Bajirao I was the 7th Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy. He,after Shivaji and Sambhaji is considered to be the most charismatic and dynamic leader in Maratha history,and one of the greatest Military generals of his time. He was just twenty years old and already had a reputation for rapid decisions and a passion for military adventure.
The Maratha Confederacy, also referred to as the Maratha Empire, was an early modern polity in the Indian subcontinent. It comprised the realms of the Peshwa and four major independent Maratha states often subordinate to the former. It was established in 1674 with the coronation of Shivaji as the Maratha Chhatrapati and recognised by Emperor Bahadur Shah I as a tributary state in 1707 following a prolonged rebellion. Following this, the Marathas continued to recognise the Mughal emperor as their nominal suzerain, similar to other contemporary Indian entities, though in practice, imperial politics at Delhi were largely influenced by the Marathas between 1737 and 1803.
The Peshwa was the second highest office in the Maratha Confederacy, next in rank and prestige only to that of the Chhatrapati. Initially serving as the appointed prime minister in the Maratha Kingdom, the office became hereditary when Shahu gave the seat of Peshwa to Bajirao Ballal. During the reign of Shahu, the office of Peshwa grew in power and the Peshwas came to be the de facto rulers of the Maratha Confederacy. Eventually, the Chhatrapati title became titular and the main heads were the Peshwas according to the Sangola pact.
Banda is a city and a municipal board in Banda district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Banda is divided among north, east, west and south Banda. Banda lies south of the Yamuna river in the Bundelkhand region. It is the administrative headquarters of Banda District. The town is well connected to major cities with railways and state highways. The town is near the right bank of the river Ken, 189 km south-west of Allahabad.
Ahmad Shah Bahadur, also known as Mirza Ahmad Shah or Mujahid-ud-Din Ahmad Shah Ghazi, was the fourteenth Mughal emperor, born to Emperor Muhammad Shah. He succeeded his father to the throne in 1748, at the age of 22. When Ahmed Shah Bahadur came to power, the Mughal Empire started to decline. Furthermore, his administrative weakness eventually led to the rise of the usurping Imad-ul-Mulk.
Mastani was the daughter of Chhatrasal Bundela and Ruhani Bai Begum. She was the second wife of the Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao I. Her relationship within the Maratha Brahmin family has been subject of both admiration and controversy and well adapted in Indian novels and cinema.
Patan is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. In the 12th century, it became the centre of a minor state called Tanwarawati or Torawati, ruled by a Tomar family. Patan has a total population of 7,004 peoples according to Census 2011.
Raghunathrao, also known as Ragho Ballal or Raghoba Dada, was the younger son of Peshwa Bajirao I who served as the 11th Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy for a brief period from 1773 to 1774. He led successful campaigns in Northern India against the Rohillas in the Battle of Delhi (1757), resulting in the Marathas becaming the de-facto rulers of Delhi with Mughal Emperor Alamgir II having no actual power. He also led successful campaigns against the Durrani Empire at Sirhind and Attock and brought Northwestern India, under Maratha rule for a brief period. Ahmad Shah Abdali sought revenge against the Marathas for capturing Punjab and defeating the Durrani armies. He made preparations for another campaign in India. Raghoba asked for a large financial assistance in order to check Abdali's advance which was refused by Peshwa Nana Saheb. Nana Saheb's decision of not sending Raghoba as the main commander of Maratha armies against Ahmad Shah Abdali ultimately culminated in the defeat at Panipat.
Chhatrasal Bundela or Maharaja Chhatrasal was the Bundela Raja of Panna from 1675 to 1731. He is well known for his resistance against the Mughal Empire.
Malhar Rao Holkar was a noble subedar of the Maratha Empire, in present-day India. He was one of the early officers along with Ranoji Scindia to help spread the Maratha rule to northern states and was given the estate of Indore to rule by the [chhatrapati's Pradhan, during the reign of the Maratha emperor Shahu I. He was founder of the Holkar dynasty that ruled Malwa.
Madhavrao II was the 12th Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy, from his infancy. He was known as Sawai Madhav Rao or Madhav Rao Narayan. He was the posthumous son of Narayanrao Peshwa, murdered in 1773 on the orders of Raghunathrao. Madhavrao II was considered the legal heir, and was installed as Peshwa by the Treaty of Salbai in 1782 after First Anglo-Maratha War.
Yashwant Rao Holkar (1776–1811) also known as Jaswantrao Holkar belonging to the Holkar dynasty of the Maratha Confederacy was the Maharaja of the Indore. He was a gifted military leader and educated in accountancy as well as literate in Persian, Marathi and Urdu.
Pandoji Kunjar (Kunjir)(Marathi: पांडोजी कुंजर / कुंजीर), was a sardar in the service of Peshwa Baji Rao II and the elder son of Sardar Balaji Kunjar. After his father Balaji Kunjar, he possess the position of Sur-Patil (सर-पाटील) at Pune Punch Mahals along with his brother Narayan Kunjar at era of Peshawa Baji Rao II.
The Afghan–Maratha War was fought between the Afghan Empire under Ahmad Shah Durrani and the Maratha Confederacy and the Sikh Confederacy between 1758 and 1761. It took place in north-west India, primarily the region around Delhi and Punjab.
The following list includes a brief about the titles of nobility or orders of chivalry used by the Marathas of India and by the Marathis/Konkanis in general.
Shamsher Bahadur I, was a ruler of the Maratha dominion of Banda in northern India. He was the son of Bajirao I and Mastani.
Dhar or Dhad is a guerrilla warfare tactic used in Indian history. Maharana Pratap was first Indian king who used guerrilla warfare in organized form. The north Indian Hindu Khaps employed the tactic against invading Muslim armies and later by Jats, Rajputs, Sikh and Marathas against Mughals. Gokula Raja Ram Jat successfully used Dhar guerrilla tactics in the 1680s against Aurangzeb's larger Mughal forces.
The Bhatt Peshwa family earlier known as Bhat family is a prominent Indian Maratha Chitpavan Brahmin family who dominated India for around 100 years in the late 18th century and early 19th century. Most of the members in this family were the Peshwas in the Peshwa era of the Maratha Confederacy, and Peshwa later became their family name. During their regime, most of the Indian subcontinent was under their control. The last Peshwa, Baji Rao II, was defeated by the British East India Company in the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1818. The territory was annexed to the British East India Company's Bombay Presidency, and he was pensioned.
Marathas under Raghunath Rao and Malhar Rao Holkar laid siege to the fort of Barwara. The fort was successfully defended by the garrison. After which the Marathas agreed to a smaller sum than what was initially demanded.
Maratha ruler of Banda 
