The defining difference between the two systems was their approach to authority. The Mughal system was highly centralized, with power flowing strictly from the Emperor. In contrast, the Maratha system, particularly under the Peshwas, was inherently decentralized. Regional chiefs held ...
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The Treaty of Bassein was a subsidiary alliance signed by Peshwa Bajirao II with the British to regain his throne. By doing so, the head of the Maratha state officially surrendered his sovereignty and accepted British military protection. This gave ...
The decentralized nature of the Maratha state, though a weakness in battle, was its greatest strength in terms of resilience. Because power was spread among various regional houses (Scindia, Holkar, etc.), the loss at Panipat did not destroy the entire ...
At Panipat, the Maratha army suffered from a fatal lack of coordination and centralized command. While Sadashivrao Bhau was the nominal leader, he struggled to unify the different sardars, who often disagreed on strategy. The departure of traditional guerrilla tactics ...
During Shivaji’s era, the focus was on “resistance” through a defensive network of hill forts. However, under the Peshwas, the strategy shifted toward “expansion.” This required moving away from the safety of the Sahyadri mountains into the open plains. The ...