Bajirao's Tactics & The Nadir Shah Crisis (1739)

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

Bajirao's Warfare Strategy: Ganimikawa

The Principle:

"Attack enemies when they are resting, least expecting it"

The Legacy:

• Following Shivaji's tradition of surgical strikes
• Not fair fights or mutually agreed battles
• Surprise attacks = core doctrine

The Problem:

• Unlike Shivaji, Bajirao had no mountain forts to retreat to
• After attack, couldn't escape to fort safety
• Had to rely on speed & light cavalry instead

The Solution:

• Used fast moves & light cavalry
• Got tremendous success despite lack of fort refuge
• Never faced defeat in 20-year fighting career
• Maintained undefeated record through tactics, not just numbers

Why It Worked:

• Simple living (ate on horseback)
• Relationship with cavalry troops (camaraderie)
• Brother Chimaji Appa's support & loyalty
• This combination made him nearly invincible

Chimaji Appa: The Portuguese Removal

The Situation:

• Portuguese controlled northern Konkan (coastal region)
• Would have become "formidable force" if left unchecked

Chimaji's Action:

• Expelled Portuguese from Konkan
• Contained them to Goa only
• Prevented their expansion inland

The Irony:

• In gratitude (?), Portuguese gifted Mumbai island to British
• Strategic location given away
• Set up British foothold in India

Nadir Shah: The External Threat (1739)

Who He Was:

• Emperor of Persia/Iran
• Looking for wealth to fund his empire

His Attack:

• Attacked Delhi in 1739
• Wanted to seize wealth: diamonds, gold, precious stones
• No resistance—Mughals were "paper tigers"

The Fear in Deccan:

• Worried Nadir Shah might come south across Narmada
• Would threaten Maratha homeland (Deccan/Khan)
• Potential existential threat

Bajirao's Strategic Position: Waiting at Narmada

The Placement:

• Narmada River = imaginary line into Deccan
• Bajirao stationed there with army
• Monitoring for Persian threat
• No direct defense of Delhi ordered

The Reality Check:

"There was no understanding that Bajirao will defend Mughal Empire"

• No treaty between Marathas & Mughals on mutual defense
• Bajirao only cared about defending the Deccan
• Wasn't interested in defending Delhi itself
• His only interest: Keep threat south of Narmada

Why He Was There:

• Personal interest, not duty
• "If Nadir Shah comes to Delhi, maybe he comes to Khan"
• Prevention > response

Shahu's Geopolitical Philosophy

The Theory:

"Those inside India should band together against those outside"

The Thinking:

• Inside powers (Mughal, Maratha, Rajput, etc.) = insiders
• Outside powers (Nadir Shah, Abdali, etc.) = outsiders
• When outsider attacks = insiders unite
• When outside threat ends = go back to fighting each other

The Logic:

• Enemy of my enemy during crisis
• But temporary only
• Outsiders just want to loot, not govern
• Create no value, only destruction

Why It Mattered:

• Shahu told Bajirao: "Help Mughals if possible"
• Not because of love for Mughals
• But because looters from outside are worse for everyone
• Better Mughals (insiders) than Persians (outsiders)

Why Outside Powers Were Worse

Their Model:

• Loot as much as possible
• Return home with wealth
• No interest in governance
• No interest in development

Their Economics:

• Iran impoverished compared to India
• Needed resources to fund empire
• India = treasure chest to exploit
• Take what you can, leave chaos

The Mughal Reality:

• By 1739, Mughals were weak
• But still "insiders" in Indian system
• Still maintained some governance infrastructure
• Provided some stability (however fragile)

The Outside Threat:

• Would only extract & destroy
• Leave nothing behind
• Destabilize entire region
• Maratha interests = everyone's interests (for moment)

The Letter: Shahu's Strategic Message

What Shahu Wrote to Bajirao:

"When I was in house arrest in Aurangzeb's camp, I gave him word that if foreign power attacks Mughal Empire, we as Marathas will do whatever possible to support and defend"

