The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of the Bombay Presidency from the Earliest Historical Times to the Musalman Conquest c7.s9.59

c7.s9.59

Grant Duff looks on Mádhavráv as superior in character and abilities to any of his predecessors, and though he was only twenty-seven when he died, "he is deservedly celebrated for his firm support of the weak against the oppressive, of the poor against the rich, and, as far as the constitution of society permitted, for his equity to all. He made no innovations; he improved the system established, endeavoured to amend defects without altering forms, and restricted a corruption which he could not eradicate.”¹ So also Elphinstone says of him that “he was the first who introduced order into the internal administration, and showed a sincere desire to protect his subjects from military violence, and to establish something like a regular dispensation of justice.”² It will be useful therefore here to consider the Maratha system of government as it existed at this time for the Konkan, for it is certain that in the troubles which henceforward more or less encompassed the state under such degenerate descendants of the first Peshwas as Raghunathrav and his son Bajirav, the limits of authority were but little attended and the good of the country was entirely neglected; yet while Nana Phadnavis’ power was untrammelled, the revenue management of some of the districts at least was regular and systematic.³