81-474: Balaji Rao is an Indian name. People with this name include: Balaji Baji Rao , Maratha Peshwa and general R. Balaji Rao , Indian politician Bajaji Rao Naik Nimbalkar , Maratha nobleman and Balaji Rao (Canadian cricketer) , Indo-Canadian cricketer Balaji Rao (Indian cricketer) , Indian cricketer Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
162-586: A force of 4,000 soldiers on a need basis. In 1748, Javed Khan, a rival of the Mughal wazir Safdar Jang invited the new Nizam of Hyderabad Nasir Jung , to join an alliance against the wazir. Safdar Jang requested Maratha support against Nasir Jung. Balaji Rao dispatched Scindia and Holkar chiefs to prevent Nasir Jung from reaching Delhi, and thus, saved Safdar Jang. Starting in 1748, the Afghan king Ahmad Shah Durrani (Abdali) launched several invasions of India, forcing
243-560: A high fees for sparing Chanda Sahib who offered only 7 lakhs with a statement threatening to continue the conflict if the terms were rejected. Raghuji discarded the meagre offer and deployed his men against Tiruchirappalli . The main body of the Maratha cavalry took positions before the city and cut off its communications. In this while, a large body of the Nevayet troops under Chanda Sahib's brother Zaynut Abdul Khan, known as Bada Sahib , marched to
324-502: A letter from the Peshwa loyalist Mahadji Purandare, who denounced him as a traitor. Subsequently, Gaekwad changed course and started advancing towards Satara. Mahadji's brother Trimbakrao Purandare led a 20,000-strong force against him. Gaekwad defeated him at Nimb, a small town north of Satara. He then marched to Satara, where he was received by Tarabai. However, Trimbakrao re-formed his army and on 15 March 1751, he attacked Gaekwad's army, which
405-514: A noble girl aged 6, during her visit to the Raste family. She was impressed by Gopikabai's Orthodox Hindu upbringings as she was well versed in priestly religious matters and the prevailing customs followed in priestly Brahmin families. Despite her young age, Radhabai proposed the marriage of Gopikabai to her Grandson Balaji Bajirao, who was 10 at the time. The two eventually got married on 11 January 1730. The couple had three sons, Vishwasrao who died in
486-563: A pious Vaishnava saint Ramajipant. On those grounds Bimbaji named his son Raghuji ( Raghava ) after the avatar of Vishnu Rama . Bimbaji died shortly after his son was born, and Raghuji grew up with his mother Kashibai and grandmother Baijabai at the same Pandavavadi near Wai. On attaining maturity Raghuji served under his uncle Ranoji as a Shiledar (cavalryman) at Amravati , participating in various military operations. His uncle Senasahibsubha Kanhoji Bhonsle based at Bham, sixteen miles south of Yavatmal , invited him to his fief as he
567-486: A result, Balaji Rao ordered Damaji to be put in iron chains at Lohagad. He then sent a military expedition to Gujarat, under his brother Raghunath Rao . Raghunath Rao managed to recover revenues from Surat , but could not advance north of the Tapti River . Meanwhile, Balaji Rao received a setback when his general Shankarji Keshav Phadke was defeated at the siege of Parner . As a result, he decided to seek reconciliation with
648-498: A section of Tarabai's troops in the Satara garrison rebelled against her. Although she crushed the mutiny, she realized that it would be difficult to continue the fight against Balaji Rao. She, therefore, agreed to a peace treaty. She met Balaji Rao in Pune, and accepted the superiority of the Peshwa's office. She agreed to dismiss her lieutenant Baburao Jadhav, whom the Peshwa disliked. In return,
729-465: A subordinate, and asked Balaji Rao to consult Umabai. On 30 April, Balaji Rao launched a surprise evening attack, and Damaji's camp surrendered without resistance. Balaji Rao then surrounded the Satara fort, and asked Tarabai to release Chhatrapati Rajaram II, whose physical and mental condition had deteriorated considerably. Tarabai refused, and Balaji Rao left for Pune, since a siege of the well-provisioned and strong Satara fort would not be easy. Later,
810-532: A tributary to the Marathas. Dissensions continued between the Devgad Gond brothers and once again, the elder brother Burhan Shah requested the aid of Raghoji Bhonsle. Akbar Shah was driven into exile and finally poisoned at Hyderabad . However this time, Raghoji Bhonsle did not pass the opportunity of conquering such a plentiful and rich country, with it being within his grasp. He declared himself 'protector' of
