The treaty of 1719 between the Mughals and the Marathas was called the ‘Magna Carta of the Maratha Empire’ by Richard Temple. On whose behalf did Balaji Vishwanath and the Sayyid brothers sign this treaty?
The 1719 treaty, called the ‘Magna Carta’ of the Maratha Empire, was signed on behalf of Maratha Chhatrapati Shahu by Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath and the Sayyid Brothers for the nominal Mughal Emperor Rafi-ud-Darajat. The treaty officially legalized the Marathas’ rights to collect Chauth and Sardeshmukhi in the Deccan, legitimizing Maratha sovereignty. ANSWER: (C) Maratha Chhatrapati Shahu and Mughal Emperor Rafi-ud-Darajat
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The Treaty of 1719 was formally signed between Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath (representing Chhatrapati Shahu) and the Sayyid Brothers (representing the short-lived Mughal Emperor Rafi-ud-Darajat). The treaty was a political masterstroke for the Marathas: in exchange for providing military aid to the Sayyid Brothers, the Marathas received the official Mughal farman legalizing their collection of Chauth and Sardeshmukhi over the six Deccan provinces. This Mughal sanction gave the Marathas undisputed legal supremacy in the Deccan, leading Richard Temple to call it the ‘Magna Carta’ of the Maratha state.