Misplaced Pages

#761238

131-569: It was a hereditary title of nobility used in the Maratha Empire . During wartime, a Sardar Senapati or Sarsenapati (also colloquially termed Sarnaubat ) functioned as the Commander-in-Chief of all Maratha armies , coordinating the commands of the various Sardars in battle. Ranking under the heir-apparent crown prince ( yuvaraja ) and other hereditary princes (rajkumar), the title Senapati most closely resembles

262-424: A British Duke or German Herzog in rank and function. On occasion, the title Mahasenapati ( Sanskrit : महा maha- meaning "great") was granted; this equates to Field Marshal , and closely resembles a Grand Duke or a German Großherzog . Unlike Sardar , Senapati is a primogeniture hereditary title that is passed on to the eldest son. There are several royal Senapati families alive today, including

393-518: A decade earlier. Bajirao convinced Shahu to refuse the Nizam's offer and instead launch an assault. The Nizam invaded Pune , where he installed Sambhaji II as the King. He then marched out of the city, leaving behind a contingent headed by Fazal Beg. The Nizam plundered Loni , Pargaon , Patas, Supa and Baramati , using his artillery. On 27 August 1727, Bajirao began a retaliatory guerilla attack on

524-681: A diplomatic mission to persuade Rajput courts for chauth payments. Further efforts to establish Maratha dominance saw him responsible for the Battle of Delhi (1737) which may be said to mark the pinnacle of his military career. He secured the important territory of Malwa after defeating the combined forces of Mughal-Nizam-Nawab of Awadh in Battle of Bhopal (1737) . Bajirao's adventurous life has been picturized in Indian cinema and also featured in novels. Bajirao had two wives Kashibai and Mastani . Bajirao's relationship with his second wife Mastani

655-842: A political mediator and sought an alliance with Awadh to keep the Marathas out of Rohilkhand. He bound himself to pay on behalf of the Rohillas. However, after he refused to pay, Oudh attacked the Rohillas. Shah Alam II , the Mughal Emperor spent six years in the Allahabad fort and after the capture of Delhi in 1771 by the Marathas, left for his capital under their protection. He was escorted to Delhi by Mahadaji Shinde and left Allahabad in May 1771. During their short stay, Marathas constructed two temples in Allahabad city, one of them being

786-630: A portion of his father's dominion of Banda and Kalpi . In 1761, he and his army fought alongside the Peshwa in the Third Battle of Panipat between the Marathas and the Afghans . Wounded in the battle, Shamsher died several days later in Deeg . Bajirao moved his base of operations from Saswad to Pune in 1728, laying the foundation for the transformation of the kasba into a large city. He began

917-454: A rivalry with the powerful Dabhade clan after subduing Trimbak Rao; Trimbak's son, Yashwant Rao, was appointed as Shahu's senapati. The Dabhade clan were allowed to continue collecting chauth from Gujarat if they deposited half the revenue in Shahu's treasury. The Siddis of Janjira controlled a small, strategically important territory on India's west coast. Although they originally held only

1048-524: A round shield. There was a spare horse for every two men. The Marathas moved unencumbered by artillery, baggage, or even handguns and defensive armour. They supplied themselves by looting. Montgomery further wrote, Baji Rao resented the Nizam's rule over the Deccan and it was he who struck the first blow. In October 1727, as soon as rainy season ended, Baji Rao burst into the territories of Nizam. The lightly equipped Marathas moved with great rapidity, avoiding

1179-597: A separate treaty on 26 July 1802, supported the new regime. He made a treaty with the British. Also, Yashwant Rao successfully resolved the disputes with Scindia and the Peshwa. He tried to unite the Maratha Confederacy but to no avail. In 1802, the British intervened in Baroda to support the heir to the throne against rival claimants and they signed a treaty with the new Maharaja recognising his independence from

1310-516: A truce but this was rejected by Aurangzeb. Rajaram died in 1700 at Sinhagad . His widow, Tarabai , assumed control in the name of her son, Ramaraja (Shivaji II). After Aurangzeb died in 1707, Shahu , the son of Sambhaji (and grandson of Shivaji), was released by Bahadur Shah I , the new Mughal emperor. However, his mother was kept a hostage of the Mughals to ensure that Shahu adhered to the release conditions. Upon release, Shahu immediately claimed

1441-572: A war cost to the Marathas and an annual tribute of 1.2 million rupees, in addition to returning all the territory captured by Hyder Ali . In 1791–92, large areas of the Maratha Confederacy suffered a massive population loss due to the Doji bara famine . In 1791, irregulars like lamaans and pindaris of the Maratha army raided and looted the temple of Sringeri Shankaracharya , killing and wounding many people, including Brahmins, plundering

SECTION 10

#1732786922762

1572-582: Is a controversial subject; very little is known with certainty about it. She was generally referenced cryptically in books, letters or documents from that era. Bajirao was born into the Bhat family in Sinnar , near Nashik . His father Balaji Vishwanath was the Peshwa of Shahu I and his mother was Radhabai Barve. Bajirao had a younger brother, Chimaji Appa , and two younger sisters, Anubai and Bhiubai. Anubai

1703-457: Is considered to be the most charismatic and dynamic leader in Maratha history. He was just twenty years old and already had a reputation for rapid decisions and a passion for military adventure. In the Deccan region , the Nizam of Hyderabad emerged as a significant threat. Bajirao then led a campaign against the Nizam in which Nizam suffered a decisive defeat at Palkheda . This victory solidified

1834-632: The Adil Shahi dynasty and the Mughals to carve out a kingdom with Raigad as his capital. The religious attitude of Emperor Aurangzeb estranged non-Muslims , and the Maratha insurgency came at a great cost for his men and treasury and eventually ensured Maratha ascendency and their control over sizeable portions of former Mughal dominions in the north of the Indian subcontinent. After Aurangzeb's death in 1707, Shivaji's grandson Shahu under

1965-610: The British Raj as princely states that retained internal sovereignty under British paramountcy. Other small princely states of Maratha knights were retained under the British Raj as well. Bajirao I Wars of Bajirao Bajirao I ( born as Visaji , Marathi: [ˈbaːdʑiɾaːʋ bəˈlːaːɭ̆] ; 18 August 1700 – 28 April 1740) was the 7th Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy . He, after Shivaji ,

2096-475: The Carnatic region . The Marathas dispatched a force under Fateh Singh Bhosle to counter him; Bajirao accompanied Bhosle, but according to Stewart Gordon , Bajirao did not command the army. According to Govind Sakharam Sardesai , Bajirao personally led the campaign under Shahu's command. In contrast, Stewart Gordon 's account suggests that Bajirao was present during the campaign but did not assume command. In

2227-578: The Chhatrapati of the Marathas. Balaji also gained the release of Shahu's mother, Yesubai , from Mughal captivity in 1719. During Shahu's reign, Raghoji Bhonsle expanded the kingdom eastwards. Khanderao Dabhade and later his son, Triambakrao, expanded it Westwards into Gujarat. Peshwa Bajirao and his three chiefs, Pawar ( Dhar ), Holkar ( Indore ), and Scindia ( Gwalior ) expanded it northwards. Shahu appointed Balaji Vishwanath as Peshwa in 1713. Balaji Vishwanath's first major achievement

