Maharashtra on – The Eve of British Conquest | Maharashtra State PSC (MPSC): Preparation - MPSC (Maharastra) PDF Download

 Page 1


INTRODUCTION :
With the discovery of the Sea-routes in the 15th Century the
Europeans discovered Sea route to reach the east. The Portuguese,
Dutch, French and the English came to India to promote trade and
commerce.
The English who established the East-India Co. in 1600,  gradually
consolidated their hold in different parts of India.  They had very capable
men like Sir. Thomas  Roe, Colonel Close, General Smith, Elphinstone,
Grant Duff etc .
The English shrewdly exploited the disunity among the Indian rulers.
They were very diplomatic in their approach.  Due to their far sighted
policies, the English were able to expand and consolidate their rule in
Maharashtra.
Page 2


INTRODUCTION :
With the discovery of the Sea-routes in the 15th Century the
Europeans discovered Sea route to reach the east. The Portuguese,
Dutch, French and the English came to India to promote trade and
commerce.
The English who established the East-India Co. in 1600,  gradually
consolidated their hold in different parts of India.  They had very capable
men like Sir. Thomas  Roe, Colonel Close, General Smith, Elphinstone,
Grant Duff etc .
The English shrewdly exploited the disunity among the Indian rulers.
They were very diplomatic in their approach.  Due to their far sighted
policies, the English were able to expand and consolidate their rule in
Maharashtra.
The Company’s government had trapped most of the Maratha rulers
in Subsidiary Alliances and fought three important wars with Marathas
over a period of 43 years (1775 -1818).
POLITICAL CONDITIONS BEFORE THE  BRITISH
CONQUEST :
The Company’s Directors sent Lord Wellesley as the Governor-
General of the Company’s territories in India, in 1798.  He was destined
to transform the British Empire in India into British Empire of India before
he was recalled in 1805 for, charges of ‘rapacity, Oppression, cruelty
and  fraud’ and also overstepping the legal limits of the powers delegated
to him.  He used to system of subsidiary alliances to trap and isolate the
powerful Maratha Chiefs.
The beginning of the nineteenth century opened a new chapter in
the history of  Maharashtra and for that matter consequently of India.
The Company’s new Governor General Lord Wellesley’s arrival in India
when the Company owed a debt of seventeen millions to the British
Government.  Napoleonic wars were being fought in Europe and the
Egyptian expedition of Napoleon had created panic in the British
dominion in India, Lord Wellesly was however fortunate to find that the
Maratha Country was passing through a difficult period.  The death of
Pashwa Madhavrao II (Madhavrao Narayan) in October 1795 without a
child had led to the civil war in Maharashtra in 1797.  The succession
claims to Peshwaship between the adopted son of Raghunathrao (the
grandfather of the deceased Peshwa) and Reghunathrao’s own son
involved the Maratha Sardars-Shindes and Holkar in the dispute. The
two families of Shinde and Holkar were traditional enemies of each
other. Shinde supported Bajirao, son of Raghunathrao and Holkar
supported adopted son of Raghunathrao named Amritrao. The illustrious
head of the rival families of Shinde and Holkar namely Mahadji Shinde
and Ahilyabai Holkar (Daughter in law of Malharrao Holkar) were dead
and succeeded by Daultrao Shinde and Yeshwantrao Holkar who were
in their twenties. Yeshwantrao Holkar attacked the combined armies of
Bajirao II and Daulatrao Shinde and defeated them at Hadapsar near
Pune in October, 1802. Peshwa fled to the Konkan and appealed to
Jonathan Duncan, Company’s Governor of Bombay. The Peshwa was
given the protection by the English East India company. On December,
31, 1802 the Peshwa concluded a subsidiary treaty with the Company
at Bassein. The Treaty of Bassein bartered away the independence of
the Maratha Country to the Company for Protecting the Peshwa from
his hostile sardars.
