Canberra, 04 October 2022 The crisis that followed Shivaji’s death was such that the fledgling Maratha kingdom was at the doors of extinction under constant Mughal and Muslim onslaught. The Maratha polity was saved by the efforts of a number of extraordinarily talented young men who willingly came forward to shoulder the enormous responsibilities of […]
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Tag Archives: Baji Rao I
The Marathas Part 21 The Creation, Evolution and Decline of the Maratha Army Section II; Feudalism to Final Decline
September 20, 2022 
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Canberra, 20 September 2022 In the annals of the history of the sub-continent, the Marathas came into prominence suddenly and swiftly and dissipated and collapsed as a ruling entity equally rapidly. While the rationale for their rise have been adequately chronicled, the causes for their downfall and the speed at which the collapse took place […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 20 The Prominent Feudatories of the Empire Section IV: The Holkars of Indore
September 6, 2022 0 Comments
Canberra, 06 September 2022 Originally the Holkars were a sturdy pastoral tribe, used to living outdoors and constantly moving residence; said to have been Dhangars, they easily adapted to the life of Maratha warriors. The main Holkar family initially lived in Wafgaon in the Khed district near Pune, then moved to Hol Marum near Jejuri […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 20 The Prominent Feudatories of the Empire Section III: The Scindias of Gwalior
August 29, 2022 0 Comments
Canberra, 29 August 2022 The earliest mention of Scindia (also spelt Sindia, Sindhia, supposed to have been anglicised from ‘Shinde’) is found during the Bahmani rule in Deccan when a few Scindia families are reported to have risen to eminence in the service of the Sultan. The name is traced back to ‘Sendrak’ an ancient […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 14 Peshwa Balaji Rao Section III North India Beckons
February 21, 2022 0 Comments
Canberra, 21 February 2022 Punjab was in political turmoil throughout the 1740s, destabilised by different claimants to its governorship, inevitably in conflict with each other. Further, the Sikhs were in open rebellion. In the broader Indian political scene, between 1748–49, three influential ‘chiefs’ died: chiefs who were men of old values and traditions; chiefs who […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 14 Peshwa Balaji Rao Section II The Second Phase – Coming of Age
January 23, 2022 0 Comments
Canberra, 23 January 2022 While the Persian adventurer Ahmad Shah Abdali was repeatedly attempting to make inroads into North India, and the French were laying the foundations upon which the English would later build their Eastern Empire, the Maratha king Shahu continued to dither as an indecisive head of the greatest power of the time […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 14 Peshwa Balaji Rao Section I: A Hesitant Start
January 7, 2022 0 Comments
Canberra, 7 January 2022 On the untimely death of Baji Rao, the Deccan faction in the Maratha court once again attempted to stop the hereditary appointment of the Chitpavan Brahmin Bhat family as Peshwas. This faction was led by Raghuji Bhonsle, who was also one of King Shahu’s favourite nobles. Raghuji had been at loggerheads […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 13 Peshwa Baji Rao I Section IV A Peshwa Fades Away
December 26, 2021 0 Comments
Canberra, 26 December 2021 The Marathas always faced obstacles in establishing strong control over the coastal region of Konkan. The Sidis, and later the Portugues, individually contested the control over this narrow, but strategically important coastal strip. The control of Konkan translated to the control of the lucrative seaborne trade that also included horses and […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 13 Peshwa Baji Rao I Section III Visions of Northward Conquests
December 22, 2021 0 Comments
Canberra, 22 December 2021 As soon as the Peshwa returned to the Deccan, the Mughals started to push back, and the negotiations were broken. The Mughal emperor withdrew forces that were guarding the north-western borders and passes to reinforce the contingent fighting in Central India. This decision was to have disastrous consequences for the empire […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 13 Peshwa Baji Rao Section II: The Maratha Expansion
December 5, 2021 0 Comments
Canberra, 5 December 2021 The 18th century witnessed a change of the first magnitude in the geo-political circumstances in the Indian sub-continent—the rise of Maratha power to eminence in the sub-continental political developments. The Mughal acceptance of the Maratha collection of Chauth and Sardeshmukhi, although made to look like concessions given to Raja Shahu on […]
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Sanu Kainikara 
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