UPSCHistoryMaratha Empire & Peshwas
History UPSC

Maratha Empire & Peshwas

Reading time: 8 min Topic: Medieval History

Maratha Empire-

Maratha Empire was dominating in the present state of Maharashtra and surrounding areas

Shivaji Maharaj(1627-1680)-

Shivaji was born in the fort of Shivneri near Junnar and his father name was Shahaji and mothers name was Jijabai

 

In 1637 Shivaji inherited the Jagir of Poona from his father

Dadaji Kondadev was the guardian of Shivaji and Ramdas Samrath was his guru

War and military conquest of Shivaji maharaj-

He conquered forts such as Chakan (1644-45), Toran (1646), Purandhar (1648), Rajgarh (1656) etc.

War with Bijapur and Afzal Khan (1659-60)

Adil Shah of Bijapur wanted to take revenge from Shivaji because of raid of shivaji in the Karnataka region of Bijapur

Adil shah sent Afzal Khan to attack Shivaji but shivaji killed Afzal khan

War with Shaishta Khan (16 63,64)-

Shaista Khan was governor of Deccan

He was deputed by Aurangzeb to contain the powers of Marathas

He attacked Shaishta khan in 1663 and also plundered Surat in 1664

Jaisingh and Shivaji Maharaja (1665)-

He was sent by Aurangzeb to attack Marathas

Jai Singh besieged the fort of Purandhar, which forced Shivaji to surrender unconditionally and signed a treaty called Treaty of Purandhar

Treaty of Purandhar(1665)-

Shivaji was exempted from personal attendance at the Mughal court but his son Sambhaji was to saw the emperor with 5,000 horses

Chauth and Sardeshmukhi were given to Shivaji

Shivaji lost many Forts to the Mughals

In 1666, Shivaji visited Agra but he was insulted by Mughals

In 1677 Shivaji attacked Eastern Karnataka and made a treaty

In 1670 Shivaji captured most of the forts that were lost by Treaty of Puradhar

 

Administration of Shivaji-

Central Administration-

Ashta Pradhan Mandal-

Shivaji had 8 ministers with different portfolio to help and assist him

Peshwa was the Prime Minister eho use to look after welfare and general administration

Surnavis or Chitnis was assigned the duty of official correspondence

Dabir or sumant was the foreign minister

Nyayadish was the chief justice and use to look after civil and criminal matters

Pandit rao was the incharge of religious affairs

 

Sari naubat /senapati was commander in chief of Army

Majumdar/ Amatiya  was dealing with accounts

Waqai navis use to deal with nmatters related to intelligence and households.

Military and navy-

The army was divided to infantry and cavalry

The regular army was called Paga, while the loose auxiliaries called silahdars

He was one of the important rulers who maintained navy to have control over coastal regions

Other-

Havaldar assisted by subedar and a Karkhanis was controller of Forts

Revenue system-

The assessment was made after careful survey of land.

Lands were measured by using the measuring rod called kathi

The revenue system of Shivaji was based on that of Malik Amber of Ahmednagar.

 

Chauth and sardeshmukhi-

These were the taxes that were collected neighbouring states of Maratha

Chauth was one fourth of the land revenue paid to the Marathas in order to avoid the Maratha raids.

Sardeshmukhi was an additional levy of ten percent on those lands which the Marathas claimed hereditary rights

Shambhaji (1680-1689)-

He was the elder son of Shivaji

As discussed earlier under the Treaty of Purandhar Sambhaji was give given Mansab of 5000

He helped the prince Akbar, the son of Aurangzeb to fight against his father Aurangzeb

In 1683 he besieged the Portuguese port of Chaul

In 1689 Mughals were able to capture him at Sangameswar  and killed him

Rajaram (1689-1700)-

Rajaram was the younger son of Shivaji

Rajaram created the new post or 9th post of Minister called Pratinidhi

There were constant attacks from Mughals during his time

He fled from Rajgarh to Jinji in 1689 due to a Mughal invasion in which Rajgarh was captured along with Sambhaji‘s wife and son (Shahu) by the Mughals

Jinji was captured by Mughals in 1698 ,therefore Rajaram made his new capital Satara

He died at Satara

Tarabai(1700-1707)-

She was wife of Rajaram

Her son Shivaji III was accepted as Chattrapati on the death of his father and Tarabai was made the Regent

During her reign the Marathas were able to capture Satara, Raigad and Sinhagad

After death of Aurangzeb Mughals decided to release the son of Shambhaji who was previously captured by Mughals,to use him against Tarabai

Civil war between Tarabai and Shahu-

Battle of Khed 1707

Tarabai wanted his son Shivaji III to be next king but shahu wanted that he should be made king and this rift resulted into civil war

Shahu took the help of Balaji Vishwanath the Diwan of Danaji Jadhav and he was able to get the throne

Shahu (1707-1749)-

During his reign there was rise of Peshwas

Peshwas-

Balaji Vishwanath (1713-1818)-

He was the 1st Peshwa and came into power

In 1708 Shahu gave him the title Sena Karte

In 1719 with the help of Syed Brothers he was able to recognize himself as the king from Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar

Baji Rao-I (1720-40)-

He conquered Bassein

 Battle of Vasai-

It took place in 1733 between Portuguese rulers of Vasai and Baji rao I

In this battle captured Salsette and Bassein from Portuguese 

Treaty of Doraha Sarai(1738)-

Baji Rao-I defeated the Nizam-ul-Mulk near Bhopal

Nizam-ul-Mulk concluded the Treaty of Doraha Sarai through which Baji rao I got got Malwa and Bundelkhand from Nizam-ul-Mulk

 

Balaji Baji Rao(1740-61)-

He was popularly known as Nana Saheb

He was appointed as Peshwa by Shahuji

Sangola agreement of 1750-

Under this agreement power to manage the affair of Maratha empire went into the hand of Peshwas

Treaty of Ahmadiya 1752-

Under this treaty Peshwas assured Mughals to protect them fromForeign attacka as well as of internal attacks

In return Mughals gave Chauth of north west provinces and also the revenue from Agra and Ajmer

3rd Battle of Panipat(1761)-

It was fought between Marathas against Ahmad Shah Durrani along with e Rohilla Afghans of the Doab, and Shuja-ud-Daula, the Nawab of Awadh.

Balaji Baji Rao was defeated and his son  Vishwas Rao died in this battle

Madhav Rao I (1761-1772)-

He defeated Nizam of Hydrabad(1763),Mysore and Rohillas

Shah Alam II, the fugitive Emperor, was in Allahabad under the protection of the British. In 1771, the Marathas brought him back to Delhi during his reign

Narayan rao (1772-73)-he became king for short interval of time and had fight with Raghunath rao

Madhav raoII (1774-95)-

Madhav Rao was an infant Peshwa under the regency of Nana Fadnavis.

In between Raghunath Rao wanted to have control ovr the kingdom

Raghunath rao was supported by Britishers      

 

The treaty of Surat 1175-

The Treaty of Surat was a treatySigned between Raghunath rao and the Britishers

Under this treaty Raghunath rao  agreed to cede Salsette and Bassein Fort to the Bitishers in return of help of
Britishers to regain the throne of Martha kingdom

1st Anglo-Maratha War (1775–1782)-

The main reason for this war was Treaty of Surat and Warren Hasting decided to Attack Pune

Maratha offered resistance to Nritishers and in 1776 Treaty of Purandhar was signed but finally this matter was resolved by signing treaty of Salbai

The treaty of Salbai -1782-

It was signed between Warren Hastings and Mahadaji Sindhia

Under this treaty-

the Company retained control of Salsette and Broach 

Marathas assured to help Bitishers to fight against Hyder Ali of Mysore and guaranteed that the French would be prohibited from establishing settlements on their territories

Madhav rao II was declared as king of Maratha

Baji Rao II(1796-1818)-

He was controlled by his nobles

At that time Maratha was divided into small kingdom-

 

Gwalior under Scindia

Indore under Holkar

Dhar under Pawar

Baroda under Gaekwad

Nagpur under Bhonsle

Poona under Peshwa

They had internal quarrel among themselves

2nd Anglo-Maratha war (1803–1805)-

Background-

 Battle of Poona (1802)-

In October 1802, the combined armies of Peshwa Baji Rao II and Scindia were defeated by Yashwantrao Holkar, ruler of Indore, at the Battle of Poona.

Baji Rao II went to Bruisers for help and Signed Treaty of Bassein (1802)

Treaty of Bassein (1802)-

It had following conditions-

British forces were to stationed permanently in Maratha territory

2.6  million rupees is to be paid to bruisers

The Peshwa could not enter into any other treaty without first consulting the Company

The Peshwa must renounce his claim over Surat and Baroda etc.

The war-

This treaty was seen as threat by Other Maratha rulers and 2nd Anglo Maratha war took place

 The Maratha leaders were defeated by Britishers under Arthur Wellesley and Lake

Britishers acquired some of the areas of Maratha and the Subsidiary Alliance was accepted by Marathas

Some of the leaders of Maratha signed agreement with Britishers like-

Holkar signed The Treaty of Rajghat, in 1805 which forced Holkar to give up Tonk, Rampura, and Bundi

In  1803, the Daulat Scindia signed the Treaty of Surji-Anjangaon

1803, Raghoji II Bhonsale of Nagpur signed the Treaty of Deogaon and gave up the proviance of cuttack

The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-1819)-

Many of the Maratha or Peshwa rulers were not happy with the conditions imposed on them by 2nd Anglo-Maratha war by Britishers

Also along with this there were Pindaris,who were irregular horsemen attacked areas of Britishers

These Pindaris were also indirectly  supported by Marathas which further annoyed the Britrishers and Britishers attacked Marathas

 

Consequences of the War-

The British abolished the Peshwai and annexed all the Peshwa’s dominions

Until his death in 1851 Baji Rao II remained a prisoner with an annual pension.

Pratap Singh, a descendent of Shivaji, was made the king of a small kingdom carved around Satara

 

Following treaties were signed-

The Treaty of Poona-1817

It was signed  with Peshwa and British got control over Noth of Narmada and South of Tungbhadra

Treaty of Gwalior -1817-

It was signed with Scindia and British got control over Rajasthan

Treaty of Mandsaur -1818-

It was signed with Holkar and holkar lost most of his area to Britishers

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