Page 3


INTRODUCTION :
With the discovery of the Sea-routes in the 15th Century the
Europeans discovered Sea route to reach the east. The Portuguese,
Dutch, French and the English came to India to promote trade and
commerce.
The English who established the East-India Co. in 1600,  gradually
consolidated their hold in different parts of India.  They had very capable
men like Sir. Thomas  Roe, Colonel Close, General Smith, Elphinstone,
Grant Duff etc .
The English shrewdly exploited the disunity among the Indian rulers.
They were very diplomatic in their approach.  Due to their far sighted
policies, the English were able to expand and consolidate their rule in
Maharashtra.
The Company’s government had trapped most of the Maratha rulers
in Subsidiary Alliances and fought three important wars with Marathas
over a period of 43 years (1775 -1818).
POLITICAL CONDITIONS BEFORE THE  BRITISH
CONQUEST :
The Company’s Directors sent Lord Wellesley as the Governor-
General of the Company’s territories in India, in 1798.  He was destined
to transform the British Empire in India into British Empire of India before
he was recalled in 1805 for, charges of ‘rapacity, Oppression, cruelty
and  fraud’ and also overstepping the legal limits of the powers delegated
to him.  He used to system of subsidiary alliances to trap and isolate the
powerful Maratha Chiefs.
The beginning of the nineteenth century opened a new chapter in
the history of  Maharashtra and for that matter consequently of India.
The Company’s new Governor General Lord Wellesley’s arrival in India
when the Company owed a debt of seventeen millions to the British
Government.  Napoleonic wars were being fought in Europe and the
Egyptian expedition of Napoleon had created panic in the British
dominion in India, Lord Wellesly was however fortunate to find that the
Maratha Country was passing through a difficult period.  The death of
Pashwa Madhavrao II (Madhavrao Narayan) in October 1795 without a
child had led to the civil war in Maharashtra in 1797.  The succession
claims to Peshwaship between the adopted son of Raghunathrao (the
grandfather of the deceased Peshwa) and Reghunathrao’s own son
involved the Maratha Sardars-Shindes and Holkar in the dispute. The
two families of Shinde and Holkar were traditional enemies of each
other. Shinde supported Bajirao, son of Raghunathrao and Holkar
supported adopted son of Raghunathrao named Amritrao. The illustrious
head of the rival families of Shinde and Holkar namely Mahadji Shinde
and Ahilyabai Holkar (Daughter in law of Malharrao Holkar) were dead
and succeeded by Daultrao Shinde and Yeshwantrao Holkar who were
in their twenties. Yeshwantrao Holkar attacked the combined armies of
Bajirao II and Daulatrao Shinde and defeated them at Hadapsar near
Pune in October, 1802. Peshwa fled to the Konkan and appealed to
Jonathan Duncan, Company’s Governor of Bombay. The Peshwa was
given the protection by the English East India company. On December,
31, 1802 the Peshwa concluded a subsidiary treaty with the Company
at Bassein. The Treaty of Bassein bartered away the independence of
the Maratha Country to the Company for Protecting the Peshwa from
his hostile sardars.
 Lord Wellesly and his Subsidiary Alliances (1798 – 1805)
Lord Wellesley the Governor General (1798-1805) was extremely
happy at the turn of events as now a lawful right was established to
interfere in the preservation of the Peshwa’s authority , wherever it should
be attacked.... “As already referred to above the Peshwa was the defacto
head of the Maratha State. The fugitive Peshwa’s action was resented
by the Maratha Chiefs-Yeshwantrao bitterly remarked “Bajirao has
destroyed the Maratha State”. It was however Daulatrao Shinde and
Raghuji Bhosle of Nagpur who decided to resist the interference of the
Company. They refused to give their accord to the Treaty of Bassein.
Lord Wellesley’s vigorous diplomacy succeeded in keeping Gaikwad
of Baroda neutral and Yashwantrao out of spite for Shinde decided to
proceed to Mahva to await the result of the struggle. The two allies
decided to declare war in August 1803. We are not concerned with the
details of the wars and the activities of the Peshwa and the other Maratha
Chiefs that forms the part of Maratha History paper. We shall however
point out whatever is relevant to our particular purpose of describing the
political conditions in Maharashtra.
