The growth of the Scindia and Holkar dynasties was a clear sign of “regional militarization.” To manage vast conquered lands, the Peshwas granted these families the right to raise private armies and collect local taxes. This created powerful, self-sustaining regional ...
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The decentralized “Confederacy” model eventually led to extreme political fragmentation. As the Peshwa’s power declined, the various Maratha houses became more interested in fighting each other than in defending the empire. This disunity created an ideal environment for the British ...
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 ...
Bajirao I successfully snatched the islands of Salsette and Bassein from the Portuguese through the strategic brilliance of his brother, Chimaji Appa. Following a grueling siege in 1739, the Marathas captured the formidable Bassein Fort. This victory ended Portuguese dominance ...
In the Maratha infantry, a Naik (corporal) commanded a unit of 9 foot soldiers. Similar to the cavalry, this was the basic operational unit. Ten Naiks were overseen by a Havaldar, ensuring a well-defined chain of command and promoting coordination ...