Raghuji's Conquest of Orrisa

Mir Habib, a former ally, becomes a traitor and enters into negotiations with Bhaskar Pant. As a result, Orissa is incorporated into the Maratha Empire. An agreement between the Peshwa and Nawab is reached to drive Raghuji from Orissa. Alivardi Khan manages to reclaim Batak, leading to the Maratha expulsion from Orissa. The ensuing struggle between Raghuji and the Nawab over Orissa sees the Marathas reconquer Katak in 1749, with Sheo Bhatt Sathe being appointed as the first Governor of Orissa. A peace treaty is subsequently signed with the Marathas, but its terms, effects, and loopholes come into play. Mir Habib dies in 1752 and Orrisa officially becomes a Maratha State.

Raghuji's Conquest of Orrisa
Part of Maratha Invasions of Bengal
Date 1743-1752 Location Orrisa Result Maratha Empire Victory Territorial changes Orrisa annexed into Maratha Empire
Belligerents
Bengal Subah Supported by Peshwa Faction	Maratha Empire Nagpur Faction
Commanders and leaders
Alivardi Khan Siraj-ud-daulah Mir Qasim  Dulabram (POW) Mir Abdul Aziz   Mir Habib (POW) (defected) Mustafa Khan † Abdul Nabi † Nasum Khan † attaullah Khan  Firzulla Khan  Supported by Balaji Baji Rao	Raghuji I Janoji Bhonsle Bhaskar Pandit † Sabaji Bhonsle Nilla Pandit Sheo Bhatt
Strength
29000 under Nawab 70000 under Peshwa Total:99000 troops	56,000 total troops in overall Invasion

Causes of Invasion

The arrival of the Marathas in Orissa was driven by several factors. Kanhoji Bhonsle initially led an incursion into Orissa (or Katak) amidst the region's chaotic conditions. However, he was defeated and imprisoned in Satara by Raghuji Bhonsle.

When Raghuji Bhonsle entered Orissa, he discovered that the region was fragmented into small zamindaris, each dependent on the Rajah of Poona, whose capital housed the renowned Jagannath Temple near Chilka Lake. This Rajah was venerated by his subjects and appeared supportive of the Marathas. Fearing that he might use this favorable position to sever the link between Nagpur and Katak, the Marathas decided to weaken his influence by dividing his power.

In 1740 A.D., after Hurshid Kuli Khan II's defeat at Balasore and his flight, his ally Hir Habib sought Raghuji Bhonsle's help to expel the treacherous Nawab Alivardi Khan from Orissa and Bengal. Raghuji I, eager for such an opportunity, agreed to assist.

Despite failing to dominate Shahu due to the prowess of Baji Rao, Raghuji Bhonsle set his sights on the northeastern lands of his domain. The Nizam of Hyderabad, wary of Maratha raids, may have further encouraged Raghuji’s ambitions.

The primary goal of the Marathas was to pressure Nawab Alivardi Khan for Chauth (a form of tax). They noted that the Muslim governors in Orissa were either weak or disloyal to the Nawab, making it easier to defeat them and use Orissa as a base for attacking Bengal.

Thus, Raghuji I dispatched a large force under Bhaskar Pandit, the son of Narayan Raoji, to invade the Nawab’s territory. Bhaskar entered Orissa, likely through the Barmul Pass, with his army. On April 19, 1742, he captured the fort of Barabati. Faced with Bhaskar's superior force, the local governor Nasun retreated into the mountains, leaving the region defenseless.

Bhaskar then advanced towards Panchet, Mhidnapur, and Burdwan, plundering and capturing these areas up to Balasore. During the rainy season, Maratha detachments continued to ravage areas as far as the Ganges, including Murshidabad.