891-499: A war by offering him ₹ 4,000,000; but, Raghunath Rao was not satisfied with the offer. The Marathas besieged Bharatpur's Kumher fort in early 1754 for around four months, before a peace treaty was concluded. The Marathas accepted an offer by Suraj Mal to pay ₹ 3,000,000 in three yearly installments. During Baji Rao's tenure, the Mughals had nominally granted the Malwa to the Marathas, but
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#1732858488105972-630: A war of succession between Bakht Singh and Ram Singh . Ram Singh sought help from Jayappa Scindia. By the time Scindia marched to Jodhpur in September 1752, Bakhat Singh had died. He was succeeded by his son Bijay Singh, who sought help against the Marathas from the Mughals, the Rohillas and Madho Singh. With Madho Singh's help, Maharaja Vijay Singh resisted the Marathas for a year, before he agreed to peace talks. During one such peace negotiation, Jayappa Rao Scindia
1053-463: A war on Ishwari Singh for his failure to pay the arrears. Ishwari Singh was desperate as he did not have sufficient money to pay off the Marathas, and he could not impose excessive taxes on his citizens. As a result, he committed suicide by consuming poison. After Ishawari Singh's death, Madho Singh became the ruler of Jaipur. However, he no longer trusted the Marathas, having seen their treatment of his elder brother. He participated in battles against
1134-678: The Battle of Damalcherry in May 20, 1740, which was a major confrontation between the Nawab of the Carnatic , Dost Ali Khan of Arcot and the Maratha Senasahibsubha Raghuji I Bhonsle of Nagpur. The battle was a victory for the Marathas in which Arcot Nawab Dost Ali Khan, his son and nearly all his officers were killed. Dost Ali Khan's Diwan Mir Assud was taken captive. The Nawab's capital city of Arcot
1215-622: The Chhatrapati Shahu Bhonsle . Raghuji's status dramatically escalated when he bravely slew a maneater tiger which threatened Shahu's life during a hunting expedition. Following this Shahu bestowed many rewards on Raghuji, most importantly arranging the marriage of his own Shirke clan wife Rani Sagunabai's sister Salubai to Raghuji. This further bound the Chhatrapati Bhonsle and the Senasahibsubha Bhonsle families. This
1296-791: The Hooghly River . During this period, warriors called as " Bargis ", perpetrated atrocities against the local population, against Hindu Bengalis Muslims and Biharis . As reported in Burdwan Kingdom's and European sources, the Bargis are said to have plundered villages, and Jan Kersseboom, chief of the Dutch East India Company factory in Bengal, estimated that perhaps 400,000 Hindu civilians in Western Bengal and Bihar were dead owing to
1377-585: The Dabhades to share Gujarat revenues as per the agreement. Umabai personally met him in 1750 and argued that the agreement was void because the Dabhades had signed it under force. The Peshwa refused to entertain this argument. Umabai dispatched 15,000 troops led by her lieutenant Damaji Rao Gaekwad in support of Tarabai's rebellion. Gaekwad initially advanced towards Pune, prompting the Peshwa's mother Kashibai and his grandmother Radhabai to flee from Pune to Sinhagad . While encamped at Pargaon near Pune, he received
1458-474: The Dabhades were also arrested, and deprived of their jagirs and titles. In Pune, Balaji Rao repeatedly pressurized Damaji to cede half of Gujarat on behalf of Yashwant Rao Dabhade. Damaji kept refusing, and on 19 July 1751, Balaji Rao placed him and his dewan Ramchandra Baswant in strict confinement. On 14 November, he sent them to captivity in Lohagad . A few weeks later, Ramchandra Baswant escaped to Gujarat. As
1539-604: The French, but the English refused to get involved in the conflict. The Marathas wanted Salabat Jung's brother Ghazi ud-Din Khan to be appointed as the Nizam; as he had promised them a payment of ₹ 6,000,000 among other favours. However, Khan was poisoned to death by his step-mother. Ultimately, Balaji Rao and Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau concluded a peace treaty. Raghoji Bhonsle also agreed to peace on
1620-515: The Gaekwads. In March 1752, Damaji finally agreed to abandon Dabhades and join Balaji Rao. In return, he was made the Maratha chief of Gujarat, and Balaji Rao offered him assistance in expelling the Mughals from Gujarat. Gaekwad promised to pay an annual tribute of ₹ 525,000 to Peshwa in addition to a one-time payment of ₹ 1,500,000. He was also asked to maintain a cavalry of 20,000 horses in service of
