Peshwa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Peshwas)

Peshwa of the Maratha Empire

FORMER MONARCHY
IMPERIAL

Flag of the Maratha Empire

Peshwa Baji Rao I riding horse

First monarch

{{{first_monarch}}}

Last monarch

{{{last_monarch}}}

Monarchy began

{{{began}}}

Monarchy ended

{{{ended}}}

Maratha Emperors
(16741818)
Shivaji
(16741680)
Sambhaji
(16801689)
Rajaram Chhatrapati (16891700)
Queen Tarabai
(17001707)
Chattrapati Shahu
(17071749)
Rajaram II of Satara (17491777)
Peshwas (Prime Ministers)
(16741818)
(1674
Moropant Pingle
1689)

Ramchandra Pant
Amatya
Bahiroji Pingale
Parshuram Tribak
Kulkarni
Balaji Vishwanath
Bajirao
Balaji Bajirao
Madhavrao Ballal
Narayanrao
Raghunathrao
Sawai Madhavrao
Bajirao II

(1689
1708)
(1708
1711)
(1711
1713)
(1712
1719)
(1719
1740)
(1740
1761)
(1761
1772)
(1772
1773)
(1773
1774)
(1774
1795)
(1795
1818)

A Peshwa (Marathi: ) is the titular equivalent of a modern Prime Minister. Maratha ruler
Shivaji created the Peshwa designation in order to more effectively delegate administrative
duties during the growth of the Maratha Empire. The Peshwas were all ministers who initially
started as the chief executives to the king. The Peshwas held the highest administrative office
and also controlled the Maratha confederacy. Under the Chitapavan Brahmin Bhat family they
became the de facto hereditary administrators of the Maratha Empire from 1718 till its end in
1818.

Shaniwarwada palace fort in Pune, it was the seat of the Peshwa rulers of the Maratha Empire till
1818.
Under Peshwa administration and with the support of several key generals and diplomats (listed
below), the Maratha Empire reached its zenith, ruling most of the Indian subcontinent landmass.

It was also under the Peshwas that the Maratha Empire came to its end through its formal
annexation into the British Empire by the British East India Company in 1818.

Contents

1 The Title of Peshwa

2 Moropant Pingle

3 Ramchandra Pant Amatya (Bawadekar)

4 Parshuram Trimbak Kulkarni

5 Bhat Family

6 Legacy

7 Appointed and Hereditary Peshwas

8 Notable Generals and Diplomats of Peshwas

9 See also

10 References

The Title of Peshwa

After the coronation of Shivaji Maharaj in 1674, he appointed Moropant Trimbak Pingle[1] as the
first Peshwa. Shivaji Maharaj renamed this designation as Pantpradhan in 1674 but this term is
less commonly used. Today, the surname "Peshwe" (alternatively "Peshave") or "Peshwa" is
found both among Chitpavans (tracing descent to the (Bhat) Deshmukh clan, notably Bajirao I),
Deshasthas (tracing descent to Moropant Pingle, Sonopant Dabir and a certain clan from Jejuri,
Pune), as well as some Maratha (Kshatriya) families of Vidarbha (by titulary heritage).
The word Peshwa is from Persian pshw, meaning "foremost, leader". They were also
known as kings

Moropant Pingle
The first Peshwa was Moropant Trimbak Pingle. His son, Nilopant Pingle, also served as Peshwa
after his father's death in 1683.

Ramchandra Pant Amatya (Bawadekar)

