JestineLegg9 at 19:42, 2 December 2025

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{{Short description|Siege-ending incident in 1761}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| image = Agra 03-2016 10 Agra Fort.jpg
| caption = Present-day view of [[Agra Fort]]
| partof = Mughal-Jat Wars
| conflict = Capture of Agra Fort
| date = 3 May 1761–{{start date and age|df=yes|12 June 1761}}
| place = [[Agra]], [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| result = Jat/Bharatpur victory
| combatant1 = [[File:Flag of Bharatpur1.png|20px]] [[Kingdom of Bharatpur]]
| combatant2 = [[File:Flag of the Mughal Empire.png|20px]] [[Mughal Empire]]
| commander1 = [[File:Flag of Bharatpur1.png|20px]] [[Suraj Mal|Maharaja Suraj Mal]]
| commander2 = [[File:Flag of the Mughal Empire.png|20px]] Mirza Fazilka Khan<br />[[Faujdar|Mughal Faujdar]] of [[Agra Subah|Agra]]
| territory = Agra Fort occupied by [[Kingdom of Bharatpur]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Taj Mahal: Moon Still Shines : an Environmental Mess|last=Maheshwari|first=Anil|publisher=Ajanta Publications|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0HzbAAAAMAAJ&q=Jats+agra+fort|year=1996}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Bhatia|first=O. P. Singh|title=History of India, from 1707 to 1856 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=smdXAAAAMAAJ&q=suraj+Mal+capture+agra|year=1968|publisher=Surjeet Book Depot|pages=536}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Sarkar|first= Sir Jadunath|title=Fall of the Mughal Empire: 1754–1771. (Panipat) 2d ed., rev. 1950|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sgfVAAAAMAAJ&q=Jats+Agra|publisher=M.C. Sarkar|year=1950}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|contribution=University of Kerala. Dept. of History, University of Allahabad. Dept. of Modern Indian History, University of Kerala, University of Travancore|title=Journal of Indian History, Volumes 48–49|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cWtDAAAAYAAJ&q=Surajmal+captured+Agra+Fort|location=University of Kerala|year=1970}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Edwardes|first=Michael|publisher=Secker & Warburg|year=1970|title=King of the World: the Life and Times of Shah Alam: Emperor of Hindustan|isbn=9780436140914|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=65ABAAAAMAAJ&q=capturing+Agra}}</ref>|
}}

The '''Capture of Agra Fort''' ended a month-long siege by [[Jats|Jat]] ruler [[Maharaja Suraj Mal]] on 12 June 1761, marking the annexation of Agra into [[Bharatpur State|Bharatpur]]. After a one-month siege of Agra, the [[Army of the Mughal Empire|Mughal army]], led by Mirza Fazilka Khan, surrendered to the [[Jats|Jat]] army.<ref name=":0">{{cite book|last=Sarkar|first=Sir Jadunath|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sgfVAAAAMAAJ&q=Jats+Agra|title=Fall of the Mughal Empire: 1754–1771. (Panipat) 2d ed., rev. 1950|publisher=M.C. Sarkar|year=1950|pages=143–144}}</ref> The Jats seized the old capital of the [[Mughal Empire]]. It remained in possession of [[Bharatpur State|Bharatpur]] rulers until 1774.<ref name="Bhanu">{{Cite book|last=Bhanu|first=Dharma|title=The Province of Agra: Its History and Administration|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CctFMm9HSH8C&dq=jat+rule+over+agra&pg=PA9|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|year=1979|page=9}}</ref>

==Background==
Under [[Suraj Mal]], Jats began to expand the boundaries of their kingdom. They expanded their territory to eastern [[Rajasthan]], western [[Uttar Pradesh]], southern [[Haryana]], and [[Delhi]]. The Jat ruler of Bharatpur Suraj Mal maintained control over the [[Braj]] region. He believed [[Agra]] had to be merged with his territory to dominate.<ref name=":0" />

==Battle==
[[Suraj Mal]]'s army of four thousand [[Jats|Jat]] soldiers advanced towards [[Agra]]. After a month's siege, on 12 June 1761, Suraj Mal offered peace terms and promised the [[Kiladar|Qiledar]], Fazilka Khan, one [[lakh]] [[Rupee|rupees]] and five villages. Following the negotiation, [[Agra]] was annexed by the Jats.

== Jat Rule Over Agra ==
Following their victory, the Jats melted the two [[silver]] doors of the famous Mughal monument [[Taj Mahal]]. These silver doors were never replaced. The Jats also looted the Taj Mahal's chandeliers, carpets, jewels, and other valuables, and transported them to their capital in [[Deeg]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Gaur |first=Albertin |date=June 1991 |title=George Michell: The Penguin guide to the monuments of India, I: Buddhist, Jain, Hindu. 519 pp. New York and London: Viking, 1989. £30. - Philip Da Vies: The Penguin guide to the monuments of India, II: Islamic, Rajput, European. 604 pp. New York and London: Viking, 1989. £30. |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0041977x00015184 |journal=Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies |volume=54 |issue=2 |pages=396–397 |doi=10.1017/s0041977x00015184 |issn=0041-977X |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Tadgell |first=Christopher |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/749500267 |title=The history of architecture in India : from the dawn of civilization to the end of the Raj |date=2002 |publisher=Phaidon Press |isbn=0-7148-2960-9 |oclc=749500267}}</ref> Agra remained under the control of Bharatpur rulers until 1774.<ref name="Bhanu" /> After the Jats captured Agra, the Taj Mahal had been severely damaged, as the mausoleum had been stuffed with straw and set on fire.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-08-30 |title=The lampless Taj |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/the-lampless-taj/article7594211.ece |access-date=2025-12-02 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
After capturing Agra Fort, Suraj Mal became more powerful and influential. He now became the ruler of the area of [[Yamuna]]. For the Jats, the capture of Agra was an emotional moment, as in 1688, just a short distance away from the gate of this fort, [[Gokula]], a Jat rebel, was executed by Mughal Emperor [[Aurangzeb]]. The Jats ruled Agra for 13 years from 1761 to 1774. On 18 February 1774, the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] Commander [[Mirza Najaf Khan]] re-captured Agra.<ref name="Bhanu" />

== See also ==
*[[Battle of Delhi (1764)]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

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== External links ==
*[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Suraj-Mal Suraj Mal] at ''[[Britannica]]''

[[Category:Conflicts in 1761|Agra 1761]]
[[Category:1761 in India]]
[[Category:Military history of Agra]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Jats]]

Capture of Agra - Revision history

JestineLegg9 at 19:42, 2 December 2025