1701-451: The Governor of Ajmer and Agra . The Marathas were also granted the right to collect chauth from Lahore , Multan , Sindh , and some districts of Hissar and Moradabad . However, the Mughal emperor had also ceded Lahore and Multan to Ahmad Shah Durrani in order to pacify him. In addition, he did not ratify the transfer of Rajput-ruled territories like Ajmer to the Marathas. This brought
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#17328584881051782-524: The Hindu states of Deccan. Through treachery Chanda brought about the abdication of queen of Tiruchirappalli . After entering the fort by swearing the most solemn sacred oaths on the Quran of peace and behaving like a brother to the widowed queen, Husayn facilitated the storming of the fort by having his men enter through the palace known as Dilwar Mandap adjoining the fort of Tiruchirappalli. Heartbroken on such betrayal
1863-519: The Maratha territory reached its zenith. A large part of this expansion, however, was led by the individual chiefs of the Maratha Empire. Balaji Bajirao's administration worked with his cousin Sadashivrao Bhau , introducing new legislative and financial systems in the state. Under his leadership, the borders of the Maratha Empire expanded to Peshawar in present-day Pakistan , Srirangapatna in
1944-434: The Marathas emerged victorious. Raghuji killed Bada Sahib and Sadak Sahib with more than 3,000 men in each of their contingents slain. This decisive victory of the Marathas considerably helped their siege of Tiruchirappalli. Despite the formidable odds, Chanda Sahib resisted the onslaught for more than a month. On the 16th of March 1741, the Marathas finally scaled the walls of the ramparts of Tiruchirappalli fort, surprised
2025-664: The Marathas for intervention, and offered co-operation against the Arcot Nawab. They demanded the expulsion of the Navayet Nawabs. Even the Nizam supported Maratha intervention against them. Pratapsingh Bhonsle of Tanjore was neither regular in the payment of tribute nor obedient to the Subehdar, causing the Nawab to remove him from Tanjore by force and install a Muslim deputy. Finally incensed by
2106-402: The Marathas in conflict with Durranis as well as Rajputs. From 1741 to 1751, the Marathas under Raghuji Bhonsle invaded Bengal six times. The first one in 1741, The second in 1742, as also the third in 1744 and the fourth in 1745 were led by Raghuji himself. The fifth in 1747 and the sixth in 1748 were undertaken by Janoji and Sabaji respectively. These invasions caused heavy destruction in
2187-457: The Marathas) was made provincial governor of Orissa under nominal control of the Nawab of Bengal . It made The Nawab of Bengal a tributary to the Marathas who agrees to pay Rs. 1.2 million annually as the chauth of Bengal and Bihar, and the Marathas agreed not to invade Bengal again. The Nawab of Bengal also paid Rs. 3.2 million to the Marathas, towards the arrears of chauth for
2268-518: The Marathas, but later left the alliance due to a misunderstanding with Bhau. Between 1759 and 1761, the Durranis and the Marathas fought each other in several skirmishes and small battles, with varying results. Due to the extended duration of the siege of the Maratha garrison at Panipat which Balaji's reinforcements were supposed to break but never reached beyond the Narmada , the Durranis decisively defeated
2349-452: The Marathas, until Safdar Jang intervened and convinced the Marathas to leave with an apology and some compensation. After Safdar Jang's death, the Marathas again invaded the Rajput territories. This forced Madho Singh to seek help from Safdar Jang's successor Shuja-ud-Daula as well as the Afghan king Ahmad Shah Durrani (Abdali). In 1749, Abhai Singh of Jodhpur (Marwar) died, leading to
2430-413: The Marathas. Madho Singh later sought arbitration from Balaji Rao, who personally came to Jaipur and convinced Ishwari Singh to cede 4 mahals to Madho Singh. Ishwari Singh initially agreed, but refused to abide by his promise after Balaji returned to Pune. Malhar Rao Holkar then not only forcefully captured the mahal s for Madho, but also imposed a tribute on Ishwari Singh. In 1750, the Marathas declared
2511-543: The Mughals to seek Maratha help. In 1752, the Rohillas of the Doab region rebelled against the Mughal emperor. They defeated Safdar Jang in a battle, and invited Durrani to invade India. Once again, Safdar Jang sought assistance from the Marathas, who helped him crush the rebellion. The Marathas and the Mughals signed an agreement in 1752. The Marathas agreed to help the Mughals defeat external aggressions as well as internal rebellions. The Mughals agreed to appoint Peshwa Balaji Rao as