2358-568: The Deccan sultanates . The Mughal viceroy of the Deccan , Asaf Jah I , Nizam of Hyderabad , had created a de facto autonomous kingdom in the region. He challenged Shahu 's right to collect taxes on the pretext that he did not know whether Shahu or his cousin, Sambhaji II of Kolhapur , was the rightful heir to the Maratha throne. The Marathas needed to assert their rights over the nobles of newly acquired territories in Malwa and Gujarat . Several nominally-Maratha areas were not actually under

2489-629: The First Anglo-Maratha War ended in 1782 with a restoration of the pre-war status quo and the East India Company's abandonment of Raghunathrao's cause. In 1799, Yashwantrao Holkar was crowned King of the Holkars and he captured Ujjain. He started campaigning towards the north to expand his dominion in that region. Yashwant Rao rebelled against the policies of Peshwa Baji Rao II . In May 1802, he marched towards Pune

2620-740: The Ghorpade and Dabhade families. Senapati as Surname is almost equivalent to Sardars in India . Outside of India too, this type of similar surnames are being used like " Senopati " in Indonesia, Walters in Germany which means Commander of the Army, etc. In Cambodia , the term sena padei ( Khmer : សេនាបតី ) means "military commander". It is used in the title of the current Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Sen . In ancient Philippines , this title

2751-467: The Hooghly River and during their occupation of western Bengal , the Marathas perpetrated atrocities against the local population. The Maratha atrocities were recorded by both Bengali and European sources, which reported that the Marathas demanded payments, and tortured or killed anyone who couldn't pay. Raghuji was able to annex Odisha to his kingdom permanently as he successfully exploited

SECTION 20

#1732786922762

2882-500: The Jat and Mewati hill route (avoiding the direct Agra-Delhi route) and was at Delhi. The Mughal commanders left the feast and began a hasty return to capital. The Mughal emperor dispatched a force, led by Mir Hasan Khan Koka, to check Bajirao's advance. The Marathas defeated his force on 28 March 1737 in outskirts of Delhi at Rikabganj. When the news of the defeat of the Mughal troops by

3013-479: The Portuguese and Chikka Deva Raya of Mysore . To nullify the alliance between his rebel son, Akbar, and the Marathas, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb headed south in 1681. With his entire imperial court, administration and an army of about 500,000 troops, he proceeded to expand the Mughal empire, gaining territories such as the sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda . During the eight years that followed, Sambhaji led

3144-710: The Raja of Baroda of the House of Gaekwad , the Raja of Indore of the House of Holkar , and the Raja of Nagpur of the House of Bhonsle , (in order of territory and jurisdiction they hold), while the Peshwa's dominions included the territories that later became the Bombay Province and Central Provinces . After he was defeated by the Holkar dynasty in 1802, the Peshwa Baji Rao II sought protection from

3275-558: The Rohillas and the Nawab of Oudh to assist him in driving out the Marathas from Delhi. Huge armies of Muslim forces and Marathas collided with each other on 14 January 1761 in the Third Battle of Panipat . The Maratha Army lost the battle, which halted their imperial expansion. The Jats and Rajputs did not support the Marathas. Historians have criticised the Maratha treatment of fellow Hindu groups. Kaushik Roy says, "The treatment by

3406-826: The Scindia Dynasty of the Maratha Confederacy, as Mahadaji Shinde was deputed the Vakil-i-Mutlaq (Regent of the empire) of Mughal affairs in 1784. Following the Second Anglo-Maratha War in 1806, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington drafted a treaty granting independence to the Sikh clans east of the Sutlej River in exchange for their allegiance to the British General Gerard Lake acting on his dispatch. At

3537-673: The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1818) resulted in the loss of Maratha independence. It left the British in control of most of the Indian subcontinent. The Peshwa was exiled to Bithoor (Marat, near Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh ) as a pensioner of the British. The Maratha heartland of Desh, including Pune, came under direct British rule, except the states of Kolhapur and Satara , which retained local Maratha rulers (descendants of Shivaji and Sambhaji II ruled over Kolhapur). The Maratha-ruled states of Gwalior, Indore, and Nagpur all lost territory and came under subordinate alliances with

3668-513: The Treaty of Mungi Shevgaon on 6 March, recognising Shahu as the King and the Maratha right to collect taxes in the Deccan. This event is considered as an example of brilliant execution of military strategy. In his Military History of India , Jadunath Sarkar wrote:"This campaign gives a classic example of what the predatory horse, when led by a genius, could achieve in the age of light artillery." In Bundelkhand , Chhatrasal rebelled against

3799-674: The Treaty of Surji-Anjangaon to the British East India Company leading to the Company rule in India . In 1788, Mahadaji's armies defeated Ismail Beg , a Mughal noble who resisted the Marathas. The Rohilla chief Ghulam Kadir , Ismail Beg's ally, took over Delhi, capital of the Mughal dynasty and deposed and blinded the king Shah Alam II, placing a puppet on the Delhi throne. Mahadaji intervened and killed him, taking possession of Delhi on 2 October restoring Shah Alam II to

3930-560: The Tungabhadra river. The strong fort of Gwalior was then in the hands of Chhatar Singh , the Jat ruler of Gohad . In 1783, Mahadaji besieged the fort of Gwalior and conquered it. He delegated the administration of Gwalior to Khanderao Hari Bhalerao. After celebrating the conquest of Gwalior, Mahadaji Shinde turned his attention to Delhi again. The Maratha-Sikh treaty in 1785 made the small Cis-Sutlej states an autonomous protectorate of

4061-626: The Bhau or Bhao in sources) responded to the news of the Afghans' return to North India by sending a large army north. Bhau's force was bolstered by some Maratha forces under Holkar , Scindia , Gaekwad and Govind Pant Bundele with Suraj Mal . The combined army of over 50,000 regular troops re-captured the former Mughal capital, Delhi, from an Afghan garrison in August 1760. Delhi had been reduced to ashes many times due to previous invasions, and there

Senapati - Misplaced Pages Continue

4192-546: The British East India Company , whose intervention destroyed the confederacy by 1818 after the Second and Third Anglo-Maratha Wars . The stable borders of the confederacy after 1737 extended from modern-day Maharashtra in the south to Gwalior in the north after the Battle of Bhopal (1737), to Orissa in the east or about a third of the subcontinent. The Maratha Confederacy is also referred to as

4323-679: The British conquer Mysore in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799. After the British conquest, however, the Marathas launched frequent raids in Mysore to plunder the region, which they justified as compensation for past losses to Tipu Sultan. In 1775, the British East India Company , from its base in Bombay, intervened in a succession struggle in Pune, on behalf of Raghunathrao (also called Raghobadada), who wanted to become Peshwa of

