Poster-style graphic: peshwa history, 1713 to 1818, with the list of Peshwas and the caste debate | पेशवा का इतिहास 1713 से 1818: पेशवाओं की सूची और जाति की बहस पर नेवी-ब्लू पोस्टर स्टाइल ग्राफिक
Peshwa History: List of Peshwas, Timeline and Caste Debate
The history of the Peshwa extends roughly from 1713 to 1818, and both sides in a debate typically engage in myth making (Encyclopedia of India, “Peshwai and Pentarchy”). This article provides a list of Peshwas, a time line, and a family tree. The remaining claims concerning caste, Koregaon, and the British are analyzed as myths, claims for which there is no evidence, and claims that are disputed.
The first thing one must consider when studying the Peshwa is the meaning of the term
The office of the Peshwa was the chief minister of the Marathas (Britannica, “Peshwa”). It’s first use was to describe the head of Shivaji’s advisory council (Britannica, “Peshwa”). In 1714, Shahu appointed Balaji Vishvanath Bhat, thus reestablishing the office (Britannica, “Peshwa”).
Thereafter, the chief minister became the ruler of Marathas, and Balaji Baji Rao became the virtual ruler of Marathas in 1749 on the death of Shahu (Britannica, “Peshwa”). The Peshwa rulers of Marathas were the de facto rulers of a large part of India for more than a century from Pune, hence the phrase ‘Peshwa Pune’ (Encyclopedia of India, “Peshwai and Pentarchy”).
The rule of the Peshwa ended in 1818, and their history is of importance in the study of Indian Freedom movement (Encyclopedia of India, “Peshwai and Pentarchy”).
History of the Peshwa, 1713 to 1818
The following table gives the history of the Peshwa. The sources are not consistent regarding the year of accession of some of the Peshwas. Therefore, I have given both the dates whenever there is a discrepancy.
Date
Event
Source
(1713 or 1714)
Balaji Vishvanath is appointed Peshwa by Shahu (1713: Encyclopedia of India, 1714: Britannica)
Encyclopedia of India; Britannica
(1719)
Balaji captures Delhi, and wins the chauth and sardeshmukh (Encyclopedia of India)
(1720)
Baji Rao I becomes Peshwa; Malwa is captured in (1734: Encyclopedia of India) (Encyclopedia of India)
(1740)
Balaji Baji Rao (Nanasaheb) becomes Peshwa (Encyclopedia of India)
(1749)
Nanasaheb becomes the de facto ruler (Britannica)
(1756)
Nanasaheb seeks the assistance of the East India Company in the destruction of the Angre navy (Encyclopedia of India)
(1761)
The Marathas suffer a crushing defeat at the hands of Ahmad Shah at the Third Battle of Panipat. Estimated Maratha casualties are 100,000 (Encyclopedia of India)
(1761 to 1772)
Madhav Rao I pacifies Maratha lands (Encyclopedia of India)
(1772 to 1773)
Raghunath Rao becomes the Peshwa after the assassination of Narayan Rao. The Maratha Nobles award Raghunath Rao the title of Peshwa, which is later disputed by judge Ramashastri Prabhune (Encyclopedia of India)
(1774 to 1795)
Sawai Madhav Rao becomes the Peshwa. In 1782, he signed the Treaty of Salbai. During his reign the Barbhai council of ministers dominated Maratha Politics (Encyclopedia of India)
(1802)
The Treaty of Bassein is signed between the Marathas and the British (Britannica, Encyclopedia of India)
After attacking the British, Baji Rao II is forced into exile by the British (Britannica)
List of Peshwas
The following is a list of the Peshwas, in sequence, and the corresponding years of their reign according to the Encyclopedia of India (EoI, “Peshwai and Pentarchy”).
Balaji Vishvanath: 1713-1720 Founding the line, capturing Delhi in 1719.
Balaji Baji Rao (Nanasaheb): 1740-1761 Administration of Pune, Battle of Panipat.
Madhav Rao I: 1761-1772 Recovery after Panipat.
Narayan Rao: 1772-1773 Assassinated.
Sawai Madhav Rao: 1774-1795 Barbhai’s council.
Baji Rao II: 1795-1818 The Treaty of Bassein, removal.
Raghunath Rao, claimed the Peshwa-ship after the demise of Narayan Rao. However, this was contested by Judge Ramashastri Prabhune (Encyclopedia of India, “Peshwai and Pentarchy”).
The line of Peshwas
I am using the source which corroborates the above references and including only those.
Balaji Vishvanath
Baji Rao I (eldest son)
Nanasaheb (elder brother) Raghunath Rao and Janardan (Younger brothers)
Vishwas Rao (Killed at Panipat) and Madhav Rao I (Younger brother)
Raghunath Rao
Baji Rao II
Narayan Rao (Assassinated) whose son was Sawai Madhav Rao.
(Encyclopedia of India, “Peshwai and Pentarchy”). Since the entry doesn’t name the father of Narayan Rao, I don’t include him in the family tree.
Who was the Last Peshwa?
Baji Rao II was the Last Peshwa (Britannica, “Peshwa”). He lost the honor after the treaty of Bassein in 1802 with the Holkar’s against the British (Britannica, “Peshwa”). He was removed in 1818 and died in 1853 (Britannica, “Peshwa”).
The British exiled him to Bithur. Nanasaheb (adopted son of Baji Rao II) failed to acquire the honor from Dalhousie (Governor-General of British India), and became the leader of 1857 rebellion (Encyclopedia of India, “Peshwai and Pentarchy”).
What do the documents show about Peshwa history and caste?