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2592-552: The Peshwa forgave her. On 14 September 1752, the two took oaths at Khandoba temple in Jejuri , promising mutual peace. At this oath ceremony, Tarabai swore that Rajaram II was not her grandson, but an impostor from the Gondhali caste. Nevertheless, the Peshwa retained Rajaram II as the titular Chhatrapati and a powerless figurehead. In May 1751, Balaji Rao had arrested Damaji Gaekwad and his relatives, and sent them to Pune. Sometime later,
2673-525: The Peshwa. In 1751, Balaji Rao had invaded the territories of Nizam of Hyderabad Salabat Jung , who was supported by the French Governor-General of Pondicherry Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau . Due to Tarabai's rebellion and the French-trained enemy troops, the Marathas had to retreat. In 1752, Balaji Rao launched a fresh attack against the Nizam. He also sought support of the English to counter
2754-576: The Peshwa. He then returned to South India, where he defeated Chanda Sahib in March 1741, before being forced to retreat by Chanda Sahib's French allies from Pondicherry . After returning to Satara, Raghoji continued to oppose Balaji Rao. In 1743, Raghoji Bhonsle attacked Alivardi Khan 's forces in Orissa . Khan paid ₹ 2,000,000 to Balaji Rao, who helped him expel Raghoji from Orissa in 1744. Raghoji then complained to Chhatrapati Shahu, and got himself appointed
2835-471: The Peshwa. Shortly before Balaji's appointment as the Peshwa, Raghoji had led a Maratha force to South India. His mission was to help Pratap Singh of Thanjavur , a royal of the Bhonsle clan, against Dost Ali Khan . Raghoji killed Dost Ali in May 1740, and installed Dost Ali's son Safdar Ali Khan as the Nawab of Arcot . He returned to Satara, and unsuccessfully lodged a protest against Balaji Rao's appointment as
2916-618: The South, and Medinipur in present-day West Bengal. Nanasaheb built canals, bridges, temples and lodges for travellers in the capital city of Pune and in other parts of the Maratha Empire. In his twenty-year reign as the Peshwa, Nanasaheb subdued three major powers under his tenure, viz. Mughals in the North, the Nizam in the South and the Bengal Sultanate. Along with that he also weakened the Afghan control over Punjab, stopped their repeated invasions on
2997-457: The Yavateshwar garrison, defeating Tarabai's forces. He then joined Trimbakrao, who had been keeping a watch on Gaekwad's army. Gaekwad was compelled to declare ceasefire and meet Balaji Rao to discuss the terms of a peace treaty. Balaji Rao demanded from him half of Gujarat's territories in addition to a war indemnity of ₹ 2,500,000. Damaji refused to sign an agreement, stating that he was only
3078-603: The armies of Shivaji . Mudhoji resided in Pandavgad , ruling over a Mauza near Wai in Maharashtra, which Shivaji had granted to him as Jagir for his spectacular exploits, while his brother Rupaji I resided at Bham in the district of Yavatmal . Rupaji I was childless therefore his property also passed over to Raghoji's great grandfather Mudhoji which gave Hinganikar Bhonsles a foothold in east Maharashtra for future conquests. Chhatrapati Shivaji entrusted high military command and
3159-443: The armies of the Nawab of Bengal. Nawab Alivardi Khan was successful in repelling only the first invasion in 1741. In 1743 two Maratha armies invaded - one belonged to Raghoji Bhonsle and the other of Balaji Rao. Alivardi Khan was obliged to pay him a subsidie, promising to pay him Chauth tax. The continuous conflict took a heavy toll on the population of Bengal. The Hindu Maratha warriors invaded and occupied western Bengal up to
3240-490: The atrocities of the Nawab, Chhatrapati Shahu deployed Raghuji Bhonsle of Nagpur and Fatehsingh Bhonsle of Akkalkot with army of 40,000 to wreak vengeance on the wrongdoers. Raghuji defeated the Nawab of Cuddappah , exacted tribute from the Nawab of Karnool before advancing southwards into the subah of Arcot . The rapid advance of the Marathas filled the Nawab Dost Ali Khan with dismay. Soon afterwards took place
3321-718: The authority to impose chauthai and mokasa of prominent Mughal cities and regions like Lucknow , Allahabad in Awadh , Murshidabad in Bengal Subah , Berar (claimed by Nizam ), Bitia in Malwa Subah , Hajipur and Patna in Bihar Subah (under Nawab of Bengal Subah ) and of the Gond Kingdoms of Devagad , Gadha , Bhavargad and Chanda . This ensured the direction of Raghuji's future expansions. Bold and decisive in action, Raghuji
