The Marathas and Bundelkhand

Bundelkhand is the region between present day Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The region was initially controlled by the Chandela Rajputs till the advent of Mughal rule after which they remained as nominal chiefs of the area. In the 16th century, Rudra Pratap Singh founded the city of Orchha and became the first Raja of Bundelkhand. Sher Shah Suri tried to take the kingdom but died while besieging the fort of Kalinjar. Later, during the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar, Bundelkhand was added to the Mughal dominions with the Bundelas serving as generals in the Mughal army.

A Map showing Bundelkhand

Champat Rai Bundela was a Mansabdar with a command of 12000 men in the service of Mughals. An incident occurred which insulted his pride and he declared independence from the Mughal rule. The Mughals reacted to this with a strong force and in desperation, Champat Rai agreed to surrender and left the fort after the enemy commander guaranteed his safety. But as soon as they entered the nearby forests, Mughal assasins fell on his entourage and Champat Rai and his wife died in the ambush. Their son, Chhatrasal, was taken by Mirza Raje Jai Singh, a prominent Rajput Sardar in the Mughal court. Raja Jai Singh trained Chhatrasal in the methods of warfare and inducted him in his army. 

Raja Chhatrasal

In 1665, Mirza Raje Jai Singh was commanded to lead a campaign in the Deccan against Shivaji Raje Bhosale, a newly rising  Maratha chieftain (who would later go on to become the Chhatrapati). Chhatrasal accompanied the army as a low ranking captain. He was already tired of serving the same Mughals who had killed his parents. When he heard of Shivaji Maharaj's war against the Mughals, he was inspired by the Maratha chief. One day, he secretly left his camp with his Rani and some loyal followers and met Shivaji Maharaj in secret. The guerilla tactics of Shivaji Maharaj impressed him and he decided to start the Bundela war of independence with the blessings of Shivaji Maharaj. 

"पिता हमारे सुबा दोडे I तुर्कन पर अजमेय खांडे I 

तिन चम्पती के नंद हम, ससि नववाई काहि I
हम भूले सियो वृथा, हितु जानी कै वाहि I
एड एक शिवराज निबाही I करे अपने चित कि चाही I
आठ पातशाही झुक झोरे, सुबनी बांधी डआंड ले छओरे I

ऐसे गुण सिवराज के I बसे चित में आई I
मिलिवोई मन में धन्यो I मनसी मत जो बनाई I"

This poem was composed by Raja Chhatrasal himself and it means that "

My father (Champat Rai) ravaged the province and rose against the Turks (Mughals). But his three sons have not been able to live up to his ideals. Only Shivaji has been able to follow what is correct and do what his heart says. Eight rulers have been defeated by him. I am much inspired by these deeds of Shivaji. Hence I want to meet Shivaji and obey whatever is asked of him.”

The meeting of Chhatrasal and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

In 1671, Chhatrasal rose in open revolt with just 5 horsemen and 25 infantrymen as his army. In the first ten years, he gained support from many other like minded Bundelas and captured large tracts of land, including Panna, Chitrakoot and Chhatarpur. He defeated many prominent commanders of the Mughals including Rohilla Khan, Bahlol Khan, Sadruddin and Sheikh Anwar. Aurangzeb did not pay much attention to the Bundelas as his mind was already preoccupied with the Maratha Samrajya which was then led by Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje Bhosale, the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Aurangzeb was busy with the war with Marathas and died in 1707 in the Deccan. The later Mughals were not as strong as their predecessors and were controlled by the Sayyed Brothers (known as the kingmakers). 

Muhammad Khan Bangash

In 1727, the Mughal Emperor, Muhammad Shah, ordered Muhammad Khan Bangash to eliminate the Bundela threat. Bangash sent two armies, one under his son, Pir Khan and the other one, under General Dalel Khan. Both were defeated and killed by the Bundelas. Enraged by these defeats, Muhammad Khan Bangash led his main army and attacked Bundelkhand. Raja Chhatrasal was 79 years old at that time but still entered the battlefield and led his army. Eventually, the heavy artillery and greater numbers of Bangash had a devastating effect and the Bundelas retreated to Jaitpur. Moreover, Bangash had support from the Vizier Khan Dauran in Delhi. Seeing no alternative, Raja Chhatrasal surrendered in December, 1728. Bangash accepted that and kept the Raja and his family as his prisoner. At that time, Raja Chhatrasal received information that the Maratha Peshwa, Bajirao Ballal Bhat was in the vicinity of Nagpur. He sent a message to the Peshwa in the form of a small couplet.

"जो गती ग्राह गजेंद्र कि, सो गति भई हैं आज

बाजी जात बुंदेलकि, राखो बाजी लाज।"

(My condition is similar to the elephant trapped by the crocodile. The honour and pride of Bundelkhand is losing. It's upto you, Bajirao to save it's honour)

On receiving this message, Bajirao mobilized his armies as soon as he could and marched towards Bundelkhand with all haste. There was no thought of any jagir, tributes or any benefits to the Maratha side. The only thing that made Bajirao rush to the defence of Bundelkhand was the thought of helping another Hindu king who was a disciple of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and was fighting the Mughals. The Maratha army numbered 25000 and included prominent generals like Tukoji Pawar, Pilaji Jadhavrao, Malharrao Holkar, Ranoji Shinde and Naro Shankar. At the same time around 4 March, 1729, Maharaja Chhatrasal managed to convince Bangash to allow the Bundela chiefs to meet together for the celebration of Holi near Jaitpur. By then Bajirao Peshwa had already started recapturing all the Bundela forts from the Mughals. On 10 March, 1729, Bajirao Peshwa met with Jagatraj Bundela (son of Raja Chhatrasal). On hearing about the Pehswa's arrival, the Bundelas rallied to the Maratha Banner and the army swelled to around 70000 soldiers. The Maratha cavalry first ambushed the Mughal Camp near Mahoba and destroyed the supplies of Bangash. Bangash retreated to Jaitpur fort and shut himself in. When Bajirao got the news that Kaim Khan, the son of Bangash was approaching with his army to save his father, he decided to stop him beforehand. At Supe, the army of Kaim Khan was surrounded and annihilated. 

Bangash was in severe problem now. His supplies were over and his troops were demoralized. The Maratha general, Pilaji Jadhavrao was in charge of the siege and he was doing a great job at it. The Marathas sold flour mixed with sand to the Mughals at high prices which added to the Mughal troubles. Unable to take this any longer and with no signs of any help coming from Delhi, Bangash surrendered to the Maratha army in May, 1729 and promised never to return to Bundelkhand again. 

The Marathas benefitted the most from this campaign. Maharaja Chhatrasal gave one third of his kingdom to Bajirao including the cities of Jhansi, Banda, Kalpi and Nagar. Some diamond mines in Panna were also gifted to the Marathas. The Marathas became a dominant power in Central India. Maharaja Chhatrasal also gave his daughter - Mastani's hand to Bajirao in marriage. Bajirao and Mastani would have a son in the future, Samsher Bahadur who would participate in many important battles in the future including the Third Battle of Panipat. The Marathas rule in Bundelkhand would later give rise to many prominent figures like Govind pant Bundele, Nawab Ali Bahadur, Naro Shankar Motiwale and the greatest of them all - Maharani Lakshmibai of Jhansi.