FIRST MARATHA WAR (1775-82)

Warren Hastings sought also to intervene in the affairs of the Maratha empire. His idea was to detach Berar and set up in the person of Madhoji Bhonsle a new Maratha line in the heart of India, a kingdom dependent on the British he sent Elliot to Nagpur. Warren Hastings, accordingly, asked Elliot to negotiate the passage of a British army through Berar and an alliance in general terms. Elliot died and the negotiations lapsed. Raghunatha Rao promised to cede Salsette and Bassein, and refrain from entering into alliance with the enemies of the Company.

TREATY OF SURAT

The main terms of the Treaty of Surat concluded in 1775 was,

      The British in Bombay agreed to help him with 2,500 men in his contest with the confederate Maratha leaders who had taken up the cause of the posthumous son of Narayana Rao.

THE TREATY OF PURANDHAR

The Calcutta Council in which the opponents of Warren Hastings were in the majority declared the Treaty of Surat as “Impolitic, Dangerous, Unauthorized And Unjust“.  They sent Colonel Upton to Poona to negotiate with the Maratha ministers who were headed by Nana Fadnavis. The Treaty of Purandhar was concluded on March 1, 1776. The English gave up the cause of Raghunatha Rao who was to receive a pension from Poona, but they were to retain Salsette.

The treaty was ineffective. The Bombay Government gave shelter to Raghunatha Rao. The Court of Directors upheld the Surat Treaty. The war began again. A British army of about 4,000 men marched to Poona. They were defeated at Talegaon and compelled to sign a convention at Wadgaon in January 1779, by which the British were to surrender all territories taken by the Bombay Government since 1773.

THE TREATY OF SALBAI

The Maratha chiefs now expressed their willingness to come to terms with the British. Mahadaji Sindia opened negotiations and a treaty was concluded on May 17, 1782. By this treaty known as the Treaty of Salbai, the English acquired Salsette but renounced the cause of Raghoba. Their ‘attempt to create a puppet in Maharashtra was thus toiled.

MYSORE WARS

In the history of the growth of British power in India the First Maratha War was very closely connected with the Second Anglo-Mysore War. This can be explained only if we review the previous history of Anglo-Mysore relations.       

HAIDAR ‘ALI, the ruler of Mysore, was known to be closely connected with French. He was also in strong opposition to the Marathas because he had taken advantage of their disaster at Panipat in 1761 to conquer Maratha territories south of the Tungabhadra. There was enmity between Haidar.

FIRST ANGLO – MYSORE WAR

“Ali and Muhammad” Ali of Arcot, who was even more dependent upon the British that the ruler of Avadh. Haidar ‘Ali and the Nizam (Nizam Ali) joined in an alliance against the British in 1767. The First Anglo-Mysore War lasted from August 1767 to April 1769.

Haidar and the Nizam carried the war into the territory of the Nawab of Arcot. There was a fierce engagement with the British at Chengam and then a BATTLE AT TIRUVANNAMALAI, Haidar and Nizam ‘Ali suffered a defeat.

The Nizam withdrew and concluded a treaty with the Madras Government. Haidar now followed a plan of perpetual harassment rather than hazard a battle. He was very strong in cavalry. He succeeded in placing himself between the British army and Madras and before The British General Smith could reach Madras, he had forced its government to accept his terms-mutual restitution of conquests and a defensive alliance.

BATTLE OF CHINKURALI (1771).

        Haidar attached great importance to this defensive alliance which he intended to utilize if the Marathas invaded his territory. The Marathas, because of Haidar’s encroachment on what they regarded as their dependent territory, invaded Mysore and defeated him completely in the BATTLE OF CHINKURALI (1771). This, however, did not mean a collapse of Haidar’s military power.

War began between The British & The French in 1778. In spite of Haidar ‘Ali’s protest a British expedition captured Mahe from where he drew his military supplies. There were frequent frontier disputes from Cuddapah to Dindigul. At this time the Poona Government, on the lookout for allies against the British, wanted to form an alliance with Haidar ‘Ali as also with the Nizam. They both agreed to join in a grand alliance. The Bhonsle Raja of Nagpur was to attack Bengal the Nizam the Northern Circars, and Haidar ‘Ali Madras. The Marathas had their own confrontation.                              

TREATY OF MANGALORE

Tipu Sultan carried on the war against the British and achieved success in Malabar. When news of peace between the French and the English reached India, Lord Macartney, Governor of Madras, concluded with Tipu the Treaty of Mangalore (March 1784) on the basis of mutual restitution of conquests and liberation of prisoners. Warren Hastings was very much opposed to these terms, but he heads to accept them.

Tippu Sultan attacked Travancore on December 29, 1789. The Raja was an ally of the Company under the terms of the Treaty of Mangalore. Lord Cornwallis (1786-1793) declared that the attack was an act of war. As the Nizam and the Marathas were apprehensive of the growing power of Tipu Sultan, they allied themselves with the British.