Capture of Delhi (1771)
On the 10th of February 1771, Mahadaji Shinde guided a cavalry column of 3,000 horses into Delhi. It was the end of Rohilla control over the Mughal capital. The Mughal emperor Shah Alam II was about to be restored to a throne he had not held in years. What combination of grievances, military campaigns, and hard bargaining brought the Maratha Empire to this moment? And what would the Marathas demand in return for placing the emperor back on his seat?
The Third Battle of Panipat had struck the Maratha Empire with lasting force. Afghan forces joined with the Nawab of Awadh and the Kingdom of Rohilkhand under Najib ad-Dawlah to deliver the blow. Balaji Bajirao, the Peshwa at the time of the battle, died in its aftermath. His successor, Madhavrao I, took office under the regency of Raghunathrao. Under that leadership, Mahadji Shinde led successful campaigns against the Jats of Mathura, the Rajputs of Rajasthan, and the Pashtun-Rohillas of Rohilkhand. Rohilkhand lay in the western part of what is now Uttar Pradesh. Those campaigns re-established Maratha rule across the region and returned Maratha forces to the gates of Delhi. The Rohillas could no longer count on Afghan support to hold them back.
The Peshwa's instructions ended the Maratha policy of accommodation toward the Rohillas. Visaji Krishna, speaking for the Maratha command, demanded nazar, a formal tribute, from Zabita Khan. Zabita Khan refused and was expelled from the Maratha camp. The Maratha army advanced to the city, where Saif-i-uddin Muhammad Khan arranged a peaceful handover. Zabita Khan's soldiers inside the fort refused to submit. Their resistance led to a breach in the fort's ramparts. Once the Marathas were inside, their commanders presented their own nazar to the emperor and formally declared their allegiance. Najib ad-Dawlah's former appointees were cleared from their posts, and the surrounding area came under Maratha control. With Delhi fully secured, the Maratha chiefs turned to the question of what the emperor's restoration would cost.
The Maratha chiefs laid out their demands with precision. They required 40 lakhs of rupees as payment for restoring the emperor. They demanded the cession of Meerut and its neighboring districts. They also sought the right to appoint all imperial officials below the rank of Wazir and to receive half of those officials' nuar. Saif-ud-din Muhammad Khan accepted these conditions on the emperor's behalf and forwarded them for ratification. Even as the formal agreement awaited final approval, the Maratha campaign against the Rohillas had not yet played out.
In 1772, Shinde and Holkar assembled a force of around 50,000 soldiers and marched into Rohilla territory. Their objective was to punish the Rohillas for their alliance with the Afghans at Panipat. The force slaughtered thousands of Rohillas. Soldiers desecrated the grave of Rohilla chieftain Najib ad-Dawla. The army captured Najibabad. Across the surrounding country, settlements were burned. The Rohillas who could offer no resistance fled to the Terai region. Amroha, the one city spared in the campaign, stood as evidence that the Maratha commanders drew deliberate limits on destruction.
Common questions
Who led the Maratha forces during the Capture of Delhi in 1771?
Mahadaji Shinde led the Maratha cavalry force that captured Delhi on the 10th of February 1771. He guided a column of 3,000 horses into the city, ending Rohilla control of the Mughal capital.
Which Mughal emperor was restored to the throne after the Capture of Delhi in 1771?
Shah Alam II was restored to the throne of Delhi following the Maratha capture of the city in 1771. The Marathas presented nazar to the emperor and formally professed their allegiance after entering the city.
What terms did the Marathas demand after the Capture of Delhi in 1771?
The Maratha chiefs demanded 40 lakhs of rupees, the cession of Meerut and neighboring districts, and the right to appoint all imperial officials below the rank of Wazir. They also required half of those officials' nuar. Saif-ud-din Muhammad Khan accepted these terms on the emperor's behalf and forwarded them for ratification.
Who was Zabita Khan and what was his role in the Capture of Delhi in 1771?
Zabita Khan was the Rohilla commander placed in charge of Delhi by the Afghans. He refused to pay nazar to the Maratha representative Visaji Krishna and was expelled from the Maratha camp. His soldiers inside the fort also refused to surrender, forcing the Marathas to breach the ramparts.
What happened to the Rohillas after the Capture of Delhi in 1771?
In 1772, Shinde and Holkar led a Maratha army of around 50,000 soldiers into Rohilla territory to punish them for their alliance with the Afghans at Panipat. The campaign slaughtered thousands, desecrated the grave of chieftain Najib ad-Dawla, and captured Najibabad. The surviving Rohillas fled to the Terai region.
Why did the Maratha Empire capture Delhi in 1771?
The Marathas captured Delhi to reverse the Rohilla dominance that followed their defeat at the Third Battle of Panipat. The Peshwa's new instructions ended a passive policy toward the Rohillas, and Mahadji Shinde's campaigns across the north had re-established Maratha authority in the region.
All sources
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