Which Maratha Sardar spread Maratha power in Bengal-Bihar-Odisha in the east between 1741-51 and forced the Nawab of Bengal, Alivardi Khan, to sign a treaty?
Raghoji Bhonsle, the ruler of Nagpur, led a series of successful invasions into Eastern India. For a decade, his forces harassed the Nawab of Bengal, Alivardi Khan. Eventually, in 1751, a treaty was signed where the Nawab ceded Odisha to the Marathas and agreed to pay an annual ‘Chauth’ of twelve lakh rupees for Bengal and Bihar. ANSWER: (B) Raghoji Bhonsle
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Between 1741 and 1751, Raghoji Bhonsle of Nagpur directed frequent and devastating expeditions into the wealthy provinces of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha. These incursions, often carried out by the “Bargis,” crippled the local administration and economy. Unable to repel the Maratha light cavalry, Nawab Alivardi Khan was forced into a humiliating peace treaty in 1751. Under the terms, the Marathas gained permanent control over Odisha and secured the right to collect Chauth from Bengal and Bihar. This expansion established a Maratha foothold in Eastern India, significantly increasing the empire’s revenue and strategic reach toward the Bay of Bengal.