The Great Shift: From Mughals to Marathas to the British

The 18th century in Rajasthan was a period of political vacuum. The decline of the Mughal Empire left the Rajput states vulnerable, leading to the devastating entry of the Marathas, and ultimately forcing the Rajputs to seek protection from the British East India Company.

1. The Maratha Entry (The "Chauth" Collectors)

The Marathas first entered Rajasthan politics due to internal succession disputes among the Rajput rulers.

• The First Intervention (1734): The Marathas, invited by the Queen of Bundi (Amar Kunwari) against Dalel Singh, interfered in the Bundi succession dispute. This marked their first direct political involvement in Rajputana.
• The Hurda Conference (July 17, 1734): Initiated by Sawai Jai Singh II and presided over by Maharana Jagat Singh II of Mewar, Rajput rulers met at Hurda (Bhilwara) to form a united front against the Marathas. However, mutual distrust and self-interests led to its failure.
• Maratha Taxes: The primary aim of Maratha raids was financial extortion through taxes like Chauth (1/4th of revenue) and Sardeshmukhi (1/10th of revenue).

2. The Era of Battles & Extortion

The relentless Maratha raids led to several historic battles as Rajput rulers tried to resist their dominance:

• Battle of Rajmahal (1747): Fought near Tonk. Ishwari Singh of Jaipur (supported by Marathas/British) defeated the combined forces of Madho Singh, Mewar, and Kota.
• Battle of Tunga / Lalsot (1787): Sawai Pratap Singh of Jaipur, allied with Jodhpur, handed a rare defeat to the great Maratha general Mahadji Scindia.
• Battle of Patan (1790): The Marathas (De Boigne) took their revenge, crushing the Jaipur-Jodhpur alliance.
• The Krishna Kumari Dispute (1807): A tragic episode where the Princess of Mewar (Krishna Kumari) was poisoned to stop a devastating war between Jaipur (Jagat Singh) and Jodhpur (Man Singh) over her marriage proposal.

3. The Pindari Menace

Along with the Marathas came the "Pindaris"—irregular cavalry who acted as mercenaries and looters. The most infamous was Amir Khan Pindari, whose raids devastated Rajputana (later recognized by the British as the Nawab of Tonk in 1817).

4. The Last Resort: Subsidiary Alliances (1817-1823)

Exhausted by decades of Maratha and Pindari looting, the Rajput states found their only salvation under the umbrella of the British East India Company (EIC).

• The Master Negotiator: Charles Metcalfe was appointed by Lord Hastings to negotiate treaties with the Rajput states.
• The Timeline of Treaties:
  • First to Sign (1817): Karauli (Ruler: Harbaksh Pal Singh).
  • First Comprehensive/Detailed Treaty (1817): Kota (Negotiated by Regent Zalim Singh).
  • Last to Sign (1823): Sirohi (Ruler: Shiv Singh). Thus bringing all of Rajputana under British paramountcy.

[!WARNING]
The treaties provided external protection but eroded the internal sovereignty of the Rajput rulers, laying the groundwork for the inevitable clash in 1857.