The Maratha invasions of Bengal, also known as the Maratha expeditions in Bengal, refers to the frequent invasions by the Maratha forces in the Bengal Subah, after their successful campaign in the Carnatic region at the Battle of Trichinopoly. The leader of the expedition was Maratha MaharajaRaghoji Bhonsle of Nagpur. The Marathas invaded Bengal six times from August 1741 to May 1751. NawabAlivardi Khan succeeded in resisting all the invasions, however, the frequent Maratha invasions caused great destruction in the Bengal Subah, resulting in heavy civilian casualties and widespread economic losses. During their occupation, the Bargi mercenaries of the Marathas are said to have perpetrated massacres against the local populations. According to estimation of Chief of Dutch Factory Jan Kerssebom's memoirs perhaps close to 400,000 people in Bengal and Bihar were killed. The Nawab of Bengal agreed to pay Rs. 1.2 million of chauth from the revenue of Bengal and Bihar, and the Marathas agreed not to invade Bengal again. Following the conclusion of hostilities and disbanding his forces, Alivardi Khan became immensely wealthy even though he had lost one dominion of his estate to the Marathas. The Nawab of Bengal also paid Rs. 3.2 million to the Marathas, towards the arrears of chauth for the preceding years. The chauth was paid annually by the Nawab of Bengal up to 1758, until the British occupation of Bengal.
Invasions of Bengal
From 1741 to 1751, the Marathas under Raghuji Bhonsle invaded Bengal six times. The first one in 1741, as also the third in 1744, were led by Raghuji's general Pandit Bhaskar Ram Kolhatkar or Bhaskar Pandit. The second in 1742 and the fourth in 1745 were led by Raghuji himself. The fifth in 1747 and the sixth in 1748 were undertaken by Janoji and Sabaji respectively. These invasions caused heavy destruction in Bengal, however, each of the invasions was repelled by the armies under Nawab Alivardi Khan. But the continuous conflict took a heavy toll on the population of Bengal.
First invasion (1741)
After the inauguration of Alivardi Khan as the Nawab of Bengal, the provincial governor of Orissa, Zafar Khan Rustam Jung, more commonly known as Murshid Quli II, revolted against him. The revolt was crushed by Alivardi in March 1741, but Murshid Quli II escaped with his family and took shelter of Raghuji Bhonsle, the Maratha ruler of Nagpur. Raghuji agreed to assist Murshid Quli II in regaining Orissa. Murshid Quli II's son-in-law Mirza Baker, assisted by Maratha troops and the rebel forces of Orissa, invaded Orissa in August 1741. Orissa's governor, Syed Ahmed Khan, was defeated and captured along with his family. Hearing of this, Alivardi rushed to Orissa and Alivardi's commander Mir Jafar freed Syed Ahmed and his family. Alivardi regained control of Orissa and returned to Murshidabad. Marathas retook Orissa in 1749.
Bargi atrocities
The HinduMaratha warriors invaded and occupied western Bengal up to the Hooghly River. During that period of invasion by the Marathas, warriors called as "Bargis", perpetrated atrocities against the local population, against Bengalis. As reported in Burdwan Kingdom's and European sources, the Bargis are said to have plundered villages, and Jan Kersseboom, chief of the Dutch East India Company factory in Bengal, estimated that perhaps 400,000 civilians in Bengal were dead owing to the invasion of Bargis. The resulting casualties of Bargi onslaught against in Bengal are considered to be among the deadliest massacres inIndian history. According to the 18th-century Bengali text Maharashtra Purana written by Gangaram: According to the Bengali text Maharashtra Purana: The Bargi atrocities were corroborated by contemporary Dutch and British accounts. Jan Kersseboom, chief of the Dutch East India Company factory in Bengal, estimated that perhaps around 400,000 people were killed due to the Bargis during their occupation of western Bengal and Bihar. This devastated Bengal's economy, as many of the people killed in the Bargi raids included merchants, textile weavers, silkwinders, and mulberry cultivators. The Cossimbazar factory reported in 1742, for example, that the Bargis burnt down many of the houses where silk piece goods were made, along with weavers' looms. British writerRobert Orme reported that the Marathas caused so much distress to the local population that many of them "were continually taking flight" in large numbers to Calcutta whenever they heard rumours of the Marathas coming. Many of the Bengali Muslims in West Bengal also fled to take shelter in East Bengal, fearing for their lives in the wake of the Maratha attacks.
End of hostilities
In 1751, the Marathas signed a peace treaty with the Nawab of Bengal, according to which Mir Habib was made provincial governor of Orissa under nominal control of the Nawab of Bengal. It made The Nawab of Bengal a tributary to the Marathas who agrees to pay Rs. 1.2 million annually as the chauth of Bengal and Bihar, and the Marathas agreed not to invade Bengal again. The Nawab of Bengal also paid Rs. 3.2 million to the Marathas, towards the arrears of chauth for the preceding years. The chauth was paid annually by the Nawab of Bengal up to 1758, until the East India Company took over.
