The 7th Maratha Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath – from April 1720 to April 1740
After the death of Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath in April 1720, Maratha ruler Chattrapati Shahuji I (January 1707 – December 1749) appointed Baji Rao I, the elder son of Balaji Vishwanath, as the seventh Maratha Peshwa.
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Political Consolidation by Peshwa Baji Rao I
Peshwa Baji Rao I was a young man of twenty years with strong military skills and excellent leadership qualities. He was one of the greatest Maratha Peshwas. With his planning and vigour the Maratha boundary expanded to Gujarat, Malwa, Bundelkhand and Rajputana. He established Maratha supremacy in the region. Maratha emerged as a national power from a regional power.
Nizam of Hyderabad: The boundaries of the Nizam of Hyderabad and Maratha overran each other. The Nizam of Hyderabad, Asaf Jah I did not recognize the rights of the Maratha to collect chauth from the region. In February 1727, the armies of Nizam and Peshwa fought at Palkhed, Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Nizam was outsmarted and defeated by the Peshwa, compelling him to make peace through Treaty of Mungi Shevgaon. Nizam was forced to recognize Maratha ruler Sahuji and their right to collect chauth from the Deccan region.
Malwa: After making treaty with the Nizam, Peshwa Baji Rao I turned his attention towards Malwa. Malwa was ruled by the Mughals and were represented by Girdhar Bahadur and his cousin Daya Bahadur. In November 1729, Maratha army defeated the Mughal army in the Battle of Amjhera and killed the Mughal leaders, Girdhar Bahadur and Daya Bahadur.
Bundelkhand: Maharaja Chhatrasal Bundela of Bundelkhand region rebelled against the Mughals and declared himself independent from the Mughal kingdom. To save himself from the Mughal wrath, he sent a letter to to Baji Rao I seeking Maratha help. The letter quoted a sequence of Gajendra Moksha from Bhagvata Purana in which elephant’s leg was caught by a crocodile and the elephant pleaded to Lord Vishnu for help.
“Know you, that I am in 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.”
Peshwa Baji Rao I responded in a positive manner and in March 1729, defeated the Mughal forces led by Muhammad Khan Bangash. Maharaja Chhatrasal Bundela was restored and acknowledged as the king of Bundelkhand region. Chhatrasal gave one-third of his territory to the Marathas. As a part of the alliance, Chhatrasal also married his daughter from a Muslim lady, Mastani, to Baji Rao I.
Thus, by the end of 1729, Peshwa Baji Rao I has consolidated the Maratha suzerainty over Central India covering Malwa and Bundelkhand.
Rajputana: Peshwa Baji Rao I met rulers of Mewar and Jaipur in 1735–36 and after skirmishes persuaded them, diplomatically, to recognize Maratha rights to collect Chauth in the region.
Delhi March: In March 1737, Peshwa Baji Rao planned and attacked Delhi, the Mughal capital and surprised the Mughal ruler and army. His march towards Delhi made a point that Marathas are equally reachable towards the Mughal capital and are an established power, no less than the Mughals.
Military Warfare and Evaluation of the Personality of Peshwa Baji Rao I
Peshwa Baji Rao I transformed the way Maratha forces moved in the battlefield. One of his strengths was the rapid movement of his cavalry, taking unplanned and untouched routes, thereby, surprising the enemy. Another great advantage was the training of his army to live off the land, without proper supplies line or communication channels at the backend. The “maneuver warfare” adopted by Baji Rao I against the enemy helped him win each and every battle he fought.
Historian’s view on Peshwa Baji Rao I
Sir Jadnunath Sarkar, the prominent Indian historian, considered Peshwa Baji Rao I as “a heavenly-born cavalry leader”. Baji Rao is considered as the most charismatic and dynamic leader in the Maratha history after Shivaji. He is also considered to be one of the greatest military generals of his times.
Famous historian K. M. Panikkar in his book “The Great Peshwa” writes about Peshwa Baji Rao I:
“Baji Rao, the great Peshwa, was without doubt the most outstanding statesman and general India produced in 18 century. If Shivaji was the founder of Maratha State, Baji Rao could claim that he was the one who saved it from disruption and transformed what was national state in an Empire.”
Maratha king, Chattrapati Shahuji had an implicit faith in the skills, capabilities, and leadership of Baji Rao. He was so much in awe of Baji Rao I that he had issued orders, “all should obey Baji Rao faithfully and should do nothing to offend his temper”.
Sir Richard Carnac Temple, in his book ‘Shivaji and the Rise of the Mahrattas’, writes:
“He died as he lived, in camp under canvas among his men, and he is remembered to this day among the Marathas as the fighting Peshwa and the incarnation of Hindu energy.”
ir Jadunath Sarkar in foreword to V.G. Dighe’s, ‘Peshwa Bajirao I and Maratha Expansion’ writes that,
“Bajirao was a heaven born cavalry leader. In the long and distinguished galaxy of Peshwas, Bajirao was unequalled for the daring and originality of his genius and the volume and value of his achievements.”
Baji Rao I was inspired by the concept of an independent Hindu Padshahi (Hindu kingship) and aimed to establish it in the whole of India. He was quite successful in it.
Death and Succession of Peshwa Baji Rao I
The continuous military expeditions impacted his health adversely. He fell ill and died in April 1740.
Baji Rao I married Kashibai, They had four sons. Balaji Bajirao (also called Nanasaheb), Ramachandra Rao, Raghunath Rao and Janardhan Rao. After the death of Baji Rao, his eldest son Balaji Baji Rao, also called Nanasaheb, was appointed as the 8th Peshwa by the Maratha ruler Chattrapati Shahuji I in 1740.
Baji Rao also married Mastani, the daughter of Rajput king Chhatrasal. They had a son Krishna Rao, also known as Shamsher Bahadur. Mastani also died in 1740. After the death of Baji Rao and Mastani, Shamsher Bahadur was brought up by Kashibai.
Also read the book “Comprehensive History of Modern India”.
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