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Third Battle of Panipat, History, Causes, Impact, Result

Third Battle of Panipat fought on 14 January 1761 between the Maratha Empire and the Durrani Empire was won by the Afghan Army. Check history, causes, impact, result of Third Battle of Panipat.
authorImageParul Rishi21 Mar, 2024
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Third Battle of Panipat

Third Battle of Panipat: The Third Battle of Panipat happened in 1761 at a place called Panipat. It was between two main groups: the Maratha Empire's army from the north and a coalition led by Ahmad Shah Durrani, who was the King of Afghanistan. Two Indian Muslim allies, the Rohilla Afghans of the Doab and Shuja-ud-Daula, the Nawab of Oudh, also fought alongside Ahmad Shah Durrani.

In this battle, the Afghan and Rohilla soldiers mainly used heavy cavalry, which are soldiers on horseback, along with mounted artillery like zamburak and jizail, which are guns mounted on camels or horses. These forces were led by Ahmad Shah Durrani and Najib-ud-Daulah, who were both Pashtuns. On the other side, the Marathas were supported by French-supplied artillery and cavalry, which was also led by someone named Ahmad Shah Abdali. So basically, it was a big fight between the Maratha Empire and a coalition of Afghan and Indian Muslim forces, with both sides using different kinds of soldiers and weapons.

Third Battle of Panipat

In the 18th century, the Marathas became powerful by defeating the Mughal emperors. They wanted to expand their kingdom across India, from the Indus River to the south. They even took over Delhi. But in 1747, Ahmed Shah Abdali set up his own rule in Afghanistan and Punjab. The three battles of Panipat happened in Haryana. The Afghan forces got a lot of help from the Nawab of Awadh and Rohilla Afghans. But the Marathas had trouble getting support from the Rajputs, Sikhs, and Jats. These battles caused a lot of Maratha soldiers to die, including important leaders like Vishwas Rao and Sadashiv Rao, who were killed by the Durrani armies. After the Marathas lost, their leader, the Peshwa, died, and many Maratha soldiers were killed too. Durrani, the leader of the Afghan forces, didn't come back to India. Instead, he went back to Afghanistan and put Robert Clive in charge. This marked the start of the East India Company ruling India.

Third Battle of Panipat History

After a big fight lasting 27 years between the Mughals and Marathas from 1680 to 1707, the Maratha Empire became stronger while the Mughal Empire got weaker. Peshwa Baji Rao, a Maratha leader, made the Maratha Empire bigger by adding places like Malwa and Gujarat to their land. Then, in 1737, Baji Rao beat the Mughals near Delhi and took control of a lot of land that used to belong to the Mughals, south of Delhi. This made Ahmad Shah Abdali, who ruled Afghanistan, upset because he wanted that land too. So, in 1747, Ahmad Shah Abdali started the Durrani Empire in Afghanistan and took over Lahore, a city in Pakistan. He also got control of places like Sindh and Punjab. His son, Timur Shah, looked after Lahore. But Maratha Peshwa Bajirao managed to take Lahore from Timur Shah. In 1759, Ahmad Shah Abdali gathered an army of Pashtuns and beat many Maratha forts in Punjab. At that time, Delhi didn't have much power because the Mughals were weak. Many people worried about the Marathas getting even bigger, so they asked Abdali to stop them. Abdali then teamed up with his Indian friends, the Rohilla Afghans of the Gangetic Doab, to fight against the Marathas.

Third Battle of Panipat Significance

In early 1752, the Maratha rulers took over the Mughal dynasty. They wanted to capture Punjab next, but Durrani was already ruling there and wanted to make India better. When the Marathas kicked out Durrani's representatives, the Afghan army decided to make Delhi their capital. The third battle of Panipat was a disaster for the Marathas. This battle showed that the Mughal dynasty might not stay in power in India anymore. It also let the British government become more influential in India because the Afghan leaders were more focused on other things than expanding their power. This battle was very important in world history because it stopped the ambitions of both the Mughals and the Marathas. The Durrani army won after defeating many Maratha soldiers.

Third Battle of Panipat Causes

The Third Battle of Panipat took place in 1761 and was a major conflict in India. It happened because different groups were fighting for power. The Mughal Empire was becoming weaker, while the Marathas were becoming stronger. At the same time, there was Ahmed Shah Abdali, an Afghan leader who wanted to expand his territory. These tensions among various groups led to a massive battle. It wasn't just one issue that caused the fight; it was a combination of problems related to control, beliefs, and territorial ambitions. This battle became a significant moment in India's history due to these complex reasons.