The Peshwas of the Bhat family were Chitpavan Brahmins (Britannica, “Peshwa”). This article is not going to accuse any community of bigotry.
What do the records show about Peshwa history and the British? Was it a ‘Golden Age’?
The Peshwa state, as is the case with all states, had its courts and agencies (Encyclopedia of India, “Peshwai and Pentarchy”). Administration meant the state participated in policy-making, including in matters related to caste (Fukazawa, 1968). Many historians disagree with the assessment that the British ‘ruined it’ (Encyclopedia of India, “Peshwai and Pentarchy”).
Ambedkar has written elsewhere that the policies of the East India Company ruined the handicrafts and agricultural industries of India (PARI, BAWS Vol 12). So, neither the Maratha nor the British periods were ‘Golden Ages’ for all classes of society. For a detailed analysis on the above topics, please see our articles, ‘Peshwa vs British: Was it a ‘Golden Age?”’ and ‘Was the Maratha Empire a ‘Gender Just’ Society?’
What do the records show about Koregaon of 1818?
On 1st January 1818, a detachment of the British Army stationed at Koregaon, repulsed the forces of Baji Rao II. (Bombay Presidency Gazetteer, Poona, “Koregaon”). It is said that 800 British troops engaged 30,000 Marathas. However, there are several contradictions in records regarding this, and any records you may come across should be handled with care.
The pillar lists 49 names and, according to Anand Teltumbde, 22 are Mahars (The Wire, 2018). Devdutt Kumbhojkar, however, states that Mahars, having struggled against the state, rightfully claimed the monument for themselves (Kumbhojkar, EPW 2012). On 1 January 1927, the most significant conference of Ambedkar’s life took place at the memorial. (Columbia University Timeline).
What is the baluta system and Mahar watan? Servitude or respect?
The Mandloi paper states that the baluta system was developed and practiced even before the British rule in India, and the Mahar watan was a hereditary position combined with an endowed estate (Mandloi, 2019, p. 104). In 1928, Ambedkar drafted Bill No. XII to terminate the hereditary position of the Mahar watan (Mandloi, 2019, p. 110). Finally, in 1959, the Bombay Inferior Village Watans Abolition Act, terminated all hereditary inferior village watans (Act 1 of 1959, s. 4).
You will find more information about the 1928 bill as well as the Mahar Watan and Baluta System in our post on the Baluta system.
Were Bhide Wada and the Phules British Agents?
While Phule was thankful towards the British for physically freeing the slaves, he also criticized the Government for the absence of education (Gulamgiri, Govt of Maharashtra 1991, pp. 29, 30). Phule was the lone member of the Legislative Council of 32, to vote against the resolution to pay tribute to Lord Lytton in 1880 (Gulamgiri, Govt of Maharashtra 1991, p. 16).
The Government of India and the Government of Maharashtra dispute the opening of Phule’s school at Bhide Wada. The former claims it opened on 1st January, 1848, and the latter, on August, 1848 (Ministry of I&B on X, 2023; Gulamgiri, p. 13).
Peshwa history: confirmed, controversial and imaginative
This resource has been created in a way that it can be useful to readers if each claim is embedded with page numbers. (This is the practice the Ambedkarite Educational Program fosters).
Here is how the claims in this guide sort out. Pages like this only help if each claim carries a page number. (That is the habit the Ambedkarite Educational Program trains: Blogging & SEO, Website Building and Google AI.)
Claim
Verdict
Source
The Peshwa state took part in caste matters
Proven
Fukazawa, 1968
Street bans and a black thread for untouchables
Proven as Ambedkar’s testimony; no Peshwa order located
BAWS Vol 1
Pot and broom rules
Debated
BAWS Vol 1; Gulamgiri, p. 29
Peshwa rule was a golden age for everyone
Myth
Encyclopedia of India; Fukazawa, 1968
The British alone ruined the Peshwas
Myth
Encyclopedia of India
Mahar watan was respected work, not servitude
Myth
Mandloi, 2019–20
The Phules were British stooges
Myth
Gulamgiri, Govt of Maharashtra 1991
“500 Mahars beat 28,000” at Koregaon
Myth
Bombay Presidency Gazetteer
What Koregaon meant (anti-caste or a colonial war)
Debated
Kumbhojkar, 2012; Teltumbde, 2018
Takeaway
Peshwa history is neither a golden age nor a pure horror story. It is a state with real administration, real caste policy and real deals with the Company (Encyclopedia of India; Fukazawa, 1968). Check each claim against its page number before you share it.
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What does Peshwa mean? Peshwa was the office of chief minister among the Marathas, also called mukhya pradhan (Britannica, “Peshwa”).
Who was the first Peshwa? The line began with Balaji Vishvanath. The Encyclopedia of India gives his reign as 1713–1720, and Britannica says he was appointed in 1714 (Encyclopedia of India; Britannica).
Who was the last Peshwa? Baji Rao II, who was deposed in 1818 and died in 1853 (Britannica, “Peshwa”).
Where was the Peshwa capital? Pune was the seat of Peshwa power for nearly a century, 1713–1818 (Encyclopedia of India, “Peshwai and Pentarchy”).
Were the Peshwas Brahmins? The Peshwas of the Bhat family were Chitpavan Brahmins (Britannica, “Peshwa”).
Further reading (in the Encyclopedia of India bibliography, not read for this page): B. G. Gokhale, Poona in the Eighteenth Century (OUP, 1988); V. T. Gune, The Judicial System of the Marathas (1953).
What’s your take? Drop a comment below and share this article with someone who still believes the myth.
