The transformation into an all-India confederacy was driven by the Peshwas’ strategic decision to decentralize political and military authority. Starting with Bajirao I, the state encouraged talented generals to carve out spheres of influence in North and Central India. This ...
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The shift of power to the Peshwas enabled a policy of delegated authority. By allowing semi-autonomous Maratha chiefs (like the Gaekwads, Holkars and Scindias) to conquer and manage their own territories, the empire expanded rapidly across India. This decentralized “Confederacy” ...