The story of Chhatrapati and his Peshwa began well before the reign of Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb achieved considerable success in the Deccan in 1689 when Chhatrapati Sambhaji was executed and Shahuji was taken prisoner. The Marathas were defeated but not tamed. The whole Maratha people rose in revolt against the Mughal occupation. Raja Ram, the youngest son of Shivaji carried on the struggle for liberation till his death in 1700 and thereafter Tara Bai and her minor son Shivaji II offered stiff resistance to the Mughals. The weakness of the Mughal Empire after Aurangzeb’s death gave the much-needed opportunity to the Maratha people. Shahu was released by Bahadur Shah I in 1707. Thus, the first half of the eighteenth century saw a considerable rise in Maratha influence both in the south and the north. The architect of this success was Peshwa, the prime minister of Chhatrapati. The office of Peshwa came into existence during the times of Shivaji. He was one of his Asthapradhans (Eights Ministers). The Peshwa was the Prime Minister of the state and looked after the general administration. Among Asthapradhans, he was inter primus pares (first among the equals). Early Life of Balaji Vishwanath Balaji Vishwanath belonged to the family of Konkanastha Brahmans. His ancestors were revenue collectors (Deshmukhs) of Shrivardhan in Janjira. Balaji’s connections with Angiras, the enemies of the Siddhis of Janjira brought him into trouble and he fled to Saswad. However, his knowledge of revenue matters stood him in good stead in seeking employment under Maratha officials. He was appointed the Sabhasad of Pune in 1696. He was later promoted to the post of Sar Subhadar of Pune in 1699. He was later transferred to Daulatabad in 1704. Balaji Vishwanath and Shahuji Shahuji was released by Bahadur Shah I in 1707. Shahuji’s return to the South was a signal for a civil war between the two royal houses of Shahuji and Tara Bai. Tara Bai and her minor son Shivaji II were defeated in the battle of Khed (October 1707). Balaji Vishwanath won over Tarabai’s commander-in-chief Dhanaji to Shahuji’s side. Dhanaji died in 1707 and Shahu appointed his son Chandrasen as the new commander-in-chief. Because the new commander had leanings towards Tara Bai, Shahuji tried to balance his power by creating a new post of Senakarte (Organizer of the army) and appointed Balaji Vishwanath to that post. Balaji Vishwanath as Peshwa Shahuji was facing serious reverses by the end of 1712. His commander Chandrasen and Kanhoji Angria had gone to the side of Tarabai. Shahuji’s supporter in Delhi, Zulfiqar Khan, was murdered on the charges of high treason. At this hour, Balaji came to the rescue of Chhatrapati. He created dissensions in the camp of Tarabai, defeated Chandrasen and won over Kanoji to Shahu’s side. Balaji Vishwanath was appointed Peshwa in 1713 in the place of Bahiroji Pingle and laid the foundation of hereditary Peshwa. Sayyid Brothers and Farrukhsiyar The struggle for the throne at Delhi brought Farruksiyar to power in 1713 and Hussain Ali and Abdullah Khan (Sayyid brothers) as King Makers. Soon the Mughal Emperor and the Sayyid Brothers became adversaries and in his attempt to get rid of the Sayyid Brothers, Farrukhsiyar transferred Hussain Ali to Deccan in 1715. Abdullah Khan’s position in Delhi became so weak by the end of 1717 that he decided to call his brother from Delhi. The Sayyid Brothers realized that if they had to remain powerful in Deccan, they can’t afford to antagonize the Marathas. Shahuji too was anxious to secure the release of his family. Thus, a treaty was signed between Hussain Ali and Balaji Vishwanath. The terms of which were as follows: Shahuji would get full possession of Shivaji’s Swaraj. Khandesh, Berar, Hyderabad, Karnataka, and Gondwana were to be ceded to the Marathas. The Marathas should be allowed to collect Chauth and Sardeshmukhi from the Mughal provinces in Deccan. The Chhatrapati would serve the Emperor with a contingent of 15,000 troops and would also maintain peace in the Deccan. Shahuji would not harm Sambhaji of Kolhapur. Shahuji would pay an annual tribute of Rupees 10,00,000 to the Mughal Emperor. The Mughal Emperor would release Shahuji’s mother and other relatives from prison. The treaty was approved by Rafi-ud- Darazat. The six provinces of Deccan were Khandesh, Bidar, Berar, Golconda, Bijapur, and Daultabad. Significance of the Mughal-Maratha Treaty Sir Richard Temple has written that the payment of Chauth and Sardeshmukhi was an open acceptance and acknowledgment by the Mughal of their weak position as compared to Marathas in the Deccan. Shahuji came to be recognized as the undisputed leader of the Maratha people and the ambitions of Sambhaji received a rude setback. Estimation of Balaji Vishwanath The last