# Maratha Campaigns in Gujarat

Maratha campaigns of Gujarat was a series of raids and military invasions conducted by the Marathas between the later-half 17th century and 1750s in Gujarat. The Marathas succeeded to conquer most parts of the Gujarat Subah under the Mughal Empire.

## Raids by Shivaji

After the failure of Shaista Khan's campaign against the Marathas, Shivaji suffering from a poor financial condition, decided to sack Surat. In 1664, Shivaji defeated the Mughal army unit led by Inayat Khan posted in Surat and ransacked the whole city and the wealthy port for three days. Inayat Khan retreated from Surat and 500 Mughal soldiers were taken as captives by Shivaji. He also demanded an annual tributary payment, Chauth from Surat under the Mughal governorship in Gujarat.
Shivaji invaded and plundered Surat for second time in 1670, destroyed half of the city.

## Expansion into Southern Gujarat

Dhanaji Jadhav accompanied by Dado Malhar and Rambhaji Nimbalkar marched towards the Southern Gujarat in 1705 taking an army consisting of nearly 15,000-40,000 men, launched a fresh campaign there. He defeated the Mughal soldiers led by Nawab Nazar Ali Khan in the Battle of Ratanpur (1706) and extended the empire upto Bharuch, after sacking the city. Abdul Hamid Khan himself raised an army in haste to proceed help Nazar Ali but the Marathas frightened all the Mughal troops. They sacked the large and rich trading centre of Baroda in March 1706. The Mughal Nawab of Baroda, Nazar Ali Khan surrendered to the Marathas, by whom he was well treated. He was captured by the Marathas along with Safdar Khan Babi, they both paid a ransom of eight lakhs rupees to the Marathas. Dhanaji returned to Deccan after imposing Chauth tribute on them.

## Campaign by the Dabhades

The Dabhade Maratha clan had broke out several raids and attacks in the Mughal province of Gujarat (then, known as Gujarat Subah). 10th Sar-Senapati (Commander-in-Chief) of the Maratha Empire, Khanderao Dabhade and Parsoji Bhonsle are considered as the founders of the Maratha power in Gujarat. In 1707, Khanderao Dabhade advanced towards southern Gujarat, threatened Ahmedabad and was bought off with a large amount of tribute (Chauth). Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath appointed Khanderao Dabhade to regularly collect Chauth and Sardeshmukhi tributes from Gujarat governors serving the Mughal Empire. Peshwa Balaji Viswanath himself raided Gujarat after the death of Aurangzeb, and levied a tribute of Rs. 2,10,000. The Mughal Governor of Godhara fled for safety without any resistance.
Later, many conflicts took place in Gujarat by the Marathas. The Gaekwads were originally military aides of the Dabhades, Pilaji Rao Gaekwad invaded and defeated the imperial Mughal troops in Gujarat and established himself in Songadh in 1723. And from that day, he began to levy tribute (Chauth) regularly from the governor of Surat. He again defeated the Mughal forces in 1724 sent by Momin Khan, the governor of Surat. the son of Pilaji, Damaji Rao Gaekwad also accompanied Khanderao Dabhade in his Gujarat campaign. Rustam no Saloko mentions an important battle between Hamid Khan with his Maratha allies against imperial Mughal deputies Shuja'at Khan, Ibrahim Quli and Rustam Ali. Rustam Ali himself tried to offer against the Marathas, decided to fight with Pilaji Gaekwad. A fierce battle took place at Bhadra fort, known as the Battle of Bhadra fort between the Maratha allies (Kunthaji and Pilaji Rao Gaekwad) along with Hamid Khan and the three brothers serving in the Mughal Empire. Rustam Ali was beheaded in the battle by the Marathas and they emerged victorious in the battle fought in 1723.

