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Eternal India
encyclopedia
LURE - THRU THE AGES
Benoit de Boigne, a French military expert and
other Europeans of various races. In Delhi, he
made Shah Alam II, the Mughal Emperor his
puppet. By 1792 he established his ascendancy
over Rajputs.
Nana Phadnavis 1742-1800
An astute politician he controlled all
Maratha affairs in Poona. After the death of
Scindia, Maratha affairs passed under the
control of Nana Phadnavis. One of his main
aims was to recover the lost Maratha territories
to the south of the Narmada. In 1787, the
English and Marathas advanced on Tippu's
territory.
Tippu concluded a treaty with them by
giving the districts of Badami, Kittur and
Nargund to the Marathas. With the death of
Nana Phadnavis in 1800 the Marathas lost
their important guiding spirit.
Impact
After the third Maratha war- Peshwaship
was abolished and Baji Rao was given a
pension of Rs. 8 lakhs a year for his life. Many
Maratha territories were annexed by British.
The power of the Marathas was completely
crushed and henceforth they were not in a
position to raise their head again. The English
East India Company became the virtual rulers
of India.
Friends
- Rajputs, Sikhs.
Foes
- Ahmed Shah Abdali, (the Afghan
invader of 1761), Mughals, Portuguese,
English East India Company, Hyder Ali and
Tippu Sultan of Mysore.
Achievements
Baji Rao was next only to Shivaji in
military
genius. He transformed the Maratha state into
a major power in India. Bold and imaginative,
he formed the policy of Maratha imperialism,
initiated by the first Peshwa, by launching a
policy of expansion beyond the Narmada with
a view to striking at the centre of the imperial
power. At his death in 1740, the political
centre of gravity shifted from the court of
Delhi to that of Shahu.
Strengths
He was an able soldier and a wise
statesman. By his eloquence and enthusiasm,
he persuaded his master Shahu to sanction his
plan of northern expansion.
Weaknesses
*
The Maratha empire was not a well knit
one. Marathas did not have a sound
financial system; consequently they were
always in need of money.
*
Marathas were experts in guerilla warfare
and they were not good at pitched battles.
The Marathas had poor knowledge of
geography; this landed them in trouble in
military operations.
*
There was no centralised command in
Maratha army.
Decline
After the battle of Plassey, the British
became the strongest political force in India.
With their advanced military techniques they
were able to sideline the Marathas. After the
third Maratha war the Maratha empire virtually
ended.