4454-593: The Deccan in the absence of his father, mobilized 10,000 soldiers and marched against Bajirao. The Battle ensued after both parties crossed the Godavari River . In the ensuing battle, according to some sources, Bajirao suffered defeat, and his army was compelled to make a humiliating peace treaty, marking a significant setback for the Maratha forces. However, based on alternative accounts, Bajirao attempted to alleviate his sorrow through engaging in wartime activities. When his request for additional territories from

4585-455: The Deccan, Sambhaji II of Kolhapur State had become a rival claimant to the title of Maratha King. The Nizam took advantage of the internal dispute, refusing to pay the chauth because it was unclear who was the real Chhatrapati (Shahu or Sambhaji II) and offering to arbitrate . Shripatrao Pant Pratinidhi advised Shahu to begin negotiations and agree to arbitration. Sambhaji II was supported by Chandrasen Jadhav, who had fought Bajirao's father

4716-667: The English and the Marathas did not fare well at the Battle of Ramghat. The Maratha and British armies fought in Ram Ghat, but the sudden demise of the Peshwa and the civil war in Pune to choose the next Peshwa forced the Marathas to retreat. Madhavrao Peshwa 's victory over the Nizam of Hyderabad and Hyder Ali of Mysore in southern India established Maratha dominance in the Deccan. On

4847-477: The Godavari to meet Bajirao on an open plain where his artillery would be effective. The Nizam went on ahead of his artillery; on 25 February 1728, the armies of Bajirao and the Nizam faced each other at Palkhed, a town about 30 miles (48 km) west of Aurangabad . The Nizam was quickly surrounded by Maratha forces and trapped, his lines of supply and communication were cut. He was forced to make peace; he signed

4978-542: The Janjira fort, after Shivaji's death they expanded their rule to a large part of central and northern Konkan . After the death of Siddi chief Yakut Khan in 1733, a war of succession broke out among his sons; one, Abdul Rehman, asked Bajirao for help. Bajirao sent a Maratha force led by Sekhoji Angre, son of Kanhoji Angre . The Marathas regained control of several portions of the Konkan, and besieged Janjira. Their strength

5109-565: The Maratha Confederacy in return for his acknowledgement of British paramountcy. Before the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805), the Peshwa Baji Rao II signed a similar treaty. The defeat in the Battle of Delhi, 1803 during the Second Anglo-Maratha War resulted in the loss of influence over Delhi for the Marathas. The Second Anglo-Maratha War represents the military high-water mark of the Marathas who posed

5240-540: The Maratha Empire had to go on the offensive against its enemies to defend itself. He believed the Mughal Empire was in decline, and wanted to take advantage of the situation with aggressive expansion into North India . Bajirao compared the Mughals' declining fortune to a tree which, if attacked at its roots, would collapse. He is reported to have said: Let us strike at the trunk of the withering tree and

5371-459: The Maratha Empire. Historian Barbara Ramusack notes, "neither term is fully accurate since one implies a substantial degree of centralisation and the other signifies some surrender of power to a central government and a longstanding core of political administrators". Although at present, the word Maratha refers to a traditionally Marathi peasantry group, in the past the word has been used to describe all Marathi people . Shivaji (1630–1680)

Senapati - Misplaced Pages Continue

5502-408: The Maratha alliance at Agra before the start of the great battle and withdrew their troops as Maratha general Sadashivrao Bhau did not heed the advice to leave soldiers' families (women and children) and pilgrims at Agra and not take them to the battlefield with the soldiers, rejected their co-operation. Their supply chains (earlier assured by Raja Suraj Mal ) did not exist. Peshwa Madhavrao I

5633-414: The Maratha throne and challenged his aunt Tarabai and her son. The spluttering Mughal-Maratha war became a three-cornered affair. This resulted in two rival seats of government being set up in 1707 at Satara and Kolhapur by Shahu and Tarabai respectively. Shahu appointed Balaji Vishwanath as his Peshwa. The Peshwa was instrumental in securing Mughal recognition of Shahu as the rightful heir of Shivaji and

5764-463: The Marathas between 1737 and 1803. Although Shivaji came from the Maratha community , the Maratha government also included warriors, administrators, and other nobles from the Maratha and several other Marathi groups from what is known today as Maharashtra . Shivaji's monarchy was initially referred to as the Maratha Kingdom , which expanded into a large realm in the 18th century under

5895-533: The Marathas of their co-religionist fellows – Jats and Rajputs was definitely unfair and ultimately had to pay its price in Panipat where Muslim forces had united in the name of religion." The Marathas had antagonised the Jats and Rajputs by taxing them heavily, punishing them after defeating the Mughals and interfering in their internal affairs. The Marathas were abandoned by Raja Suraj Mal of Bharatpur , who quit

6026-481: The Marathas spread, a sudden fear seized the citizens of Delhi who expected the attack of the Maratha conqueror any moment. But Baji Rao did not proceed with his victory although he could have taken the city unopposed. He had received intelligence that the Vazir with his army was coming towards Delhi in rapid marches when he heard that Baji Rao was before the gates of the capital. The Peshwa realised that any further stay in

6157-481: The Marathas successfully against the Mughals. In early 1689, Sambhaji called his commanders for a strategic meeting at Sangameshwar to consider an onslaught on the Mughal forces. In a meticulously planned operation, Ganoji and Aurangzeb's commander, Mukarrab Khan, attacked Sangameshwar when Sambhaji was accompanied by just a few men. Sambhaji was ambushed and captured by the Mughal troops on 1 February 1689. He and his advisor, Kavi Kalash , were taken to Bahadurgad by

6288-608: The Marathas were now major players. After the 1758 Battle of Attock , the Marathas captured Peshawar defeating the Afghan troops in the Battle of Peshawar on 8 May 1758. Just prior to the battle of Panipat in 1761, the Marathas looted "Diwan-i-Khas" or Hall of Private Audiences in the Red Fort of Delhi, which was the place where the Mughal emperors used to receive courtiers and state guests, in one of their expeditions to Delhi. The Marathas who were hard pressed for money stripped

6419-571: The Marathas’ authority in the Deccan region. In Bundelkhand , he rescued the Bundela ruler Chhatrasal from a Mughal siege , gaining independence for Bundelkhand. Gratefully, Chhatrasal granted Bajirao a jagir and his daughter's hand in marriage. In the 1730s, Bajirao asserted Maratha tax rights in Gujarat, defeating rebel Trimbak Rao Dabhade in 1731 at Battle of Dabhoi ; he also engaged in

6550-464: The Mughal Empire and established an independent kingdom. In December 1728, a Mughal force led by Muhammad Khan Bangash attacked him and besieged his fort and family. Although Chhatrasal repeatedly sought Bajirao's assistance, he was busy in Malwa at the time. He compared his dire situation to that of Gajendra Moksha . In his letter to Bajirao, Chhatrasal wrote the following words: Know you, that I am in

