Siege of Trichinopoly (1743)

Coordinates: 10°48′18″N 78°41′08″E / 10.80500°N 78.68556°E / 10.80500; 78.68556
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This article is about the siege of Trichinopoly in 1743. For the siege in 1741, see
Siege of Trichinopoly (1751–52)
.

Siege of Trichinopoly (1743)
Trichinopoly, modern-day Tamil Nadu, India
10°48′18″N 78°41′08″E / 10.80500°N 78.68556°E / 10.80500; 78.68556
Result

Nizam victory

Nizam
army captures Trichinopoly.
Belligerents Maratha Empire Nizam of HyderabadCommanders and leaders Murari Rao
Nizam I
Strength 2,000 Sowars
4,000 sepoy 80,000 Sowars
200,000 sepoy
150 war elephants
200 artillery piecesCasualties and losses unknown unknown

The Siege of Trichinopoly (14 March 1743 – 29 August 1743) was part of an extended series of conflicts between the

Arcot State, and monitored the activities of the British East India company and French East India Company
by limiting their access to ports and trading.

Background

In 1714, the

Emperor Farrukhsiyar appointed Nizam-ul-Mulk (also known as Nizam, Nizam I, and Asaf Jah I) as Viceroy of the Deccan. Deccan consisted of six Mughal governorates (Subah): Khandesh, Bijapur, Berar, Aurangabad, Hyderabad, Bidar; the Carnatic region was a sub-Subah administered partly by the governors of Bijapur and Hyderabad. In 1721, the Nizam was commissioned to Delhi and became the Prime Minister of the Mughal Empire. His differences with the court nobles led him to resign from all the imperial responsibilities in 1723 and leave for Deccan.[1]: 143 [2]
: 95 

Tiruchirapalli Rock Fort (pictured 1860) was occupied by Nizam during the siege of Trichinopoly.[3]

Under the influence of the Nizam's opponents, Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah issued a decree to Mubariz Khan, the governor of Hyderabad, to prevent the Nizam from taking the Deccan province under his control. Nizam and Mubariz Khan confronted each other at Shaker Kheda (a valley in present-day Buldhana district, Berar Subah, 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Aurangabad), resulting in the Battle of Shakar Kheda. On 11 October 1724, the Nizam defeated and killed Mubariz Khan, establishing autonomous rule over the Deccan region. The Nizam remained loyal to the Mughal Emperor, did not assume any imperial title, and continued to acknowledge Mughal suzerainty.[1]: 93–94  The region was renamed Hyderabad Deccan, beginning what is known as the Asaf Jahi dynasty. The Nizam retained the title of "Nizam ul-Mulk", and was referred to as "Asaf Jahi Nizam", or more commonly, the Nizam of Hyderabad.[4]: 241–260 [5][6] He acquired de facto control over the Deccan and thus all six Mughal governorates became his feudatory.[7]: 98 [8]: 298–310 

In the 1720s, the Carnatic region of

diwan, to the province and to claim that it owed tribute payments (chauth). Chanda Sahib inveigled into the court of Rani Minakshi, abused her trust to the fortress, and threw her into prison where she died of grief. In 1739, Dost Ali rewarded Chanda Sahib with the title Nawab of Trichinopoly.[7]: 98–100 [9]
: 276–278 

This decisive act and the refusal of tributary payment by Dost Ali Khan enraged the Marathas. They took advantage of the absence of the Nizam in Deccan due to his engagement in resolving disputes in North India. In 1740,

Arcot, Dost Ali was killed. His son and successor Safdar Ali Khan negotiated and agreed to make tribute payments to the Marathas. But Chanda Sahib, confident of his defense, refused to negotiate with Raghoji I Bhonsle, pay tribute, or surrender control of Trichinopoly. In Raghoji I Bhonsle's 1741 siege of Trichinopoly, Chanda Sahib initially resisted the siege. The Marathas bribed an officer who betrayed Chanda Sahib and left a free opening to the Maratha army through an important mountain post. The Marathas occupied Trichinopoly and took Chanda Sahib as prisoner to Satara. Murari Rao Ghorpade was installed as the Maratha governor of Trichinopoly in 1741.[7]: 98–100 [9]: 276–278 [10]: 150:151 [11]
: 41–42 

Prelude

A distant view of city
Siege of Tiruchirappalli (Trichinopoly) during the Carnatic wars of 1751

In 1741, the Nizam had just returned from

Madras, to be recognized as the Nawab of the Carnatic.[12]
: 2–5 

In 1742, the Nizam, who was busy with the affairs in Delhi, returned to the Deccan. After the

rupees in exchange for Trichinopoly. The Nizam accepted the offer and assured Dalavayi that Trichinopoly will be brought under his control. In February 1743, the Nizam marched towards the Carnatic region from Hyderabad.[13]: 81 [14]: 74–75 [15]
: 222–230 

