History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v2.c44.2

v2.c44.2

When in revenge for the murder of his brother, Yaśovant Rāo Holkar attacked Poona, the foolish Bājī Rāo II fled, after the defeat of his own troops and those of Daulat Rāo Śinde, to the English at Bombay and surrendered his own independence by entering into a Subsidiary Alliance with the English Company. The surrender of the Peshwa’s independence was a terrific blow at Maratha national prestige and honour. So long as British dominions last in India, it will not be possible to determine to what extent Yaśovant Rāo Holkar’s action was influenced by British gold, though it is certain that when Assaye, Argāon, Aligarh and Lāswari were being fought, Yaśovant Rāo’s neutrality was purchased inspite of his avowals of patriotism to Raghuji. His subsequent treatment after his surrender to Lord Lake in the Punjab proves that before his aggression Yaśovant Rāo Holkar was an ally of the English and a traitor to his own nation. While it must be said to their credit that even the useless Daulat Rāo Śinde and Raghuji Bhonsle II stood up in defence of Maratha national independence, the former, undaunted by the most indecent seduction of all European officers of his army by the brothers Wellesley, Yaśovant Rāo Holkar, the Dhangar and the traitor, stood by calmly looking at the destruction of the Maratha Empire in India.