Battle of Lalsot
Battle of Lalsot (Battle of Tunga) – 28 July 1787
On 28 July 1787, near Lalsot, the Marathas led by Mahadji Shinde faced a coalition of Jaipur and JodhpurRajputs, with some Mughal troops who had defected to the Rajputs. The Marathas demanded 6.3 million rupees from Jaipur; Jaipur refused, and Mahadji invaded with his army.
The battle opened with heavy cannon fire from both sides. Jaipur used long-range artillery, while the Marathas relied on lighter guns. About 4,000 Rathore horsemen from Jodhpur charged the Maratha left wing, breaking through and killing many. De Boigne’s infantry countered with artillery and muskets, inflicting heavy losses on the attackers.
Despite the charge, the Rajputs did not capitalize on the opening. Reinforcements helped the Marathas hold their lines. A stray cannon shot killed Muhammad Beg Hamdani, a Mughal commander, which caused a pause in the Mughal attacks. The Rathors tried several more times to seize the Maratha guns but were repelled each time.
The fighting continued into the night. Rain and difficult terrain slowed movements, and Mahadji hesitated to advance further due to fears of mutiny within his own ranks. By nightfall, both sides remained in their camps. Mahadji began to retreat on 1 August after repeated Rathore charges failed to break the Marathas and no cannons could be captured. Casualties were heavy on both sides, especially among the Rathore horsemen.
The battle is considered indecisive: neither side won a clear victory, and Mahadji ultimately withdrew. After Lalsot, Nana Fadnavis sent 10,000 more troops to support Mahadji.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 21:15 (CET).