Orrisa becomes Maratha Province

Orissa was in a vulnerable state when a significant calamity altered its history. In February 1743, the Marathas from Berar invaded Orissa. Following the defeat of Hurshid Quli Khan by Nawab Alivardi Khan at Balasore in 1740, the disloyal Dewan Hir Habibullah of Hurshid Quli Khan secretly invited the Marathas to attack Orissa. At this time, Raghuji was the ruler of Berar, residing in Nagpur. Mir Habibullah's initial negotiations were with Bhaskar Pant, Raghuji’s Dewan. With Raghuji's consent, Bhaskar Pant launched an attack with 12,000 horsemen, advancing as far as Pachet before Nawab Alivardi Khan could mobilize a response. Bhaskar Pant's route took him from Chhattisgarh to Chotanagpur and then through the hilly areas of Nayurbhanja to Kidnapur. Caught off guard, Nawab Alivardi Khan fled from Orissa to Bengal, leaving his Afghan soldiers in a state of unrest. To placate them, the Nawab could only offer promises.

The Maratha army, comprising 10,000 cavalry, significantly outnumbered the Nawab's forces, which included 4,000 infantry and 3,000 cavalry. As a result, the Nawab's army was routed, leaving behind war materials, food supplies, and transport animals that the Marathas seized. During the chaos, the Nawab's Begum was captured but was later released with difficulty. The Marathas won a battle at Katwe and, after capturing Mir Habibullah, who was likely a traitor, installed him as Bhaskar Pant’s adviser. This move allowed Bhaskar Pant to capture Hunghli and extend his control to Midnapur. Despite these setbacks, Nawab Alivardi Khan regrouped and counterattacked, pushing the Marathas back to Balasore. A subsequent battle on high ground near Hurshid Quli’s camp saw the Marathas defeated, forcing them to retreat to Cuttack, where they plundered extensively before withdrawing to Berar.

After the rainy season, the Marathas returned to Orissa, capturing and plundering Balasore, and met little resistance. The name "Maratha" struck terror into the local population, leading many to flee. By this time, the Marathas controlled most of Orissa, including Kidnapore, Burdwan, and Rajmahal, leaving only a small area around Murshidabad in Nawab Alivardi Khan's hands.

Following these events, the Nawab defeated the Marathas in a battle near Katva and they fell back to Hangart, continuing their devastation of Orissa. The Nawab's general, Nasum, initially fled Cuttack at the sight of the Marathas but later gathered strength and camped near Katak to confront them. The Marathas attacked, killing Masum and capturing Katak and the Barabati fort. Hearing of Masum’s death, the Nawab marched towards Midnapur, causing Bhaskar Pant to flee to Balasore. Pursued by the Nawab’s forces, Bhaskar Pant, along with the remaining Marathas, retreated to the Deccan via Chilka. Nawab Alivardi Khan spent about two months in Katak restoring his authority, appointing Abdul Nabi as deputy governor and Raja Durlabhram as his agent.

Peshwa and Nawab

Soon after the Nawab's departure, Raghuji invaded Orissa with a large army and captured Cuttack. He left Bhaskar Ram at Midnapore and then proceeded to Katwa to demand the Chauth of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa from the Nawab. The helpless Nawab appealed to the nominal Emperor of Delhi for help. Although Emperor Muhammad Shah lacked the power to assist the Nawab, he wrote urgent letters to Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao and the Mughal governor of Bengal to save the Nawab from complete destruction.

The Peshwa, Balaji Baji Rao, who was Raghuji’s greatest rival in Maharashtra, saw this as an opportunity to weaken his opponent. Despite the considerable odds, the Peshwa decided to assist the Nawab and set out with 70,000 troops. The Nawab met Balaji to impress him with the size and organization of his forces and the skill of his commanders. The Nawab, Alivardi Khan, paying him a large sum in lieu of the Chauth.

On March 31, 1743, the Peshwa and the Nawab held a conference at Plassey, where the Nawab agreed to pay the Chauth of Bengal to Shahu and twenty-two lakh rupees to Balaji for his army's expenses. The two allies then planned to drive Raghuji out of Bengal. Balaji Rao, eager to act swiftly, set out alone to confront the enemy. He pursued Raghuji to Cuttack, causing Raghuji I to retreat. The Peshwa defeated Raghuji I , killing many of his men, and returned safely to Pune. Bhaskar Pant also left Midnapore to follow his master but later retreated through Balasore, plundering along the way back to Berar.