6681-432: The Mughal Empire in 1721 by emperor Muhammad Shah , who, alarmed at his increasing power, transferred him from the Deccan to Awadh in 1723. The Nizam rebelled against the order, resigned as vizier and marched towards the Deccan. The emperor sent an army against him, which the Nizam defeated at the Battle of Sakhar-kheda ; this forced the emperor to recognise him as viceroy of the Deccan. The Marathas, led by Bajirao, helped

SECTION 50

#1732786922762

6812-426: The Mughal territories in the Doab . Saadat Khan led a force of 150,000, defeated them at Jalesar, and retired to Mathura . Malhar Rao Holkar rejoined Bajirao's army near Gwalior . Samsam-ud-Daulah, Mir Bakshi and Muhammad Khan Bangash invited Saadat Ali Khan to a banquet in Samsam-ud-Daulah's tent in Mathura, thinking that the Marathas had retreated to the Deccan. During the feast, they learnt Bajirao had slipped along

6943-489: The Mughals from the invasion of the Marathas, but was defeated decisively in the Battle of Bhopal . The Marathas extracted a large tribute from the Mughals and signed a treaty which ceded Malwa to the Marathas. The Battle of Vasai was fought between the Marathas and the Portuguese rulers of Vasai , a village lying on the northern shore of Vasai creek, 50 km north of Mumbai . The Marathas were led by Chimaji Appa , brother of Baji Rao. The Maratha victory in this war

7074-420: The Mughals to defend his kingdom. He was crowned as Chhatrapati (sovereign) of the new Maratha Kingdom in 1674. The Maratha dominion under him comprised about 4.1% of the subcontinent, but it was spread over large tracts. At the time of his death, it was reinforced with about 300 forts, and defended by about 40,000 cavalries, and 50,000 soldiers, as well as naval establishments along the west coast. Over time,

7205-433: The Narmada in early December 1737, communicating with agents and spies posted to observe enemy moves. The Nizam sheltered in Bhopal , a fortified town with a lake at his rear, to keep his army and artillery secure. The Nizam, unable to hold out any longer, signed a peace agreement at Doraha on 7 January 1738. Malwa was ceded to the Marathas; the Mughals agreed to pay the equivalent of ₹ 5,000,000 in reparations , with

7336-402: The Nizam had returned to Pune, Bajirao feinted toward Burhanpur ; he thought that after hearing about the threat to the strategically important Burhanpur, the Nizam would try to save it. Bajirao did not enter Burhanpur, however, arriving at Betawad in Khandesh on 14 February 1728. When the Nizam heard that his northern territories had been devastated by Bajirao, he left Pune and marched towards

7467-441: The Nizam swearing on the Quran to abide by the treaty. Between 1738 and 1740, Nader Shah launched an invasion of India. In response to this threat, Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah summoned the Nizam of Hyderabad, Asaf Jah, to Delhi . Accepting the emperor's request, Asaf Jah mobilized his army and marched to Delhi in a bid to resist the invasion. In the absence of the Nizam, Bajirao launched an attack on Hyderabad with

7598-439: The Nizam to establish a northern route was unsuccessful, he laid siege to Nasir Jang, the Nizam's son, in the Aurangabad fort, ultimately forcing him to relinquish the districts of Nemad and Khargon. According to some historical sources, Peshwa Bajirao's last battle took place in Rawarkhedi, Madhya Pradesh in 1739, against Nasir Jung , the Nizam's son. Nasir Jung lost the battle and escaped. Nasir sued for peace and an agreement

7729-421: The Nizam win this battle. For his valor, Bajirao was honored with a robe, a 7,000-man mansabdari , an elephant, and a jewel. After the battle, the Nizam tried to appease the Maratha Chhatrapati Shahu and the Mughal emperor; in reality, however, he wanted to carve out a sovereign kingdom and considered the Marathas his rivals in the Deccan. In 1725, the Nizam sent an army to clear Maratha revenue collectors from

7860-490: The Nizam with his trusted lieutenants Malhar Rao Holkar , Ranoji Shinde and the Pawar brothers. He began to destroy the towns held by the Nizam; leaving Pune, he crossed the Godavari River near Puntamba and plundered Jalna and Sindkhed . Bajirao destroyed Berar , Mahur , Mangrulpir and Washim before turning north-west to Khandesh . He crossed the Tapi River at Kokarmunda and entered eastern Gujarat , reaching Chota Udaipur in January 1728. After hearing that

7991-431: The Peshwa returned to Satara , then Bajirao dispatched a force to prevent them from taking over Raigad Fort in June 1734. Chimnaji made a surprise attack on a Siddi camp near Rewas on 19 April 1736, killing about 1,500 (including their leader, Siddi Sat). In June 1736, Bajirao dispatched a force under Yesaji Gaikwad, Dhanaji Thorat and Sidoji Barge to gain the control territories like Gowalkot . On 25 September of that year,

SECTION 60

#1732786922762

8122-411: The Peshwa's control; for example, the Siddis controlled the Janjira fort. At the outset of Bajirao's Peshwa rule, the Mughal leaders, led by Nizam-ul-Mulk, rebelled against the Sayyid Brothers. To quell the uprising, the Sayyid brothers sought assistance from the Marathas. However, in the Battle of Balapur , where Bajirao, Malhar Rao Holkar, and Khanderao Dabhade were present, the combined forces of

8253-496: The Peshwa. Two other Maratha nobles from Gujarat, Damaji Rao Gaekwad and Kadam Bande, also sided with Dabhade. After Girdhar Bahadur's defeat in 1728, the Mughal emperor had appointed Jai Singh II to subdue the Marathas. Jai Singh recommended a peaceful agreement; the emperor disagreed, replacing him with Muhammad Khan Bangash . Bangash formed an alliance with the Nizam, Trimbak Rao and Sambhaji II. Bajirao learned that Dabhade and Gaikwad had made preparations for an open fight on

8384-491: The Portuguese Viceroy was killed in action by the Maratha Army in Goa. After the successful campaign of Karnataka and the Trichinopolly , Raghuji returned from Karnataka. He undertook six expeditions into Bengal from 1741 to 1748. The resurgent Maratha Confederacy launched brutal raids against the prosperous Bengali state in the 18th century , which further added to the decline of the Nawabs of Bengal. During their invasions and occupation of Bihar and western Bengal up to

8515-429: The Portuguese with an attack on Salcette Island on 13 March 1733. Peace would prove to be short, as five years later the Marathas would again invade Portuguese territory and attack Bassein. After consolidating Maratha influence in central India, Bajirao decided to assert the Maratha right to collect taxes from the wealthy province of Gujarat and sent a Maratha force under Chimaji Appa there in 1730. Sarbuland Khan,

8646-399: The Raja of Jaipur but withdrew after the inconclusive Battle of Lalsot in 1787. The Battle of Gajendragad was fought between the Marathas under the command of Tukojirao Holkar (the adopted son of Malharrao Holkar) and Tipu Sultan from March 1786 to March 1787 in which Tipu Sultan was defeated by the Marathas. By the victory in this battle, the border of the Maratha territory was extended to

