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Under the rule of Balaji Baji Rao I (also known as Nana Saheb), the Peshwa Empire was able to reach the heights of glory. But he is also blamed for the eventual defeat of the Marathas in the battle of Panipat. Although his glorious reign is marred by a few blemishes, he indeed was one of the most illustrious kings to grace the throne of India. He is known for his many conquests and the challenges he overcame in the initial years of his reign.
Financial troubles:
When Nanasaheb Peshwa came to the throne, he also inherited a huge debt of 14 lakh rupees (the amount then). There was mounting pressure from all sides on his reign as other chieftains had refused to comply or honor the negotiations reached during the time of the reign of his father. The income sources for the kingdom were steadily declining, and Nana Saheb had to come up with alternative means to repay this debt and solidify his reign. He took a loan to pay off all his debtors and solidify his position in the Deccan. He also started collecting revenues from all the territories that he had gained from the Portuguese.
Overcoming troubles of succession:
When Nanasaheb Peshwa came to the throne, he faced opposition from all sides about his ascension. One of the strongest opposition came from his brothers, the Angre family. Against this problem, Nana Saheb sought the help of the British Navy. With their help, the strength of the Marathas was greatly increased, and he was able to subdue the Angre family and support Manaji. In the long run, this proved to be a huge blow to their might in return for the Naval support. The Marathas had to give up the control of Bankot to the British.
Conquests of the king:
The question of “who was Nana Sahib?” can be best answered with the help of illustrating his numerous conquests. For example, the conquest of Malwa is one of the biggest diplomatic victories that he managed to secure in the early years of his reign. Right after he came to the throne, he started his march to the north. On his march, the first stop that he encountered was that of Malwa. In accordance with the treaty that he signed with Raja Jai Singh, he was able to add Malwa to his empire within the next six months. This was a major victory for him not only because it was his first conquest but also because he had lost one of his most valued military commanders on the way to this expedition. Chimaji Appa, the much-valued advisor to Nana Saheb, lost his life to an illness.
The next on his list of glorious conquests was Karnataka. When we talk about the reign of Nana Saheb, Karnataka holds special importance because it allowed him to overcome many of his financial difficulties during his reign. In the conquest of Karnataka, he managed to overthrow the reign of both Nizam-ul-Mulk and his cousin, who had annexed the territory before him. By doing so, he was able to secure the right of revenue collection and governance of Karnataka. Just like he did in the north, he was able to solidify his position in the south too.
The battle of Panipat:
The last part of the question, “Who was Nana Sahib?” will be answered when we talk about the famed battle of Panipat. This was one of the biggest battles that he had fought and sadly lost. He had to retreat after facing heavy losses in the defeat. The Battle of Panipat was fought with the Afghans on one side and the Marathas on the other. The Marathas were equipped with French-supplied artillery, and the Afghans were equipped with heavy artillery that they often used. The battle resulted in a loss of lives on both sides. Both parties suffered heavy casualties, and Nana Sahib was forced to return defeated. Although he had played a major role in the expansion of the Maratha Empire, this one defeat would continue to blemish his reign forever.
Conclusion
The story of Nana Saheb is one of the most inspiring ones. The sheer number of odds that he was able to overcome shows his caliber. He was able to establish his rule at a time when he was threatened on all sides. And not only that, but he also managed to expand his rule to the north and the south of India. Under him, the Maratha Empire was the most dominant and most expansive. He also brought in numerous sources of revenue that stabilized his economy and erased his debt.