The second Peshwa, Ramchandra Amatya (n Ramachandra Nilkanth Pant), received royal status
from Chhatrapati Rajaram as "Hukumatpanha" from 1689 to 1699. He was a sound administrator
who rose from the level of a local Kulkarni to the ranks of Ashtapradhan due to guidance and
support from Shivaji. Amatya is a Sanskrit term denoting counselor, guide, supervisor or
overseer of both personal and governmental affairs.
He recaptured many forts from the Mughals between 1690 and 1694, some in person, as well as
personally conducting guerilla war techniques. When Chatrapati Rajaram fled to Jinji in 1689,
before leaving from Maharastra, he gave "Hukumat panha" (King Status) to Pant. Ramchandra
Pant managed the entire state under many challenges such as the Mughal influx, the betrayal of
Vatandars, and scarcity of food. With his help, Sachiv kept the Maratha State on a sound
economic footing. Pant got tremendous military help from Santaji Ghorpade and Dhanaji Jadhav,
the great Maratha warriors. Many times he directly participated in war, especially during 1689
1695; he personally re-captured many forts in south Maharastra from the Mughuls and played a
role of shadow king in the absence of Chatrapati Rajaram.
In 1698, he happily stepped down from the post of "Hukumatpanha" and Rajaram offered this
post to his wife Tarabai. Tarabai gave an important position to Pant in the senior administration
of Maratha State. He wrote a book called Adnyapatra : which explained different
techniques of war, maintenance of forts and administration etc.
The concepts in Adnyapatra and the wisdom and leadership of Tararani (Tarabai) greatly helped
the Maratha empire in building the foundation of state. As he was more loyal to Tararani than
Shahu, he was sidelined after the arrival of Shahu. Later, the Peshwa post was given to Balaji
Vishwanath in 1713. Ramchandra Pant died in 1716 on Panhala fort.

Parshuram Trimbak Kulkarni

Parshuram Trimbak Kulkarni, who later became the Jagirdar of Aundh state. He was
instrumental in holding the fort Panhala against Aurangzeb (1689). Though he lost the fort then,
he recaptured it in 1692. He also captured territories between Miraj and fort Rangana and also
Bhudargad, Chandangad, Pavangad, Satara and Vasantgad. He continued his loyalty towards
Tarabai much to the chagrin of Shahu. Shahu imprisoned him twice between 1710-14. 14
(second time when his son Krishnaji joined the forces of Sammbhaji II).But his life was spared
by Shahu because of the intervention of Khando Ballal (Shahus personal assistant ) who
reminded his king of Parshuram Trimbaks contribution to the maratha cause. Parshuram Trimbak
continued holding the position of Pant Pratinidhi in the time of Tarabai until his death in 1718.
He was succeeded by his son Shrinivasrao aka Shripatrao, who continued albeit as the feudatory
jagirdar(Aundh) of Shahus .

Bhat Family

H.H. Balaji Vishwanath (Bhat) Peshwa

H.H. Shrimant Bajirao Balaji (Ballal) Peshwa (aka Bajirao the First)
The position moved to the Chitpavan Brahmin Bhat family of Shrivardhan in the Konkan region,
upon appointment of Balaji Vishwanath (Bhat) as Peshwa by the fourth Chattrapati Shahu in
1713. The appointment of his son, Baji Rao I, as Peshwa in 1719 by Shahu made the position
hereditary in the Bhat family. Baji Rao proved his loyalty and patriotism by controlling the
feudal chieftains who wanted independence from the Maratha Empire. The rebellion of General
Trimbak Rao Dabhade, the senapati (commander in chief), over Chauthai (revenue collection) of
Gujarat is one example of such internal Maratha feuds. The followers of Baji and Trimbak
clashed at the Battle of Bilhapur on April 1, 1731, and Trimbak was killed. In gratitude, Shahu
gave the Peshwas and the Bhat family unchallenged control over Maratha.[2] The victory in war
of succession with Tara Bai led to Shahu becoming Chhatrapati.. Shahu, who also appointed Baji
Rao's son as Peshwa in 1740, gave considerable authority to the Peshwas to command the
Maratha armies, and they responded well during his reigns.
At the time of his death in 1749, Shahu made the Peshwas his successors under these conditions:
Shivaji's descendants, who remained as the titular Raja of Satara, were called Swami (Marathi for
the 'real owner') by the Peshwas who reported to them, and officially they were to seek guidance
from the Raja. However, the Peshwa also became a ceremonial head of state after the battle of
Panipat and the death of Madhavrao.

Legacy
The first Peshwa to receive the status of a pantpradhan was Ramchandra Pant Amatya Bawdekar
in 1689 by Chatrapati Rajaram. The first (Bhat) Deshmukh family Peshwa was Balaji
Vishwanath (Bhat) Deshmukh. He was succeeded as Peshwa by his son Baji Rao I, who never
lost a battle. Baji Rao and his son, Balaji Baji Rao, oversaw the period of greatest Maratha

expansion (see map at right), brought to an end by the Maratha's defeat by an Afghan army at the
Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. The last Peshwa, Baji Rao II, was defeated by the British East
India Company in the Battle of Khadki which was a part of Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817
1818). The Peshwa's land (Peshwai) was annexed to the British East India Company's Bombay
province, and the Bajirao II, the Peshwa was pensioned off.