8777-419: The Sayyid Brothers and the Marathas were defeated by the Nizam's forces. Sankarji Malhar was captured as a prisoner of war, marking Bajirao's first significant military engagement as Peshwa. On 4 January 1721, Bajirao met Nizam of Hyderabad at Chikhalthana to resolve their disputes. However, the Nizam refused to recognize the Maratha right to collect taxes from the Deccan provinces. He was made vizier of

8908-480: The Siddis signed a peace treaty which confined them to Janjira, Gowalkot and Anjanvel. With Shahu's consent, Bajirao began a northward journey on 9 October 1735. Accompanied by his wife, Kashibai , he intended to visit Rajput courts and persuade them to pay chauth. Bajirao arrived at Mewar 's southern frontier in January 1736, where Rana Jagat Singh II had made arrangements for his visit. Diplomatic talks got underway. Bajirao also visited Jagmandir Palace , in

9039-456: The Sringeri temple continued for many years, and he was still writing to the Swami in the 1790s. The Maratha Confederacy soon allied with the British East India Company (based in the Bengal Presidency ) against Mysore in the Anglo-Mysore Wars . After the British had suffered a defeat against Mysore in the first two Anglo-Mysore Wars, the Maratha cavalry assisted the British in the last two Anglo-Mysore Wars from 1790 onwards, eventually helping

9170-408: The Terai whence the remaining Sardar Hafiz Rahmat Khan Barech sought assistance in an agreement formed with the Nawab of Oudh , Shuja-ud-Daula, by which the Rohillas agreed to pay four million rupees in return for military help against the Marathas. Hafiz Rehmat, abhorring unnecessary violence, unlike the outlook of his fellow Rohillas such as Ali Muhammad and Najib Khan, prided himself on his role as

9301-456: The Wazir's army and possibility of reinforcement from the other Mughal nobles he made a decision to quickly retreat from Badshahpur during early night. Passing through Rajputana Bajirao reached Narnol and then Ajmer. The Mughals could not pursue the Marathas and the Emperor had recalled them to Delhi. The Rajput princes once again affirmed their loyalty to the Peshwa and solicited his protection. This event caused great consternation and dismay in

9432-412: The aim of capturing the six provinces of Deccan . Having already secured Malwa through the Battle of Bhopal from Jai Singh II , Bajirao sought to expand Maratha influence by targeting Hyderabad in the absence of the Nizam. In December 1739, Bajirao led a formidable force of 50,000 horse and foot soldiers towards Hyderabad. Nasir Jung, having received intelligence about the Marathas' intent to capture

9563-505: The aristocracy. After the death of Peshwa Madhavrao I , various chiefs and jagirdars became de facto rulers and regents for the infant Peshwa Madhavrao II . Under the leadership of Mahadaji Shinde, the ruler of the state of Gwalior in central India, the Marathas defeated the Jats, the Rohilla Afghans and took Delhi which remained under Maratha control for the next three decades. His forces conquered modern day Haryana. Shinde

9694-546: The battles of Sira and Madgiri. He also rescued the last queen of the Keladi Nayaka Kingdom , who had been kept in confinement by Hyder Ali in the fort of Madgiri. In early 1771, ten years after the collapse of Maratha authority over North India following the Third Battle of Panipat, Mahadaji Shinde recaptured Delhi and installed Shah Alam II as a puppet ruler on the Mughal throne receiving in return

9825-451: The branches will fall off themselves. Listen but to my counsel and I shall plant the Maratha flag on the walls of Attock . As a new Peshwa, however, he faced several challenges. Bajirao promoted young men like himself, such as Malhar Rao Holkar , Ranoji Shinde , the Pawar brothers and Fateh Singh Bhosle, as commanders; these men did not belong to families who were hereditary Deshmukhs in

9956-412: The capital. Although the Peshwa left the city suddenly, he exposed the weakness of the government. The demoralizing effect which the Peshwa's surprise attack produced on the army and the citizens of Delhi was permanent. Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah sought help from the Nizam after Bajirao's march to Delhi; the Nizam set out from the Deccan, met Bajirao's returning force at Sironj , and told the Peshwa he

10087-409: The ceiling of Diwan-i-Khas of its silver and looted the shrines dedicated to Muslim maulanas. During the Maratha invasion of Rohilkhand in the 1750s The Marathas defeated the Rohillas, forced them to seek shelter in hills and ransacked their country in such a manner that the Rohillas dreaded the Marathas and hated them ever afterwards. In 1760, the Marathas under Sadashivrao Bhau (referred to as

10218-688: The centre of Pichola Lake (at Rana Jagat Singh's invitation), and Nath-Dwara . After resolving matters in Mewar, Bajirao advanced towards Jaipur . Jai Singh hastened south with his forces, and they met in Bhambholao (near Kishangarh ). Their meeting lasted for several days, with talks about chauth and the cession of Malwa from the Mughal Emperor . Bajirao then returned to the Deccan. The emperor did not agree to his demands, however, and he planned to march on Delhi to force him to agree. After

10349-625: The chaotic conditions prevailing in Bengal after the death of its governor Murshid Quli Khan in 1727. Constantly harassed by the Bhonsles, Odisha, Bengal and parts of Bihar were economically ruined. Alivardi Khan, the Nawab of Bengal made peace with Raghuji in 1751 ceding Cuttack (Odisha) up to the river Subarnarekha, and agreeing to pay Rs. 1.2 million annually as the Chauth for Bengal and Bihar. Balaji Bajirao encouraged agriculture, protected

10480-553: The city would greatly imperil his position and endanger the lines of communication with the Maratha mainland. He was content with the imperial offer of the Viceroyalty of Malwa. He, therefore, left Delhi with his soldiers towards the south. During his way back he encountered the Mughal Vizier Qamar-ud Din Khan at Badshahpur . After a long and tiring march following a heavy engagement, the Peshwa

10611-617: The conclusion of the war, the frontier of British India was extended to the Yamuna. Mahadaji Shinde had conquered Rania , Fatehabad and Sirsa from the governor of Hissar. Haryana then came under the Marathas. He divided Haryana into four territories: Delhi (Mughal emperor Shah Alam II , his family and areas surrounding Delhi), Panipat (Karnal, Sonepat, Kurukshetra and Ambala), Hisar (Hisar, Sirsa, Fatehabad, parts of Rohtak), Ahirwal (Gurugram, Rewari, Narnaul, Mahendragarh) and Mewat. Daulat Rao Scindia ceded Haryana on 30 December 1803 under

10742-438: The confederacy. The British also wanted to end any potential anti-British, French-Maratha alliance at its crib. Maratha forces under Tukojirao Holkar and Mahadaji Shinde defeated a British expeditionary force at the Battle of Wadgaon , but the heavy surrender terms, which included the return of annexed territory and a share of revenues, were disavowed by the British authorities at Bengal and fighting continued. What became known as