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3402-415: The battle of Panipat in 1761, Madhavrao who succeeded Nanasaheb as Peshwa and Narayanrao who succeeded Madhavrao in his late teens. Nanasaheb had an able brother called Raghunathrao whose ambitions to be the Peshwa became disastrous for the Maratha empire. In early years of Balaji Rao's tenure, Raghoji I Bhonsle helped extend Maratha influence in South and East India. However, he was not on good terms with
3483-579: The collection of chauth (tribute) in Berar to the most distinguished of them. Mudhoji's son Sabaji was given villages of Rakhswari and Poorkikotar however it was Parsoji who attained highest position in the family. During Mughal-Maratha Wars the title of Senasahibsubha (meaning Master of provinces and armies) was bestowed on Parsoji Bhonsle by Chhatrapati Rajaram Bhonsle along with rights to regions of Devgad , Gondwana , Chanda and Varhad from where he could exact tribute. Bapuji only had one son Bimbaji who
3564-535: The condition that Nizam would grant him some jagirs in Berar . Balaji's father Baji Rao aimed to establish a Hindu Padshahi (Hindu kingship) in India, and maintained good relations with the Hindu Rajputs . However, during Balaji Rao's tenure, the Marathas alienated the Rajput rulers. When Jai Singh II of Jaipur died in 1743, a war of succession broke out between his sons Ishwari Singh and Madho Singh . Madho
3645-443: The condition that they would remit half of the revenues collected from Gujarat to his treasury. Umabai's minor son Yashwant Rao was made the titular Senapati , while she held the actual executive power in Maratha territories of Gujarat. The Dabhades never actually shared any revenues, but Shahu did not want to take any action against a grieving mother. However, after Shahu's death Peshwa Balaji Rao faced an empty treasury and pressurized
3726-458: The control was not actually passed to the Marathas. After becoming Peshwa, Balaji Rao approached the Mughal emperor through Jai Singh II , and managed to get appointed as the Deputy Governor of Malwa (with Ahmad Shah as the titular Governor). In return, he pledged faithfulness to the Mughal emperor. He also agreed to keep a force of 500 soldiers at the emperor's court, in addition to providing
3807-422: The deputy of the Nawab of Ellichpur and subjugated his territory. In this duration Kanhoji and prepared countermeasures by fortification of his base at Bham. Raghuji received the aid of his uncle Sawai Santaji Ranoji Bhonsle of Amravati . The two armies jointly besieged the fort of Bham and killed Kanhoji's general Tukoji Gujjar . The death of Kanhoji's general Tukoji Gujjar broke Kanhoji's patience and he fled from
3888-501: The eastern provinces for which he was deployed with an army of 30,000 cavalry. Raghuji's armies roved in all directions exacting the pending Chauth and Sardeshmukhi, which served as return of central authority over the lands. In 1731 Raghuji Bhonsle killed Isa Khan and seized all the villages in Kherla as well as the Fort of Salbardi. Raghuji followed this by defeating Shujayat Khan of Akola ,
3969-471: The expedition was Raghoji of Nagpur . Raghoji was able to annex Orissa permanently as he successfully exploited the chaotic conditions prevailing in the region after the death of their Governor Murshid Quli Khan in 1727. Nawab of Bengal ceded territory up to the river Suvarnarekha to the Marathas, and agreeing to pay Rs. 20 lacs as chauth for Bengal (includes both West Bengal and Bangladesh) and 12 lacs for Bihar (including Jharkhand), thus Bengal becoming
4050-483: The famished and under-equipped Maratha army in the Third Battle of Panipat on 14 January 1761. According to Suresh k Sharma, "It was Balaji Bajirao's love of pleasure which was responsible for Panipat. He delayed at Paithan celebrating his second marriage until December 27th, when it was too late." The defeat at Panipat resulted in heavy losses for the Marathas, and was a huge setback for Peshwa Balaji Rao. He received
4131-458: The fort, closely pursued by cavalry of Senasahibsubha and Sawai Santaji. Raghuji and Ranoji overtook Kanhoji at Mandar near Yavatmal and defeated him in the fight. Kanhoji was imprisoned in the fort of Satara while his son Rayaji continued at Bham. The tensions regarding Rayaji and Raghuji's rights over Senasahibsubha post ended only by 1748 when Rayaji died childless ensuring the supremacy of Raghuji Bhonsle's line. Shahu Chhatrapati then bestowed
