Battle of Palkhed

Battle of Palkhed
Part of Maratha-Nizam War
Date 28 February 1728 Location Palkhed, Vaijapur, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India 20°11′12.7″N 73°51′50.3″E / 20.186861°N 73.863972°E / 20.186861; 73.863972 Result Maratha Empire victory
Belligerents
Maratha Empire	Mughal Empire Nizam of Hyderabad
Commanders and leaders
Ranoji Shinde Malhar Rao Holkar	Asaf Jah I Aiwaz Khan Altaz Khan
class=notpageimage| Palkhed battlefield location

The Battle of Palkhed was fought on 28 February 1728 at the village of Palkhed, near the city of

Baji Rao and the Maratha armies were called back from the south, from the Karnataka campaign. In May 1727, Baji Rao then asked Shahu to break off negotiations with Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah I (Nizam-ul-Mulk had called for arbitration over the payment of the Chauth and sardeshmukhi) and started mobilizing an army. With the monsoons over and the land ready for this campaign, Baji Rao moved towards Aurangabad.^[3]

After a fight with Iwaz Khan, the General of Nizam-ul-Mulk, in the vicinity of Jalna (the Marathas had by this point gained notoriety for their tactic of not confronting the enemy), Baji Rao walked away from the battlefield in the direction of Burhanpur.^[4]

When Baji Rao left North Khandesh and headed west to Gujarat, Nizam-ul-Mulk's army pursued him. The Nizam-ul-Mulk, however, threw up the chase and headed south towards Pune. It is known that the Nizam brought massive army and enough supplies to last the entire campaign with him. However, the Maratha armies were quite small and obtained supplies by pillaging and raiding outposts while travelling.^[5]

Sambhaji II's withdrawal

In

The Nizam of Hyderabad was defeated by the Marathas, and Peshwa Baji Rao I made him sign a peace treaty on 6 March 1728 at the village of Mungi-Paithan.

By the treaty of Munji Shivagaon, the Nizam agreed to make certain concessions to the Peshwa.

1. Chhatrapati Shahu was recognised as the sole Maratha ruler.
2. Marathas were given the right to collect Chauth and Sardeshmukhi of Deccan.
3. Those revenue collectors driven out would be reappointed.
4. The balance revenue was to be paid to Chhatrapati Shahu.^[7]

Montgomery's conclusion

British field marshal Bernard Montgomery studied Baji Rao's tactics in the Palkhed campaign, particularly his rapid movements and his troops' ability to live off the land (with little concern about supply and communication lines) while conducting "maneuver warfare" against the enemy. In his book, A Concise History of Warfare, Montgomery wrote the following about Baji Rao's victory at Palkhed:

They (Marathas) were at their best in the eighteenth century, and the Palkhed campaign of 1727–28 in which Baji Rao I outgeneralled Nizam-ul-Mulk, is a masterpiece of strategic mobility. Baji Rao's army was a purely mounted force, armed only with sabre, lance, a bow in some units and a round shield. There was a spare horse for every two men. The Marathas moved unencumbered by artillery, baggage, or even handguns and defensive armour. They supplied themselves by looting.^[8]

Montgomery further wrote,

Baji Rao resented the Nizam's rule over the Deccan and it was he who struck the first blow. In October 1727, as soon as rainy season ended, Baji Rao burst into the territories of Nizam. The lightly equipped Marathas moved with great rapidity, avoiding the main towns and fortresses, living off the country, burning and plundering. They met one reverse at the hands of Nizam's able lieutenant, Iwaz Khan, at the beginning of November 1727, but within a month they had fully recovered and were off again, dashing east, north, west, with sudden changes in direction. The Nizam had mobilised his forces, and for a time pursued them, but he was bewildered by the swift unpredictable movements of Marathas, and his men became exhausted.^[8]

References