The Background of the Peshwai
In the Maratha Empire, the office of the Peshwa was the second-highest position; in terms of rank and prestige, it stood second only to that of the Chhatrapati. Initially serving as the appointed Prime Minister of the Maratha Empire, the office became hereditary when Shehu entrusted the Peshwa's seat to Bajirao Ballad. During Shehu's reign, the Peshwas were entrusted with even greater responsibilities to ensure that the Empire's "Jaghirdar's" (feudal chiefs) and "Vatan dares" (hereditary landholders) could not rebel. Following the death of Shehu I, the Empire was left without a male heir; consequently, the responsibility of maintaining peace fell entirely upon the Peshwas until the designated heir (Rajaram II) attained adulthood. From the era of Balaji Rao onwards, the Peshwas emerged as the supreme authority within the Maratha Empire, while the office of the Chhatrapati was reduced to a mere titular position.
During the reigns of Shivaji, Sam bhaji, and Rajaram, all Peshwas belonged to the Marathi Doshisha Brahmin community. The first Peshwa was Moro pant Pingale, whom Shivaji—the founder of the Maratha Empire—appointed as the head of the 'Aastha Pradhan' (Council of Eight Ministers). The early Peshwas were essentially ministers who served as the King's chief executives. Later Peshwas assumed supreme administrative authority and also established control over the Maratha Confederacy. Under the rule of the Bhat family, the Peshwas evolved into the "de facto" hereditary administrators of the Confederacy. The office of the Peshwa reached the zenith of its power during the era of Bajirao I.
Under the Peshwa administration—and with the cooperation of several prominent military commanders and diplomats—the Maratha Confederacy reached its pinnacle, establishing its dominance over a vast portion of the Indian subcontinent. The later Peshwas fostered an environment of autonomy; This was a policy that ultimately resulted in the control and administration of various states passing into the hands of Maratha chieftains—such as the Scandia's, Holkar's, Gaekwads, and Bhosle's—although these chieftains often maintained their allegiance to the Peshwa. The decline of the Peshwas began when Raghunath Rao, the son of the great Bajirao I—blinded by greed and in collusion with his wife, Ananda bai—orchestrated the assassination of his 18-year-old nephew, Narayan Rao.
The word 'Peshwa' is derived from the Persian language, meaning "foremost" or "leader." This term was adopted from the political vocabulary of earlier Persian-influenced empires that ruled over the Deccan region. As early as 1397, the Bahmani Sultanate had bestowed the title of "Peshwa" upon its Prime Minister. During the 16th and 17th centuries, this practice was continued by the Ahmednagar Sultanate and the Bijapur Sultanate—both of which were successor states to the Bahmani Sultanate. Following his coronation in 1674, Shivaji appointed Moro pant Trim back Pingale as his first Peshwa. In 1674, Shivaji renamed this office 'Pant Pradhan,' although in practice, the term was rarely used. Following Moro pant Pingale's death in 1683—during the reign of Sam bhaji—he was succeeded by his son, Nil pant Mores war Pingale.
Ramchandra Pant Amartya (Baedeker)
Between 1690 and 1694, Ramchandra Amartya recaptured several forts from the Mughals—in some instances, personally commanding the front lines, while in others, directing guerrilla warfare strategies. When Rajaram I fled to Gin gee in 1689, he instructed Ramchandra Pant to defend the throne before departing Maharashtra; subsequently, Pant managed the entire kingdom amidst numerous challenges, including Mughal invasions, internal rebellions, and food shortages. With his assistance, the Secretary maintained the Maratha state upon a strong economic foundation.
