Eternal India Encyclopedia

LURE- THRU THE AGES

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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 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 incompetent and unscrupulous.

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.

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