## Dabhade–Peshwa succession war in Gujarat

Peshwa Bajirao I after achieving victory over the Nizam and Mughals of Delhi, turned his attention on the wealthy province of Gujarat which was under the domain of the Dabhade clan under the leadership of Trimbak Rao Dabhade, the son of Khanderao Dabhade. Bajirao demanded the right to collect Sardeshmukhi and Chauth from Gujarat, but Trimbak Rao refused the Peshwa for it. Then Peshwa Bajirao sent his general and brother, Chimaji Appa to Gujarat in 1730 and ordered him to force the Mughal Governor, Sarbuland Khan to cede to Chhatrapati Shahu I right to collect the Chauth and Sardeshmukhi tribute from that province. Chimaji imposed and claimed half of revenue of the province from Sarbuland Khan.
The political dispute in Gujarat led the rivalry between the Peshwa and Trimbak Rao. This resulted as the Battle of Dabhoi where Trimbak Rao Dabhade was killed in action by a muskeet shot. But Dabhades were still permitted to collect Chauth from Gujarati provinces by sharing half-revenue with the Chhatrapati.

## Later campaign

Peshwa Raghunathrao and Damaji Gaekwad with his Gaekwad Maratha forces captured and the city of Ahmedabad in the year 1753. He made an alliance with Gaekwads of Baroda. The Peshwa and the Gaekwad held half share of the revenue from the city till its capture by the British in 1817.

## List of major military events in timeline

Here is the list of major battles and conflicts conducted by Marathas in Gujarat:
| Name of conflict/battle | Maratha commanders | Mughal commanders | Outcome |
| Sack of Surat (1664) | Shivaji | Inayat Khan | Maratha victory Shivaji sacked Surat and its port for three days. |
| Sack of Surat (1670) | Shivaji | Unknown | Maratha victory Shivaji plundered and destroyed half of the city. |
| Maratha campaign of Gujarat (1705-06) | Dhanaji Jadhav Dado Malhar Rambhaji Nimbalkar | Nazar Ali Khan Abdul Hamid Khan | Maratha victory Dhanaji extended the empire upto Bharuch and captured the imperial Mughal faujdar, Nazar Ali Khan. |
| Battle of Ratanpur (1706) | Dhanaji Jadhav | Nazal Ali Khan | Maratha victory Mughals suffers a defeat with the hands of Marathas in Ratanpur, Gujarat. |
| Sack of Baroda (1706) | Dhanaji Jadhav | Nazar Ali Khan | Maratha victory Dhanaji Jadhav sacked Baroda and ceded it to the Maratha Empire. |
| Maratha invasion of Ahmedabad (1707) | Khanderao Dabhade | Unknown | Maratha victory Khanderao Dabhade started levying a huge amount of Chauth. |
| Balaji Vishwanath's raid of Gujarat (1707-08) | Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath | Ibrahim Khan (Possibly) | Maratha victory The Peshwa returned to Deccan collecting the tribute of Rs. 2,10,000. |
| Maratha incursions of Gujarat (1721-1724) | Pilaji Rao Gaekwad | Momin Khan | Maratha victory The Marathas levied Chauth on Surat. |
| Maratha invasion of Surat (1723) | Pilaji Rao Gaekwad | Momin Khan | Maratha victory Pilaji Rao Gaekwad started to levy tribute from the Governor of Surat. |
| Maratha invasion of Dahod (1723) | Kanthaji Kadam Bande | Unknown | Maratha victory The Marathas starts collecting Chauth regularly from Gujarat. |
| Battle of Songadh (1724) | Pilaji Rao Gaekwad | Momin Khan | Maratha victory Pilaji again defeated the forces of the governor of Surat, Momin Khan. |
| Battle of Bhadra fort | Pilaji Rao Gaekwad Kanthaji Hamid Khan | Shuja'at Khan Ibrahim Quli Rustam Ali | Maratha victory Rustam Ali was beheaded or killed in action by the Marathas Hamid Khan and his allied Marathas emerged victorious in the battle |
| Battle of Dabhoi | Peshwa Bajirao I Chimaji Appa Ranoji Shinde | Trimbak Rao Dabhade Pilaji Rao Gaekwad | Bajirao I's victory Peshwa Bajirao I established his domain in Gujarat. |
| Capture of Ahmedabad | Peshwa Raghunathrao Damaji Rao Gaekwad | Jawan Mard Khan | Maratha victory Ahmedabad captured by the Marathas |