The Capital of the Maratha State that is Pune had put on a miserable
look during the two decades after the death of Madhavrao II. The war
between the Company holding the fugitive Peshwa under its arms and
the two Maratha Chiefs ended in failure of the two allies - Shinde and
Bhosle. The war was fought in two different zones. In the south General
Arthur Wellesley and in the north Lord Lake the commander - in - Chief
of the Company’s forces were leading the compaigns. There was no
glory in the victory of the Company as the treachery of the European
officers precipitated the defeat of the Marathas. The strong fort of
Ahmednagar was surrendered to General Arthur Wellesley by Shinde’s
European officer who went over to the English Company. At Assirgarh
the Keeper of the fort received seven lakhs from the English and
surrendered the fort. Many European officers in Shinde’s service
changed his side.
In the north also the European officers played the same trick.
Perron the Commander of Shinde’s forces who should have fought
against Lord Lake surrendered Aligarh without firing a shot. Grant Duff
expressed surprise. He says “the rapidity of  the conquests and the
speedy termination of the war surprise all India”. His information not
upto date at that time.
The defeat of Shinde and Bhosle and the consequent treaties
concluded in December ,1803 changed the political equation. The
Mughal  Emperor Shah Alam II  was now placed under Company’s
Page 4


INTRODUCTION :
With the discovery of the Sea-routes in the 15th Century the
Europeans discovered Sea route to reach the east. The Portuguese,
Dutch, French and the English came to India to promote trade and
commerce.
The English who established the East-India Co. in 1600,  gradually
consolidated their hold in different parts of India.  They had very capable
men like Sir. Thomas  Roe, Colonel Close, General Smith, Elphinstone,
Grant Duff etc .
The English shrewdly exploited the disunity among the Indian rulers.
They were very diplomatic in their approach.  Due to their far sighted
policies, the English were able to expand and consolidate their rule in
Maharashtra.
The Company’s government had trapped most of the Maratha rulers
in Subsidiary Alliances and fought three important wars with Marathas
over a period of 43 years (1775 -1818).
POLITICAL CONDITIONS BEFORE THE  BRITISH
CONQUEST :
The Company’s Directors sent Lord Wellesley as the Governor-
General of the Company’s territories in India, in 1798.  He was destined
to transform the British Empire in India into British Empire of India before
he was recalled in 1805 for, charges of ‘rapacity, Oppression, cruelty
and  fraud’ and also overstepping the legal limits of the powers delegated
to him.  He used to system of subsidiary alliances to trap and isolate the
powerful Maratha Chiefs.
The beginning of the nineteenth century opened a new chapter in
the history of  Maharashtra and for that matter consequently of India.
The Company’s new Governor General Lord Wellesley’s arrival in India
when the Company owed a debt of seventeen millions to the British
Government.  Napoleonic wars were being fought in Europe and the
Egyptian expedition of Napoleon had created panic in the British
dominion in India, Lord Wellesly was however fortunate to find that the
Maratha Country was passing through a difficult period.  The death of
Pashwa Madhavrao II (Madhavrao Narayan) in October 1795 without a
child had led to the civil war in Maharashtra in 1797.  The succession
claims to Peshwaship between the adopted son of Raghunathrao (the
grandfather of the deceased Peshwa) and Reghunathrao’s own son
involved the Maratha Sardars-Shindes and Holkar in the dispute. The
two families of Shinde and Holkar were traditional enemies of each
other. Shinde supported Bajirao, son of Raghunathrao and Holkar
supported adopted son of Raghunathrao named Amritrao. The illustrious
head of the rival families of Shinde and Holkar namely Mahadji Shinde
and Ahilyabai Holkar (Daughter in law of Malharrao Holkar) were dead
and succeeded by Daultrao Shinde and Yeshwantrao Holkar who were
in their twenties. Yeshwantrao Holkar attacked the combined armies of
Bajirao II and Daulatrao Shinde and defeated them at Hadapsar near
Pune in October, 1802. Peshwa fled to the Konkan and appealed to
Jonathan Duncan, Company’s Governor of Bombay. The Peshwa was
given the protection by the English East India company. On December,
31, 1802 the Peshwa concluded a subsidiary treaty with the Company
at Bassein. The Treaty of Bassein bartered away the independence of
the Maratha Country to the Company for Protecting the Peshwa from
his hostile sardars.