project of Balaji Vishwanath was to march against Sambhaji of Kohlapur who was creating troubles during his absence. Balaji Vishwanath died in April 1720. Balaji Vishwanath is remembered as a shrewd politician and an able statesman. He won over to the side of Shahuji the support of Dhanaji Jadhav, Dahbade, Parsoji, and Kanhoji Angria. He also secured the financial support of the rich bankers. His treaty with Sayyid Brothers secured the Maratha state rupees 30,00,000 beside regular income from Chauth and Sardeshmukhi (35% of the total revenue). Baji Rao I (1720-1740) The Chhatrapati appointed Baji Rao I, the eldest son of Balaji Vishwanath as the Peshwa. Baji Rao was a young man of 19 at that time but he combined the youthful energy with an old head. Early Challenges The challenges before the young Peshwa were really difficult. Nizam-ul-Mulk Chin Qlitch Khan challenged the Maratha position in the south and their right to collect Chauth and Sardeshmukhi. A huge part of Maratha territory was under the control of Siddhi of Janjira. Sambhaji II of Kohlapur refused to accept the superior position of Chhatrapati Shahuji. But Baji Rao approached the tasks with firm determination and bold imagination. He proposed to Chhatrapati the policy of aggressive northwards expansion in the following words: Now is our time to drive the strangers from our country and acquire immortal reknown. Let us strike at the trunk of withering tree and the branches will fall off themselves. By directing our efforts to Hindustan, the Maratha flag shall fly from Krishna to Attock. Baji RAO I QUOTED IN A NEW LOOK AT MODERN INDIAN HISTORY BY B.L. GROVER AND ALKA MEHTA Struggle with Nizam Nizam-ul-Mulk Chin Qlitch Khan, who held the office of the governor of Deccan during 1713-1715 and 1720-21 was back again in 1724. Since the Nizam had ambitions to carve out an independent state in Deccan, he looked upon the Marathas with extreme jealousy. But he knew that the Marathas were too strong to be defeated in the battlefield, thus he sought to sow dissensions in their ranks by supporting the cause of Kohlapur against Shahu. The armies of Nizam frightened Shahu to submission but this post position was retrieved by Baji Rao when he defeated Nizam-ul-Mulk in the battle of Palkhed (March 1728). The Nizam accepted the humiliating treaty of Mungi Shivgaon and recognized the claim of Shahuji to collect Chauth and Sardeshmukhi from six provinces of the Deccan, to give up the cause of Kohlapur and release Maratha prisoners. Sambhaji finally accepted the position of a vassal by the treaty of Warna (April 1731). In 1731, Peshwa defeated the Nizam in the battle of Bhilpur. Conquest of Malwa, Bundelkhand, and Gujarat The Maratha incursion in Gujarat had begun in 1705 under the command of Khande Rao Dhabade. In the negotiations between Hussain Ali and Balaji Vishwanath, the Peshwa lobbied for the right to collect Chauth from Gujarat but the Mughal Emperor had refused to accept it. But repeated Maratha incursions in Gujarat had paralyzed the Mughal authority there and the Marathas began to collect Chauth from several districts of Gujarat. Mughal Governor of Gujarat Srbuland Khan recognized the Maratha authority to collect Chauth and Sardeshmukhi from Gujarat in March 1730. Importance of Malwa and Gujarat The province of Malwa was a connecting link between Deccan and the northern regions. The military and commercial routes to Gujarat and Deccan passed through Malwa and the armies stationed in Malwa could march into Rajputana as well as Bundelkhand and Deccan. Peshwa Baji Rao Marched into Gujarat and Malwa Maratha forces under Udaji Pawar and Malhar Rao Holkar defeated the Mughals in Malwa. Successive Mughal commanders like Sawai Jai Singh and Muhammad Khan Bangash were unable to check the advance of the Marathas. The whole of Malwa went under Maratha control by 1735. Conquest of Bundelkhand The Bundelas were a Rajput clan and they ruled over the mountainous region east of Malwa between Jamuna and Narmada. At the time of Maratha incursion, Bundelkhand was included in the Subah of Gujarat. The Mughal commander Muhammad Khan Bangash had invaded Bundelkhand and captured Jaitpur. He defeated Chhatrasal, the Bundela leader and compelled him to seek Maratha help. A Maratha military force reached Bundelkhand in October 1728 and all the lost territories were retrieved from the Mughals. Chhatrasal honored Peshwa Baji Rao I in an open darbar and gifted Kalpi, Saugar, Jhansi, and Hirdenagar as Jagir to Peshwa. Raid on Delhi During the Maratha campaign in Bundelkhand, a contingent of troops under the command of Malhar Rao Holkar crossed Jamuna and marched into Awadh. But Maratha cavalry had to retreat because of the superior troops of Saadat Khan. Saadat Khan sent exaggerated reports of his success against the Marathas.