar and Raja Jai Singh of Jaipur was of immense help to the Marathas when they exfiltrated through Rajputana territories after their ‘Raid on Delhi’ in 1737.
"Confident of easy victory over the Peshwa, Nizam followed Baji Rao. Moving almost 2000 km in a short period of three to four months, in what Nizam thought was a wild goose chase, which was actually a carefully laid trap by Baji Rao. Baji Rao trapped him in a little waterless hilly tract of Palkhed, about 20 miles west of modern Aurangabad. Cut off from water and food supplies, Nizam was forced to capitulate and sign the humiliating treaty of Mungi-Paithan"
Strategic Cavalry Raid on Delhi and the Mughal Capitulation (1737)
During earlier diplomatic parleys, the Mughal emperor’s envoy had agreed to grant the Marathas the right to collect Chauth tax for Six Deccan subbas. However, the Emperor was dithering in signing the Farman for the same. Peshwa decided to show the Mughals what the Marathas were capable of. On 12 November 1736, Peshwa Baji Rao commenced his march towards the Mughal capital of Delhi from Pune with a force of 50,000 cavalrymen. Enroute, he launched minor battles to bring local rulers and territories of Mughals under the Maratha over-lordship. As news reached the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah of the advancing Maratha army, he ordered Saadat Ali Khan, along with other governors to march from Agra and check the Maratha advance. Also, he sent for Nizam’s help. Smarting under his previous defeat, Nizam hurried North with his forces.
Peshwa sent an advance guard of 10,000 cavalries under Malharrao Holkar and Pilaji Jadhav (two of his best Generals) to deceive the enemy. This force crossed the Yamuna and plundered Mughal territories in the Ganga-Yamuna Doab. Saadat Khan led a force of 1,50,000 against them. As the Maratha forces retreated, the Mughals assumed that they had won. But this Maratha force, as per the plan, re-joined Peshwa near Gwalior. While the Mughal military commanders sat down to celebrate their victory, unknown to them, the Maratha forces slipped through the Mughal screens, advancing through Jat territories and present-day Mewar region to suddenly appear on the outskirts of Delhi.
A Mughal force of around 10,000, which sallied forth to attack was easily destroyed by the Marathas. This battle happened around present Talkatora stadium in Delhi on 28 March 1737. This was the final straw. The Mughal emperor capitulated and agreed to honour his commitments. Magnanimous in victory, Peshwa did not plunder the city and retreated back.
Peshwa Baji Rao’s cavalry raid of Delhi covering a total distance of more than 3000 km in the round trip has been matched only by the greatest of cavalry commanders from across the world. Such deep infiltration, with a self-contained force of 50,000 cavalries is a great example of ‘command and control’, operational logistics, intelligence, professional competence and military discipline of the Maratha Cavalry. Salute! Two hundred years later, German General Heinz Guderian was talking of the new concept of self-contained Panzertruppen, operating deep inside enemy territory to bring about a strategic collapse of the enemy’s will to fight.
Battle of Bhopal (1737-38)
As the Peshwa retreated back, the Mughals organised their forces with the aim of intercepting and destroying the Marathas. Nizam Asaf Jah was appointed the overall commander of a force numbering almost 1,50,000. As this force moved South, Nizam asked his son to advance with additional forces from Hyderabad. The aim was to crush the Marathas between these two forces in the friendly territory of the Nawab of Bhopal.
Peshwa had an excellent understanding of the terrain and ‘manoeuvre warfare’. He asked his brother Chimaji to establish a block with 10,000 troops on the Tapti River to prevent additional reinforcements from Hyderabad to Nizam (many of us would remember the innocuous ‘block’ we were expected to mark in our training battle appreciation map exercises). In a series of manoeuvres, Peshwa trapped the Mughal forces, almost three times his own size, in Bhopal. Cut off from supplies, the Nizam was forced to surrender for the second time to the young Peshwa. He signed a peace treaty, the Treaty of Doraha on 7 January 1738. The province of Malwa was ceded to the Marathas along with an indemnity of Rs.50 lakhs.
