How a failed coup and mobile warfare defined the First Anglo-Maratha War
The First Anglo-Maratha War began in 1775 as a British attempt to install a deposed leader, Raghunathrao, as peshwa. What followed was seven years of inconclusive, mobile warfare. Neither the British East India Company nor the Maratha Empire could secure a decisive victory, leading to a stalemate that reshaped Indian power dynamics.
The conflict originated from a succession crisis within the Maratha Empire. After the murder of Narayanrao in 1773, his uncle Raghunathrao seized power, but the birth of a posthumous son, 'Sawai' Madhavrao, prompted twelve chiefs known as the Baarbhai to form a regency. Seeking to reclaim his position, Raghunathrao signed the 1775 Treaty of Surat with the British, ceding territories like Salsette and Bassein in exchange for 2,500 soldiers. This intervention triggered a protracted struggle between the British East India Company and the Maratha forces.
Military operations were characterized by a clash of styles. The British relied on European-style infantry, while the Marathas utilized ganimi kava, a highly mobile form of warfare involving scorched-earth tactics and constant harassment. Despite capturing key locations like Ahmedabad and Gwalior, the British struggled to pin down the elusive Maratha armies. Major engagements, such as the Battle of Adas in 1775 and the British surrender at Wadgaon in 1779, demonstrated the difficulty of achieving a total victory. The British were often hampered by their lack of mobile cavalry, while the Marathas could not overcome the Company's disciplined defensive capabilities.
The war concluded with the 1782 Treaty of Salbai, which restored the status quo and established a relative peace for two decades. Both sides returned captured territories, and the British withdrew support for Raghunathrao, finally recognizing Madhavrao II as the legitimate peshwa. While the war itself was indecisive, its consequences were profound. By neutralizing the immediate threat of the Marathas, the East India Company gained the freedom to concentrate its military efforts against the Kingdom of Mysore. This shift in focus eventually led to the defeat of Mysore and placed the British in a significantly stronger position before the Second Anglo-Maratha War erupted in 1803.
Source: First Anglo-Maratha War