The Work of the Bhatt Family
A war of succession for the Maratha throne erupted between Tara Bai and Shehu; Shehu emerged victorious and ascended the throne as the "Chhatrapati". In 1713, Shehu appointed Balaji Vishwanath (Bhat) as the "Peshwa". With Shehu's appointment of Balaji's son, Bajirao I, as *Peshwa* in 1720, the office became hereditary within the Bhat family. Bajirao proved his loyalty by subduing those feudal chieftains who sought independence from the Maratha Empire. The rebellion led by the "Senapati" (Commander-in-Chief), General Trim back Rao Dab hade—which stemmed from a dispute over the "Chauth" (rights to revenue collection) of Gujarat—stands as a prime example of such internal strife among the Marathas. On April 1, 1731, a clash ensued between the supporters of Bajirao and Trim back at the Battle of Daboia, resulting in Trim back's death. As a reward, Shehu Maharaj entrusted the "Peshwas" and the Bhat family with even greater responsibilities within the Maratha Empire. In 1740, he appointed Bajirao's son as "Peshwa" as well, granting the "Peshwas" substantial authority to command the Maratha armies; throughout their tenure, the "Peshwas" discharged their duties with exceptional efficiency.
Lifestyle and Political Stature
The lifestyle of the early Peshwas was quite austere compared to that of their Mughal and Nawab counterparts. According to a Marathi legend, Peshwa Bajirao I always utilized the same amenities as his soldiers; he frequently dined with them, and if his army had to go without food for two or three days, he, too, would fast alongside them. However, following the resurgence of the Marathas and the growing prosperity of the Maratha Confederacy, this spirit of camaraderie diminished significantly.
Contrary to popular belief, the Marathas did not strictly adhere to casteism or discrimination, as the Confederacy required the support of all social groups to wage war and maintain an equitable tax system. The only major intervention in caste-related matters was undertaken by Peshwa Narayan Rao, when he altered the controversial social status of the 'Prabhu' community.
Politically, during the early days of Peshwa rule, their direct involvement in public life—along with their firm grip on the empire—ensured that they forged the right alliances, particularly with emerging foreign powers. However, gradually—owing to the very structure of the Confederacy—this political acumen of theirs came to be increasingly influenced by Maratha chieftains, or by political advisors and ministers such as Nana Pad Navis.
Rebellion
In 1760, the peace of the Peshwa government was disrupted by a rebellion of the Kola people, led by their chieftain, Jovi Bumble. Jovi retreated into the mountains, where he raised a band of followers and embarked on a series of robberies, spreading widespread terror and misery throughout the entire region. For twenty years, he fought valiantly, defeating and killing the commanders dispatched against him by the Peshwa government. Eventually, he was pursued so relentlessly that—acting on the advice of Dhindo Gopal, the Peshwa's Governor in Nashik—he surrendered all his forts to Takauji Holkar. Through Holkar's influence, he was granted a pardon and entrusted with the military and police command of a district comprising sixty villages—a position that empowered him to pronounce judgment of life or death upon criminals. In 1798, fresh unrest erupted among the Kola people. The leader of this rebellion was Ramji Naik Bhangra—a man even more capable and audacious than his predecessors—who successfully thwarted every attempt made by government officials to capture him. When the use of force proved futile, the government offered Ramji a pardon and appointed him to a significant police post.
Legacy
The first Peshwa to hold the office of 'Prime Minister' was Ramchandra Pant Amartya Baedeker, to whom Rajaram granted this status in 1689. The first Peshwa from the (Bhat) Deshmukh family was Balaji Vishwanath (Bhat) Deshmukh. He was succeeded by his son, Bajirao I—a Peshwa who never lost a single battle. The Maratha Empire reached its greatest territorial extent during the tenures of Bajirao and his son, Balaji Bajirao—an era that came to an end in 1761 with the defeat of the Marathas at the hands of Afghan forces in the Third Battle of Panipat. The last Peshwa, Bajirao II, was defeated by the British East India Company in the Battle of Khadka; this battle was part of the Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1818). The Peshwa's territory ("Peshwa") was annexed into the Bombay Presidency of the British East India Company, and Peshwa Bajirao II was deposed and granted a pension.
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