Maratha conquest

   

Maratha conquest

  • Chatrapathi Sahu ruled Maratha from 1707 to 1749. During his reign, he was only a dejure King in actual power was really enjoyed by his de facto Prime Ministers. This peshwas made this position hereditary.
  1. Balaji Vishwanath 1713 -1720
  2. Bajirao I (Son and successor of Balaji) 1720 - 1740 
  3. Nana Saheb (Moniker for Balaji BajiRao) 1740 -1761 
  • Eventually, Chatrapathi died in 1749 childless i.e. no legal heir to the throne. So Peshwa of that period Nana Saheb ascended the throne and continued as dejure power. By this Shivaji, the family came to end. Alter assuming power Nana Saheb shifted capital from Satara to Pune.
  • For fist fifty years of 18th Century Maratha's were very powerful and formidable empire but their administration, revenue, military policies which were defective eventually led to annexation by British of late.
  • A blunder by Maratha's was during conquest and plundering they moved towards North-West in 1760-1761, where they attacked a town 'Attock' in Afghanistan. During this the King of Afghanistan was a powerful ruler 'Ahmed Shah Abdali' and governor of Attock was his son 'Timur Shah'. Maratha's expelled Timur Shah and looted Attock which aired Abdali so immediately in retaliation he declared war against Maratha's.
Third  Battle of Panipat
  • This third battle of Panipat (1760-61)was  fought between Afghans and Maratha's where Marathas were out rightly defeated and this proved to a national disastrous to them. A historian Jatana Sarkar describes after effects of this war and loss very beautifully as
       ->  Two pearls dissolved, means two powerful commanders of Maratha army were killed and they were
  1. Vishwasa Rao (Son of Nana Saheb) 
  2. Sadashiva Rao (Cousin of Nana Saheb)
       ->  27 Gold Mohurs were lost; means 27 great leaders of Marathas belonging to different families were also killed. Few important families of Marathas were
  1. Bhonsle Family -- In charge of Nagpur region
  2. Sindiya Family -- In charge of Gwalior region
  3. Holkar Family -- In charge of Indore region
  4. Gaekwad Family --  In charge of Baroda region 
      ->  Count of silver and copper coins was uncountable. No family in entire Maratha kingdom that didn't mourn the loss of at least one person.
  • Abdali scored a terrific victory teaching Marathas lesson. Nana Saheb after the war news died in the same year broken heart. After this Marathas gradually became less powerful and the task of British conquering become easy. A scholar says that the final fruits of this war were inadvertently enjoyed by British,  In the conquest of Maratha Kingdom British fought three wars called Anglo-Maratha wars.

First Anglo-Maratha War
  • This war fought from 1775 to 1782 between then Governor General Warren Hastings and Peshwa Madhava Rao II.
  • Though British were in the position of winning they concluded this war with a truce 'Treaty pf Salbe'. This is a status quo treaty. Hastings did so because during the war they were also fighting 2nd Anglo-Mysore war so no matter he didn't want Marathas to join Mysore which will be a disastrous and formidable threat to British. So by diplomatic means, he concluded war with a ceasefire.

Second  Anglo-Maratha War
  • This war was fought from 1803 to 1805 between Governor General Lord Wellesley and last Peshwa BajiRao II. 
  • In this War, Marathas were defeated completely however territory was not annexed but only a certain type of command was enforced. Many treaties were concluded between families and etc.

Third Anglo-Maratha War

  • This war was fought from 1817 to 1818 between Governor General. Lord Hastings and Baji Rao II. This war is also called 'Pindari war' because British targeted Pindaris primarily.
  • Pindaris were robbers and looters and ferocious warriors. These accompanied Marathas in various wars and more over loot the annexed villages. These people caused huge law and order problem.
  • After this war, Peshwaish was terminated and Baji Rao II was sent to Kanpur as a pensioner.