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The early life of Baji Rao
Bajirao was born in Sinnar, Nasik. His father’s name was Balaji Vishwanath, and his mother’s name Radhabai Barve. His father served as a Peshwa to the Chhatrapati Sahu I. He also had two sisters and a younger brother, Anubai, Bhiubai and Chimaji Appa.
Baji Rao had a very close relationship with his brother Chimaji. They both used to play and train with each other. Shivaji and Ghorpade were the inspiration of Baji Rao, and he was trained as a warrior by his father. The basic education of Bajirao Peshwa included writing, reading, and learning the Sanskrit language as he was born in a Marathi Brahmin family. Bajirao also had interest in joining the military, so he used to accompany his father on various military operations.
His father, Balaji Vishwanath died in the year 1720. After his father’s death, Bajirao Peshwa was appointed as the Peshwa by Chhatrapati Sahu on 17th of April 1720. At this point in time, Bajirao was just 20 years of age. The Mughal king Muhammad Shah captured the Maratha territories at that time. Baji Rao asked Chhatrapati Sahu to launch an attack on the Mughal emperor to defend their territories.
Bajirao tackled various challenges as a newly appointed Peshwa. Several senior ministers of Chhatrapati Sahu were jealous of Baji Rao as he was too young and got appointed as the Peshwa before them. Even after facing these challenges, Bajirao appointed various young people like Ranoji Shinde, Malhar Rao Holkar, Fateh Singh and the Pawar brothers as commanders under him.
These young men were not part of any Deccan sultanate or the members of the Deshmukh clan. Baji Rao had been assisted a lot by the Purandare family. The Purandare family was a very close relative of the Bhat Peshwa family.
The military conquest of Bajirao
The Nizam
- Bajirao had a meeting with Nizam Ul Mulk Asaf Jah on the eve of 4th January 1721 at Chikhalthana. They discussed how to settle their conflicts. In this discussion, Nizam didn’t recognise the right of Maratha to collect taxes from Deccan provinces.
- In 1721 Muhammad shah made Nizam vizier of the empire.
- Nizam defeated the army sent by the emperor at the Sakhar-Kheda battle.
- Bajirao led The Marathas to help the Nizam to win this battle.
Malwa
- An expedition was organised in 1723 by Baji Rao to the South of Malwa region.
- Maratha chiefs named Malhar Rao Holkar or Holkar, Ranoji Shinde, Tukoji Rao Pawar, Jivaji Rao Pawar, Udaji Rao Pawar etc., collected the Chauth from different regions of the province.
- Mughals appointed Girdhar Bahadur to counter Maratha’s influence.
- Girdhar Bahadur is the Governor of Malwa.
- Baji Rao focused on Malwa after defeating Nizam.
- On 24 November 1728, the Maratha reached the Narmada river on the southern bank.
- They covered Mandu and ghat. At the same time, they halted at the Nalchha region on 27th of November.
- Following this, in 1729, Maratha reached Rajasthan.
Bundelkhand
- Chhatrasal fought against the Mughals and made an independent place for himself.
- A force of Mughals officiated by the official Muhammad khan issued an attack on him and his family on Dec 1728.
- In 1729, on the request of Chhatrasal, the Peshwa marched towards the region Bundelkhand with his horseman. Around twenty thousand horsemen were there, followed by other lieutenants.
- After reaching Jaipur, Bangash was captured by Baji Rao’s army.
- They ended their food and communication.
- Bangash tried a counterattack but failed drastically.
- Qaim Khan then came with new troops.
- Again Bajirao’s army defeated Qaim Khan’s troops.
- Later Bangash left with a treaty issuing that he will not attack Bundelkhand.
- Then Chhatrasal came back as the king of Bundelkhand.
- He thereafter offered a larger Jagir or land to Bajirao. Then gave his daughter Mastani to him.
- Chhatrasal died in dec 1731.
Gujrat
- Bajirao asserts Marathas’ right of collecting taxes from people who were wealthy.
- Sarbuland khan was the province of the Mughal governor.
- He surrendered the right of collecting Chauth to Marathas forces.
- He was then replaced soon by the ruler Abhay Singh.
- Abhay also collected tax.
- Later Trimbuk Rao Dabhade was annoyed at Abji Rao’s control, and he rebelled in opposition to Peshwa.
- Kadam Bande and Damajirao Gaekwad from Gujrat also took sides in Dabhade.
- Mughals then thought of Jai Singh II in order to defeat Marathas.
- This happened after the defeat of Girdhar Bahadur in 1728.
- Jai singh put forward a straight agreement.
Conclusion
Bajirao was one of the best rulers of the Empire of the Marathas. He made the Maratha a strong military force that could go against the British Forces toe to toe. However, after his death, we saw a decline in the power of the Maratha empire, which was natural as Bajirao’s sons were not as capable leaders as their father.
