The Marathas and The Peshwas
THE MARATHAS
Shivaji(1627-80)
Shivaji(1627-80)
Sivaji was born at sivaner and inherited the Jagir of Poona from his father Shaji Bhonsle. When he attacked the Adil Shahi territories, Afzal Khan was deputed to punish sivaji by the Adil Shahi ruler but Afzal Khan was killed by Sivaji. Later Shaista Khan was given charge to punish Sivaji by Aurangazeb in 1660 but it did not succeed.
Jai singh besieged sivaji in the fort ofPurandhar in 1665 and a treaty was signed. In 1674 Sivaji was coronated at Raigargh and assumed the title Haindava Dharmodhark . He founded an alliance with the qutb shahis of golconda and attacked Bijjappur territories. He was died in 1680.
Jai singh besieged sivaji in the fort ofPurandhar in 1665 and a treaty was signed. In 1674 Sivaji was coronated at Raigargh and assumed the title Haindava Dharmodhark . He founded an alliance with the qutb shahis of golconda and attacked Bijjappur territories. He was died in 1680.
Sambhaji(1680-89)
He was successor of Sivaji defeated his brother Rajaram in a war of sucession and imprisoned him. Sambhaji was captured by Mughals and executed. Rajaram was realesed and suceeded to the throne. Raigarh was attacked by Mughals and Shahu (sambhajis son) was captured Rajaram was suceeded by his minor son, Sivaji II under the guardianship of Tarabhai. When Shahu was released by Bhahadur Sha, a civil war was broke out and Shahu defeated Tarabhai at the battle of Khed (1707).
Administration
Sivaji was helped by astapradhan (eight ministers) in his adminstration -
Peswa or Mukhya Pradhan : | prime minister and excercised general supervision and control over entire administration. |
Majumdar or Amatya : | Finance minister excercised control over income and expenditure |
Mantri or Waquianavis | He recorded the proceedings court, looked after daily activities and safty of the King |
Sachiva or Surunavis | incharge of royal secretariat,correspondance, royal orders |
Sumat or Dabir | Foreign Minister problems of war and peace |
Sar i Naubat or senapati | Commander in chief of the army |
Panditrao or Danadhyksha | chief religious advisior in charge of charities and religious endowments |
Nyaydhish | He was the chief justice and highst court of appeal after King |
The Peshwas
Under Shahu, the Bhat family of Shrivardhan (Raigad) came to prominence and the Chitpavan Brahman Balaji Vishwanath Bhat (1713-1720), who had helped Shahu to strengthen his position, became his Peshwa (prime minister) and brought in the sanads (deeds) of Swaraj, Chauth and Sardeshmukhi from the Mughals.
His son, Peshwa Bajirao I (1720-1740), attempted to break the narrow limits of Maharashtra by adopting a forward policy and building Maratha power on the ruins of the Mughal empire. He installed the Maratha sardars in the North, who later developed the Maratha confederacy. Gujarat, Malwa, Bundelkhand came under Maratha control and a new band of sardars such as Shinde, Holkar, Gaikwad and Pawar came to prominence.
His son, Balaji (1740-1761) succeeded him and expanded the Maratha borders to Attack (Punjab). Shahu died in 1749 and his adopted son Ramraja, being incompetent, remained a titular Chhatrapati. The Peshwas thus became the de facto rulers of Maharashtra, and Pune became the centre of Maratha politics.
The tragic disaster of the Marathas at Panipat (1761) at the hands of the Afghan ruler, Abdali, temporarily weakened their power but did not destroy it.
Madhavrao I (1761-1772), a noble Peshwa, restored Maratha prestige by defeating the enemies and introducing efficient administration. His premature death was a great destabiliser of Maratha power. The domestic feuds that ensued led to the murder of the next Peshwa leader, Narayanrao (1773), whose posthumous child, Madhavrao II (1773-1795), managed the affairs of state with the help of the Barbhai council, of which Nana Phadnis and Mahadji Shinde were prominent members. Power thus shifted from the Peshwas to the Karbharis (managers). The British tried to take advantage of this struggle by supporting Ragunathrao , uncle of Madhavrao.
Thus the first Anglo maratha war (1775-82) started. The British were defeated at Talegoan (1776) and British army under Goddard which came from Calcutta to Ahmadabad scored victories on the way. This war resulted in the treaty of Salbai (1782) by which status quo was maintained and gave the British peace for 20 years. Thus the British saved from the combined attack of Indian powers. When the Lord Wellesley became the Governor General he decided to impose subsidiary alliance on the Marathas. By the end of 18th century all Maratha leaders died and the internal strife among the maratha chiefs lead to the signing of subsidiary treaty at Bassien(1802) by Peshwa Baji Rao II with the British. This treaty of Bassein was an important landmark in the history of British supremacy in India. This led to expansion of the sway and influence of the East India Company over the Indian subcontinent. However, the treaty was not acceptable to both the Marathas chieftains - the Shindes and Bhosales. This directly resulted in the Second Anglo-Maratha war in 1803. The Marathas failed to forge unity among themselves. The Sidhias and Bhonsoles were defeated by the British , the British failed to defeat Holkar made peace with treaty of Rajghat. The war resulted in the establishment of British interest in Maratha empire and the loss of freedom of Maratha chiefs. This resulted in the third Anglo Maratha war ((1817-18). The British defeated the maratha forces and the Peshwa was pensioned off. To satisfy maratha pride a small kingdom of satara was created placed Pratap Singh, a descendant of Shahu, as the formal head of the Marathas.
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