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#17328584881054212-594: The garrison and conquered the Nevayet stronghold. The fort was surrendered to Raghuji on the day of Ram Navami , but it was the banner of Fatehsingh Bhonsle which was raised on the fort. Chanda Sahib negotiated for peace by offering to pay twelve lakhs of rupees for his safe departure, but the Marathas demanded one crore. Eventually the talks broke down and the Marathas carried away the Husayn Dost Khan together with his son Abid Ali as prisoner to Berar and then to Satara . Raghuji Bhonsle appointed Murari Rao Ghorpade as
4293-687: The imperial capital of Delhi, subdued the Rajputs and Rohillas and neutralized the state of Oudh. Balaji Rao was born in the Bhat family , to Peshwa Baji Rao I , on 8 December 1720. After Bajirao's death in April 1740, Chhatrapati Shahu appointed 19-year old Balaji as the Peshwa in August 1740, despite opposition from other chiefs such as Raghoji I Bhonsle . Radhabai, the Grandmother of Balaji bajirao came across Gopikabai ,
4374-516: The in-charge of Marathas in Orissa, Bengal and Bihar . By 1752, Raghoji had taken over administration of Orissa, and also frequently raided Bengal and Bihar to collect chauth . The instability brought by him to Bengal later paved way for the rise of the East India Company there. Tarabai , the senior widow of Rajaram Chhatrapati after being released by her stepson Sambhaji II of Kolhapur
4455-457: The invasion of Bargis. The resulting casualties of Bargi onslaught against in Bengal are considered to be among the deadliest massacres in Indian history. According to the 18th-century Bengali text Maharashtra Purana written by Gangaram: In 1751, the Marathas signed a peace treaty with the Nawab of Bengal , according to which Mir Habib (a former courtier of Alivardi Khan , who had defected to
4536-421: The loss of his brother's life. In 1722, Shahu I presented Badnera and Amravati to Ranoji Bhonsle, further extending presence of Hinganikar Bhonsles in east. Kanhoji went on to secure the family title of Senasahibsubha and paved the way for future conquests by ruling for 20 years. The lesser prominent Bimbaji Bhonsle was without a son until one was finally born, who Bimbaji believed to be a result of prayers of
4617-613: The new ruler at Tiruchirappalli which marked the end of the Nevayets and the culmination of the Maratha campaign. According to Ramesan, it must have been at this time of his invasion in 1740 when Raghuji was in the Chittoor district and very near to Tirupati that Raghuji Bhonsle took the opportunity to visit the Venkateswara temple and offer his obeisance to the deity with offerings of many valuable jewels. These jewels are still preserved in
4698-552: The news of the defeat of Panipat on 24 January 1761 at Bhilsa , while leading a reinforcement force. Besides several important generals, he had lost his own son Vishwasrao and cousin Sadashivrao Bhau in the Battle of Panipat. He fell in depression and died on 23 June 1761 at Parvati hill and was succeeded by his younger son Madhav Rao I . Raghoji I Bhonsle Raghuji I ( Raghuji Bhonsle ; Marathi pronunciation: [rɑːgʰoːɟiː bʰoːⁿsəleː] ; 1695 – 14 February 1755)
4779-443: The northern borders of their territory to prevent a total encirclement. The Maratha contingents attempted to intercept the march of Bada Sahib, but the flank of his brother Sadak Sahib, defeated their stretched lines at Dindigul . The two then merged their forces and rushed to Tiruchirappalli for aiding their brother but were intercepted by Senasahebsubh Raghuji Bhonsle at Manapparai . In the fierce battle which lasted for nine hours
4860-404: The post of Peshwa. When Rajaram refused, she imprisoned him in a dungeon at Satara , on 24 November 1750. She claimed that he was an impostor, and that she had falsely presented him as her grandson. Tarabai was unsuccessful in getting support from other ministers and the would-be Nizam Salabat Jung . However, she managed to enlist the help of another noblewoman, Umabai Dabhade. Umabai Dabhade
4941-504: The post of Senasahibsubha, Chhatrapati Shahu granted him the sanads for Berar and Gondwana and the right to extend the levy of chauthai to Chhatisgarh , Patna in Bihar, Allahabad in Awadh Subah and Maksudabad in Bengal Subah serving as directives for his conquests. Raghuji's first campaign as Senasahibsubha was to bring his uncle Kanhoji to justice and restore centralization in
