The Marathas: Peshwas and the Third Battle of Panipat (1761)
The Maratha Empire grew from Shivaji's kingdom into a confederacy under the Peshwas, and ended its northern ambitions at the Third Battle of Panipat (1761).
Shivaji and his successors
- Shivaji (1630 to 1680) was crowned Chhatrapati at Raigad on 6 June 1674, with Gaga Bhatt performing the rites. His administration had the Ashtapradhan (eight ministers) and taxes called chauth (one-fourth of the revenue of a neighbouring territory) and sardeshmukhi (a further 10 per cent).
- By the Treaty of Purandar (1665) he gave up many forts to Jai Singh. He escaped from Agra in 1666.
- Sambhaji (1680 to 1689) was executed by Aurangzeb. Rajaram held out at Jinji, and Tarabai led the Marathas in the name of her son.
- Shahu was freed from Mughal custody in 1707 and won the throne at the Battle of Khed (1707) against Tarabai. By the Treaty of Warna (1731) the Maratha kingdom was divided between Shahu (Satara) and Sambhaji II (Kolhapur).
The Peshwas
| Peshwa | Years | Key points |
|---|---|---|
| Balaji Vishwanath | 1713 to 1720 | Made the Peshwa's office hereditary. 1719 treaty with the Sayyids gave the Marathas chauth and sardeshmukhi in six Mughal Deccan provinces (called the "Magna Carta" of the Maratha Empire by Richard Temple). |
| Baji Rao I | 1720 to 1740 | The greatest Peshwa. Defeated the Nizam at Palkhed (1728). Raided Delhi (1737). Won Malwa and Bundelkhand. Took Bassein from the Portuguese (1739, by his brother Chimaji Appa). Believed in Hindu-pad-padshahi. |
| Balaji Baji Rao (Nanasaheb) | 1740 to 1761 | After Shahu died (1749), the Peshwa became the real ruler (Treaty of Sangola, 1750), and Poona became the capital. Marathas reached the Punjab, and the Third Battle of Panipat was fought in his time. |
| Madhav Rao I | 1761 to 1772 | Recovered the Maratha position in the north. Died young of illness. |
| Narayan Rao | 1772 to 1773 | Murdered, which led to the First Anglo-Maratha War (see Anglo-Maratha Wars). |
| Madhav Rao II | 1774 to 1796 | Minor Peshwa; Nana Phadnavis (the "Maratha Machiavelli") ran the government. |
| Baji Rao II | 1796 to 1818 | Last Peshwa. Signed the Treaty of Bassein (1802). Deposed by the British in 1818. |
The Maratha confederacy
The Maratha chiefs became virtually independent under the Peshwa: Gaekwad (Baroda), Bhonsle (Nagpur), Holkar (Indore) and Sindhia (Gwalior). Ahilyabai Holkar (1767 to 1795) was a famous Holkar ruler.
The Third Battle of Panipat (14 January 1761)
- Who fought: Ahmad Shah Abdali against Sadashiv Rao Bhau (the Peshwa's cousin) and Vishwas Rao (the Peshwa's son).
- Allies of Abdali: Najib-ud-Daula (Rohilla) and Shuja-ud-Daula (Awadh). The Marathas found no Rajput, Jat or Sikh ally, and the Maratha chiefs were not united behind Bhau.
- Result: Heavy Maratha defeat. Both Vishwas Rao and Bhau died. Nanasaheb died soon after.
- Effects: Maratha power in the north was broken for a time, but not destroyed. It was Mahadji Sindhia who restored the position in Delhi after 1770 and became the protector of Shah Alam II. Abdali could not hold on to power either, which left a gap that the East India Company filled.
Keep practising
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Prepared for exam revision from standard sources such as NCERT, Bipan Chandra, Spectrum and official records. Historians differ on some dates, figures and interpretations, so check your exam syllabus and a standard textbook. Found a mistake? Tell us.