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LURE- THRU THE AGES
Eternal India
encyclopedia
moved into Gujarat. Baji Rao had meanwhile,
tried to support Chhatrasal Bundela, then
fighting against Muhammad Khan Bangash,
Governor of Allahabad and inflicted severe
defeats on Qayam Khan, son of Muhammad
Khan Bangash, and then on Bangash himself.
In March 1737 Baji Rao marched into
Delhi throwing the capital and its environs
into a state of panic and confusion but, he
retreated when a Mughal army moved out of
Delhi to meet him. The Mughal emperor
sought the help of the Nizam. The Nizam
however proved no match for the superior
military craftsmanship of Baji Rao and was
defeated by him near Bhopal. Malwa was
formally ceded te the Marathas under the
imperial seal.
Meanwhile the Marathas had become
engaged in a struggle with the Portuguese on
the western coast. In April 1739 the Marathas
attacked Portuguese-held Bassein. Bassein
surrendered on May 5, 1739 and a peace was
finally concluded with the Portuguese.
Thus, when Maratha power was at its
zenith, Baji Rao died on April 28,1740 at the
age of 40.
Weakness
He was domineering in his attitude
towards
others and overbearing in his manners. He was
a soldier to the core, and could never bear
opposition. Baji Rao loved a Muslim dancing
girl named Mastani. It is said that Baji Rao's
addiction to meat and wine was due to her
influence.
Balaji Baji Rao 1740-61
He was only 19 years old when he
succeeded his father as Peshwa! His period
was marked by the inability of the Maratha
government to control its own chieftains.
Being involved in distant conquests, the
Marathas failed to realise that Nadir Shah's
invasion of 1739 had left a door open in North
West India through which his successors could
return to India. Ahmed Shah Abdali, who
succeeded Nadir Shah in 1747, maintained
close relations with the Ruhelas and the
Bangashes, the chief enemies of the Delhi
empire. Safdar Jung, the Wazir (chief minister)
with the approval of the emperor, sought
Maratha help, while the Pashtuns turned to
Abdali.
The Marathas under Malhar Rao Holkar
and Jayappa Scindhia, assisted by the Jats,
inflicted severe defeats on the Pashtuns and
received from the Emperor half of Rohilkhand
as their prize — their first territorial conquest
beyond the Jumna.
In March 1758 the Marathas defeated the
Governor of Sirhind and by April 9 they had
expelled Abdali's agents from Lahore. In
1759, Abdali, shocked by Maratha aggression
returned to India and took possession of
Lahore.
He then marched towards Delhi.
Provoked to respond, the Peshwa sent
Sadashiv Rao with an army against Abdali.
The famous third battle of Panipat was fought
in January 1761. Ahmed Shah Abdali had
under his command 40,000 cavalry and 35,000
infantry. Sadashiva Rao had under his
command 55,000 cavalry 15,000 infantry and
15,000 Pindaris. Both sides had artilleries. By
the end of the day, Sadashiv Rao was defeated
and killed. There was a terrible loss of life
among the Marathas.
The news was received by Balaji Baji Rao
when he was coming to Panipat with
reinforcements. He retired broken hearted to
Poona and died in 1761 a few days later.
Balaji Baji Rao was a man of refined
tastes, fond of luxurious life and enjoying
splendour and fine arts. During his regime the
camp life of the Marathas had lost its original
rudenfess and simplicity. The Peshwa was an
expert in accounts and penmanship and
exercised strict control over receipts and
expenditure. Public servants were drawn in a
special institution called the Phad. The Peshwa
used persuasive methods both in diplomacy
and war. He treated all castes equally.
MadhavaRaoI 1761-72
Maratha power in the north revived under
MadhavRaoI. By 1770 he not only captured
Agra and Mathura, but was able to re-establish
Maratha position in Rohilkhand. In 1771
Delhi was taken and Jaw an Bakht, the son of
Shah Alam II was placed on the Mughal throne
as a Maratha client.
The Marathas had now a new rival in the
British. In 1765 they acquired supreme power
from Calcutta to the Doab. Hyder Ali of
Mysore tried to extend his influence in
Karnataka and thereby destroyed all traces of
Maratha influence in that region.
NarayanRao 1772
Younger brother of Madhav Rao. A plot
was prepared to make Raghunath Rao, his
uncle as the Peshwa and put Narayan Rao in
confinement. However Narayan Rao was
murdered in the presence of Raghunath Rao
and the latter became the Peshwa.
Raghunath Rao (Raghoba) 1773-74
There was a lot of resentment against the
murder and an enquiry showed that Raghunath
Rao was the prime agent of the murder. The
result was that the responsible leaders of
Maharashtra formed a council of state for the
conduct of the affairs. In 1774, a posthumous
son was bom to the widow of Narayan Rao and
he was named Madhav Rao Narayan.
Raghunath Rao had to run away.
Madhav Rao Narayan 1774-95
Also known as Sawai Madhavrao II.
Although Raghunath Rao had to go into exile,
he did not keep quiet. He sought the help of
the
East India Company and the result was the
First Maratha War. The war dragged on for
many years and was ended by the Treaty of
Salbai in 1782. As a result, Raghunath Rao
had to give up all claims to the Peshwaship but
he was given a pension
Baji Rao II 1796-1818
He was the son of Raghunath Rao. He was
incompetent
and
unscrupulous.
Nana
Phadnavis who had helped him to come to
power was put in jail but later on was restored
to his previous position. It was during his time
that the II Maratha war was fought with the
English under Lord Wellesley. In 1802 Baji
Rao II entered into the Treaty of Bassein with
the English East India Company.
The Peshwa came under the control of the
Company. The Peshwa tried to free himself
from British control. This led to the III
Maratha
war in the time of Lord Hastings. The Peshwa
was defeated. The peshwaship was abolished
by the East India Company. Baji Rao was
given a pension and he spent the rest of his
days in Uttar Pradesh in religious pursuits.
Two important personalities who played a
great part in Maratha politics were Mahadji
Scindia and Nana Phadnavis. Phadnavis
controlled the Maratha affairs at Poona and
Mahadji busied himself in the north. Both of
them served the Maratha state faithfully.
Mahadji Scindia 1727-94
He was one of the most outstanding chiefs
of the Maratha period. After the Treaty of
Salbai he consolidated his position in North
India. He abandoned the old Maratha methods
of fighting, maintained in his army a number
of Rajputs and Muslims and organised it on
European scientifc methods by employing