Marathas loss after Mughal decline [7]

Question 1

Q1: How did the Marathas rise to power after the Mughal decline, and what challenges did they face in governance?

Answer 1

• The Marathas emerged as strong rivals to the Mughal rule, ruling a greater part of India than the Mughals from 1674 to 1818.
• Their rise to power began in 1737 when they defeated the Mughal army outside Delhi and expanded their rule across northern India, reaching Bengal.
• By the mid-18th century, they were the most powerful force in India.
• However, they lacked a sustainable administrative system, making it difficult to govern such a vast territory.
• Like the Mughals, their central government gradually lost control over many provinces, weakening their authority.

Question 2

How did internal disunity and weak leadership contribute to the Marathas’ decline?

Answer 2

• The Marathas became divided due to internal conflicts, as many Maratha families prioritized short-term power and formed alliances with local rulers instead of remaining loyal to the Peshwa in Pune.
• This disloyalty weakened their influence over state affairs.
• Bajirao-II, the son of Raghunathrao, was an inefficient Peshwa who failed to unite the Maratha Sardars.
• The lack of unity further weakened their rule, as another Peshwa Madhavrao granted semi autonomy to the strongest of Sardars, and created a confederacy of Maratha states. This policy also backfired, and with time the semi-autonomous Sardars became fully autonomous

Question 3

How did external invasions and wars lead to the final defeat of the Marathas?

Answer 3

• The Afghan invader Ahmed Shah Abdali inflicted a major defeat on the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761.
• Abdali’s army consisted of 41,800 cavalry and 38,000 infantry, while the Marathas had 55,000 cavalry but only 15,000 infantry. Abdali, a brilliant military strategist, used his numerical advantage effectively, resulting in a crushing defeat for the Marathas.
• They lost many soldiers and key leaders, including the Peshwa, marking the end of their territorial ambitions.
• The British later took advantage of Maratha weakness by intervening in the Peshwa succession struggle in Pune in 1775.
• This led to three Anglo-Maratha Wars between 1775 and 1818, after which the British completely defeated the Marathas and ended their rule.