Afghans vs Marathas, the largest battle of 18th century

Arts & Culture History
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Re: Afghans vs Marathas, the largest battle of 18th century

The Maratha army were around 40-60000. But they were accompanying around 200000 non combatant piligrims including women and children to the holy sites in North India when the Afghans besieged them. Both sides tried to cut off each other's supplies. Afghans were more successful because of the huge number of non-combatants in the Maratha camp. When food ran out and cattle died , the people and even soldiers started dying of starvation . That is when many soldiers went to the Maratha general Sadashiv Rao and begged that they be allowed to die in battle rather than starvation. The next day they marched towards the Afghan camp and thus began the battle of Panipat. It is estimated that a total of 100000 marathas (soldiers and noncombatants) perished during and after the battle. This stopped the Maratha gains in the North---for 10 years.

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Re: Afghans vs Marathas, the largest battle of 18th century

What happened after ten years?

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Re: Afghans vs Marathas, the largest battle of 18th century

^ maybe Sikhs came after this period?

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Re: Afghans vs Marathas, the largest battle of 18th century

Sikhs begin to rise to power much later , during ranjeet singh times in 1799 and onwards.

Punjab was already part of durrani empire before panipat war. And still after victory they didnt extend their rule beyond Punjab.........