2017-04-14 Fri

War is a conflict between two powerful Empires or administrative bodies which are embellishing on pages of human history. It is hard to say which side is victorious in these kinds of conflicts because heavy casualties are faced by both parties. The result of these disagreements is always a ‘Treaty' and the second Anglo-Maratha war was no different.

So let's see the aspect of this war from the Battle of Assaye which was fought between East India Company and the Maratha Empire. Marathas according to British were a formidable Hindu Confederacy of warriors who dominated central India. The opportunity to deal with these ‘marauders' as British thought of them, arose in Oct 1802 when a rebellion forced the Peshwa of Poona to flee his capital.

The second Anglo-Maratha war started, Peshwa was the overlord of the other confederacies chief (Peshwa, Gaekwad, Scindia, Holkar, and Bhonsale). Daulat Rao Scindia of Gwalior allied with rajah of Berar against Peshwa and overthrew him. To restore Peshwa to his power again, Company’s Major-general Arthur Wellesley marched to Poona in April 1803 AD and Scindia was ordered to submit the Peshwa’s authority.

Wellesley marched with the army to north to the Scindia's stronghold (Ahmednuggur). During this time a negotiation was taking place but this try failed and Wellesley's force took over Ahmegdnuggur and moved farther north to the village of Assaye. The Maratha camp of Scindia's consisted of more than forty thousand men between kaitna and Juah Rivers in Assaye.

Wellesley who was a military genius took advance of the ground and efficiently charged and defeated the Maratha force which is known as' The Devil's own Cannonade' in the battle of Assaye. Daulat Scindia signed the Treaty of ‘Surji-Anjangaon' with the British after the Battle of Assaye on 30th Dec 1803 AD.

This was the point when Maratha Empire started declining and the bridle of Indian administration was shifting into the hands of East India Company.

This stamp was issued by the Isle of Man depicts the image of major-general Arthur Wellesley the Duke of Wellington on the right side who played a major role in the Battle of Assaye.

Learn about the Maratha coinage and to known about the Maratha war click here.