Siege

A distant view of gateway of Tiruchirappalli fort
Gateway of Tiruchirappalli Fort barricaded by city police to avoid traffic congestion

After deposing Muhammed Saadatullah Khan II in Arcot, the Nizam marched towards Trichinopoly. On 14 March 1743, Nizam arrived at Trichinopoly with a large army of 200,000

defensive walls,[20]: 196–198  to which initially Murari Rao strongly retaliated by constantly firing cannonballs, bullets and grenades from the turrets and bastions of the fort, which kept the Nizam's forces at a distance and protected the defensive walls from attack and wall scaling.[17]: 94–95  Nizam intended to win the siege through attrition, keeping his numerically superior army and artillery on hold, diplomatically avoiding any aggressive action and conflicts with Murari Rao's army.[21]
: 50 

Murari Rao could not expect any help from his Maratha superiors, as

Maratha Emperor Shahu I was actively engaged in the expeditions to expand Maratha supremacy over the Mughal-held Delhi, Bengal and Odisha.[13]: 81  Meanwhile, internal conflicts erupted between the Maratha general Raghoji I Bhonsle and Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao, which later caused the Maratha empire to disintegrate.[22] Murari Rao surrendered to the Nizam and came to an agreement whereby the Nizam offered him governance of the hill-fort of Penukonda, the adjacent areas, and 200,000 rupees. The six-month siege ended on 29 August 1743. The surrender of Trichinopoly along with the Madurai territory (administered by the Maratha Lieutenant officer Appaji Rao, captured in 1741) brought an end to the Maratha suzerainty of the Carnatic region, which they lost direct rule over; the Nizam regained the authority over the Deccan region.[13]: 81 [14]: 74–75 [16]: 69–73 [23]: 1034 [24]: 87 [25]
: 62–63 

As per the agreement of Trichinopoly, if

Golconda.[26]
: 267 

Aftermath

The killing of Anwaruddin Khan at the Battle of Ambur in 1749 by French sharpshooters mounted on elephants – depiction by Paul Philippoteaux

When the Nizam took control of Trichinopoly in September 1743,

Muhammed Ali Khan Wallajah were dethroned by Chanda Sahib and sought refuge in Trichinopoly where he set up his base.[16]: 115 [29]: 126–127 [30]
: 222 

From 1744 to 1746, two expeditions were sent by Maratha Emperor Shahu I to expand the Maratha supremacy over the Carnatic region. Babuji Naik of

Balaji Bajirao, sent a military expedition to Carnatic led by Sadashivrao Bhau. The Maratha army overran the region and brought it under their control. Nizam's army, under the rule of Nasir Jung, tried to obstruct the Marathas, but were repulsed by Sadashivrao Bhau. Maratha influence in the Carnatic subsequently waned, opening the way for the French and British East India Companies to split the region between themselves.[1]
: 143 

The subsequent

Nathar Vali, who is thought to have lived there in the 12th century.[32]: 233 [33]
: 137 

See also

  • Anglo-Maratha Wars
  • Carnatic Wars
  • Nizams of Hyderabad

References

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  3. ^ a b Nathanael, M. P. (6 August 2016). "Treasures of Trichy". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
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  6. ^ Rao, Sushil (11 December 2009). "Testing time again for the pearl of Deccan". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
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  17. ^ a b c "The Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society (Bangalore)". 89. University of Michigan. 1998. Retrieved 20 September 2020. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  18. ^ Alalasundaram, R. (1998). "The Colonial World of Ananda Ranga Pillai, 1736-1761: A Classified Compendium of His Diary". University of Michigan. Retrieved 20 September 2020. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  19. ^ Beveridge, Henry (2008). A Comprehensive History of India, Civil, Military, and Social, from the First Landing of the English to the Suppression of the Sepoy Revolt:Including an Outline of the Early History of Hindoostan. Vol. 2. Harvard University. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  20. ^ Rao, V. N. Hari (1961). Kōil Ol̤ugu: The Chronicle of the Srirangam Temple with Historical Note. Vol. 2. Rochouse. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  21. ^ The Muslim Review. Vol. 1–2. University of Minnesota. 1926. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  22. ^ Kalarani, B S (2018). "A history of the travancore thirunelveli relation of the 18th century" (PDF). Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (Department of History). Retrieved 17 September 2020. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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  25. ^ Baskaran, N. (2012). Expansion of British Power in Tamil Country 1751 1801 (Thesis). Vol. 2. Presidency College, Chennai, University of Madras. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
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