10873-465: The construction of Shaniwar Wada on 10 January 1730. Bajirao was appointed Peshwa, succeeding his father, by Shahu on 17 April 1720. By the time of his appointment, the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah had upheld Maratha claims to the territories held by Shivaji at his death. A treaty gave the Marathas the right to collect taxes ( chauth ) in the Deccan 's six provinces . Bajirao convinced Shahu that

11004-445: The daughter of Rajput king Chhatrasal , born from his Muslim concubine. The relationship was a political one, arranged to please Chhatrasal. Mastani had a son, Krishna Rao , in 1734. Since his mother was Muslim, Hindu priests refused to conduct the upanayana ceremony and he became known as Shamsher Bahadur. After the deaths of Bajirao and Mastani in 1740, Kashibai raised six-year-old Shamsher Bahadur as her own. Shamsher received

11135-480: The death of Saadat Khan by the Marathas and was forced to flee to the camp of Shuja-ud-Daula and his country was ravaged by Marathas. Mahadaji Shinde captured the family of Zabita Khan, desecrated the grave of Najib ad-Dawlah and looted his fort. With the fleeing of the Rohillas, the rest of the country was burnt, with the exception of the city of Amroha, which was defended by some thousands of Amrohi Sayyid tribes. The Rohillas who could offer no resistance fled to

11266-500: The death of Trimbak Rao, Bangash's alliance against the Marathas fell apart. The Mughal emperor recalled him from Malwa, and re-appointed Jai Singh II as the governor of Malwa. However, the Maratha chief Holkar defeated Jai Singh in the 1733 Battle of Mandsaur . After two more battles, the Mughals decided to offer the Marathas the right to collect the equivalent of ₹ 22 lakh in chauth from Malwa. On 4 March 1736, Bajirao and Jai Singh reached an agreement at Kishangad . Jai Singh convinced

11397-442: The emperor to agree to the plan, and Bajirao was appointed deputy governor of the region. Jai Singh is believed to have secretly informed Bajirao that it was a good time to subdue the weakening Mughal emperor. Learning of the advancing Maratha army, the Mughal emperor asked Saadat Ali Khan I to march from Agra and check the advance. The Maratha chiefs Malhar Rao Holkar, Vithoji Bule and Pilaji Jadhav crossed Yamuna and plundered

11528-466: The enemy. In his book, A Concise History of Warfare , Montgomery wrote the following about Bajirao's victory at Palkhed: They (Marathas) were at their best in the eighteenth century, and the Palkhed campaign of 1727–28 in which Baji Rao I outgeneralled Nizam-ul-Mulk, is a masterpiece of strategic mobility . Baji Rao's army was a purely mounted force, armed only with sabre, lance, a bow in some units and

11659-578: The famous Alopi Devi Mandir . After reaching Delhi in January 1772 and realising the Maratha intent of territorial encroachment, however, Shah Alam ordered his general Najaf Khan to drive them out. In retaliation, Tukoji Rao Holkar and Visaji Krushna Biniwale attacked Delhi and defeated Mughal forces in 1772. The Marathas were granted an imperial sanad for Kora and Allahabad. They turned their attention to Oudh to gain these two territories. Shuja was, however, unwilling to give them up and made appeals to

11790-584: The imperial army, where they were executed by the Mughals on 21 March 1689. Aurangzeb had charged Sambhaji with attacks by Maratha forces on Burhanpur . Upon Sambhaji's death, his half-brother Rajaram ascended the throne. The Mughal siege of Raigad continued, and he had to flee to Vishalgad and then to Gingee for safety. From there, the Marathas raided Mughal territory, and many forts were recaptured by Maratha commanders such as Santaji Ghorpade , Dhanaji Jadhav , Parshuram Pant Pratinidhi , Shankaraji Narayan Sacheev and Melgiri Pandit. In 1697, Rajaram offered

11921-460: The kingdom would increase in size and heterogeneity; by the time of his grandson's rule, and later under the Peshwas in the early 18th century, it became a vast realm. Shivaji had two sons: Sambhaji and Rajaram , who had different mothers and were half-brothers. In 1681, Sambhaji succeeded to the crown after his father's death and resumed his expansionist policies. Sambhaji had earlier defeated

12052-476: The last serious opposition to the formation of the British Raj . The real contest for India was never a single decisive battle for the subcontinent, rather, it turned on a complex social and political struggle for the control of the South Asian military economy. The victory in 1803 hinged as much on finance, diplomacy, politics and intelligence as it did on battlefield manoeuvring and war itself. Ultimately,

12183-411: The leadership of Peshwa Bajirao I . The Marathas were a Marathi -speaking peasantry group from the western Deccan Plateau (present-day Maharashtra ) who rose to prominence by establishing Hindavi Swarajya (meaning "self-rule of Hindus"). The Marathas became prominent in the politics of the Indian subcontinent during the seventeenth century under the leadership of Shivaji , who revolted against

12314-514: The leadership of Peshwa Bajirao revived Maratha power and confided a great deal of authority to the Bhat family, who became hereditary peshwas ( prime ministers ). After he died in 1749, they became the effective rulers. The leading Maratha families – Scindia, Holkar, Bhonsle, and Gaekwad – extended their conquests in northern and central India and became more independent and difficult to control. The Marathas' rapid expansion

12445-401: The main towns and fortresses, living off the country, burning and plundering. They met one reverse at the hands of Nizam's able lieutenant, Iwaz Khan, at the beginning of November 1727, but within a month they had fully recovered and were off again, dashing east, north, west, with sudden changes in direction. The Nizam had mobilised his forces, and for a time pursued them, but he was bewildered by

12576-616: The major Maratha powers jointly fighting Nizam's forces. The Marathas came into conflict with Tipu Sultan and his Kingdom of Mysore , leading to the Maratha–Mysore War in 1785. The war ended in 1787 with Tipu Sultan being defeated by the Marathas. The Maratha-Mysore war ended in April 1787 following the finalizing of the treaty of Gajendragad , as per which the Tipu Sultan of Mysore was obligated to pay 4.8 million rupees as

12707-676: The monastery of all its valuable possessions, and desecrating the temple by displacing the image of goddess Sāradā . The incumbent Shankaracharya petitioned Tipu Sultan for help. A bunch of about 30 letters written in Kannada , which were exchanged between Tipu Sultan's court and the Sringeri Shankaracharya were discovered in 1916 by the Director of Archaeology in Mysore . Tipu Sultan expressed his indignation and grief at

12838-585: The news of the raid: People who have sinned against such a holy place are sure to suffer the consequences of their misdeeds at no distant date in this Kali age in accordance with the verse: "Hasadbhih kriyate karma rudadbhir-anubhuyate" (People do [evil] deeds smilingly but suffer the consequences crying). Tipu Sultan immediately ordered the Asaf of Bednur to supply the Swami with 200 rahati s ( fanam s) in cash and other gifts and articles. Tipu Sultan's interest in

