Rise of the Marathas and the Entry of the English into Maratha Politics
Modern History › The Anglo-Maratha Wars · Topic 6.1
After Panipat the Marathas regrouped within a decade. When the Peshwa Narayanrao was murdered in 1773 and his uncle Raghunathrao seized the post, a succession quarrel split the Maratha house, and the English at Bombay saw a chance to copy Clive's Bengal arrangement.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · The Anglo-Maratha Wars
At a Glance
- What it is The Maratha succession crisis of 1772-73 and the start of English intervention
- Key figures Madhavrao I, Narayanrao, Raghunathrao, Sawai Madhavrao, Nana Phadnavis
- English motive To copy Clive’s arrangement in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa
- Result Three Anglo-Maratha wars between 1775 and 1818
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: The Anglo-Maratha Wars
Where Does It Fit?
This is the first topic of the category on the Anglo-Maratha Wars. The earlier category traced the English conquest of Bengal and Mysore. This topic opens the third great contest, with the Marathas. The next topic covers the First Anglo-Maratha War. Previous topic: Mysore After Tipu and an Estimate of Tipu Sultan.
How Did the Marathas Recover After Panipat?
The Maratha rise and their defeat at Panipat are told in Rise of the Marathas and the Third Battle of Panipat. Though the defeat of 1761 changed the situation, the Marathas regrouped, regained strength and within a decade reached a position of power in India again. By the middle of the eighteenth century they had been in Lahore, thinking of becoming rulers of a north Indian empire, and they had played kingmaker at the Mughal court.
Baji Rao I (1720-40), the greatest of the Peshwas, had started a confederacy of prominent Maratha chiefs. Under it each prominent family was given a sphere of influence to conquer and rule in the name of the Maratha king, Shahu. The families that emerged were the Gaekwad of Baroda, the Bhonsle of Nagpur, the Holkars of Indore, the Sindhias of Gwalior and the Peshwa of Poona. The confederacy worked cordially from Baji Rao I to Madhavrao I. After Panipat, and especially after the death of the young Peshwa Madhavrao I in 1772, the Peshwa’s control over it weakened.
What Was the Succession Crisis of 1772-73?
After the death of Madhavrao in 1772, his brother Narayanrao succeeded him as the fifth Peshwa. But Narayanrao’s uncle, Raghunathrao, had his nephew assassinated and named himself Peshwa, although he was not the legal heir. Narayanrao’s widow, Gangabai, gave birth to a son after her husband’s death. The infant was named Sawai (One and a Quarter) Madhavrao and was the legal heir. Twelve Maratha chiefs, the Barabhai, led by Nana Phadnavis, tried to name the infant as Peshwa and rule for him as regents.
| Person | Role in the dispute |
|---|---|
| Madhavrao I | The Peshwa whose death in 1772 opened the crisis |
| Narayanrao | Fifth Peshwa; assassinated at the instigation of his uncle |
| Raghunathrao | The uncle who named himself Peshwa without being the legal heir |
| Sawai Madhavrao | The posthumous infant son of Narayanrao and the legal heir |
| Nana Phadnavis | Led the twelve chiefs (Barabhai) who ruled as regents for the infant |
Why Did the English Intervene?
The years between the last quarter of the eighteenth century and the first quarter of the nineteenth saw the Marathas and the English clash three times for political supremacy, and the English won in the end. The cause of these conflicts was the inordinate ambition of the English and the divided house of the Marathas, which encouraged the English to hope for success. The English in Bombay wanted to set up a government on the lines of the arrangement made by Clive in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. They therefore welcomed the chance that came when disputes over a succession divided the Marathas. The Bengal arrangement is explained in Dual Government in Bengal, 1765-72.
| War | Years | Main treaty |
|---|---|---|
| First Anglo-Maratha War | 1775-82 | Treaty of Salbai |
| Subsidiary Alliance Years 1803-05 Trigger Treaty of…">Second Anglo-Maratha War | 1803-05 | Treaty of Bassein (1802) and later treaties |
| Third Anglo-Maratha War | 1817-19 | End of the Peshwaship |
How Does This Compare With Mysore?
