New History of the Marathas v2.c22: Preface
New History of the Marathas v2.c22
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- English
Preface
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I feel great relief in being able to send out this second volume of my New History of the Marathas not very long after the first, and I have little to add by way of a prefatory word to what I have said before. I hope I shall be equally fortunate in completing the third volume as well in quick succession and along with it my last great task. The matter of these two volumes has increased beyond my expectation, as I considered a full statement necessary in justice both to the achievements and the failures of the Marathas. The reader will notice that many new characters and episodes have been here dealt with, which had not hitherto received proper treatment. The vast amount of Marathi sources and the records in the recently published Persian Calendar and the Poona Residency Correspondence, have made this amplification necessary.
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A full chronology for each chapter and thus for the whole of Maratha history is a novel feature which I have for the first time introduced here and which, I am confident, will be appreciated by students of history and general readers alike, although it has materially increased the size of my book.
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I must repeat my keen sense of gratefulness both to Sir Jadunath Sarkar and to Dr. V. G. Dighe for the unstinted help and care which they have readily extended to me in the execution of what I have always felt as an ambitious undertaking for a solitary worker like me.
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KAMSHET, DIST. POONA. February, 1948. } G. S. SARDESAI
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The first of these, the *Gospel of the Hebrews*, was used by the Jewish Christians of Palestine, and was probably a version of the Gospel of Matthew, though it contained some traditions not found in our canonical books. The *Gospel of the Egyptians* was used by the ascetic sects of Egypt, and was marked by a strong tendency towards mysticism and asceticism. The *Gospel of Peter* was used by the Docetists, and taught that Christ did not really suffer, but only appeared to do so.
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These gospels, and others like them, were not accepted by the Church as a whole, and were gradually lost or suppressed. The Church, however, felt the need for a standard collection of writings that would serve as a guide for faith and practice. This led to the formation of the New Testament canon, a process that took several centuries to complete.
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The first step in this process was the collection of the letters of Paul, which were widely circulated among the churches. Then came the four Gospels, which were accepted as the authoritative accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus. The Acts of the Apostles and the other epistles were gradually added, and finally the Book of Revelation.
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By the end of the second century, the core of the New Testament was generally accepted by the Church. The process of canonization was not a formal act of a council, but rather a gradual recognition by the churches of the writings that were most valuable for their life and worship. It was only in the fourth century that the canon was formally closed by the councils of the Church.
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The formation of the New Testament canon was a crucial event in the history of the Church. It provided a standard of faith and practice that helped to unify the Church and to protect it from the influence of heretical sects. It also ensured that the teachings of Jesus and the apostles would be preserved for future generations.
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--- | --- I. | SHAHU’S POSITION STABILIZED [1707-1715] . . | 11
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| 1. Shahu’s home-coming. 2. Battle of Khed. 3. Coronation at Satara. 4. Rise of Balaji Vishwanath. 5. Shahu and Bahadur Shah. 6. Chandrasen’s defection, rise of Kolhapur. 7. Balaji wins the Peshwaship. |
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II. | NEW ERA DAWNS [1715-1720] . . . . | 31
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| 1. Imperial politics favour Shahu. 2. The friendly Rajpt Princes. 3. Saiyad Husain Ali in the Deccan. 4. Husain Ali secures Maratha help. 5. Conditions of Maratha vassalage. 6. Balaji’s expedition to Delhi. 7. Clash of arms. 8. Release and death of Yesubai. 9. Chauthai and Sardeshmukhi explained. 10. Origin and evils of Jagirdari. 11. Hereditary offices. 12. Death of Balaji, Character estimated. |
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III. | NIZAM AND BAJIRAO, FIRST CONTACT [1720-1724] . . . . | 65
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| 1. Investiture and position at Court. 2. Fall of the Saiyad Brothers. 3. Maratha claims opposed by Nizam-ul-mulk. 4. Bajirao faced with a new danger. 5. Nizam asserts independence. |
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IV. | RAPID SUCCESSES SOUTH AND NORTH [1725-1729] . . . . . . | 87
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| 1. Consolidation in Karnatak. 2. Nizam-ul-mulk sets up Sambhaji as Chhatrapati. 3. Nizam overcome at Palkhed. 4. The quick action of Amjhera. 5. Chhatrasal rescued. |
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V. | FURTHER TRIUMPHS [1730-1731] . . . | 111
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| 1. The mission of Deep Sinh. 2. Sambhaji brought to submission. 3. Ceremonial meeting of the royal cousins, agreement. 4. Exit Senapati Dabhade. |
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VI. | THE MUGHAL POWER HUMBLED [1732-1738] | 135
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| 1. War on Janjira, Brahmendra Swami avenged. 2. Bajirao’s visit to Nizam. 3. Jaysinh’s attempt to check the Marathas. 4. Radhabai’s northern pilgrimage. 5. Emperor refuses to meet Bajirao. 6. Bajirao’s dash upon Delhi. 7. Nizam humbled at Bhopal. |
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VII. BAJIRAO, LAST PHASE [1739-1740] .. 163
1. Nadir Shah’s invasion, Hindu sovereignty? 2. War upon the Portuguese, Capture of Bassein. 3. Repercussions in Bombay. 4. Minor episodes, the Angrias. 5. The romance of Mastani. 6. Nasir Jang routed. 7. Sudden death. 8. Bajirao’s Character.
