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14 January in military history: Third Battle of Panipat, 1761

Military history · 14 January · Maratha and Durrani wars in northern IndiaFull calendar

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Ink and wash painting seen from above: long curved rows of cannon fire into clouds of gray smoke, with ranks of horsemen and soldiers massed around them, a rider on a brown horse at upper right and a walled building at lower left.
The Third Battle of Panipat in a Faizabad-style painting made around 1770, now in the British Library. Opposing lines of guns fire at each other through the smoke while cavalry and infantry wait in their ranks. Public domain. Unknown artist, Faizabad, about 1770, British Library, via Wikimedia Commons.
Quick answer

On 14 January 1761, on the plain of Panipat north of Delhi, a coalition led by the Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Durrani destroyed the army of the Maratha Empire under Sadashivrao Bhau. Bhau and the Peshwa's heir were killed, tens of thousands died on the field and in the pursuit, and about 22,000 people were carried off as captives.

Third Battle of Panipat, 1761: the day that decided India

14 January 1761 · 265 years ago

Panipat, north of Delhi, was a classic invasion route into the Indian heartland, and this was the third great battle fought there. The Maratha Empire had expanded across much of India and pushed into the north, alarming regional powers.

Read the full story of Third Battle of Panipat, 1761: the day that decided India ›

Leningrad-Novgorod offensive, 1944: the end of the siege

14 January 1944 · 82 years ago

The Red Army's Leningrad and Volkhov Fronts, helped by the 2nd Baltic Front, struck German Army Group North to end the siege of Leningrad. Within two weeks the Moscow railway was retaken, and the end of the 900-day blockade was marked by a 324-gun salute.

Read the full story of Leningrad-Novgorod offensive, 1944: the end of the siege ›

Frequently asked questions

Who fought the Third Battle of Panipat?

The Maratha Empire, whose army was led by Sadashivrao Bhau, against a coalition led by the Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Durrani (Abdali), with Indian allies including the Rohillas and the Nawab of Awadh.

Why did the Marathas fight at Panipat?

Durrani had crossed the Yamuna and placed his army between their camp and Delhi, and the two armies faced each other at Panipat for about two and a half months. With food running short, the Marathas marched out to fight on 14 January 1761.

How many people died at Panipat in 1761?

No reliable count exists. Jadunath Sarkar writes that about 28,000 bodies were counted on the battlefield the next morning, and another estimate puts the Maratha soldiers killed on the field at roughly 30,000. Many more died in the pursuit, and 22,000 people were carried off as captives.

What happened to Sadashivrao Bhau?

He was killed at the end of the battle, after the death of the Peshwa's son Vishwasrao; his headless body was found later among the dead.

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