Ajay Kumar at 18:56, 23 July 2023

2023-07-23T18:56:26Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2019}}
{{Short description|18th-century battle between Jodhpur/Marwar and Jaipur}}
The '''Battle of Gangwana''' was a military engagement fought between the [[Jodhpur State|Kingdom of Marwar]] and a combined army of the [[Jaipur State|Jaipur Kingdom]] and the [[Mughal Empire]] in 1741.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_DLQeSBLpUwsC|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_DLQeSBLpUwsC/page/n161 154]|quote=Battle of Gangwana 1741.|title=Rajasthan Through the Ages|date=2008-01-01|publisher=Sarup & Sons|isbn=9788176258418|language=en}}</ref> The battle resulted in a peace treaty favorable to Marwar and ended a period of Jaipur domination in what is now present day [[Rajasthan]].<ref name=":4" />

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Battle of Gangwana
| date = 11 June 1741
| place = Gangwana near [[Kishangarh ]]
| partof = [[Mughal Empire#Decline (1707–1857)|the decline of the Mughal Empire]]
| result = Jaipur victory
| combatant1 = [[File:Drapeau Jaipur.png|25px]] [[Jaipur State|Kingdom of Jaipur]] '''Reinforced By''' [[File:Alam of the Mughal Empire.svg|25px]] [[Mughal Empire]] [[File:Flag of Bharatpur1.png|25px]] [[Bharatpur State|Kingdom of Bharatpur]] [[File:Flag of Bundi.svg|25px]] [[Bundi State|Kingdom of Bundi]] [[File:Kota Garuda Flag.jpg|25px]] [[Kota State|Kingdom of Kota]] [[File:Flag of Karauli.png|25px]] [[Karauli State|Kingdom of Karauli]] [[File:Flag of Shahpura.svg|25px]] [[Shahpura State|Kingdom of Shahpura]]
| combatant2 = [[File:Flag of Jodhpur.svg|25px]] [[Jodhpur State|Rathores]] of [[Bakht Singh of Marwar|Bakht Singh]]
| commander1 = [[Jai Singh II|Jai Singh Kachwaha]] [[Badan Singh|Badan Singh Sinsinwar]] Gopal Singh Jadon Ummaid Singh Sisodia{{KIA}} Durjansal singh Hada Dalel Singh Hada Bhairo Singh Chauhan{{KIA}} 3 Mughal generals
| commander2 = [[Bakht Singh of Marwar|Bakht Singh Rathore]]{{WIA}}
| strength1 = 40,000-100,000 men hundreds of cannons and rocket artillery<ref name=HJ200>A History of Jaipur: c. 1503-1938 by Jadunath Sarkar, p. 200.</ref><ref name=FM>[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.43007/page/n199 Fall Of The Mughal Empire] - Vol. I (4th ed.), volume 1, pp. 175-176.</ref>
| strength2 = 1,000 horsemen<ref name=HJ200/><ref name=FM/>
| casualties1 = 24,000 killed and wounded (likely exaggeration)<ref name=FM/><ref name=HJ200/>
| casualties2 = 930 killed 70 wounded<ref name=FM/><ref name=HJ200/>
}}

== Background ==
Following a century of expansion, in the early 1700s the Mughal Empire entered a period of decline. [[Nader Shah's invasion of the Mughal Empire]] and the subsequent sack of [[Delhi]] in 1739 greatly reduced the prestige of the Mughal Emperor [[Muhammad Shah]]. Ongoing conflicts with the [[Maratha Empire]] to the south further sapped the ability of the Empire to govern itself. This military and political weakness resulted in more authority being given to the [[Raja]]s, whom had previously been considered Mughal vassals. Infighting and open warfare between smaller kingdoms soon erupted within the Mughal territories.<ref>Gupta, Bakshi pp. 152</ref>

One of the now empowered rajas was [[Jai Singh II|Jai Singh Kachwaha II]] of Jaipur.Starting in 1721 Jai embarked on a campaign of political and military conquest in northern [[India]]. Using his reformed army and political will, he annexed or vassalized many smaller Rajas. In 1727 he founded the [[Jaipur|Kingdom of Jaipur]] and soon after adopted a policy of intervention towards the domestic affairs of other Rajas.<ref name=":0">Gupta, Bakshi pp. 152-154</ref>

