Maratha's empire rose to prominence after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707. This was followed by a 50-year period of rapid Maratha Empire expansion into North India under the great Peshwa Baji Rao I. While the Marathas had sometimes raided Gujarat since 1705 and Malwa since 1699, these invasions didn't start to become frequent or well-planned until 1720. Initially Chauth was taken from these provinces, later on, they were merged. In this article, we will discuss the Maratha Advance into Gujarat and Malwa which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Maratha Advance into Gujarat and Malwa - Background

• Maratha's demanded acknowledgement of their claims to Gujarat and Malwa.
• During his return to Delhi in 1719, Balaji Vishwanath received the command to gain the chauth of these two provinces as well.
• To establish their stronghold, Marathas’ attacks into the two regions became more frequent.
• The Marathas pressed for the reinstatement of their claims to Gujarat and Malwa.
• However, despite the financial and geopolitical significance of the provinces, neither Nizam nor the Mughals was eager to make such a commitment to the Marathas.

Phases of Maratha’s Empire Conquest

• The Maratha Empire conquered Gujarat and Malwa in three phases.
• The first phase was to establish the Maratha claims of chauth and sardeshmukhi.
• In the second phase, the Maratha sardars later split the provinces into zones of power, and this claim was replaced with a call for the cession of land.
• In the last phase, annexation of provinces whether Gujarat or Malwa in its entirety.

Advance into Gujarat

First Phase of Gujarat Conquest

• The Maratha claim to the chauth and sardeshmukhi of the subah was accepted by Sarbuland Khan, the Imperial administrator of Gujarat, in May 1726.
• Baji Rao was too obsessed with Malwa and later the Deccan.
• In the meantime, 28 districts in Gujarat's south came under the jurisdiction of the Maratha sardars.
• In 1730, Baji Rao made a comeback in Gujarati politics.
• The governor of Gujarat at that time promised to give Baji Rao a fixed sum of 13 lakhs in place of chauth in 1731, provided that Baji Rao drove out Gaekwar.

Second Phase of Gujarat Conquest

• By 1732, the Marathas had successfully acquired control of the districts from which they could effectively enforce their claims apart from obtaining chauth and sardeshmukhi rights in Gujarat.
• Governor of Gujarat called Gaekwar was determined to drive the Marathas out by force, but he didn't really benefit much from this.
• The Marathas united to exact revenge on the passing of one of their prominent sardars by Gujarat forces.
• Gujarat forces quickly came to the conclusion that they couldn't control the situation and left for Marwar.

Third Phase of Gujarat Conquest

• The subsequent action by Marathas was the annexation of the province's land. To make it official, all that was needed was a written grant from the Emperor.
• The Mughals appointed Fakr-ud-Daulah, as governor in 1749 in a final effort to retake Gujarat.
• But, the final remnants of Mughal rule in Gujarat disappeared with the fall of Ahmedabad in 1753.

Advance into Malwa

First Phase of Malwa Conquest

• The first organised attempt to uphold the claim for chauth from Malwa was made in 1723 under the direction of Baji Rao.
• In June 1725, Girdhar Bahadur was appointed as Malwa's Mughal subahdar.
• He was a courageous and unyielding man who resisted the Marathas' demands.
• Shahu had asked him not to disturb the chauth collecting, but he disregarded his demands.

Second Phase of Malwa Conquest

• Girdhar Bahadur and his cousin Daya Ram vigorously pursued the Maratha sardars throughout the province with an army.
• It began a war that lasted till the battle of Amjhara in November 1728.
• In the battle, Girdhar Bahadur and Daya Ram were killed.
• After that, Baji Rao invaded Bundelkhand, besieging M. Khan Bangash at Jaitpur.
• Baji Rao had compelled him to give up all of the territories he had conquered in Bundelkhand.
• M. Khan Bangash agreed to exchange chauth in return for his gratitude.
• Three years later, Baji Rao partitioned the province among his sardars into areas of control.

