Who Won The Third Battle Of Panipat?

The Third Battle of Panipat took place on 14th January 1761. The town of Panipat present-day Haryana, India had seen three Battles of Panipat. The battle was fought between the forces of the Maratha Empire and the invading army of Ahmad Shah Durrani, also known as Ahmad Shah Abdali, the King of Afghanistan. The outcome of this battle had far-reaching consequences for both the Marathas and the Mughal Empire too. Let us together know who won the third battle of Panipat in this blog.

Circumstances Of The Third Battle of Panipat

The Marathas fought under the leadership of Sadashivrao Bhau, with other commanders Vishwasrao (the Peshwa Balaji Bairao’s son), Malharrao Holkar and Mahadji Shinde. While on the other hand, Abdali had control over Punjab and Sindh along with Lahore. He also allied with the Rohilla Afghans of the Doab and with the Nawab of Awadh, Shuja-ud-Daula, 

• The Third Battle of Panipat began on January 14, 1761, with both sides positioning their forces strategically on the battlefield. 
• The Marathas had a larger army, estimated to be around 100,000 soldiers, while Ahmad Shah Durrani’s army numbered around 60,000 soldiers.
• The battle was fierce and brutal, with both sides suffering heavy casualties.  The turning point of the battle came when the Maratha commander, Sadashivrao Bhau and Vishwasroa were killed in combat. 
• Along with them, thousands of Maratha warriors lost their lives. This demoralized the Maratha forces, and they eventually began to retreat.
• Alongside, hearing this news, the Peshwa also died with the shock, eventually accepting defeat.

Also Read – List of Maratha Rulers, History, Rise and Journey

In the end, the Third Battle of Panipat was decisively won by Ahmad Shah Durrani and his army. The Marathas suffered a crushing defeat with atrocities like many women and children getting enslaved under the Afghani Army and various treaties signed in place.

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