 Lord Wellesly and his Subsidiary Alliances (1798 – 1805)
Lord Wellesley the Governor General (1798-1805) was extremely
happy at the turn of events as now a lawful right was established to
interfere in the preservation of the Peshwa’s authority , wherever it should
be attacked.... “As already referred to above the Peshwa was the defacto
head of the Maratha State. The fugitive Peshwa’s action was resented
by the Maratha Chiefs-Yeshwantrao bitterly remarked “Bajirao has
destroyed the Maratha State”. It was however Daulatrao Shinde and
Raghuji Bhosle of Nagpur who decided to resist the interference of the
Company. They refused to give their accord to the Treaty of Bassein.
Lord Wellesley’s vigorous diplomacy succeeded in keeping Gaikwad
of Baroda neutral and Yashwantrao out of spite for Shinde decided to
proceed to Mahva to await the result of the struggle. The two allies
decided to declare war in August 1803. We are not concerned with the
details of the wars and the activities of the Peshwa and the other Maratha
Chiefs that forms the part of Maratha History paper. We shall however
point out whatever is relevant to our particular purpose of describing the
political conditions in Maharashtra.
The Capital of the Maratha State that is Pune had put on a miserable
look during the two decades after the death of Madhavrao II. The war
between the Company holding the fugitive Peshwa under its arms and
the two Maratha Chiefs ended in failure of the two allies - Shinde and
Bhosle. The war was fought in two different zones. In the south General
Arthur Wellesley and in the north Lord Lake the commander - in - Chief
of the Company’s forces were leading the compaigns. There was no
glory in the victory of the Company as the treachery of the European
officers precipitated the defeat of the Marathas. The strong fort of
Ahmednagar was surrendered to General Arthur Wellesley by Shinde’s
European officer who went over to the English Company. At Assirgarh
the Keeper of the fort received seven lakhs from the English and
surrendered the fort. Many European officers in Shinde’s service
changed his side.
In the north also the European officers played the same trick.
Perron the Commander of Shinde’s forces who should have fought
against Lord Lake surrendered Aligarh without firing a shot. Grant Duff
expressed surprise. He says “the rapidity of  the conquests and the
speedy termination of the war surprise all India”. His information not
upto date at that time.
The defeat of Shinde and Bhosle and the consequent treaties
concluded in December ,1803 changed the political equation. The
Mughal  Emperor Shah Alam II  was now placed under Company’s
protection and thus end of Mughal Empire was signalled in 1803.
Yeshwantrao Holkar after wasting the precious time in the "wait and
watch' game stirred up and attacked Jaipur which had entered into an
alliance with the Company in 1803. The Company Government started
war with Holkar in April,  1804. They fought the war for two years. In the
meanwhile Lord Wellesley was recalled in 1805 as the shareholders of
the Company had become nervous because of the dangerous policy of
wars of expansion in India. The Company ‘s  debt rose from 17 millions
in 1797 to 31 millions in 1806. The Company reversed its policy and
once again followed the policy of non-intervention.
 Role of Mountstuart  Elphinstone as Resident in 1811
As  a result of the change in the policy of the Company, Peshwa
Bajirao II enjoyed a subdued peace from 1805 to 1811.  Colonel Close
had accompanied the Peshwa in 1803 and restored him to his
Peshwaship at Pune.  He was resident upto 181 1. Then came Moutstuart
Elphinstone as Resident in 1811 and Bajirao’s troubles started.  The
jagirdars who were harassed by the Peshwa sought the intervention of
the Resident.  The grievances of the Jagirdars were settled by
Elphinstone by his Pandharapur Award in 1812.  The jagirdars were
assured full protection by the Award.  Elphinstone also helped the rulers
of Kolhapur and Sawantwadi to be practically independent of the
Peshwa.
