Partof: | Mughal-Jat Wars |
Conflict: | Battle of Farrukhnagar |
Date: | 1763 |
Place: | Farrukhnagar |
Result: | Jat victory[1] |
Combatant1: | Bharatpur State |
Combatant2: | Mughal Empire |
Commander1: | Suraj Mal Jawahar Singh[2] |
Commander2: | Musavi Khan Baloch Bahadur Khan |
Territory: | Pataudi, Rewari, Rohtak, Bahadurgarh and Farrukhnagar annexed by Bharatpur State. |
The Battle of Farrukhnagar took place between Suraj Mal and Baloch ruler Musa Khan.[3] Dalil Khan was succeeded by Kamgar Khan and Musa Khan, in whose time the principality fell into the hands of Suraj Mal, the Jat ruler of Bharatpur State, who incorporated it into Hariana around 1763.[4] His son's Jawahar Singh, Nawal Singh, and Ranjit Singh, held it in succession and called it Farrukhnagar.
Following the Maratha defeat at Panipat, Suraj Mal, the ruler of Bharatpur, seized the opportunity to expand his kingdom. He launched military campaigns aimed at capturing large parts of Haryana and extending his influence in the region. Suraj Mal's ambitious endeavors included the occupation of Agra, the wealthiest city in the Empire.[5] To solidify his position, Suraj Mal paid a tribute of one lakh to Ahmad Shah Abdali, which was willingly accepted by the Afghan ruler. the fertile plains of the Doab, Suraj Mal reclaimed several Maratha jagirs and territories that had previously been under his control. He strategically deployed his forces, including sending his son, Jawahir Singh, to attack Musavi Khan, the Mughal faujdar of Gurgaon and Rohtak. Suraj Mal himself led the army, resulting in the arrest of Musavi Khan and the capture of Farrukhnagar, the faujdar's headquarters, in December 1763.[6] [7]
During his expansionist campaigns, Suraj Mal conquered additional territories, including Pataudi, Rewari, and Rohtak. He also successfully repulsed an attack by Bhadur Khan, the Beloch leader of Bahadurgarh, defeating him and annexing his territory.
Suraj Mal's military successes following the Maratha defeat at Panipat cemented his reputation as a formidable ruler and expanded the boundaries of his kingdom, significantly influencing the political landscape of the region.