14. The Mughal-Maratha Wars spanned nearly 50 years, costing more than 5,000,000 lives throughout this prolonged conflict in the Indian sub-continent
The Mughal-Maratha Wars, also known as the Maratha War of Independence, was a series of wars fought between the Mughal Empire and the Maratha Empire from 1658 to 1707. Beginning with the Mughal invasion of the Maratha region of Bijapur under Emperor Aurangzeb, the Mughals sought to eradicate their young neighbor through a sudden application of overwhelming force; the Mughal forces numbered 700,000 to the Marathan 150,000. Despite this numerical superiority the Mughal Empire initially failed to make progress, being routinely thwarted in sieges, taking seven years to capture Fort Ramsej, and enduring continuous losses via guerilla raids.
Nonetheless, by 1689 it appeared that Aurangzeb had emerged victorious, capturing and executing Sambhaji, Chhatrapati (King) of the Maratha Empire. However, this act served as a rallying cry for the martyred Sambhaji’s younger brother, Rajaram. Unwilling to surrender and fighting a war of attrition, the Maratha succeeded in pushing the Mughals from their territory. By 1698, Aurangzeb’s forces were depleted and war-weary. Beginning a counter-offensive the Maratha advanced into the Mughal Empire, gaining momentum and by 1705 penetrating the central regions of their enemy’s lands. Emerging as a major power in the Indian sub-continent, the Maratha finally reached the Mughal capital of Dehli in 1758, precipitating the division of Muhgal lands among the smaller kingdoms of India.