Elphinstone had a very low opinion about the abilities of the
Peshwa , and  considered him timid and lazy. Bajirao II now turned his
attention to the work of strengthening his state army (Huzarat) by raising
a disciplined corps of infantry with the permission of the Governor
General Lord Minto (1807-1813). He put Captain John Ford in command
of that corps on the conditions that he would remain loyal to him. The
Peshwa needed large amount of money to finance such a programme.
He adopted a new system of raising funds for that. He was able to collect
a handsome amount. He now felt confident that with a strong and well-
equipped army he could seize the right opportunity to get rid of the white
masters. He was however not at peace with his own men. He had added
to the sufferings of common man by his exactions and the political climate
was filled with suspicion, deceit, fear and intrigues. Peshwa Bajirao II
began to rely more and more on men of doubtful character, like
Mankeshwar Raste, modi, Pingle and Trimbakji Dengle. Their activities
hastened his downfall.
 Murder of Gangadhar Shastri (1815)
The incident which created a sensation throughout Maharashtra
was the murder of Gangadhar Shastri in July, 1815. He was deputed by
Page 5


INTRODUCTION :
With the discovery of the Sea-routes in the 15th Century the
Europeans discovered Sea route to reach the east. The Portuguese,
Dutch, French and the English came to India to promote trade and
commerce.
The English who established the East-India Co. in 1600,  gradually
consolidated their hold in different parts of India.  They had very capable
men like Sir. Thomas  Roe, Colonel Close, General Smith, Elphinstone,
Grant Duff etc .
The English shrewdly exploited the disunity among the Indian rulers.
They were very diplomatic in their approach.  Due to their far sighted
policies, the English were able to expand and consolidate their rule in
Maharashtra.
The Company’s government had trapped most of the Maratha rulers
in Subsidiary Alliances and fought three important wars with Marathas
over a period of 43 years (1775 -1818).
POLITICAL CONDITIONS BEFORE THE  BRITISH
CONQUEST :
The Company’s Directors sent Lord Wellesley as the Governor-
General of the Company’s territories in India, in 1798.  He was destined
to transform the British Empire in India into British Empire of India before
he was recalled in 1805 for, charges of ‘rapacity, Oppression, cruelty
and  fraud’ and also overstepping the legal limits of the powers delegated
to him.  He used to system of subsidiary alliances to trap and isolate the
powerful Maratha Chiefs.
The beginning of the nineteenth century opened a new chapter in
the history of  Maharashtra and for that matter consequently of India.
The Company’s new Governor General Lord Wellesley’s arrival in India
when the Company owed a debt of seventeen millions to the British
Government.  Napoleonic wars were being fought in Europe and the
Egyptian expedition of Napoleon had created panic in the British
dominion in India, Lord Wellesly was however fortunate to find that the
Maratha Country was passing through a difficult period.  The death of
Pashwa Madhavrao II (Madhavrao Narayan) in October 1795 without a
child had led to the civil war in Maharashtra in 1797.  The succession
claims to Peshwaship between the adopted son of Raghunathrao (the
grandfather of the deceased Peshwa) and Reghunathrao’s own son
involved the Maratha Sardars-Shindes and Holkar in the dispute. The
two families of Shinde and Holkar were traditional enemies of each
other. Shinde supported Bajirao, son of Raghunathrao and Holkar
supported adopted son of Raghunathrao named Amritrao. The illustrious
head of the rival families of Shinde and Holkar namely Mahadji Shinde
and Ahilyabai Holkar (Daughter in law of Malharrao Holkar) were dead
and succeeded by Daultrao Shinde and Yeshwantrao Holkar who were
in their twenties. Yeshwantrao Holkar attacked the combined armies of
Bajirao II and Daulatrao Shinde and defeated them at Hadapsar near
Pune in October, 1802. Peshwa fled to the Konkan and appealed to
Jonathan Duncan, Company’s Governor of Bombay. The Peshwa was
given the protection by the English East India company. On December,
31, 1802 the Peshwa concluded a subsidiary treaty with the Company
at Bassein. The Treaty of Bassein bartered away the independence of
the Maratha Country to the Company for Protecting the Peshwa from
his hostile sardars.