Mughal Empire Disturbance

  1. Nadir Shah's Invasion : The Mughal Empire faced problems when Nadir Shah attacked.
  2. Local Leaders Gain Freedom : Nadir Shah's invasion led to local leaders gaining independence from Mughal control.
  3. Disruption of Unity : Unity among local leaders broke when the Sayyad brothers died, causing divisions among them.
  4. Ahmed's Response : Ahmed became more confident upon hearing about the weakened unity among the local leaders.

Maratha Dominance

Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao and his leaders had already instilled fear in others through their dominance in the South, notably gaining control over regions like Karnataka and influencing the Nizam. Raghunathrao, another Maratha leader, then expanded their influence into Punjab, successfully conquering the territory and establishing Maratha rule there. To oversee Punjab, Raghunathrao appointed his trusted confidant, Sardar Adani Beg, as the leader. Their victory over Vimurashah, a descendant of Ahmed Shah Abdali, further fueled tensions and prompted Abdali to plan an invasion of India.

Internal Conflicts

The Mughal Emperor asked for safety from the Marathas because he was scared of losing control. With their support, Mughal Vajeet Safdarjang beat the Ruhela leaders. This made the Ruhelas angry with both the Marathas and the Mughals. The Marathas also fought against other groups like the Nizam, Avadh, and the Rajputs. Disagreements between leaders like Ishwar Singh and Madhav Singh caused more problems, making Scindia and Holkar, Maratha leaders, into enemies. Because of all these fights within India, Ahmed Shah Abdali got more support for his invasion.

Maratha Hindu Influence

Marathas strongly follow Hinduism. They aimed to expand their Hindu Empire. Most Muslims in India didn't support them, and even the Rajputs didn't assist them.

Welcome to Ahmed Shah Abdali

In India's past, certain leaders were open to supporting invading forces. Similar to how Jai Chand welcomed Muhammad Ghori and Daulat Khan supported Babur, the Ruhelas and Rajputs also encouraged Ahmed Shah Abdali to invade India.

Ahmed Shah Abdali's Outrage

Ahmed Shah Abdali controlled Punjab, Sirhind, and other regions for some time. Even though he faced losses before, his frustration grew when the Marathas triumphed in Punjab. With backing from the Ruhelas and Rajputs, Abdali swiftly launched an attack on India.

Third Battle of Panipat Impact

After the battle, many Maratha soldiers and civilians were killed by the Afghan army in Panipat. Women and children who lost were taken as prisoners to Afghan camps. The day after the fight, around 40,000 Maratha prisoners were brutally killed. Sadashivrao Bhau and Vishwasrao, the Peshwa’s son, were among those who died. The Peshwa Balaji Bajirao was deeply affected and never fully recovered from this loss. Both sides suffered heavy casualties. Even though the Marathas lost, they regained control of Delhi ten years later under Peshwa Madhavrao. Durrani, the Afghan leader, didn’t stay in India for long. He reinstated Mughal Shah Alam II as the Emperor in Delhi.

Third Battle of Panipat Result

After losing at Panipat, the Marathas had a tough time in the north for about ten years. But Peshwa Madhavrao helped bring back Maratha strength. In 1771, he led a big Maratha army to Northern India. They wanted to regain control there and punish those who supported the Afghans, like the Rohillas, or didn't listen to the Marathas after Panipat. This campaign's success was a big deal after what happened at Panipat. To succeed in upcoming exams, candidates should consider exploring PW SSC Books We provide high-quality content at an affordable price, including sample papers, mock tests, guidance sessions, and more to ensure aspirants secure their selection. Also, enroll today on SSC Online Coaching to turn your dreams into reality.
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Third Battle of Panipat FAQs

Q1. Why did the Marathas lose the third battle of Panipat?

Ans. On the battlefield, the Afghan heavy outperformed the Marathas’ because of which they lost.

Q2. Who won the third battle of Panipat?

Ans. Afghans won the 3rd Battle of Panipat.

Q3. Who died in the 3rd Panipat war?

Ans. 30,000 killed in battle 10,000 killed while retreating 10,000 missing.
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