Appointed and Hereditary Peshwas

Sr.
1

Name

Particulars

Balaji
Assisted the Syed Brothers in deposing the Mughal
Vishwanath Emperor Farrukhsiyar in 1719

Reign Reign
Began Ended Portrait
C.E. C.E.
1713 1720

Known as Thorle(elder) Bajirao and acknowledged

as the most influential of the nine Peshwas. Said to
have fought for the establishment of "Hindu Pad
Padshahi"(Hindu Empire). Helped conquer Central
India(Malwa) and Rajputana and extended his
dominions into Gujarat in the northwest and Deccan
2 Baji Rao I
1720 1740
in the south. Raided Mughal Delhi in 1738. Fought in
over 41 battles and is one of the few to have never
lost a single battle. Died at the age of 40 of sudden
fever in camp en route to Delhi; he has been
commemorated in the form of an equestrian statue
erected at Shaniwar Wada in Pune.
Known as Nanasaheb Peshwa. Managed to extend
the Maratha territories into most of North-West, East
and Central India.Captured Attock on the banks of
Indus River in 1758 in the Battle of Attock, 1758.
Under his leadership, the Maratha Empire reached its
peak and the borders of the Maratha Empire crossed
Balaji
Peshawar (presently in Pakistan) by 1760 AD. Lost
3
1740 1761
Bajirao
the Third Battle of Panipat against Ahmad Shah
Abdali in 1761. Contributed to the development of the
city of Pune which was the seat of the Peshwas. Built
the famous Parvati Temple, Lakdi Pool and
established Nana Peth(area) in Pune. Built a water
reservoir near Katraj to provide clean water to Pune
city; this 250-year old system is still functioning.
4 Madhav- Fraught with internal dissensions and successful
1761 1772
Rao I
Wars with the Nizam. During his tenure, Maratha
power recovered from the losses suffered during the
Third Battle of Panipat , a phenomenon known as
Maratha Resurrection. Repaired the recently

weakened administration, treasury, and accounts of

the Maratha Empire. He died of tuberculosis in 1772;
a memorial commemorating his greatness stands at
Peshwe Park in Pune,India.
5

NarayanRao

RaghunathRao

MadhavRao II

Baji Rao II

10 Nana Sahib

Assassinated by Gardi guards

Responsible for extending empire till Peshawar in
North-West and also saw the decline of Maratha
power in North India. Deposed by Nana Phadnis &
11 other administrators in what is now called "The
Baarbhai Conspiracy"
Dominated by the political intrigues of Nana Phadnis.
Saw the resurgence of Maratha power in North India.
1st Reign - Was defeated by Yashwantrao Holkar,
ruler of Indore, at the Battle of Poona. Fled to British
protection, and in December 1802, concluded the
Treaty of Bassein with the British East India
Company, ceding territory for the maintenance of a
subsidiary force and agreeing to treaty with no other
power. This provoked the Second Anglo-Maratha War
that began the breakup of the Maratha confederacy.
2nd Reign - During his second reign began the Third
Anglo-Maratha War. After the defeat at the Battle of
Koregaon in January 1818, he was on the run from
the British. Eventually, the British took over his
dominion and made the Maratha King Pratap Singh
of Satara declare in favour of the British and this
ended the Peshwa's legal position as head of the
Maratha confederacy. On 3 June 1818, Baji Rao
surrendered to the British; he was banished to Bithur
near Kanpur.
Was a leader during the Indian Uprising of 1857. As
the adopted son of the exiled Maratha Peshwa Baji
Rao II, he sought to restore the Maratha confederacy
and the Peshwa tradition.

1772 1773

1773 1774

1774 1796

1796 1802

1803 1818

1851 1857

Notable Generals and Diplomats of Peshwas

His Highness Shrimant Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa or Madhav Rao II Narayan and his ministers
at Pune.

