Baji Rao I
Explanation
The office of the Peshwa (Prime Minister) became powerful and hereditary under the reign of Chhatrapati Shahu. The transition of power in 1720 marks the consolidation of the Peshwa's authority and the beginning of the Maratha Confederacy's expansion into Northern India.
Detailed Analysis:
- Balaji Vishwanath (1713–1720): He is credited with stabilizing the Maratha state after the civil war between Shahu and Tarabai. He secured the rights of Chauth and Sardeshmukhi from the Mughals. Upon his death in 1720, the post of Peshwa became hereditary.
- Baji Rao I (1720–1740): He succeeded his father, Balaji Vishwanath, at the young age of 20. He is renowned for his military genius and guerrilla warfare tactics. Under his leadership, the Maratha power expanded beyond the Deccan into Malwa, Gujarat, and Bundelkhand. He famously advocated striking at the "trunk of the withering tree" (the Mughal Empire) to make the branches fall off.
- Balaji Baji Rao (1740–1761): Also known as Nana Saheb, he succeeded Baji Rao I. Under him, the Maratha Empire reached its territorial zenith, but he was the Peshwa during the disastrous Third Battle of Panipat (1761).
- Sadashiv Rao Bhau: He was the cousin of Balaji Baji Rao and the commander-in-chief of the Maratha army during the Third Battle of Panipat.
- Raghunath Rao: He was the younger brother of Balaji Baji Rao, whose ambitions later led to the First Anglo-Maratha War.
Key Takeaway:
Baji Rao I succeeded Balaji Vishwanath in 1720 and was instrumental in transforming the Maratha Kingdom into an Empire by expanding northward and weakening the Mughal authority.