As an analytical point, the English approach to the Marathas differed from their approach to Mysore. In Mysore the English faced one strong ruler, Haidar Ali, and later Tipu, as seen in The Wodeyar Dynasty and the Rise of Haidar Ali. In the Maratha state they faced a confederacy whose members quarrelled among themselves, so the English could take one side against another. A succession dispute gave them the opening, and an invitation from one claimant made their intervention look like a defence of a lawful ally.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Opening of the third contest The Maratha succession crisis explains how the English got involved
- Direct facts Names such as Raghunathrao, Sawai Madhavrao and Nana Phadnavis are common Prelims items
- Pattern English intervention through a succession dispute recurs in several states
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the First Anglo-Maratha War and the Treaty of Salbai.
Key People and Terms
- Peshwa The chief minister of the Maratha king who became the real ruler
- Barabhai The council of twelve Maratha chiefs under Nana Phadnavis
- Regent A person who rules on behalf of a child ruler
- Raghunathrao The uncle who seized the Peshwa’s post in 1773
- Sawai Madhavrao The infant legal heir, named “One and a Quarter”
- Succession dispute A quarrel over who is the rightful heir
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Madhavrao I died in 1772; Narayanrao was the fifth Peshwa.
- Raghunathrao had Narayanrao assassinated and named himself Peshwa.
- The infant heir was Sawai Madhavrao; Nana Phadnavis led the Barabhai.
- The Marathas and the English clashed three times.
- The English in Bombay wanted a Bengal-style arrangement.
Do Not Confuse With
- Narayanrao and Sawai Madhavrao Narayanrao was the fifth Peshwa who was killed; Sawai Madhavrao was his posthumous infant son
- Raghunathrao and Nana Phadnavis Raghunathrao seized the post; Nana Phadnavis ruled for the infant heir
- The Peshwa and the Maratha king The Peshwa was the chief minister; the king was Shahu and his successors
Memory Hook
A murdered nephew, a posthumous heir, and a Bombay government waiting for its chance.
Mains Angle
Questions ask how the English entered Maratha affairs. These points add depth.
- Internal division Succession quarrels let the English choose a side
- English ambition Bombay wanted a Clive-style settlement
- A confederacy not a state Power was shared by chiefs who often acted against each other
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“How did the succession dispute of 1773 open the way for English intervention in Maratha affairs?”
How to Answer
- The crisis Narayanrao’s murder and Raghunathrao’s claim.
- The regents Sawai Madhavrao and Nana Phadnavis.
- English motive Bombay’s wish for a Bengal-style arrangement.
- Conclude Say that division within the Maratha house invited intervention.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Raghunathrao?
Raghunathrao, also called Raghoba, was the uncle of the Peshwa Narayanrao. He had his nephew assassinated in 1773 and named himself Peshwa although he was not the legal heir. When the English supported his cause, the First Anglo-Maratha War began.
Who was Sawai Madhavrao?
Sawai Madhavrao was the posthumous son of the Peshwa Narayanrao, born to his widow Gangabai after his death. He was named Sawai, meaning One and a Quarter, and was the legal heir. Twelve chiefs under Nana Phadnavis tried to rule for him as regents.
What was the Barabhai council?
The Barabhai were twelve Maratha chiefs led by Nana Phadnavis who tried to make the infant Sawai Madhavrao the Peshwa and to rule for him as regents. They opposed Raghunathrao, who had seized the post after his nephew was murdered.
Why did the English want to intervene in Maratha politics?
The English at Bombay wanted to set up a government like the arrangement Clive made in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. A succession dispute that divided the Marathas gave them the opportunity, and the inordinate ambition of the English combined with the divided Maratha house led to three wars.
How many Anglo-Maratha wars were there?
There were three Anglo-Maratha wars, fought between the last quarter of the eighteenth century and the first quarter of the nineteenth century: 1775-82, 1803-05 and 1817-19. The English emerged victorious in the end, ending the Peshwaship in 1818.
What happened to the Maratha confederacy after Panipat?
The Marathas regrouped after Panipat and regained power within a decade. But the death of the young Peshwa Madhavrao I in 1772 weakened the Peshwa's control over the confederacy, and the chiefs united only on occasion, more often quarrelling among themselves.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Raghunathrao had his nephew Narayanrao assassinated and named himself Peshwa.
He was not the legal heir.
2 Nana Phadnavis led twelve Maratha chiefs known as the Barabhai.
They supported the infant Sawai Madhavrao.
3 Sawai Madhavrao was the brother of Narayanrao.
He was Narayanrao's posthumous son.
4 The Marathas and the English fought three wars for supremacy.
The English won in the end.
5 The English in Madras wanted to copy Clive's Bengal arrangement among the Marathas.
It was the English in Bombay.
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