The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1818) was the final and decisive conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India. The war left the Company in control of most of India. It began with an invasion of the Maratha territory by 110,400 British East India Company troops, the largest such British controlled force massed in India. The troops were led by the Governor General Hastings and he was supported by a force under General Thomas Hislop. The operations began with action against Pindaris, a band of Muslim and Maratha from central India.