Bajirao I was the 7th and greatest Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy. He, after Shivaji, is considered to be the most charismatic and dynamic leader in Maratha history. 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.
Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi also known as Chin Qilich Qamaruddin Khan, Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah and Nizam I, was the first Nizam of Hyderabad.
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 after the death of Shahu in 1749. 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. However following the defeat of the Marathas in 1761, the office of the Peshwa became titular as well and from that point onwards served as the ceremonial head of the Confederacy underneath the Chhatrapati.
Berar Province, also known as the Hyderabad Assigned Districts, was a province of Hyderabad. After 1853, it was administered by the British, although the Nizam retained formal sovereignty over the province. Azam Jah, the eldest son of the 7th Nizam, held the title of Mirza-Baig ("Prince") of Berar.
Balaji Baji Rao, often referred to as Nana Saheb I, was the 8th Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy. He was appointed as Peshwa in 1740 upon the death of his father, the Peshwa Bajirao I.
Sawai Jai Singh II, was the 29th Kachwaha Rajput ruler of the Kingdom of Amber, who later founded the fortified city of Jaipur and made it his capital. He became the ruler of Amber at the age of 11, after the untimely death of his father, Mirza Raja Bishan Singh, on 31 December 1699.
Shahu I was the fifth Chhatrapati of the Maratha Confederacy founded by his grandfather, Shivaji I. He was born into the Bhonsle family, and was the son of Sambhaji I and Yesubai. At a young age, he was taken into custody at the Siege of Raigad by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and held captive. He was released from captivity after the death of Aurangzeb in the hope of engineering an internecine struggle among the Maratha factions of Tarabai and Shahu. Shahu emerged victorious in the bloody Battle of Khed and was crowned as Chhatrapati.
Balaji Vishwanath Bhat was the first of a series of hereditary Peshwas hailing from the Bhat family who gained effective control of the Maratha Confederacy and other Mughal vassals during the early 18th century. Balaji Vishwanath assisted a young Maratha king Shahu to consolidate his grip on a kingdom that had been racked by civil war and persistently intruded on by the Mughals under Aurangzeb. He was called the Second Founder of the Maratha State. He secured a grant from the Mughal court that confirmed Shahu as the legitimate Mughal vassal, at the expense of his rival Sambhaji II. Later, his son Bajirao I became the Peshwa.
The Treaty of Mungi-Shevgaon was signed on March 6, 1728, between Bajirao I of the Maratha Empire and the Nizam of Hyderabad, Asaf Jah I, in what is present-day Shevgaon. According to the terms of the treaty, the Nizam granted the Marathas the authority to collect Chauth, a type of tax, from the six Subahs located in the Deccan region. Additionally, the treaty recognized Shahu I as the Emperor of the Maratha Empire, and in return, the Maratha Emperor agreed not to apprehend Sambhaji II, who had allied himself with the Nizam against the Emperor.
Raghunathrao Bhat, 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.
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 Peshwas, during the reign of the Maratha emperor Shahu I. He was founder of the Holkar dynasty that ruled Malwa.
Dabhade surname signifies Maratha and Koli clans found largely in Maharashtra, India. The Maratha Dabhades were originally centered on Talegaon Dabhade, but became the chiefs of Gujarat. They held the hereditary title of Senapati (commander-in-chief) and several jagirs in Gujarat until 1751. That year, Umabai Dabhade and her relatives were arrested for a rebellion against the Peshwa, and were stripped of their titles.
The Battle of Dabhoi was fought on 28 April 1731, and it was a major confrontation between the Trimbak Rao Dabhade and Baji Rao I due to political interference of Peshwas in Gujarat Province. It was fought due to rights of Chauth of Gujarat. The rights of collecting Chauth of Gujarat was held by Dabhade clan from the time of Khanderao Dabhade. Baji Rao I ask Trimbak Rao Dabhade to share the rights of Chauth of Gujarat to him. But Trimbak Rao refused and due to this Baji Rao attack suddenly on the army camp of Dabhade's in April 1731. The Pawar brothers of Dhar were also upset with Baji Rao I due his policy in Malwa so they also join Trimbak Rao's side. Some other sources says that Trimbak Rao join Nizam of Hyderabad due to which Bajirao I attack him.
Shriniwasrao Parshuram, popularly known as Shripatrao Pratinidhi or Shripatrao Pant Pratinidhi, was a General of the Maratha Empire. He served as Pratinidhi during Shahu I's reign. After the death of his father Parshuram Pant Pratinidhi in 1718, Shripat Rao won the favour of Shahu by his brilliant efforts as a soldier fighting many battles in the defence of the Maratha Empire. In 1718, he was appointed as the Pant Pratinidhi of Maratha Empire.
The Battle of Balapur marked a civil conflict among Mughal leaders, triggered by the uprising of the Sayyid Brothers. This uprising led to a decline in the status of other Mughal leaders.
Khwaja Kamal, commonly known as Iwaz Khan, was a Turani Mughal leader who served as the last Subahdar of the Berar Subah under the Mughal empire. He also held the distinction of being the first Dewan of the Nizam of Hyderabad.
When Maratha forces invaded the Carnatic region in southeastern India, Dost Ali Khan, the Nawab of Arcot, took a defensive stance at Damalcherry Pass, located 30 miles north of Ambur. In a disastrous defeat, Maratha General Raghoji I Fateh Singh and Murari Rao outflanked them and struck from the rear, resulting in the defeat and death of Dost Ali and his son Hassan Ali. Bhonsle then captured Arcot and subsequently besieged and took Trichinopoly on May 31, 1741.
Nizam-ul-Mulk established his authority in Karnataka, while Chanda Saheb rose to prominence. Shahu appointed Raghuji Bhonsle and Fateh Singh to collect tribute from Karnataka and protect the Tanjore region against Chanda Saheb. Raghuji and Fateh Singh advanced on Arcot, where Dost Ali Khan fell fighting the Marathas. His son, Safdar Ali, sought refuge in Vellore, and the valuables of the Nawab were sent to Pondicherry.
Mir Habib, a former ally, becomes a traitor and enters into negotiations with Bhaskar Pant. As a result, Orissa is incorporated into the Maratha Empire. An agreement between the Peshwa and Nawab is reached to drive Raghuji from Orissa. Alivardi Khan manages to reclaim Batak, leading to the Maratha expulsion from Orissa. The ensuing struggle between Raghuji and the Nawab over Orissa sees the Marathas reconquer Katak in 1749, with Sheo Bhatt Sathe being appointed as the first Governor of Orissa. A peace treaty is subsequently signed with the Marathas, but its terms, effects, and loopholes come into play. Mir Habib dies in 1752 and Orrisa officially becomes a Maratha State.
Maratha Confederacy 
Hyderabad State 
