THIRD BATTLE OF PANIPAT

About:

• The Third Battle of Panipat took place on 14 January 1761 and lasted for several days.
  
  
• It took place at Panipat, in present-day Haryana.
  
  
• It was fought between a northern expeditionary force of the Maratha Empire and invading forces of the King of Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Abdali, supported by two Indian allies—the Rohillas Najib-ud-daulah, Afghans of the Doab region and Shuja-ud-Daula-the Nawab of Awadh.
  • Sadashivrao ‘Bhau’ led the Maratha armies at Panipat.
    
    
  • Ahmed Shah Abdali (also called Ahmad Shah Durrani), the Afghan general, invaded India nine times between 1747 and 1769. He is regarded as the founder of modern-day Afghanistan.
    
    
  
  
  
• The Marathas were defeated in the battle, with 40,000 of their troops killed, while Abdali’s army is estimated to have suffered around 20,000 casualties. It marked a loss of prestige for the Marathas, who lost their preeminent position in north India after this war, paving the way for British colonial power to expand here.
  
  
• Bangali Poet Kaykobad wrote a long poem Mashasmashan based on this battle.