1. Tarabai, the daughter-in-law of Shivaji, is renowned as the most courageous woman of the Maratha Empire. After the death of her husband, Rajaram, in 1700, she took effective command of the Maratha forces. She successfully led the Marathas' determined War of Independence against Emperor Aurangzeb's eRead more

    Tarabai, the daughter-in-law of Shivaji, is renowned as the most courageous woman of the Maratha Empire. After the death of her husband, Rajaram, in 1700, she took effective command of the Maratha forces. She successfully led the Marathas’ determined War of Independence against Emperor Aurangzeb’s entire army for seven years, inspiring soldiers through personal example and shrewd political management. Her resilience was crucial to the Maratha survival during their darkest period, earning her an honoured place in Maratha history.

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  2. The conclusion of the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1818 signaled the end of the Maratha era and the dawn of absolute British supremacy in India. The British dismantled the central authority of the Maratha state by removing the Peshwa and annexing his core territories. While smaller Maratha states likeRead more

    The conclusion of the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1818 signaled the end of the Maratha era and the dawn of absolute British supremacy in India. The British dismantled the central authority of the Maratha state by removing the Peshwa and annexing his core territories. While smaller Maratha states like Indore, Gwalior and Nagpur were allowed to exist, they were stripped of their military independence and forced to accept British residents. A small principality was created at Satara for the descendants of Shivaji to satisfy Maratha sentiment, but the real power now resided solely with the British Company.

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  3. The 'Phad' represented the administrative backbone of the Maratha state. As the empire grew, the need for a centralized bureaucracy led to the development of this secretariat in Pune. It was responsible for auditing the accounts of the various districts (Mahals) and military commanders. The efficienRead more

    The ‘Phad’ represented the administrative backbone of the Maratha state. As the empire grew, the need for a centralized bureaucracy led to the development of this secretariat in Pune. It was responsible for auditing the accounts of the various districts (Mahals) and military commanders. The efficiency of the Phad allowed the Peshwas to manage a complex system of Chauth and Sardeshmukhi collection across vast distances. Detailed registers (Daftars) were kept for every village, recording taxes, grants and judicial decisions. This institutionalized record-keeping survived well into the British era, forming the basis for later revenue settlements in Western India.

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  4. The Third Anglo-Maratha War concluded through a series of treaties that broke the power of the remaining Maratha sardars. While the Peshwa surrendered at Pune, the Holkars were the last major military threat until their defeat at Mahidpur. The Treaty of Mandsaur reduced the once-powerful Holkar statRead more

    The Third Anglo-Maratha War concluded through a series of treaties that broke the power of the remaining Maratha sardars. While the Peshwa surrendered at Pune, the Holkars were the last major military threat until their defeat at Mahidpur. The Treaty of Mandsaur reduced the once-powerful Holkar state to a subsidiary princely state. Combined with the Treaties of Gwalior (Scindia) and Nagpur (Bhonsle), it ensured total British paramountcy over Central and Western India. These treaties collectively dismantled the Maratha Confederacy and established the East India Company as the undisputed master of the Indian subcontinent.

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  5. The era of the Peshwas, which began with Balaji Vishwanath in 1713, ended with the surrender of Bajirao II in 1818. Following the Battle of Khadki and subsequent defeats, Bajirao II surrendered to Sir John Malcolm. The British Governor-General, Lord Hastings, decided to annex the Peshwa's dominionsRead more

    The era of the Peshwas, which began with Balaji Vishwanath in 1713, ended with the surrender of Bajirao II in 1818. Following the Battle of Khadki and subsequent defeats, Bajirao II surrendered to Sir John Malcolm. The British Governor-General, Lord Hastings, decided to annex the Peshwa’s dominions to the Bombay Presidency to prevent any future Maratha resurgence. Bajirao II spent the rest of his life as a British pensioner in Bithoor. His adopted son, Nana Saheb, would later become a prominent leader in the Indian Rebellion of 1857, seeking to reclaim the lost Maratha legacy.

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