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#17328584881055022-506: The preceding years. The chauth was paid annually by the Nawab of Bengal up to 1758, until the East India Company took over. After his initial invasions of India, Ahmed Shah Durrani appointed his son Timur Shah Durrani as the governor of Punjab and Kashmir. Balaji Rao then dispatched Raghunath Rao to check the advance of the Durranis. In 1758, Raghunath Rao conquered Lahore and Peshawar , and drove out Timur Shah Durrani. This
5103-616: The rising Maratha power. Under these circumstances, Ahmad Shah Durrani launched a fresh invasion of India, reaching Lahore by the end of 1759. He gained allies in the Rohilla noble Najib-ud-Daula and the Nawab of Oudh Shuja-ud-Daula . Balaji Rao responded to the Durrani invasion by dispatching a large force commanded by Sadashiv Rao Bhau . This force was supplemented by the contingents of Holkar , Scindia , Gaikwad and Govind Pant Bundele . The Jat ruler Suraj Mal of Bharatpur also joined
5184-505: The ruler of this state, had interfered in Jaipur politics in support of Ishwari Singh. This had antagonized Maratha chiefs like Malhar Rao Holkar, who had supported Madho. In 1754, the Mughal wazir Safdar Jang sought Suraj Mal's help against the Mughal emperor. To counter him, the imperial loyalist Imad-ul-Mulk , sought Maratha help. Raghunath Rao used this opportunity and sent a force led by Malhar Rao Holkar to Bharatpur. Suraj Mal tried to avoid
5265-648: The temple in a chest known "Raghojivari Pette". Raghoji Bhonsle's Diwan Pandit Bhaskar Ram invaded and placed Mohansingh, an illegitimate son of Raghuji, in charge of the States of Raipur , Ratanpur , Bilaspur and Sambalpur in Chhattisgarh before advancing on to Orissa. The Expeditions in Bengal was taken by the Maratha Empire after the successful campaign in Carnatic at the Battle of Trichinopolly . The leader of
5346-543: The title Balaji Rao . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Balaji_Rao&oldid=1031790964 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Balaji Baji Rao Balaji Baji Rao (8 December 1720 – 23 June 1761), often referred to as Nana Saheb I ,
5427-485: The widowed queen burnt herself in disgrace. The extension of the Muslim power in the far south had set in motion a Hindu reaction led by Vangaru Tirumala, a member of the Madurai Nayak dynasty and a former rival of queen Minakṣhi and Sayaji Bhonsle, the deposed Maratha ruler of Tanjore who appealed to Chhatrapati Shahu , the most powerful Hindu ruler of the times, for aid. Hindu Kingdoms such as Ramnad , Sivaganga and Pudukkottai and Kingdom of Mysore called upon
5508-515: Was a Maratha general of the Bhonsle clan who established the Nagpur Kingdom in much of east-central India during the reign of Chhatrapati Shahu I . His successors ruled the kingdom until 1853. The Bhonsale family branch of Raghoji were known as Hinganikar as they were originally chiefs from Berdi near Hingani in Pune District established by Bimbaji Bhonsle. Raghoji's great granduncle Rupaji I, great grandfather Mudhoji and grandfather Bapuji with two brothers Sabaji and Parsoji had fought in
5589-404: Was assassinated by emissaries of Vijay Singh of Marwar in July 1755. This led to further hostilities between the Marathas and the Rajputs until Dattaji Rao Scindia concluded a peace treaty in February 1756. The Marathas- Jat relations also worsened during Balaji Rao's reign. Balaji's younger brother Raghunath Rao wanted a share of revenues from the prosperous Bharatpur State . Suraj Mal ,
5670-415: Was encamped on the banks of the Venna River . Gaekwad was defeated in this battle, and forced to retreat with heavy losses. Trimbakrao kept pursuing him and cornered his force near a gorge in the Krishna River valley. Meanwhile, on hearing about the rebellion, Balaji Rao left the Mughal frontier, and quickly advanced towards Satara, covering 400 miles in 13 days. He reached Satara on 24 April, and stormed
5751-477: Was given asylum by Chhatrapati Shahu, her nephew. In the 1740s, during the last years of Shahu's life, Tarabai brought a child to him: Rajaram II . She presented the child as her grandson, and thus, a direct descendant of Shivaji . Shahu adopted the child, and after his death in 1749, Rajaram II succeeded him as the Chhatrapati . The next year, Peshwa Balaji Rao left to fight against the Nizam of Hyderabad . In his absence, Tarabai urged Rajaram II to remove him from