This was the third major battle which Peshwa won using ‘manoeuvre’ as the key element in his success. How many masters of ‘Manoeuvre Warfare’ have heard and read about Peshwa Baji Rao and his military campaigns?
"Peshwa Baji Rao’s cavalry raid of Delhi covering a total distance of more than 3000 km in the round trip has been matched only by the greatest of cavalry commanders from across the world. Such deep infiltration, with a self-contained force of 50,000 cavalries is a great example of ‘command and control’, operational logistics, intelligence, professional competence and military discipline of the Maratha Cavalry
Defeat of Portuguese in the Battle of Vasai (Bassein) Fort (March-May 1739)
Portugal had a number of colonies in the Malabar and Konkan coast. The Northern Province included colonies of Goa, Daman, Diu, Thane, Kalyan, Vasai (Bassein), etc. The Fort of Vasai was the hub of Portuguese control in the Northern provinces. It was a well-defended port secured on three sides by the sea/creek.
Portuguese Inquisition - On Jesuit Francis Xavier’s request, inquisition was ordered in Portuguese territories in 1560 and continued till 1820. These 260 years was a period of untold horror and religious prosecution for the local Indians. While Indians in the last millennium had developed a high threshold for religious prosecution, the Portuguese Inquisition took religious bigotry to new lows. Large-scale destruction of places of religion, execution of religious teachers of other faiths including by burning alive and forcible conversions made the locals reach out to the Marathas to deliver them from the Portuguese prosecution.
Peshwa ordered Chimaji Appa to defeat the Portuguese. Malharrao Holkar, Ranoji Shinde and Manoji Angre (Naval commander) were Generals supporting Chimaji. A series of battles continued over two years in which Portuguese colonies were captured as part of the overall Maratha war strategy, till the final battle for the Vasai Fort. It involved both land and naval battles. Between March-May 1739, the Marathas were able to defeat the Portuguese in the final battle of Vasai. This was a landmark victory where an Indian power had decisively defeated a major European colonial power. How many of us have read about this great victory? So much for our school history syllabus. This campaign should be mandatory reading for any professional military soldier.
In contrast to the previous three examples of the ‘manoeuvre’ battle, this was a classic ‘attrition’ battle, where Maratha perseverance, offensive spirit and steadiness in the attack were amply displayed. The Marathas suffered around 22,000 casualties in two years of operations including 5000 casualties in the final operations at Vasai. Readers may like to read about the number of casualties in 1965, 1971 and Kargil war to get a better perspective of the ferocity of these battles. The Portuguese surrendered on 16 May 1739.
Chimaji was magnanimous in victory, allowing the Portuguese to carry their families and movable property with them as they moved out. He also allowed religious freedom to local converts who chose to stay put. This again is a fundamental difference. While Indian rulers were always magnanimous in victory, foreign rulers have always been brutality personified as victors. Cold-blooded killing of combat worthy prisoner of war soldiers, taking women and children as slaves, large scale destruction of places of worship and forced conversion has been the trademark of all foreign invaders.
Nader Shah’s invasion of North India
March 1739 was a major factor in the Maratha urgency to conclude operations at the earliest. Peshwa wanted to congregate his forces for operations against Nader Shah. While the Mughals were Maratha’s sworn enemies, they were fellow Indians. When Nader Shah attacked, Peshwa wanted to march north to assist the Mughals, his fellow countrymen. However, by the time the Maratha armies could assemble, Nader Shah had returned to Iran. This nationalistic spirit would be displayed again, 22 years later when the Marathas under Baji Rao’s grandson Vishwasrao and Chimaji Appa’s son Sadashivrao would march north to fight Ahmed Shah Abdali, in the Third Battle of Panipat. Both would die in this battle. Unfortunately, the Marathas have not got their due credit for their selfless nationalistic service.
Epilogue
In my view, four most influential personalities in creating Maratha Swarajya were Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Peshwa Baji Rao, Chimaji Appa and Peshwa Madhavrao-I (who resurrected the Maratha Empire after the Third Battle of Panipat tragedy). They all died very young age at 53, 40, 34 and 27 years respectively.
What if…...?