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Maratha-Sikh Clashes
Date 1771–1798 Location India
Belligerents
Maratha Confederacy	Sikh Confederacy Patiala state
Commanders and leaders
Mahadaji Shinde Rane Khan Bapu Malhar Dhar Rao Devi datta Lakshmi rao Shah Alam II	Sahib Singh of Patiala Bibi Sahib Kaur Raja Bhag Singh Gudrat Singh Tara Singh Ghaiba Sahib Singh Bhanga Singh of Thanesar
Strength
12,000	7,000- 9,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

The Maratha-Sikh clashes of 1771–1798 were a series of intermittent conflicts between the Maratha Empire and the Sikh Confederacy, primarily in Northern India. These confrontations were concentrated in the Cis-Sutlej territories and the Upper Gangetic Doab. Hostilities were largely initiated by the Sikhs, who sought to raid the Upper Doab and Delhi for plunder. Opposing them were the Marathas, who not only aimed to consolidate their northern dominions after their recovery from the defeat at Panipat in 1761 and to protect their Mughal puppet Emperor Shah Alam II from the sikh raids but also extend their influence up to Satluj.

Background

The conflict unfolded against the backdrop of the 18th century, a time when the Indian subcontinent was marked by a mosaic of regional powers vying for supremacy. In this era, the Marathas and Sikhs emerged as formidable players, each with a distinct martial tradition and territorial ambitions. The conflict witnessed repeated incursions and counterattacks as Sikhs and Marathas sought to assert their dominance over strategic regions. Sikh forces, under various leaders, were known to launch raids into Maratha territories, targeting military camps and supply lines. These incursions, marked by cavalry charges and guerrilla tactics, often caught the Maratha forces off guard. The Marathas, in response, mounted defenses against these Sikh offensives. They fortified their camps, employed advanced artillery, and devised strategies to counter the Sikh cavalry. The clash of these two states played out across diverse landscapes, from the fertile plains to the rugged terrains of the subcontinent. However, the narrative of these clashes was far from one-sided. While the Sikhs were initially successful in their attacks, the Marathas turned the tide in several engagements. Despite facing losses in the initial stages, the Marathas adapted their strategies, learning from each encounter and improving their strategies.

List of major battles

The table below lists some of the major military conflicts of Marathas and Sikhs.

References

Citations

1. Gupta 1944, p. 17.
2. Rathod 1994, p. 8.
3. Ray 207, p. 379. sfn error: no target: CITEREFRay207 (help)
4. Singh 1992, p. 18.
5. ^ Gupta 1944, p. 179.
6. Banerjee 2002, p. 59.
7. Gupta 1944, p. 201.
8. ^ Singh 1967, p. 341.
9. Gupta 1944, p. 178.
10. Gupta 1944, p. 245.
11. Gupta 1944, p. 247.
12. Gandhi 1999, p. 505.
13. Gupta 1979, p. 320.
14. ^ Gupta 1952, p. 260.
15. Gupta 1939, p. 262.
16. Gupta 1939, p. 273.

Works cited

• Gupta, Hari Ram (1944). History of the Sikhs Vol. II. Lahore: Minerva Book Shop.
• Rathod, N. G. (1994). The Great Maratha Mahadaji Scindia. Maharashtra (India): Sarup & Sons.
• Ray, Jayanta Kumar (2007). Aspects of India's International Relations, 1700 to 2000: South Asia and the World. Pearson Education India. ISBN 9788131708347.

• Gupta, Hari Ram (1952). History of the Sikhs: From Nadir Shah's Invasion to the Rise of Ranjit Singh, 1739–1799, Volume II. Minerva Book Shop.
• Gupta, Hari Ram (1979). History of the Sikhs: Sikh Domination of the Mughal Empire, 1764–1803. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers.
• Gupta, Hari Ram (1939). History of the Sikhs: Cis-Sutlej Sikhs, 1769–1799. S. N. Sarkar.
• Singh, Harban (1992). The Encyclopedia of Sikhism - Volume IV (S-Z). Patiala: Punjabi University.
• Banerjee, Himadri (2002). The Khalsa and the Punjab: Studies in Sikh History to the Nineteenth Century. Tulika. ISBN 9788185229720.
• Singh, Ganda (1967). The Punjab Past and Present - Volume 01 Part 2. Punjab University.
• Gandhi, Surjit Singh (1999). Sikhs of the Eighteenth Century. Singh Bros. ISBN 9788172052171.
• "History of the Sikh Misals". Discover Sikhism.

• 1780s in India
• Battles involving the Maratha Confederacy
• Battles involving the Sikh Confederacy
• 1790s in India