Seige of Aligarh (1785)
| Siege of Aligarh (1785) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Rohilkhand Kingdom |
 Maratha Confederacy Mughal Empire | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Jehangirkhan Himmat Bahadur |
Mahadji Scindia Raji PatilShah Alam II | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 5000 troops | |||||||||
After capturing Agra on March 27, 1785, Mahadaji Scindia turned his attention to Aligarh, a Rohilla stronghold held by Jehangirkhan. Mahadaji sympathized with Afrasiyabkhan’s family and arranged for Afrasiyabkhan’s son, Khadim Husainkhan, to be honored with titles by the Emperor.[1][2]
Despite heavy resistance and external support for Jehangirkhan, including aid from Sir John Cummings and letters from Shah Alam, Mahadaji's forces, led by Raiji Patil, maintained the siege. The siege was prolonged but ultimately successful. On November 20, 1785, Raiji Patil captured the fort, securing a huge cache of weaponry and valuables.[1][2]
Mahadaji and the Emperor divided the spoils, and Mahadaji ensured Jehangirkhan and Afrasiyabkhan’s family were resettled at Mundsan with a jagir. The capture of Agra, Dig, and Aligarh fortified Mahadaji’s influence.[1][2]
Background
[edit]Shujauddinkhan, the commander of Agra Fort, began preparing for the battle against Mahadaji Shinde. Consequently, Mahadaji had to remain at Dig for two months. Shah Alam II then appointed Raiji Patil as the officer-in-charge of Agra Fort with orders to capture it. Despite Shujauddinkhan's refusal to surrender the fort, Raiji Patil besieged it, and after a fierce struggle, the fort was captured on March 27, 1785. This victory extended Mahadaji’s influence further. Shah Alam II officially appointed Akbarshah as the Subhedar of Agra, while Mahadaji became the de facto Subhedar. With the forts of Dig and Agra now under his control, Mahadaji’s position significantly strengthened.[1][2]
Siege
[edit]After conquering the fort of Agra on March 27, 1785, Mahadaji Scindia focused on capturing the fort of Aligarh, which was a strategic stronghold of the Rohillas. At the time, the fort was held by Jehangirkhan, the younger brother of Afrasiyabkhan. Afrasiyabkhan's widow and children were also residing in Aligarh. Mahadaji Shinde had a certain sympathy for them and, following Afrasiyabkhan's murder, publicly declared that Afrasiyabkhan’s son should be reinstated and instructed his officers to make arrangements for this.[1][2][3][4][5]
On November 17, 1784, after Mahadaji's first meeting with the Emperor, Mahadaji successfully persuaded him to bestow the title "Husain-Ud-Daula" upon Khadim Husainkhan, Afrasiyabkhan’s younger son. Later, on January 18, 1785, at Mahadaji’s request, the Emperor conferred the title "Ashraf-Ud-Daula" on Khadim Husainkhan. However, Mahadaji's plans encountered difficulties when Jehangirkhan, ready to resist, prepared for war.[1][2][3][4][5]
To capture Aligarh, Mahadaji Shinde sent an army of five thousand soldiers, led by Raiji Patil. Despite heavy rains and strong resistance from Jehangirkhan, Raiji Patil laid siege to the fort. Jehangirkhan, emboldened by support from Mughal officer Himmat Bahadur and letters soliciting assistance from the Nawab of Ayodhya and Sir John Cummings, the English army chief at Anupshahar, managed to hold out. Jehangirkhan promised to share the fort's wealth and grant the English control if they assisted him.[1][2][3][4][5]
Sir John Cummings agreed to aid Jehangirkhan and stationed his forces at Atroli, north-east of Aligarh. Mahadaji lodged a complaint with James Anderson, the British Resident, who, following orders from the Governor General, compelled Cummings to withdraw to Anupshahar. Meanwhile, Mahadaji Shinde, who was at Vrindavan, faced further complications as Shah Alam, who was in Delhi, sent treacherous letters requesting aid for Jehangirkhan.[1][2][3][4][5]
Despite winter setting in, the siege continued. Mahadaji requested Shah Alam to come to Aligarh, and on October 12, 1785, Mahadaji left Mathura for Aligarh. Mahadaji and Shah Alam met at Vanchari on October 17, and they stayed together at the camp at Chirghat for two months. Finally, on November 20, 1785, Raiji Patil succeeded in capturing the fort of Aligarh.[1][2][3][4][5]
The fort yielded 65 cannons, one large cannon, 100 mounds of cannon powder, 1000 mounds of lead, bags of grains, and forty thousand rupees in cash, along with some jewelry. Mahadaji and the Emperor divided the spoils equally.[1][2][3][4][5]
With the conquest of Dig, Agra, and Aligarh forts, Mahadaji solidified his position, extending his influence and renown. He ensured the fort of Aligarh was vacated and provided Jehangirkhan, the widow of Afrasiyabkhan, and her children with the fort of Mundsan and a jagir worth one lakh ten thousand, resettling them there.[1][2][3][4][5]
Aftermath
[edit]Mahadaji's monthly expenses for military and cannon equipment amounted to seven lakh rupees. Additional costs were incurred from the forces of the Badshah. To manage these financial challenges, he established a mint in Mathura and began issuing rupees stamped with Nana Fadnis's mark. Due to these financial strains, Mahadaji struggled to provide the promised funds for the Emperor, which displeased the Badshah greatly. Consequently, he did not receive the expected support from Nana Fadnis. In fact, Nana Fadnis was supposed to cover the monthly payments to the Emperor. On January 4, 1785, Mahadaji wrote to Nana Fadnis: "Since the expenses of the Badshah are being neglected, I have broken the agreement with the English for one lakh rupees. Therefore, the expenses for the Badshah's support need to be addressed."[1][2]
Despite this lack of financial aid from Nana Fadnis, Mahadaji remained composed and confident. He was relentless in his efforts and showed generosity even towards his adversaries. To ensure a steady income for the Emperor and consolidate his own power, Mahadaji Shinde undertook numerous campaigns. His decision to set up camp in Mathura demonstrated his foresight. He maintained control over Malwa, Bundelkhand, and surrounding territories.[1][2]
Securing control over Agra, Delhi, and Aligarh—key centers of imperial authority—was crucial. This control allowed him to monitor the Sikhs in the North, the Pathans in the Doab, and the Rajput kings in the South-West.[1][2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n N. G. Rathod (1994-01-10). The Great Maratha Mahadji Scindia. pp. 49–51.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Sen, Sailendra Nath (1994). Anglo-Maratha Relations, 1785-96. Popular Prakashan. pp. 28–31. ISBN 978-81-7154-789-0.
- ^ a b c d e f g Sardesai Govind Sakharam (1948). New History Of The Marathas Vol-iii 1772-1848 (1948). B. G. Dhawale, Bombay. p. 146.
- ^ a b c d e f g Siddiqi, Jamal Muhammad (1981). Aligarh District: A Historical Survey, from Ancient Times to 1803 A.D. Munshiram Manoharlal. pp. 135–137. ISBN 978-0-8364-2355-6.
- ^ a b c d e f g Sagar, Poonam (1993). Maratha Policy Towards Northern India. Meenakshi Prakashan. pp. 197–200.