Third Maratha invasion of Bengal
| Third Maratha invasion of Bengal | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Maratha invasions of Bengal | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Bengal Subah | |||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Alivardi Khan Mir Jafar Mustafa Khan Mirza Beg Khan Saulat Jang Ataullah Khan Mir Qasim Khan Haider Ali Khan Mirza Dawar Quli Fakrullah Beg Khan Mirza Hakim Beg Bar Khordar Beg Umar Khan |
Bhaskar Ram Kolhatkar X Alibhai Qarawwal X Shahamat Khan X Raghuji Gaikwad Mir Habib | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| Unknown | 20,000 cavalry | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Negligible | 22 out of 23 Maratha generals including Bhaskar killed | ||||||||
In early March 1744, Alivardi Khan, the Nawab of Bengal, faced a Maratha invasion led by Bhaskar Pandit and Alibhai Qarawwal. With his army exhausted, treasury depleted, and health failing, Alivardi opted for deceit over open battle. He sent sweet messages and gifts to Bhaskar, tricking him into a meeting at Mankara on March 31 with minimal guards. There, Alivardi ordered the murder of Bhaskar and his generals. Leaderless, the Maratha troops were attacked by Alivardi’s Afghan generals, with many killed or driven out of Bengal. Surviving Maratha bands fled in disarray, and the entire Maratha force abandoned the province. Alivardi returned to Murshidabad and distributed ten lakhs of rupees as rewards to his soldiers.