In the early 1700s two brothers of the [[Rathore|Rathor Clan]], [[Abhai Singh of Marwar|Abhai Singh]] and [[Bhakt Singh (Raja)|Bakht Singh]], dominated Marwar.<ref name=":0" /> The two brothers emerged victorious from a civil war in 1726 following their [[Patricide|murder]] of their father, during which conflict they had employed [[Maratha]] soldiers against their opponents. These actions estranged them from the Mughal government, which was at the time embroiled in a conflict with the [[Marathas]]. Bakht Singh, the lord of [[Nagaur]], decided in 1739 to force concessions from [[Bikaner]], and called for his brother, then Raja of Marwar and [[Jodhpur]], to assist him.<ref name=":0" /> The Raja of Bikaner appealed to Jai Singh for assistance after the Marwar army besieged his capital. Jai Singh sent a letter to Abhai requesting leniency for Bikaner, a request Abhai sharply refuted. Jaipur then threatened to invade Marwar unless hostilities were ended. Jai Singh also bribed Bakht Singh to sign a [[separate peace]] with Jaipur, turning him against his brother. Jai Singh then stationed his army close to Jodhpur and threatened to burn it to the ground unless the siege was lifted. Abhai was forced to relent, and signed a treaty according to which.:<ref name=":0" />

# The state of Marwar would pay 1,00,000 Rupees in gold, 25,000 in Jewels and give 3 Elephants as Nazarana (Submission) to the Mughal Emperor.
# Marwar would pay 20,00,000 Rupees to Jai Singh as war reparations.
# The payment would be done in 4 days. Five barons and Raghunath Bhandari were to remain hostages for it.
#[[Merta City|Merta]] will be handed over to Bhakt Singh.
# Marwar would not obstruct Jai Singh in his possessions of the Ajmer subah.
# No prince or baron of Marwar would be allowed to seek private audience with the Mughal emperor without Jai Singh's permission.
# Marwar cannot keep foreign relations with the [[Marathas]] without the mediation of the Jaipur Raja.
# Abhai Singh's Councillors must be men selected by the Jaipur court.

The peace treaty angered many of the Rathors, with the Rathor nobility claiming, "Our noses have been cut off by the Kachhawas."<ref name=":0" />

In 1741, Abhai Singh began to gather his forces at Jodhpur in preparation for a [[Revanchism|war of revenge]] against Jaipur. Jai Singh detected these movements and marshaled his army, allies, vassals, and every nearby Mughal garrison to invade Marwar. As the Jaipur army advanced, Bakht Singh arrived at [[Merta City|Merta]], the forward camp for the Rathor and Marwar army. He entered the Raja's [[Durbar (court)|durbar]], where he was chastised by his fellow Rathors for betraying them. Bhakt accepted his wrongdoing, and promised to lead his personal cavalry contingent against the oncoming Jaipur.<ref name=":0" /> As described in ''A Comprehensive History of India (1712-1772)'',

<blockquote> "Bhakt singh now found that his selfish plot had kindled a national warfare which threatened the honour of his clan. So he temporarily set aside his personal ambition and saved the honour of the Rathors by conspicuous gallantry."<ref>A comprehensive history of India 1712-1772, page 309</ref></blockquote>

== Battle ==
Jai Singh and the Jaipur army made camp at Kunchgaon, 11 miles east of [[Pushkar Lake]]. Jai positioned a long line of guns in the direction of the Marwar to defend the encampment. The combined army totaled 40000-100000 men from Jaipur and the various states allied with Jai Singh. Bakht's army consisted of 1000 [[Rathor]] horsemen under his personal command. Bakht Singh at first waited for reinforcements. As, however, no reinforcements arrived, Bakht Singh became determined to attack Jai Singh with his small force.<ref>Ajmer historical and descriptive by har bilas sarda pg 188</ref><ref name=":1">Gupta, Bakshi pp. 154</ref>