12969-478: The other hand, Mahadaji's victory over Jats of Mathura, Rajputs of Rajasthan and Pashtun-Rohillas of Rohilkhand ( Bareilly division and Moradabad division of present-day Uttar Pradesh ) re-established the Marathas in northern India. With the Capture of Delhi in 1771 and the capture of Najibabad in 1772 and treaties with Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II as a restricted monarch to the throne under Maratha suzerainty,

13100-557: The plain of Dabhoi with a force of 40 thousand, while Bajirao's numbers hardly reached 25 thousand in all. Bajirao repeatedly sent messages to Dabhade to solve the dispute amicably in the presence of Shahu. Bajirao resolved the dispute with Sambhaji II on 13 April by signing the Treaty of Warna, which demarcated the territories of Shahu and Sambhaji II. The Nizam met Bajirao at Rohe-Rameshwar on 27 December 1732, and promised not to interfere with Maratha expeditions. Shahu and Bajirao avoided

13231-469: The province's Mughal governor, ceded the right to collect chauth to the Marathas. He was soon replaced by Abhay Singh, who also recognized the Maratha right to collect taxes. This irked Shahu's senapati (commander-in-chief), Trimbak Rao Dabhade , whose ancestors had raided Gujarat several times and asserted their right to collect taxes from the province. Annoyed at Bajirao's control of what he considered his family's sphere of influence, he rebelled against

13362-603: The realms of the Peshwa and four major independent Maratha states often subordinate to the former. It was established in 1674 with the coronation of Shivaji as the Maratha Chhatrapati and recognised by Emperor Bahadur Shah I as a tributary state in 1707 following a prolonged rebellion . Following this, the Marathas continued to recognise the Mughal emperor as their nominal suzerain , similar to other contemporary Indian entities, though in practice, imperial politics at Delhi were largely influenced by

13493-451: The resurrection of Maratha power in the North was complete. Madhav Rao died in 1772, at the age of 27. His death is considered to be a fatal blow to the Maratha Confederacy and from that time Maratha power started to move on a downward trajectory, less an empire than a confederacy. In a bid to effectively manage the large empire, Madhavrao Peshwa gave semi-autonomy to the strongest of

13624-466: The royal family as captives. The Marathas invaded Rohilkhand to avenge the Rohillas' atrocities in the Panipat war. The Marathas under the leadership of Mahadaji Shinde entered the land of Sardar Najib-ud-Daula which was held by his son Zabita Khan after his death. Zabita Khan initially resisted the attack with Sayyid Khan and Saadat Khan behaving with gallantry, but was eventually defeated with

13755-517: The same sad plight in which the famous elephant was when caught by the crocodile. My valiant race is on point of extinction. Come and save my honour, O Baji Rao. In March 1729, the Peshwa responded to Chhatrasal's request and marched towards Bundelkhand with 25,000 horsemen and his lieutenants Pilaji Jadhav, Tukoji Pawar, Naro Shankar , and Davalji Somwanshi. Bangash was later forced to leave, signing an agreement that "he would never attack Bundelkhand again". Chhatrasal's position as ruler of Bundelkhand

13886-431: The seat of the Peshwa. This gave rise to the Battle of Poona in which the Peshwa was defeated. After the Battle of Poona, the flight of the Peshwa left the government of the Maratha state in the hands of Yashwantrao Holkar.( Kincaid & Pārasanīsa 1925 , p. 194) He appointed Amrutrao as the Peshwa and went to Indore on 13 March 1803. All except Gaekwad, chief of Baroda , who had already accepted British protection by

14017-483: The six Mogul provinces of Deccan, and full possession of the territories controlled by Shivaji in 1680. After Balaji Vishwanath's death in April 1720, his son, Baji Rao I , was appointed Peshwa by Shahu. Bajirao is credited with expanding the Maratha Kingdom tenfold from 3% to 30% of the modern Indian landscape during 1720–1740. The Battle of Palkhed was a land battle that took place on 28 February 1728 at

14148-489: The south. From Damalcherry, the Marathas proceeded to Arcot, which surrendered to them without much resistance. Then, Raghuji invaded Trichinopoly in December 1740. Unable to resist, Chanda Sahib surrendered the fort to Raghuji on 14 March 1741. Chanda Saheb and his son were arrested and sent to Nagpur. Rajputana also came under Maratha attacks during this time. In June 1756 Luís Mascarenhas, Count of Alva (Conde de Alva),

14279-413: The swift unpredictable movements of Marathas, and his men became exhausted. Bajirao is considered one of celebrated personality in the history of Maratha Empire by many historians. In his introduction to Bajirao I: The Great Peshwa , K. M. Panikkar wrote: Baji Rao, the great Peshwa, was without doubt the most outstanding statesman and general India produced in [the] 18th century. If Shivaji Maharaj

14410-432: The throne and acting as his protector. Jaipur and Jodhpur , the two most powerful Rajput states, were still out of direct Maratha domination, so Mahadaji sent his general Benoît de Boigne to crush the forces of Jaipur and Jodhpur at the Battle of Patan . Another achievement of the Marathas was their victories over the Nizam of Hyderabad's armies. The last of these took place at the Battle of Kharda in 1795 with all

14541-482: The title of Sutawijaya , the founder of 16th century Javanese Mataram Sultanate , was Senapati ing Alaga , which means "general of battle". The following is a list of Senapatis of the Maratha Empire from the reign of Shivaji to Shahu subsequently: Maratha Empire The Maratha Confederacy , also referred to as the Maratha Empire , was an early modern polity in the Indian subcontinent . It comprised

14672-496: The title of deputy Vakil-ul-Mutlak or vice-regent of the Empire and that of Vakil-ul-Mutlak being at his request conferred on the Peshwa. The Mughals also gave him the title of Amir-ul-Amara (head of the amirs). After taking control of Delhi, the Marathas sent a large army in 1772 to punish Afghan Rohillas for their involvement in Panipat. Their army devastated Rohilkhand by looting and plundering as well as taking members of

14803-465: The village of Palkhed, near the city of Nashik, Maharashtra, India between Baji Rao I and Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I of Hyderabad. The Marathas defeated the Nizam . The battle is considered an example of the brilliant execution of military strategy. In 1737, Marathas under Bajirao I raided the suburbs of Delhi in a blitzkrieg in the Battle of Delhi (1737). The Nizam set out from the Deccan to rescue

14934-452: The villagers and brought about a marked improvement in the state of the territory. Raghunath Rao , brother of Nanasaheb, pushed into the wake of the Afghan withdrawal after Ahmed Shah Abdali 's plunder of Delhi in 1756. Delhi was captured by the Maratha army under Raghunath Rao in August 1757, defeating the Afghan garrison in the Battle of Delhi . This laid the foundation for the Maratha conquest of North-west India . In Lahore , as in Delhi,

15065-465: Was Kashibai , the daughter of Mahadji Krishna Joshi and Bhawanibai of Chas (a wealthy banking family). Bajirao always treated his wife Kashibai with love and respect. Their relationship was healthy and happy. They had four sons: Balaji Bajirao (also called Nanasaheb), Ramachandra Rao, Raghunath Rao and Janardhan Rao, who died at an early age. Nanasaheb was appointed Peshwa by Shahu in 1740, succeeding his father. Bajirao took Mastani as his wife,

