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| Mahadji Shinde | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meherban ShrimantSardarShindeBahadur Naib Vakil-i-Mutlaq Amir-ul-Umara[1] Maharajah of Gwalior Hisam-us-Saltanat (Sword of The State)[2] | |||||
 Mahadaji Shinde byJames Wales,c. 1792 | |||||
| 6thMaharaja ofGwalior | |||||
| Reign | 18 January 1768 – 12 February 1794 | ||||
| Coronation | 18 January 1768 | ||||
| Predecessor | Manaji Rao Shinde | ||||
| Successor | Daulat Rao Shinde | ||||
| Term | 1784–12 February 1794 | ||||
| Born | 23 December 1730 Ujjain,Gwalior State,Maratha India (modern-dayMadhya Pradesh,India) | ||||
| Died | 12 February 1794(1794-02-12) (aged 63) Shinde Chhatri,Pune,Maratha India (modern-dayMaharashtra,India) | ||||
| Spouse |
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| Issue | Bala Bai Chimna Bai | ||||
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| House | Shinde | ||||
| Father | Ranoji Rao Shinde | ||||
| Mother | Chima Bai | ||||
| Religion | Hinduism | ||||
| Military career | |||||
| Branch |  Maratha Army Gwalior | ||||
| Rank | Sar-i-Naubat /Senapati Sarnobat Shiledar | ||||
| Unit | MarathaInfantry MarathaCavalry MarathaArtillery Pindaris (irregular) | ||||
| Conflicts | See list
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| Signature |  | ||||
Mahadaji Shinde (23 December 1730 – 13 February 1794), later known asMahadji Scindia orMadhava Rao Scindia,[3] was a statesman and general ofMaratha Empire who served as theMaharaja of Gwalior from 1768 to 1794. He was the fifth and the youngest son ofRanoji Rao Scindia, the founder of theScindia dynasty. He is reputed for having restored the Maratha rule over North India and for modernizing his army.[4]
Mahadji was instrumental in resurrecting Maratha power in North India after theThird Battle of Panipat in 1761, and he rose to become a trusted lieutenant of thePeshwa, leader of theMaratha Confederacy. Along withMadhavrao I andNana Fadnavis, he was one of the three pillars of Maratha Resurrection. He modernized his army under adventurers likeBenoît de Boigne, which allowed Maratha dominance of North India. During his reign, Gwalior became the leading state in theMaratha Confederacy and one of the foremost military powers in India. After accompanyingShah Alam II toDelhi in 1771, he restored theMughal Empire in Delhi and became theNaib Vakil-i-Mutlaq (Deputy Regent of the Empire).[5]
Mahadji Shinde fought about 50 battles in his lifetime against various opponents. He defeated theJats of Mathura and during 1772–73PathanRohillas inRohilkhand and capturedNajibabad. His role during theFirst Anglo-Maratha War was greatest from the Maratha side since he defeated the British in theBattle of Wadgaon which resulted in the Treaty of Wadgaon[6] and then again in Central India, singlehandedly, which resulted in theTreaty of Salbai in 1782, where he mediated between thePeshwa and theBritish. Mahadaji Shinde was also a scholar of Sanskrit.[7]
Shah Alam II spent six years in the Allahabad fort and after thecapture of Delhi in 1771 by the Marathas, left for his capital under their protection.[8] He was escorted to Delhi by Mahadaji Shinde and left Allahabad in May 1771. During their short stay, Marathas constructed two temples in the Allahabad city, one of them being the famousAlopi Devi Mandir. After reaching Delhi in January 1772 and realizing the Maratha intent of territorial encroachment, Shah Alam ordered his generalNajaf Khan to drive them out. In retaliation,Tukoji Rao Holkar andVisaji Krushna Biniwale attacked Delhi and defeated Mughal forces in 1772.
The Marathas were granted an imperialsanad for Kora and Allahabad. They turned their attention to Oudh to gain these two territories. Shuja was however, unwilling to give them up and made appeals to the English and the Marathas did not fare well at the Battle of Ramghat.[9] The Maratha and British armies fought in Ram Ghat, but the sudden demise of the Peshwa and the civil war inPune to choose the next Peshwa forced the Marathas to retreat.[10]
Mahadji Sindhia was deputed theVakil-i-Mutlaq (Regent of the empire) of Mughal affairs in 1784.[11][12]
R.S. Chaurasia says in regards to Mahadaji Shinde's relationship with Shah Alam II that thoughShah Alam II was in name the sovereign of India in practice he was a puppet overseen by Mahadaji Shinde. William Dalyrmple states that Sindhia had kept the imperial family starved and quotes a couplet of Shah alam II to Sindhia which states: "Having lost my kingdom and wealth, I am now in your hands, do as you wish"[13][14]
The Marathas invadedRohilkhand to retaliate against the Rohillas' participation in thePanipat war. The Marathas under the leadership of Mahadji Shinde entered theland ofSardar Najib-ud-Daula which was held by his sonZabita Khan after the sardar's death. Zabita Khan initially resisted the attack with Sayyid Khan and Saadat Khan behaving with gallantry, but was eventually defeated with the death of Saadat Khan by the Marathas and was forced to flee to the camp ofShuja-ud-Daula and his country was ravaged by Marathas.[15]
Mahadji Shinde captured the family of Zabita Khan, desecrated the grave ofNajib ad-Dawlah and looted his fort.[16] With the fleeing of the Rohillas, the rest of the country was burnt, with the exception of the city of Amroha, which was defended by some thousands ofAmrohi Sayyid tribes.[17]
The Rohillas who could offer no resistance fled to the Terai whence the remaining SardarHafiz Rahmat Khan Barech sought assistance in an agreement formed with the Nawab ofOudh, Shuja-ud-Daula, by which the Rohillas agreed to pay four million rupees in return for military help against the Marathas.