 Lord Wellesly and his Subsidiary Alliances (1798 – 1805)
Lord Wellesley the Governor General (1798-1805) was extremely
happy at the turn of events as now a lawful right was established to
interfere in the preservation of the Peshwa’s authority , wherever it should
be attacked.... “As already referred to above the Peshwa was the defacto
head of the Maratha State. The fugitive Peshwa’s action was resented
by the Maratha Chiefs-Yeshwantrao bitterly remarked “Bajirao has
destroyed the Maratha State”. It was however Daulatrao Shinde and
Raghuji Bhosle of Nagpur who decided to resist the interference of the
Company. They refused to give their accord to the Treaty of Bassein.
Lord Wellesley’s vigorous diplomacy succeeded in keeping Gaikwad
of Baroda neutral and Yashwantrao out of spite for Shinde decided to
proceed to Mahva to await the result of the struggle. The two allies
decided to declare war in August 1803. We are not concerned with the
details of the wars and the activities of the Peshwa and the other Maratha
Chiefs that forms the part of Maratha History paper. We shall however
point out whatever is relevant to our particular purpose of describing the
political conditions in Maharashtra.
The Capital of the Maratha State that is Pune had put on a miserable
look during the two decades after the death of Madhavrao II. The war
between the Company holding the fugitive Peshwa under its arms and
the two Maratha Chiefs ended in failure of the two allies - Shinde and
Bhosle. The war was fought in two different zones. In the south General
Arthur Wellesley and in the north Lord Lake the commander - in - Chief
of the Company’s forces were leading the compaigns. There was no
glory in the victory of the Company as the treachery of the European
officers precipitated the defeat of the Marathas. The strong fort of
Ahmednagar was surrendered to General Arthur Wellesley by Shinde’s
European officer who went over to the English Company. At Assirgarh
the Keeper of the fort received seven lakhs from the English and
surrendered the fort. Many European officers in Shinde’s service
changed his side.
In the north also the European officers played the same trick.
Perron the Commander of Shinde’s forces who should have fought
against Lord Lake surrendered Aligarh without firing a shot. Grant Duff
expressed surprise. He says “the rapidity of  the conquests and the
speedy termination of the war surprise all India”. His information not
upto date at that time.
The defeat of Shinde and Bhosle and the consequent treaties
concluded in December ,1803 changed the political equation. The
Mughal  Emperor Shah Alam II  was now placed under Company’s
protection and thus end of Mughal Empire was signalled in 1803.
Yeshwantrao Holkar after wasting the precious time in the "wait and
watch' game stirred up and attacked Jaipur which had entered into an
alliance with the Company in 1803. The Company Government started
war with Holkar in April,  1804. They fought the war for two years. In the
meanwhile Lord Wellesley was recalled in 1805 as the shareholders of
the Company had become nervous because of the dangerous policy of
wars of expansion in India. The Company ‘s  debt rose from 17 millions
in 1797 to 31 millions in 1806. The Company reversed its policy and
once again followed the policy of non-intervention.
 Role of Mountstuart  Elphinstone as Resident in 1811
As  a result of the change in the policy of the Company, Peshwa
Bajirao II enjoyed a subdued peace from 1805 to 1811.  Colonel Close
had accompanied the Peshwa in 1803 and restored him to his
Peshwaship at Pune.  He was resident upto 181 1. Then came Moutstuart
Elphinstone as Resident in 1811 and Bajirao’s troubles started.  The
jagirdars who were harassed by the Peshwa sought the intervention of
the Resident.  The grievances of the Jagirdars were settled by
Elphinstone by his Pandharapur Award in 1812.  The jagirdars were
assured full protection by the Award.  Elphinstone also helped the rulers
of Kolhapur and Sawantwadi to be practically independent of the
Peshwa.
