Battle of Palkhed 1728 - History, Major Events, Outcomes & More

The battle of Palkhed took place on February 28, 1728. The pitting the Maratha Army under the leadership of Peshwa Balaji Rao I against the forces of Hyderabad led by Nizam Asaf Jah I. This significant clash concluded with a resounding triumph for the Maratha Forces, securing a decisive victory. During this period, the Marathas emerged as a significant power in the Indian subcontinent, while the Mughal Empire experienced an irreversible decline. Where he outmaneuvered and defeated Nizam near the village of Palkhed, close to Nasik. This victory led to the signing of the Mungi Shevgaon treaty on March 6, 1728. The treaty marked Nizam's acknowledgment of Maratha authority, abandonment of support for Sambhaji II, and recognition of the Marathas' right to collect Chauth (tax). 

The battle of Palkhed is one of the most important topics for the UPSC IAS Examination. It covers a significant part of the Medieval History subject in the Mains General Studies Paper-1 syllabus and General Studies Paper-1 of the UPSC Prelims Syllabus.

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Here through this article, we will take a comprehensive view of the Battle of Palkhed, considering its relevance to the UPSC IAS Exam.

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Battle of Palkhed 1728: Historical Background

The Battle of Palkhed was a turning point in the Maratha-Nizam conflict. The Nizam supported Sambhaji II, a rival claimant to the Maratha throne. This enraged Shahu and the Marathas.

The Nizam stopped paying Chauth and Sardeshmukhi taxes that the Marathas had been collecting. Maratha Peshwa Bajirao I complained to the Delhi government. The Delhi government ordered the Nizam to pay taxes and stop supporting Sambhaji II. The Nizam refused and attacked the Mughals instead. The Marathas made many chiefs in Karnataka surrender. Bajirao, I asked Shahu to break off negotiations with the Nizam. Shahu agreed, and the Marathas and Nizam went to war. The Marathas won the Battle of Palkhed in 1728. The Nizam was forced to recognize Maratha's sovereignty over the Deccan. The Battle of Palkhed was a major turning point in the history of the Maratha Empire. It marked the beginning of the decline of the Nizam's power.

Factors that contributed to the Battle of Palkhed

The important factors which were behind the Battle of Palkhed are given below:

• The primary reason why the Nizam-ul-Mulk discontinued the payment of Chauth and Sardeshmukhi was unclear, though between Shahu and Shambhaji, who were the real claimants of Chauth and Sardeshmukhi. Also, there needed to be more time as the Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao and his Armies were in Karnataka (south of Maharashtra).
• Existence of enmity between the courts of Maratha chieftain Shahu of Satara and Shambhaji of Kolhapur. The advantage of this enmity went to Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I, who formed an alliance with Sambhaji against Shahu and Baji Rao.
• The tension between Peshwa Baji Rao I and his representative Sripat Rao. The latter preferred maintaining good relations with the Nizam Asaf Jah I, while Baji Rao advocated an expansionist policy.
• The final turning point came when the Nizam rejected the treaty between Raja Shahu and the Mughal emperor, “With this, he dismissed all the officers of Shahu and asked him to present his claims for his arbitration.” After this, the Nizam also indicated to Shahu that he should sack Peshwa Baji Rao from his post.

Major Events During Battle Of Palkhed

• The Nizam crossed the Godavari river, but his forces took a long time due to the large baggage train. 
• The Nizam's vanguard camped near the town of Palkhed, unaware that the Maratha Peshwa, Baji Rao, was already positioned nearby.
• The Peshwa anticipated that the Nizam would cross the Godavari near Palkhed, so he surrounded Nizam's camp in a horse-shoe formation. 
• Maratha skirmishers emerged from hiding and harassed the Nizam's vanguard, then retreated to their main formation.
• Realizing that he had walked into a trap, the Nizam made a desperate charge against the surrounding Maratha army. However, this only made his forces vulnerable to cavalry attacks from all sides.
• A contingent of Maratha forces moved behind Nizam's lines and cut him off from his remaining guns, and the rear guard was still trying to cross the river. 
• The Nizam realized that he was truly cut off and the situation was hopeless, so he was forced to open negotiations with the Maratha commander.

The Outcomes

• The Marathas defeated the Nizam, forcing him to admit responsibility for the war. He agreed to make certain concessions on the peace treaty, which was signed on March 6, 1728, at the village of Mungi-Paithan, Near Aurangabad, Maharashtra; the treaty was named Munji Shivagaon in the Maratha history. Some important clauses are discussed below as follows:
• Chhatrapati Shahu was considered the only Maratha ruler within the Maratha empire by the Nizam of Hyderabad (Asaf Jah I).
• Marathas were given the right to collect previous grants of the whole Deccan like Sardeshmukhi and Swarajya should be accepted without any administrative upkeep or effort in return.
• The balanced revenue was to be paid to Chhatrapati Shahu, and those revenue collectors, who were driven out, would be reappointed.
• All diplomatic and administrative measures for the government of the six Mughal Subahs should be executed through Marathas. He was not allowed to collect Chauth from districts north of River Krishna.
• The Nizam should give up the annexed Marathas regions, and the Maratha prisoners of war must be released.
• According to the treaty, The Nizam should withdraw the responsibility of protecting Chhatrapati Sambhaji II and accept to send him to Panhala, near Kolhapur district, Maharashtra.
• It is still a matter of debate as to why the Marathas left Nizam alive when he was at their full mercy. Had the Nizam been annihilated in Palkhed, Hyderabad would hardly have been born as a nascent state but had also created a huge power vacuum, perhaps the most important reason why the Marathas were still administering a vast area like the entire Deccan. 

Withdrawal by Sambhaji II

The Nizam-ul-Mulk received news that Baji Rao was moving towards Aurangabad. He was confident of crushing Baji Rao and his army. However, the Raja of Kolhapur, Sambhaji II, refused to join him in this campaign. This left the Nizam outnumbered and outgunned. He was eventually cornered in a waterless tract near Palkhed. He was forced to send a message to Baji Rao, asking for permission to move his army to the vicinity of the river. Baji Rao agreed, and the Nizam was able to escape. The Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar appointed the Nizam-ul-Mulk as the Subedar of Deccan.

Some other important facts about Peshwa Bajirao

• Eminent historian Sir Jadunath Sarkar has described the glorious history of Peshwa Bajirao, describing him as a ‘heaven-born cavalry heroic commander.’
• Even British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, who led Britain to victory during World War II, writes of the Battle of Palkhed, “The Marathas were at their best in the eighteenth century and the Palkhed campaign of 1727–28”.
• Bajirao was only a Maratha Peshwa and had to keep in mind the wishes of Shahu, who always preferred a diplomatic approach whenever possible.
• Bajirao played an important role in expanding Maratha's power by strategically curbing the dynamics of Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah, who went beyond the ordinary.

Conclusion

The Battle of Palkhed is considered one of the most important battles in the entire history of the Marathas. This battle sealed Maratha supremacy of the whole Deccan areas. The Nizam of Hyderabad was brought to continue to pay tribute to the Marathas until his death, and the Marathas freed up its armies to be launched Northwards under Bajirao; he had overrun Gujarat, Malwa, and Bundelkhand completely and were thundering at the gates of the Mughal empire as they emerged superior.

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