Hafiz Rehmat, abhoring unnecessary violence unlike the outlook of his fellow Rohillas such as Ali Muhammad and Najib Khan, prided himself on his role as a political mediator and sought the alliance with Awadh to keep the Marathas out of Rohilkhand. He bound himself to pay on behalf of the Rohillas. However, after he refused to pay,Oudhattacked the Rohillas.[18][19]
After the defeats of the able British generals, Goddard and Murre inKonkan andCentral India, respectively,Warren Hastings was forced to accept a fresh treaty, known as theTreaty of Salbai, recognizing the terms of the Marathas, which were to recognizeSawai Madhavrao as the Peshwa and grantRaghunathrao a pension.[20]
The treaty also forced the British to evacuate and return to Shinde all his territories west of theGanges. A resident, Mr. David Anderson (1750-1825), of St. Germains[21] (who had negotiated the treaty) was at the same time appointed to Mahadji's court.
Relations with Sikhs
The Maratha-Sikh treaty in 1785 made the small Cis-Sutlej states, autonomous protectorate of theScindia Dynasty and established Maratha influence once again in the Punjab region.[22] All Sikh Sardars and Rajas paid tribute toMahadji as he was deputed theVakil-i-Mutlaq (Regent of the empire) of Mughal affairs in 1784.[23][24]
Relations with Durrani Empire
Mahadaji Shinde's achievements impressedTimur Shah Durrani, ruler of Afghanistan. He sent peace proposals to Mahadaji Shinde offering the Marathas dominion up toLahore and the Shah should have control beyond that territory. Both parties agreed to support one another during times of crisis, with the Afghan ruler committing to provide Sindia with 10,000 cavalry if needed. Although these assurances yielded no successful results, they underscored how Sindia’s steadfast courage and unyielding resolve had made the Marathas a powerful and respected force in North India Writes a contemporary: “Such moves are new and are the result of increased prestige of thePeshwa ”.[25]
Revolt of Mughals under Ismail Beg
In 1788,Isma'il Beg, aPersian who served as a general in the Mughal army along with a few hundred Mughal-Rohilla troops led a large-scale revolt against theMarathas, who dominated North India at the time. The reason for this revolt is unknown but most suspect that he was trying to resurrect theIslamic glory inNorth India and depose theHindu Marathas. However, the revolt was immediately crushed and Isma'il Beg was defeated and executed by the Scindian armies.
Defeat and execution of Ghulam Qadir
Thereafter, a Rohilla warlord namedGhulam Qadir, descendant of the infamously treacherousNajib-ud-Daualh and an ally of Isma'il Beg, captured Delhi, capital of the Mughals and deposed and blinded the Mughal emperorShah Alam II, placinga puppet on the imperial throne. He unleashed untold atrocities on the royal family and common populace, slaughtering thousands and looting about 22 Crores. However on 2 October 1788, Mahadji Scindia, upon hearing this news, quickly re-assembled his army and captured Delhi, torturing and eventually killing Ghulam Qadir and restoring Shah Alam II to the throne.[26][27][28]
Subjugation of Rajputana
In 1787, Mahadji attempted to invadeRajputana but he was repulsed by theRajput armies atLalsot. However, he regrouped his forces and in 1790, he avenged his defeat by crushing the Rajput kingdoms ofJodhpur andJaipur in the battles of Patan and Merta, thereby reducing all major Rajput states to tributary status of the Marathas.[29]
Other achievements
He worked with the English during the revolt of 1781 and played an important role in capturing Maharaja Chait Singh of Benares and crushing the revolt[30] Another achievement of Mahadji was his victory over theNizam of Hyderabad.[citation needed] After making peace withTipu Sultan of Mysore in 1792, Mahadji is said to have exerted his influence to prevent the completion of an alliance between the British, the Nizam of Hyderabad, and the Peshwa against Tipu.[citation needed]
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Mahadji Shinde had a total of nine wives including:
After the Battle of Lakheri, Mahadji was now at the zenith of his power, when he died, at his military camp at Wanawdi near Pune on 12 February 1794. He left no male heir, and was succeeded byDaulat Rao Scindia.
Keeney, the English biographer of Mahadaji Shinde, has described Mahadaji asthe greatest man in India in the 18th century.[31] Mahadaji Shinde's role was instrumental in establishing Maratha supremacy overNorth India.
Shinde Chhatri, located in Wanawadi, inPune is a memorial dedicated to Mahadji Shinde. It is a hall that marks the spot of Mahadji Shinde's cremation on 12 February 1794. The three storied memorial in Rajput architectural style, is one of the most significant landmarks in the city.
..... a formidable confederacy was formed by Maratha diplomats during the first Maratha war.........the Peshwa was madeVakil-i-mutlak and Mahadaji Scindhia deputyVakil-i-mutlak and the real control of Delhi passed into the hands of Mahadaji Scindhia
By Mahadji Shinde's treaty of 1785 with the Sikhs, Maratha influence had been established over the divided Cis-Sutlej states. But at the end of the second Maratha war in 1806 that influence had been pass over to the British.
Mahadaji Shinde | ||
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| Preceded by | Maharaja of Gwalior 1768–1794 | Succeeded by |
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