Elphinstone had a very low opinion about the abilities of the
Peshwa , and  considered him timid and lazy. Bajirao II now turned his
attention to the work of strengthening his state army (Huzarat) by raising
a disciplined corps of infantry with the permission of the Governor
General Lord Minto (1807-1813). He put Captain John Ford in command
of that corps on the conditions that he would remain loyal to him. The
Peshwa needed large amount of money to finance such a programme.
He adopted a new system of raising funds for that. He was able to collect
a handsome amount. He now felt confident that with a strong and well-
equipped army he could seize the right opportunity to get rid of the white
masters. He was however not at peace with his own men. He had added
to the sufferings of common man by his exactions and the political climate
was filled with suspicion, deceit, fear and intrigues. Peshwa Bajirao II
began to rely more and more on men of doubtful character, like
Mankeshwar Raste, modi, Pingle and Trimbakji Dengle. Their activities
hastened his downfall.
 Murder of Gangadhar Shastri (1815)
The incident which created a sensation throughout Maharashtra
was the murder of Gangadhar Shastri in July, 1815. He was deputed by
Fatesingh Gaikwad the ruler of Baroda to settle the outstanding claims
of payment to the Peshwa in February, 1814. The latter had claimed the
share of revenue from Baroda to the Central Government at Pune. The
amounts were to be paid from 1753 onwards. The envoy from Baroda
was unable to agree to the unreasonable demands and thus the
negotiations continued for a long time. Peshwa who had successfully
extracted money from the land - lords by his system of farming of taxes
would not brook any further delay. His unscrupulous advisor Trimbakji
Dengle Who was engaged in organizing an anti-British front by
persuading the discontented Maratha Chiefs, instigated the Peshwa to
get rid of the Shastri. The Baroda envoy was found dead in July 1815.
Elphinstone suspected Trimbakji’s involvement in the murder. He
requested the Peshwa to institute an enquiry into the matter. In the
beginning the Peshwa declined the request but because of pressure he
detained Trimbakji in the fort of Vasantgad and then removed him to the
fort of Thane. In 1816 Trimbakji escaped from Thane fort. The Peshwa
was busy organizing a united front of the Maratha Chiefs against the
Company.
At the time Peshwa Bajirao II was making secret preparation for a
concerted move to dislodge the Company’s overlordship, Raghuji II of
the Bhosle family of Nagpur died in March 1816. He was succeeded by
his imbecile son. Raghuji’s nephew Appasaheb was aspiring for the
position as the Chief of the Bhosale family of Nagpur, and became the
Regent. Lord Hastings who had succeeded Lord Minto in 1813 exploited
the situation and forced Appasaheb to conclude a subsidiary treaty with
the Company in May, 1816. This treaty of Nagpur deprived the Bhosles
of their independence and struck at the unity of the Maratha rulers.
The Peshwa was relying on Bhosle for a concerted move against
the Company. Trimbakji was at large and the Company’s Government
was pressing hard for his custody. The hostility of the Peshwa provoked
Elphinstone the Resident, to compel the Peshwa to sign a new treaty at
Pune in July, 1817. The Pune treaty made the Peshwa renounce his
headship of the Maratha Empire. According to this treaty the Peshwa
had to cede to the Company territory worth thirty-four lakhs as a
compensation for not furnishing troops as agreed before. The Peshwa
could not negotiate with other Powers except through the Resident at
Pune. The Company had isolated the Peshwa and forced him to
surrender his overlordship of the Indian Chiefs. He had to give up claims
on all territories outside Maharashtra. The treaty dissolved the Maratha
State led by the Peshwa.