Bakht Singh and his men charged the [[Jaipur]] defenses and quickly punched through Jai Singh's gun line. The Rathors rode through the Jaipur army, cutting down thousands of men. The cavalry penetration was so deep that the Rathors burst through the rear of the Jaipur army and began to raid the baggage train. Tents and supplies were burned, and Bakht seized [[Sitaramji]], Jai Singh's personal family idol. The [[Rathors]] galloped from one end to the other causing havoc in the large masses of confused men and horses, the [[Jaipur]] army fled in panic, and within 4 hours the Rathors held the field. Sir Jadunath Sarkar quotes that - "the battle front was like tigers upon a flock of sheep".<ref name=":1" /> By this point Bakht's force had been severely depleted, with only 70 horsemen still left alive.<ref name=":1" /> Bakht himself was wounded by both a bullet and an arrow.<ref name=":2">Gupta, Bakshi pp. 154-155</ref> The Mughal contingent of Jai's battered army began firing rockets onto the battlefield, since Bhakt Singh could not see any enemies on the field and the direction of the artillery was covered by smoke and dust, he signalled a retreat, forcing the withdraw of the remaining Rathors.<ref name=":2" />

Jai Singh's army lost several thousands of its soldiers in the battle.<ref name=HJ200/> Historian Jadunath Sarkar states that according to ''Chahar Gulzar-i-Shujai'' of Harcharan Das, who was an eye-witness to the battle, exaggerated the casualties with 12,000 of Jai Singh's men killed and another 12,000 wounded.<ref name=FM/>

The [[Mughal Emperor]] had sent 10,000 men with three of his generals to help Jai Singh in keeping the [[Marathas]] in check, however the battle caused great panic amongst the Mughal troops leading to a mass desertion. After the battle the Mughal generals were left with just a hundred men.<ref name=FM/>

Narendra Singh in his book "Thirty decisive battles of Jaipur" has given a fantasized account of the battle. According to him, Bhakt Singh after losing most of his men started shouting for a duel with Jai Singh II, this enraged the nobles of Jaipur who insulted Bakht Singh and told him to leave the battle in an honourable manner, the Raja of Shahpura upon seeing Bhakt Singh bleeding profusely, accepted the duel on behalf of the Jaipur Raja and was defeated by Bhakt. Bhakt Singh finally gave up after seeing that Jai Singh II would not come out of his defensive position and retreated with his men.<ref>Thirty decisive battles of Jaipur pg.105 & 106</ref>

== Aftermath ==
The Jaipur army held the field after the battle at Gangwana, but had been severely demoralized by the attack. "Even Jaipur bards, could not refrain from awarding the meed of valour to their foes".<ref>Comprehensive History of India: 1712-1772 pg.309</ref> Jai Singh had no choice but to retreat. One month later (8 July) both sides exchanged captured war loot with each other.<ref name=":3">Gupta, Bakshi pp.155</ref> The Maharana of [[Udaipur State|Udaipur]] mediated a peace between [[Marwar]] and [[Jaipur]] later that year.<ref name=":3" /> Gangwana was the last battle fought by Jai Singh, as he could never recover from the shock he received from the outcome of the war and died two years later.<ref>Vir Vinod & Rajasthan Through the Ages By R.K. Gupta, S.R. Bakshi pg.156</ref>

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book | author=[[Sir Jadunath Sarkar]] | title=Fall of the Mughal Empire: 1789–1803 | publisher= Orient Longman | year=1992 | isbn=0-86131-749-1}}
* {{cite book | author=[[Sir Jadunath Sarkar]] | title=A History of Jaipur 1503–1938 | publisher= Orient Longman | year=1994 | isbn=81-250-0333-9}}
* R.K Gupta, S.R Bakshi (2008). ''Rajasthan Through the Ages, Vol 4, Jaipur Rulers and Administration.'' Sarup & Sons. {{ISBN|9788176258418}}.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{coord missing|Rajasthan}}

[[Category:Battles involving the Indian kingdoms|Gangwana]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1741|Gangwana]]
[[Category:1741 in India]]
[[Category:History of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Rajputs|Gangwana]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Mughal Empire|Gangwana]]

Battle of Gangwana - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 18:56, 23 July 2023