Anglo-Maratha Wars Overview

Study Notes

Anglo-Maratha Wars: Overview

The Anglo-Maratha Wars were a series of three conflicts (1775-1818) between the British East India Company and the Maratha Confederacy, a group of Indian princely states.
These conflicts significantly shaped India's political landscape, leading to British East India Company dominance.
The wars arose from power struggles, territorial ambitions, and resource control. The Maratha Confederacy, while powerful, was internally divided by conflicts and rivalries.
Alliances shifted and betrayals occurred as various Maratha factions and rulers sought to defend their interests and counter British influence.

First Anglo-Maratha War (1775-1782)

Triggered by the British East India Company's expansionist policies.
The conflict began with disputes over Deccan Plateau territories.
The British faced coordination challenges due to internal disagreements and competing objectives.
The war weakened some Maratha chieftains, strengthening their rivals and creating instability within the Confederacy, aiding British aims.
The Treaty of Salbai (1782) concluded the war, favoring British interests.

Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803-1805)

The British exploited internal divisions within the Maratha Confederacy.
The war was triggered by the Maratha Peshwa's expansionist policies and concerns about certain Maratha chieftains' threats to British interests.
British military superiority, strategic alliances, and manipulation of internal conflicts resulted in Maratha defeats.
Key battles involved British General Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington).
The war's outcome saw significant British territorial gains and further control over the fractured Maratha Empire.

Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-1818)

This final conflict represented the culmination of British expansion and the weakened Maratha Confederacy.
The British strategically initiated the war using various justifications to target individual Maratha rulers and factions, dismantling the Confederacy.
Decisive British victories led to the complete disintegration of the Maratha Confederacy, with their territories added to British India.
The dissolution of the Peshwa's power marked the full subjugation of the Maratha states by the British.

Key Figures in the Anglo-Maratha Wars

Leaders from both sides significantly influenced the wars' course and outcomes.
Key British and Maratha military and political figures shaped the conflicts.

Impact of the Anglo-Maratha Wars

The British emerged as the dominant power in India.
The wars led to territorial gains and solidified the British East India Company's control over the Indian subcontinent.
The wars significantly altered the balance of power in India.
These conflicts profoundly impacted the Maratha Confederacy's social, economic, and political structures.
The demise of the Confederacy prepared the way for British colonization.

Description

Explore the Anglo-Maratha Wars, a pivotal series of conflicts between the British East India Company and the Maratha Confederacy from 1775 to 1818. Understand the power struggles, territorial ambitions, and internal rivalries that defined these wars and their lasting impact on India's political landscape.