As one of the most powerful Maratha nobles of his time, Raghuji soon after returned to his capital and marched to Satara. There, he extracted a deed from the puppet Raja, granting him the revenues of Oudh, Bihar, Bengal, and Orissa, while the Peshwa retained the rest of the territories under Maratha rule.

Maratha's Expulsion from Orrisa

Shortly after, the Peshwa and the Bhonsle reached an agreement, each pledging not to interfere in the other's territories. As a result, Raghuji stopped opposing the Peshwa at the Maratha Court of Batara, and the Peshwa granted Raghuji the freedom to pursue conquests and collect Chauth in Bengal and Orissa.

In the cold weather of 17, Raghuji dispatched his son Junoji with an army of 20,000 to Orissa, traveling via Sambhalpur. Meanwhile, Hir Habib renewed his demand for Chauth from [[Alivardi Kh, the Nawab of Bengal. Bhaskar Pandit, advancing into Orissa, encountered the Nawab at Midnapur. Unable to match Pandit in battle, the Nawab opted for negotiations, resorting to treachery rather than open conflict. Following Jankiram's advice, the Nawab invited all the Maratha officers to his camp under the pretense of peace talks. In November 17 A.D., within the Nawab’s camp, all twenty-two Maratha officers, including their leader Bhaskar Pant, were treacherously murdered. The Nawab believed that this massacre would eliminate the Maratha threat, but he was soon disillusioned. After the killings, the Maratha army retreated in confusion through Balasore and fled to Nagpur, being harassed by the local population who engaged in guerrilla warfare and eliminated stragglers without mercy.

Despite the Marathas retreat, the political situation in Orissa deteriorated. Mustafa Khan rebelled against Nawab Alivardi Khan, and Abdul Nabi was indecisive, eventually dying in a state of confusion. His successor, Abdul Rasool, also left service to join Mustafa's rebellion. Orissa was left without a ruler, and Raja Durlabhram, the Nawab’s Prime Minister's son, was appointed as the Agent-General in Orissa. Durlabhram, commanding a brigade of 3,000 cavalry, was ill-suited for the role. He was more devoted to religious practices and surrounded himself with Brahmins and Sanyasis, many of whom were spies for Raghuji. They provided information on Durlabhram’s conduct and the weaknesses of his administration. Observing these conditions, Raghuji I bided his time for revenge, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Scramble Between Nawab and Raghuji

In 1745, to take revenge on Nawab Alivardi Khan, Mustafa Khan invited Raghuji Bhonsle to invade Bengal. Seizing the opportunity, Raghuji, leading 14,000 cavalry, crossed the mountain tracts and left Sambhalpur behind. By March 1745, he reached Orissa and captured the city of Katak without a fight. At that time, Raja Durlabhram was preoccupied with the Sanyasis on the Hahanadi river and was unaware of the Maratha advance.

As a general uproar broke out in Katak, the citizens fled, and Raja Durlabhram, caught off guard and without reinforcements from Nawab Alivardi Khan, sought refuge in the Barabati fortress. Despite the objections of Hir Abdul Anis and others who wanted to defend the fortress, Durlabhram, influenced by some Sanyasis and officers, agreed to surrender. When Durlabhram and his commanders went to meet Raghuji, they were imprisoned. Hir Abdul Aziz then assumed command of the fortress and defended it bravely for over a month.

Raghuji's forces plundered much of Orissa, reaching as far as Kidnapur and Hugli, and also raided Burdwan. Nawab Alivardi Khan, preoccupied with Hustafa’s threat in Bihar, found himself unable to address the situation in Orissa and thus attempted to negotiate with Raghuji. He sent Munsanaly Khan, an eloquent envoy, but Raghuji demanded three crore rupees for his return. Negotiations dragged on for two and a half months, ending abruptly when Hustafa died.

Meanwhile, Hir Abdul Aziz, having held out in the fortress, eventually surrendered on May 12, 1745, after provisions ran out. The terms ensured the safety of his personal belongings and those of his men. Raghuji then advanced towards Birbhum and consolidated his hold over Orissa and parts of Burdwan.

