Battle of Maonda and Mandholi

The Battle of Maonda and Mandholi was fought between the rulers of Jaipur and Bharatpur in 1767 in Rajasthan. Maharaja Jawahar Singh of Bharatpur was leading an army on his way back from Pushkar when the forces of Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh of Jaipur met them near Maonda and Mandholi villages close to present day Neem ka Thana. The Bharatpur forces under Jawahar Singh were defeated and the Jaipur ruler Madho Singh I followed up his victory by invading Bharatpur at the head of 16,000 men where he defeated Jawahar Singh again on 29 February 1768.[4]

Maonda Mandholi War
Date14 December 1767
Location
Mandholi, Rajasthan
Result Jaipur Victory[1][2][3]
Belligerents

Jaipur state

 Bharatpur State
Commanders and leaders
Madho Singh Jawahar Singh
Strength
18,000-19,000 Rajput levy[lower-alpha 1] 25,000 infantry[6]
15,000 cavalry[6]
300 cannons[6]

Background

The Battle of Mandholi followed the growing enmity between the rajas of Bharatpur and Jaipur state. Jawahar Singh the ruler of Bharatpur state had defeated his step brother Nahar Singh earlier thus making him escape to the nearby Jaipur state in refuge. The insult meted out at himself made Nahar Singh desperate. Hence he succumbed to death by poisoning himself leaving his widow behind in the Jaipur state. Jawahar now demanded his widow, who is described by Jadunath Sarkar as one of the most beautiful women on the earth. But, the lady refused, justly fearing Jawahar's notorious character (Jawahar Singh wanted to add the widow to his harem), and Madho Singh could not forcibly expel an asylum seeker.[7] This made Jawahar furious. Further Jawahar was also keeping his eyes upon the Narnol district, which was a territory of Jaipur state. Jawahar Singh along with his Sikh mercenaries had made several incursion into the Jaipur state and their unchecked aggression made Madho Singh intrigue against Jawahar and the Bharatpur state.[4]

In 1767, Jawahar Singh marched through Jaipur territory with his whole army along with French trained battalions and artillery guns to reach Pushkar. There he met with the ruler of Marwar state; Vijay Singh and an agreement was signed between them to oust the Marathas, who were making raids in Rajputana following their defeat at the hands of Ahmed Shah Abdali in 1761. The meeting between the two was not liked by Madho Singh. According to Jadunath Sarkar, Madho Singh reprimanded Vijay Singh for sitting equally with Jawahar Singh, who he considered a mere peasant and a servant of Jaipur.[4]

Battle

Jawahar thus attacked the villages of Jaipur in revenge and looted them besides molesting the villagers while returning from Pushkar. The Kachwaha army followed them and the Kachwaha army attacked forces of Bharatpur at Mandholi, which was the last station of the Jaipur state and was located near to the frontiers of Bharatpur state. The Jaipur artillery had lagged behind hence their first attack was repulsed by Bharatpur army. Jats then hoping to escape from the battlefield entered a narrow pass ahead of them. But Kachwaha cavalry overtook them in the middle of the pass, and Jats made half turn to offer battle. Jaipur forces stood firmly against the guns of Bharatpur and finally threw themselves with swords in hand onto Jat army. The Jat army fled away with the first shock of Jaipur cavalry abandoning their baggage and artillery which was captured by Jaipur forces. The French sepoys of Samru and Madec saved Jawahar Singh and protected him from being captured and enabled him to retreat into his territory though rest of his army was already dispersed. The royal umbrella of Jawahar Singh was also abandoned in the battlefield along with their baggage and artillery.[8][9]

Result

The Bharatpur army thus retreated into their territory after being defeated[3] in the fierce battle which resulted in heavy casualties on both sides, death toll supposedly reaching 5,000. The soldiers of Bharatpur abandoned their artillery and royal standards, including the royal umbrella of their king. According to Sarkar, the Jaipur army lost most of their important generals with death toll on their side reaching 2000–3000. This had happened due to the superior artillery of Bharatpur and the presence of French led sepoys of Samru and Madec, on the other hand Kachwaha artillery and infantry was lagging behind.[4] According to some sources Jawahar Singh's defeat is ascribed to him insulting the Jaipur Raja by not intimating him about his motive while tresspasing through his territory. It is why the Rajputs attacked Jawahar Singh and defeated him.[2] According to Rima Hooja, Pratap Singh led the Jaipur forces to victory against Jawahar Singh.[10]

Aftermath
Main article: Battle of Kama

Madho Singh then decided to invade Bharatpur State in order to follow up his victory. He made an intrusion into Bharatpur and a sanguinary fight followed, in which Madho Singh again defeated Jawahar Singh at Kama. Madho Singh later retreated to his State due to the arrival of fresh contingent of 20,000 Sikh mercenaries, who were employed by Jawahar Singh for seven Lakh a month. The fortune of Jats was shaken in the battle and the result had been fatal to them. They returned home pillaged, stupefied and overthrown. The land beyond Chambal (recently conquered by Jawahar Singh) rose after the first report of the rout. His own country was the prey of enemy who followed him close. Madho Singh died in the following year due illness from the tiredness of the campaign, on the other hand Jawahar Singh was assassinated by one of his own trusted serviceman.[4]

See also

Notes
  1. Considering that Jaipur lost 2000-3000 men and fielded an army of 16,000 at Kama, within a few months of the battle at Maonda.[4][5]

References
  1. Hooja, Rima (2006). A History of Rajasthan. New Delhi: Rupa Publication. pp. 726, 736.
  2. Ram, Maya (1968). Rajasthan District Gazetteer, Alwar. p. 61.
  3. Sarkar, Jadunath (1994). A History of Jaipur: C. 1503–1938. p. 259. ISBN 9788125003335.
  4. Sarkar, Jadunath (1994). A History of Jaipur: C. 1503–1938. pp. 254–256. ISBN 9788125003335.
  5. Fall of the Mughal Empire vol-2, page-286, by Jadunath Sarkar, publisher-Orient Black Swan, ISBN 9788125032458
  6. Sarkar, Jadunath (1994). A History of Jaipur: C. 1503–1938. p. 252. ISBN 9788125003335.
  7. Sarkar, Jadunath. The Fall of Mughal Empire Vol. 2. Orient BlackSwan. p. 284. He demanded from Madho Singh the surrender of Nahar Singh's widow and children (with their hoarded treasures). The lady refused, justly fearing Jawahir's notorious character, and the Jaipur rajah could not forcibly expel a suppliant for asylum. Jawahir taxed him with the design of adding this beautiful widow to his harem-the very step he himself had been contemplating.
  8. Hooja, Rima (2006). A History of Rajasthan. New Delhi: Rupa Publication. p. 726.
  9. Sarkar, Jadunath. The Fall of Mughal Empire Vol. 2. Orient Black Swan. p. 285.
  10. Hooja, Rima (2006). A History of Rajasthan. New Delhi: Rupa Publication. p. 726. Pratap Singh quickly returned to serve it, and led the Jaipur forces to victory against Jawahar Singh of Bharatpur in the battle of Mawade in 1767. The battlefield is also called Maonda-Mandholi, and is located in the torawati hills

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