15196-526: Was a Maratha aristocrat of the Bhonsle clan and was the founder of the Maratha state. Shivaji led a resistance against the Sultanate of Bijapur in 1645 by winning the fort Torna, followed by many more forts, placing the area under his control and establishing Hindavi Swarajya (self-rule of Hindu people ). He created an independent Maratha state with Raigad as its capital and successfully fought against

15327-494: Was a major achievement of Baji Rao's time in office. Baji Rao's son, Balaji Bajirao (Nanasaheb), was appointed as the next Peshwa by Shahu despite the opposition of other chiefs. In 1740, the Maratha forces, under Raghoji Bhonsle, came down upon Arcot and defeated the Nawab of Arcot , Dost Ali, in the pass of Damalcherry. In the war that followed, Dost Ali, one of his sons Hasan Ali, and several other prominent people died. This initial success at once enhanced Maratha prestige in

15458-425: Was an acute shortage of supplies in the Maratha camp. Bhau ordered the sacking of the already depopulated city. He is said to have planned to place his nephew and the Peshwa's son, Vishwasrao , on the Mughal throne. By 1760, with the defeat of the Nizam in the Deccan , Maratha power had reached its zenith with a territory of over 2,500,000 square kilometres (970,000 sq mi). Ahmad Shah Durrani called on

15589-642: Was diverted after Peshwa's rival, Pant Pratinidhi, occupied Raigad Fort (near Janjira) in June 1733. Sekhoji Angre died in August (further weakening the Maratha position), and Bajirao signed a peace treaty with the Siddis. He allowed the Siddis to retain control of Janjira if they accepted Abdul Rehman as the ruler; they were also allowed to retain control of Anjanvel , Gowalkot and Underi . The Marathas retained Raigad, Rewas , Thal and Chaul . The Siddis launched an offensive to regain their lost territories soon after

15720-530: Was going to Delhi to repair his relationship with the Mughal emperor. The Nizam was joined by other Mughal chiefs, and a 30,000-man Mughal army (reinforced by artillery), was dispatched against Bajirao. The Peshwa assembled an 80,000-man force. To counter aid to the Nizam from the Deccan, Bajirao stationed a force of 10,000 (under Chimaji Appa) on the Tapti River with instructions to prevent Nasir Jung from advancing beyond Burhanpur . He and his forces crossed

15851-472: Was halted with the great defeat of Panipat in 1761, at the hands of the Afghan Empire , following which the effective power of Peshwas over other chiefs came to an end. The structure of the Maratha state was that of a confederacy of four Rajas under the leadership of the Peshwa at Poona (now Pune) in western India from 1721 till 1818. These were the Raja of Gwalior of the House of Scindia ,

15982-474: Was imprisoned by Damaji Thorat before being released for a ransom. Bajirao had been on the expedition to Delhi in 1719 with his father and was convinced the Mughal Empire was disintegrating and would be unable to resist northward Maratha expansion. When Balaji Vishwanath died in 1720, Shahu appointed the 20-year-old Bajirao as Peshwa despite opposition from other chieftains. Bajirao's first wife

16113-435: Was in no mood to attack the Vazir. Neither could the Vazir array his forces for battle, as his artillery and a part of his men were yet on the road. There was a brush between the two forces in the failing light of the day; one elephant and a few horses were seized by the Marathas with the loss of 30 men at their side. Afterwards, they moved another eight miles before encamping for the night. Finding himself heavily outnumbered to

16244-524: Was instrumental in resurrecting Maratha power after the débâcle of the Third Battle of Panipat, and in this, he was assisted by Benoît de Boigne . After the growth in power of feudal lords like the Malwa sardars, the landlords of Bundelkhand and the Rajput kingdoms of Rajasthan who refused to pay tribute to him, he sent his army to conquer states such as Bhopal , Datiya, Chanderi, Narwar, Salbai and Gohad. However, he launched an unsuccessful expedition against

16375-424: Was known for rapid tactical movements in battle, using cavalry inherited from Maratha generals such as Santaji Ghorpade and Dhanaji Jadhav . British field marshal Bernard Montgomery studied Bajirao's tactics in the Palkhed campaign, particularly his rapid movements and his troops' ability to live off the land (with little concern about supply and communication lines) while conducting " maneuver warfare " against

16506-426: Was married to Venkatrao Ghorpade (Joshi) of Ichalkaranji and Bhiubai was married to Abaji Naik Joshi of Baramati . Being born in a Brahmin family, his education included reading, writing and learning Sanskrit however, he did not remain confined to his books. Bajirao displayed a passion for the military at an early age and often accompanied his father on military campaigns. He was with his father when his father

16637-573: Was restored. He granted a large jagir to Bajirao, and gave him his daughter Mastani. Before Chhatrasal's death in December 1731, he ceded one-third of his territories to the Marathas. The Luso–Maratha War of 1729–1732 was an armed conflict between the Portuguese Empire and the Maratha Confederacy, who invaded Portuguese territory in India. This conflict resulted in a Portuguese victory. The Marathas withdrew from Portuguese territory. Nevertheless, Bajirao planned to resume hostilities against

16768-440: Was signed between Bajirao and Nasir. According to which, Marathas were deprived of their authority to collect chauth from the six provinces of Deccan, Bajirao promised to not invade the Deccan again. Khargone and Handia , previously promised by the Nizam, were formally ceded to the Maratha Empire. This marked the final military engagement for Bajirao, as he died in April 1740 following the conclusion of this conflict. Bajirao

16899-640: Was the conclusion of the Treaty of Lonavala in 1714 with Kanhoji Angre , the most powerful naval chief on the Western Coast who later accepted Shahu as Chhatrapati. In 1719, Marathas under Balaji marched to Delhi with Sayyid Hussain Ali , the Mughal governor of Deccan, and deposed the Mughal emperor, Farrukhsiyar . The new teenage emperor, Rafi ud-Darajat and a puppet of the Sayyid brothers, granted Shahu rights to collecting Chauth and Sardeshmukhi from

17030-521: Was the fourth Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy. He worked as a unifying force in the Confederacy and moved to the south to subdue Mysore and the Nizam of Hyderabad to assert Maratha power. He sent generals such as Bhonsle, Scindia and Holkar to the north, where they re-established Maratha authority by the early 1770s. Madhav Rao I crossed the Krishna River in 1767 and defeated Hyder Ali in

17161-517: Was used by Sang pamegat senāpati di Tundun , the "Commander-in-chief" of Tondo represented by Jayadewa , Lord Minister of Pailah mentioned in the Laguna Copperplate Inscription c.  900 AD . In Indonesia , the term senapati has been absorbed into Old Javanese and eventually Javanese language to refer to "general" or "army commander". In Javanese it can be rendered as Senapati or Senopati . For example,

#761238