Siege of Bharatpur

Date	9 December 1825-18 January 1826
Location	Bharatpur, Rajasthan
Result	British victory

Belligerents

British East India Company

Bharatpur State

Commanders and leaders

Lord Combermere
Michael Childers

Yashwantrao Holkar

Strength

27,000

20,000

Casualties and losses

565

4,000

The Siege of Bharatpore was a siege that took place in the Indian princely state of Bharatpur (now part of Rajasthan) between December 1825 and January 1826. British troops under Lord Combermere initially surrounded the state's capital until on 18 January 1826 its fortress was stormed and captured.

Since the Maratha sponsored victory at the Siege of Bharatpur in 1805, Bharatpur had remained beyond British control, a situation that unnerved the Court of Directors of the East India Company (EIC) in London. They met at the beginning of 1825 and sought the advice of the Duke of Wellington as to how Bharatpur could be taken. He recommended Lord Combermere for the task but was told that the Court did not consider Combermere a "a man of any great genius". "I don't care a damn about his genius," Wellington replied, "I tell you he's the man to take Bhurtpore." Accordingly, Combermere sailed to Calcutta aboard the EIC ship Thalia and after a prolonged voyage arrived on 2 October 1825. Meanwhile, the Maharaja of Bharatpore, Baldeo Singh died in suspicious circumstances to be succeeded by his son Balwant Singh, who was only five years of age but had been officially recognised by the Governor-General of India, Lord Amherst. Before his death Baldeo Singh had entrusted his son to the protection of distinguished General Sir David Ochterlony who, acting on his own initiative as Civil Commissioner, advanced on Bharatpore with an army from the British garrison at Delhi. When Amherst heard of the move, he sent peremptory orders to recall the troops, whereupon Ochterlony resigned. Amherst then appointed Combermere Commander-in-Chief.

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