The British “Subsidiary Alliance” system was the most effective tool for dismantling Maratha power. By offering military protection to individual Maratha chiefs in exchange for control over their foreign policy and a British resident at their court, the British neutralized the sardars one by one. This system created internal friction and prevented the Marathas from ever uniting their vast armies against the British. ANSWER: (B) Use of subsidiary alliances
The British success against the Marathas was largely due to their — (A) Naval dominance alone (B) Use of subsidiary alliances (C) Superior cavalry (D) Religious diplomacy
Share
The British East India Company utilized “diplomacy backed by force” through the Subsidiary Alliance system. This policy allowed the British to station their own troops in Maratha territories at the Marathas’ own expense. By controlling the external relations of states like Baroda and later Pune, the British ensured that the Maratha Confederacy could not coordinate a pan-Indian resistance. While Maratha cavalry was formidable, it was ultimately outmatched by the British combination of disciplined infantry, superior financial credit and the strategic isolation of individual chiefs.