Third Phase of Malwa Conquest

• In 1734-35, two strong armies under the command of Wazir Qamar-ud-Din and Bakhshi-ul-Mamalik Khan-i-Dauran were ready to push the Marathas across the Narmada.
• With this, the Mughal’s efforts achieved their zenith.
• At Khan-i-Dauran, every Rajput Raja was there, including Jai Singh, Abhai Singh, and Durjan Sal of Kotah.
• Their eyes had been opened by Holkar's incursion into Rajputana the previous year, and in 1734, at Jai Singh's request, the Rajas convened a meeting and vowed to battle the Marathas collectively.
• Khan-i-Dauran possessed a force of 50,000 men, while the wazir had a force of 25,000 men.
• However, this powerful force was once more impotent in the face of the Maratha light cavalry.
• Khan-i-Dauran and Jai Singh were encircled and cut off at Toda Tank and mighty Marathas defeated whole of the regional forces.

Conclusion

Between 1720 and 1761, the Maratha empire grew exponentially. The Mughal Empire's power was steadily eroded by Marathas. By the 1720s, Gujarat and Malwa had been taken from the Mughals. The Maratha king was acknowledged as the supreme ruler of the whole Deccan peninsula by the 1730s. Following a raid on Delhi in 1737, the Maratha Empire's borders quickly grew to include Rajasthan, Punjab etc. These were forced to pay tribute as a manner of acknowledging Maratha rule even though they were not legally a part of the Maratha kingdom.

FAQs

Question. Who were the Marathas?

Question. What was the significance of Gujarat and Malwa for the Marathas?

Question. Which Maratha leader played a pivotal role in the conquest of Malwa?

Question. How did the Marathas influence the administration in Gujarat and Malwa?

Question. What challenges did the Marathas face in Gujarat and Malwa?

MCQs

1. Who was the Maratha leader responsible for the expansion into Gujarat?

A) Shivaji

B) Bajirao I

C) Sambhaji

D) Shahu

2. What were the chauth and sardeshmukhi introduced by the Marathas?

A) Religious ceremonies

B) Revenue taxes

C) Military titles

D) Administrative reforms

3. Which battle marked a significant Maratha victory in Malwa?

A) Battle of Panipat

B) Battle of Delhi

C) Battle of Bhopal

D) Battle of Plassey

4. What was the economic impact of Maratha rule in Malwa?

A) Decline in trade routes

B) Introduction of new trade practices

C) Collapse of agriculture

D) Industrial development

5. What triggered the Maratha conquest of Gujarat?

A) Strategic alliance with the Mughals

B) Decline of Mughal power

C) Discovery of resources

D) British encouragement

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Analyze the factors that contributed to the Maratha expansion into Gujarat and Malwa.

Answer:

• Decline of Mughal power created a power vacuum in these regions.
• Strategic location of Gujarat and Malwa for trade and commerce.
• Leadership of Bajirao I, focusing on aggressive territorial expansion.
• Introduction of chauth and sardeshmukhi for economic control.
• Military efficiency and regional alliances facilitated rapid conquests.

Q2: Discuss the administrative and economic impact of Maratha rule in Gujarat and Malwa.

Answer:

• Revenue reforms like chauth increased Maratha revenue collection.
• Focus on agriculture and trade boosted regional economies.
• Reorganization of military and governance structures ensured control.
• Influence of Maratha culture and policies reshaped administrative practices.

Q3: Evaluate the challenges faced by the Marathas in maintaining control over Gujarat and Malwa.

Answer:

• Resistance from local rulers and former Mughal officials.
• Internal conflicts within the Maratha administration.
• Growing competition from the British and other European powers.
• Geographic and logistical difficulties in managing distant territories.

Previous Year Questions on Maratha Advance into Gujarat and Malwa

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2020

Question: Which of the following regions were part of the Maratha Empire during its peak?

• Gujarat
• Malwa
• Bengal

A) 1 and 2 only

B) 2 and 3 only

C) 1, 2, and 3

D) 1 only

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2018

Question: Evaluate the role of Bajirao I in the Maratha expansion into northern and western India.

Answer:

• Military strategy: Bajirao I’s aggressive campaigns enabled swift conquests in Gujarat and Malwa.
• Revenue system: Implementation of chauth and sardeshmukhi consolidated Maratha finances.
• Diplomacy: Formed alliances with regional powers to weaken Mughal influence.
• Impact: Established a strong Maratha presence in key regions, laying the foundation for future expansion.