Afghan and Maratha Armies Clash at the Third Battle of Panipat

On 14 January 1761, two massive military coalitions clashed on the plains north of Delhi in the Third Battle of Panipat. The encounter pitted the expanding Maratha Empire against the invading forces of the Durrani Empire, led by Ahmad Shah Durrani, commonly known as Ahmad Shah Abdali. Having pushed their influence into the Punjab during the late 1750s, the Marathas had expelled Durrani's son from Lahore, establishing nominal control over Delhi and prompting Afghan intervention. In response, Durrani assembled a broad northern alliance that included Najib-ud-Daula, Rohilla chieftains, and Shuja-ud-Daula, the Nawab of Awadh.

The Maratha campaign was entrusted to Sadashivrao Bhau, who marched north from the Deccan with an army of between 45,000 and 60,000 soldiers. This force was accompanied by roughly 200,000 non-combatants, including families and pilgrims travelling toward holy sites in northern India. Diplomatic efforts failed to secure key regional alliances; prominent leaders such as the Jat ruler Suraj Mal withdrew their backing after strategic disagreements. Facing supply shortages and strained relations with regional powers, the Marathas were gradually cut off when Durrani outmanoeuvred them by crossing the Yamuna River in late October 1760.