5832-533: Was heirless up to that point. City of Bham or Bhambraja, was located on a small plateau near the Adan river, raised 300 ft. above the level of the valley. It is a vast but completely abandoned site of immense stone ruins and traces of planted trees. The expanse of the original settlement could be imagined by the traditions of 5,000 houses owned by Bairagis (ascetics) alone under the protection of Marathas . Senasahibsubha Kanhoji looked after and mentored Raghuji, who
5913-463: Was plundered and the rich treasures were taken as booty by the triumphant Marathas. The news of this defeat spread dismay and consternation in the country. Safdar had by then only reached Arcot . He started negotiations for a truce with the Marathas through Mir Assud who was in captivity in the Maratha camp. The Marathas were disappointed by the desolate condition of the country and many in the circles were ready to come to terms. Raghuji however demanded
5994-527: Was simultaneously followed with the Senasahibsubha Kanhoji Bhonsle's downfall who had entered into talks with the Nizam . For further examination he was invited by Chhatrapati Shahu to Satara. On 23 August 1725 Kanhoji left Satara without permission, fleeing the officers sent after him. After 3 years of distant correspondence, Chhatrapati Shahu finally appointed Raghuji Bhonsle as the new Senasahibsubha in 1728. Following Raghuji's appointment to
6075-463: Was supported by Jagat Singh II of Mewar and Ummed Singh of Bundi . The Marathas, however, initially supported Ishwari, simply because he offered them more money. Later, Jagat Singh was able to enlist Malhar Rao Holkar on Madho's side, while Jayappa Rao Scindia continued to support Ishwari. This episode not only spoiled the Maratha relations with the Rajputs, but also resulted in internal strife among
6156-774: Was the 8th Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy . He was appointed as Peshwa in 1740 upon the death of his father, the Peshwa Bajirao I . During his tenure, the Chhatrapati (Maratha Emperor) was a mere figurehead. At the same time, the Maratha empire started transforming into a confederacy , in which individual chiefs—such as the Holkars , the Scindias and the Bhonsles of Nagpur kingdom —became more powerful. During Balaji Rao's tenure,
6237-551: Was the archetype of a Maratha leader; he saw in the troubles of other states an opening for his own ambition, and did not even require a pretext for invasion. Twice his armies occupied Bengal , and it was he who attained the conquest of Cuttack . Chanda , Chhattisgarh , and Sambalpur were added to his dominions between 1745 and 1755, the year of his death. He was succeeded by his son Janoji Bhonsle . The Nawab of Carnatic Dost Ali Khan, sent his son, Safdar Ali and Husayn Dost Khan better known as Chanda Sahib to extort tribute from
6318-463: Was the father of Raghuji I. Parsoji had three sons; Santaji, Kanhoji and Ranoji each with a distinguished career. Santaji was part of various campaigns of Chhatrapati Shivaji and the other commanders, till his murder in Delhi during the 1719 campaign to depose Farrukhsiyar led by Senapati Khanderao Dabhade . Ranoji was given title of Sawai Santaji (meaning Superior Santaji) along with other compensations for
6399-577: Was the high-water mark of Maratha expansion, where the boundaries of their empire extended north of the Sindhu river all the way down south to northern Kerala . The Marathas thus became the Durrani's major rivals in the north-western part of the subcontinent. Meanwhile, the Marathas had reduced the Mughal emperor to a figurehead, and Balaji Rao talked of placing his son Vishwasrao on the Mughal throne. The Mughal loyalist Muslim intellectuals of Delhi were alarmed at these developments, and appealed Durrani to check
6480-499: Was the matriarch of the Dabhade family, whose members held the title of Senapati (commander-in-chief) and controlled several territories in Gujarat . Her husband had been killed by the Mughals , and her eldest son had been killed by Balaji Rao's father for a rebellion against Chhatrapati Shahu. However, Shahu had forgiven the Dabhades and allowed them to retain their jagirs and titles on
6561-538: Was the son of his cousin Bimbaji, with hopes of gradually passing his duties to him. But after the birth of his son Rayaji Bhonsle, his plans for adopting Raghuji ended and their relations were disrupted. Raghuji then left his uncle and travelled with 100 horsemen to offer his services to Gond Kingdom of Devgad , then under rule of Chand Sultan, where he fought for many years and familiarised himself with local politics. Eventually Raghuji returned to Satara to directly serve
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