Annaji Dato Sabnis

Balaji Deshpande

Balaji Kunjar

Chimnaji Damodar Moghe

Chimnaji Deshpande

Dhanaji Jadhav

Govind Pant Bundele

Ibrahim Khan Gardi

Keso Narayan Deshpande

Mahadji Shinde

Malharrao Holkar

Melgiri Pandit

Gopalrao Patwardhan

Moropant Pingale

Nana Phadnawis

Neelkanth Sarnaik

Parshuram Pant Pratinidhi

Pilaji Rao Gaekwad

Ragho Ballal Atre

Rahuji Somanath

Ranoji Scindia

Sadashivrao Bhau

Santaji Ghorpade

Trimbakrao Mama Pethe

Visaji Krushna Biniwale

See also

Maratha

Maratha Empire

Maratha clan system

List of Maratha dynasties and states

Bhonsle

Holkar

References
1.
Loch, W. W. (1877 (original) 1989 (reprint)). Dakhan History Musalman and Maratha. New
Delhi: Asian Educational Services. p. 594. ISBN 81-206-0467-9. Check date values in: |date=
(help)
Encyclopdia Britannica, Micropdia Vol. II, p17

1.

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopdia Britannica article Peshwa.
[hide]

Maratha Empire
Rulers

Shivaji I

Sambhaji

Rajaram I

Tarabai

Shahu I

Rajaram II

Shahu II

Moro Pant Trimbak Pingle

Ramchandra Pant Amatya

Bahiroji Pingale

Parashuram Trimbak Kulkarni

Balaji Vishwanath

Bajirao

Balaji Baji Rao

Madhavrao Ballal

Narayanrao

Raghunathrao

Sawai Madhavrao

Baji Rao II

Amrutrao

Nana Sahib

Ahilyabai Holkar

Peshwas

Others

Maratha
Confederacy
(subsidiary
or
feudatory
states)

Gopikabai

Jankibai

Jijabai

Kashibai

Mastani

Muddupalani

Parvatibai

Putalabai

Radhikabai

Ramabai

Saibai

Sakvarbai

Soyarabai

Umabaisaheb

Yesubai

Tulsi Bai Holkar

Bhonsle of Nagpur

Gaekwad of Baroda

Scindia of Gwalior

Holkar of Indore

Pratapgarh

Kolhapur

Pavan Khind

Surat

Sinhagad

Palkhed

Mandsaur

Riwas

1st Delhi

Vasai

Trichinopoly

Expeditions in Bengal

Udgir

2nd Delhi

Attock

Peshawar

3rd Panipat

Rakshabhuvan

Panchgaon

Battles

Wars

Gajendragad

Lalsot

Patan

Kharda

Poona

3rd Delhi

Assaye

Laswari

Farrukhabad

Bharatpur

Khadki

Koregaon

Mahidpur

full list

Maratha War of Independence

MarathaMysore War

First Anglo-Maratha War

Second Anglo-Maratha War

Third Anglo-Maratha War

Adilshahi

Adversaries

Forts

Mughal Empire

Durrani Empire

British Empire

Portuguese Empire

Hyderabad

Mysore

Panhala

Pratapgad

Purandar

Raigad

Rajgad

Shivneri

Sindhudurg

Sinhagad

Torna

Categories:

Peshwa dynasty

Hindu dynasties

Titles of national or ethnic leadership

Maharashtrian Brahmin communities

Chitpavan Brahmin

Navigation menu

Create account

Log in

Article

Talk

Read

Edit

View history

Main page

Contents

Featured content

Current events

Random article

Donate to Wikipedia

Wikimedia Shop

Interaction

Help

About Wikipedia

Community portal

Recent changes

Contact page

Tools

What links here

Related changes

Upload file

Special pages

Permanent link

Page information

Wikidata item

Cite this page

Print/export

Create a book

Download as PDF

Printable version

Languages

Catal

Deutsch

Franais

Nederlands

Norsk bokml

Svenska

Trke

Edit links

This page was last modified on 2 March 2015, at 05:12.

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional

terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Wikipedia is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit
organization.

Privacy policy

About Wikipedia

Disclaimers

Contact Wikipedia

Developers

Mobile view