Raghuji and Mir Habib agreed on a subsidy of eleven lakh rupees for Raghuji's forces, but financial difficulties delayed the reinforcement of Orissa. Nawab Alivardi Khan, faced with these challenges, appointed Sayyad Ahmad Khan as governor of Orissa and marched with a large force, defeating the Marathas in December 1746 at Midnapur.

The Nawab’s efforts to clear Orissa continued as he reached Belasore on May 8, 1748, and eventually forced Hir Habib to retreat. On May 18, 1748, Nawab Alivardi Khan captured Katak and the Barabati fortress after a brief but intense defense. Despite the victory, the Nawab struggled to maintain control over Orissa due to the Marathas' persistent presence in the region.

In the wake of the conquest, the Nawab offered the Deputy Governorship to Hir Jafar and Durlabhram, but they declined due to fear of Maratha retaliation. Ultimately, Sheikh Abdus, a beggar, was appointed governor. The Nawab then hurried back to Bengal to avoid the rainy season.

Soon after, Mir Habib retook Katak, and by July 16, 1749, the Nawab learned of this while in Balasore. Despite the unfavorable conditions and fatigue of his army, he postponed efforts to reclaim Katak and continued his retreat. By October 17, 1749, Maratha forces under Mir Habib and Mohan Singh raided Bengal, continuing to plunder and attack until February 1750.

Peace with Marathas

After recovering from his illness, Nawab Alivardi Khan marched from Murshidabad to Katwa and, upon assembling his army, advanced via Burdwan to Medinipur in December 1749 to drive out the Marathas. However, internal troubles in the Medinipur cantonment allowed a group of Marathas to slip past him and plunder as far as Rajmahal, then towards Murshidabad. Nawab Alivardi Khan quickly retreated from Medinipur to Burdwan. Upon learning of his movement, the raiders fled to the jungles of West Bengal. Alivardi Khan pursued them to some extent before encamping at Balasore. Unable to effectively counter the Maratha raids due to his illness, Alivardi Khan eventually retreated and left his troops at Kidnapur under the command of Durlabhram and Mir Jafar. He then marched to Patna but fell ill.

Durlabhram and Mir Jafar, distressed by the Nawab's condition, struggled to control the Maratha raids. Alivardi Khan, exhausted and facing numerous challenges including the revolt of key Afghan officials and financial strain from prolonged warfare, sought peace. The Marathas, also experiencing difficulties due to debt and the failed invasion of eastern provinces, were eager for a settlement. Both sides, worn out by conflict, were inclined towards negotiating peace.

In 1751, Mir Jafar was authorized to mediate peace talks with the Marathas. He sent envoys to Mir Habib, who was receptive to the proposal. A treaty was drafted and agreed upon by both parties in May or June 1751, with terms settled in Murshidabad. Following the treaty, Raghuji Bhonsle returned to Nagpur and disbanded most of his army, retaining only 2,000 horsemen.

The treaty stipulated an annual chauth of twelve lakhs to be paid to the Bhonsles for Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, with Alivardi Khan formally appointing the Bhonsle’s nominees as the Naib Nazim of Orissa. However, the treaty did not clearly cede Orissa to the Marathas, leading to future complications.

Raghuji’s successor, Janoji, arrived in Orissa as his father’s representative but clashed with Mir Habib, who was soon imprisoned and killed after being accused of embezzlement. By 1755, Orissa was officially assigned to the Marathas, though its administration remained a complex issue. Janoji’s focus on his own territories meant he largely left Orissa's governance to his officers, who maintained control over the province.

Despite the treaty's shortcomings, it effectively ended the Maratha raids and established a more stable arrangement. Janoji's administration and Sheo bhatt Sathe’s efficient governance helped consolidate Maratha control over Orissa.

The subsequent Battle of Plassey in 1757 marked a turning point, with the East India Company emerging as the dominant power in Bengal following Siraj-ud-Daullah's defeat. The Marathas, who had previously negotiated with the Nawab, now had to navigate their relations with the British, leading to further conflicts as the British solidified their control over India.