The Historical Reference:

• Back during Shahu's captivity with Aurangzeb
• Made promise to Mughal emperor
• Now invoking that old commitment

The Instruction:

• Help Mughals however possible
• Not all-out war, just whatever support needed
• Defend against outside threat

The Flexibility:

• Bajirao interpreted this his way
• Stationed at Narmada (defensive, not aggressive)
• Monitored threat without direct engagement
• Maintained autonomy in how to respond

The 1739 Crisis Resolution

What Actually Happened:

• Nadir Shah attacked Delhi
• Came "all the way to Delhi"
• There was "no resistance" to him
• "Just a successful looting"

The Outcome:

• Mughals were pleading: "We'll give you X amount, just be satisfied"
• Nadir Shah basically took what he wanted
• Mughals couldn't stop him
• Bajirao stayed at Narmada (didn't intervene militarily)

Why Bajirao Didn't Go North:

• Wasn't ordered to
• Nadir Shah didn't cross Narmada
• His mission: Protect Deccan = accomplished
• Direct defense of Delhi wasn't his concern

The Strategic Outcome

For Marathas:

• Avoided direct conflict with Nadir Shah
• Protected home territory
• Established themselves as "insiders" (one side of Indians)
• Strengthened moral position

For Mughals:

• Got looted but not conquered
• Remained sovereign (barely)
• Understood Maratha could have helped more

For Nadir Shah:

• Got massive wealth to take back
• Satisfied his empire-funding needs
• Left before getting bogged down

For India:

• Persian invasion didn't penetrate south
• Maratha force acted as "shield"
• But also showed Mughal weakness

The Unspoken Hierarchy

Shahu's Implicit Message:

1. Outsiders (Persian, Afghan) are permanent enemies
2. Insiders (various Indian powers) are temporary competitors
3. When outsider threat = use insiders to unite against it
4. When outsider threat passes = go back to normal competition
5. But outsiders should be contained, never allowed to dominate

Key Players

Timeline

Critical Insights

1. Geography is Destiny

Narmada wasn't just a river—it was the boundary of Maratha interest. South of it = defend fiercely. North of it = not our problem (unless threat crosses it).

2. The Insider-Outsider Distinction

Shahu understood geopolitics: compete with insiders, unite against outsiders. This is sophisticated strategic thinking.

3. The Looting Model

Nadir Shah came, looted, left. No interest in governance. Marathas recognized this as inferior to even weak Mughal rule.

4. Defensive Positioning Works

Bajirao didn't need to defeat Nadir Shah. Just needed to position himself so Nadir Shah would avoid Deccan. Success without battle.

5. The Guerrilla Warrior Evolution

Bajirao adapted Shivaji's tactics (surprise, speed, mobility) to open plains warfare. Maintained undefeated record through tactical brilliance, not forts.

Key Quotes

"Attack enemies when they are resting, least expecting it"

"He never had to see any defeats in his 20-year fighting career"

"Portuguese were expelled from Konkan. Otherwise they would have been formidable force."

"Those who are inside India and those outside... when outsiders attack, insiders should band together"

"Their only idea was to loot. They didn't want any governance."

Where We Left Off: Bajirao's defensive positioning at Narmada shows his strategic thinking—not just tactical genius, but geopolitical understanding. Shahu's instruction to help Mughals against Nadir Shah reveals sophisticated insider-outsider thinking. The empire is managing multiple threats: Portuguese in Konkan, Persians from north, Mughals in middle, Rajputs in west. And Bajirao is handling it all from position of strength.

Bajirao never fought Nadir Shah. He didn't need to. He just positioned himself at Narmada and said: "Come south of this river, and I'll stop you." Nadir Shah went to Delhi instead, looted it, and went home. Bajirao protected the Deccan without firing a shot. That's strategic positioning. Shahu understood the bigger picture: outsiders are worse than insiders. Better weak Mughals you can compete with than strong Persians you can't negotiate with. Geography, positioning, and understanding your enemy's objectives—that's how you win before battles begin.