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VIII. PESHWA BALAJI RAO, SUCCESSFUL START [1740-1741] .. .. .. 189
1. Accession to Peshwaship, Death of Chimnaji. 2. The new master at work. 3. Nasir Jang’s rebellion. 4. Malwa secured.
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IX. MARATHA PENETRATION INTO BENGAL [1742-1752] .. .. 207
1. Orissa the origin of trouble. 2. Bhaskar Ram at Katwa. 3. Raghuji and the Peshwa clash together. 4. Their reconciliation. 5. Massacre of Maratha Generals. 6. Chauth imposed upon Bengal.
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X. ON TO FURTHER SUCCESSES [1744-1747] .. 229
1. Consolidation of Bundelkhand, Jhansi. 2. Two notable deaths. 3. The Rajput war. 4. Social contact. 5. The Angria brothers, Manaji and Tulaji, 6. Pilaji Jadhav.
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XI. CONTEST FOR TRICHINOPOLY [1740-1748] .. 251
1. The Rise of Chanda Saheb. 2. Raghuji Bhosla captures Trichinopoly. 3. Chanda Saheb’s confinement. 4. Trichinopoly lost. 5. Babuji Naik and the Peshwa.
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XII. END OF A GLORIOUS REIGN [1748-1749] .. 263
1. The last days of Shahu. 2. Search for a successor. 3. Final decision. 4. The death of Shahu. 5. Shahu’s progeny. 6. Contemporary opinion. 7. Estimate of character. 8. Shahu’s benevolence. 9. Shahu-Nagar.
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XIII. THE MONARCHY IN ECLIPSE [1750-1761] .. 287
1. Ramraja installed. 2. Constitutional revolution at Sangola. 3. Ramraja confined. 4. Tarabai reconciled. 5. Sambhaji of Kolhapur. 6. The Peshwa’s objectives and weaknesses.
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--- | --- XIV. | DAMAJI GAIKWAD IN GUJARAT [1749-1759] | 305
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| 1. Damaji's onslaught upon the Peshwa. 2. The Peshwa hits back. 3. The Peshwa scores. 4. Ahmadabad captured. 5. Surat and Broach. |
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XV. | THE MARATHA-NIZAM STRUGGLE [1751-1761] | 319
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| 1. Bussy on the scene. 2. Maratha-Nizam war of 1751-52. 3. Use of artillery, Muzaffar Khan. 4. Fall of Savanur, end of Muzaffar Khan. 5. The Karnatak task unfinished. 6. Bussy at Char Minar. 7. The Nizam's defeat at Sindkhed. 8. Horrid murders. 9. Battle of Udgir. |
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XVI. | TWO INCORRIGIBLE CHIEFS [1755-1780] .. | 341
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| 1. The Nagpur succession. 2. Tulaji Angria defiant. 3. Fall of Vijayadurg. 4. The Peshwa's protest. 5. Did the Peshwa destroy the Maratha navy; 6. Manaji and Raghuji Angria. |
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XVII. | MARATHA ENTANGLEMENTS IN DELHI [1750-1753] .. .. .. | 357
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| 1. Abdali and the Punjab, the start. 2. The Pathan war, Safdar Jang seeks Maratha help. 3. The Maratha objective. 4. The Punjab ceded to Abdali. 5. Civil war in Delhi. |
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XVIII. | MARATHA MISCONDUCT, ABDALI'S GRIP TIGHTENS [1754-1757] .. .. | 375
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| 1. Raghunathrao before Kumbher. 2. The Emperor murdered. 9. Raghunathrao's mismanagement. 4. The Rathor War, murder of Jayappa. 5. Abdali invited. 6. Atrocities in Delhi. 7. Abdali's triumphant return. |
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XIX. | ABDALI'S TRIUMPHANT ADVANCE [1759-1760] .. .. .. | 395
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| 1. Raghunathrao at Delhi. 2. The Marathas reach Attock. 3. Failure to restrain Najib Khan. 4. Dattaji locked at Sukratal. 5. Dattaji falls at Barari Ghat. |
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XX. | FROM PATDUR TO PANIPAT [1760 March-December] .. .. | 415
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| 1. Bhau Saheb's advance to Delhi. 2. Shuja-ud-daula joins Abdali. 3. Negotiations for peace. 4. Kunjpur captured. 5. Face to face at Panipat. |
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1. Cup full to the brim. 2. Position of the parties in the field. 3. The combat. 4. The victor's plight, conciliating the Peshwa. 5. The Peshwa breaks down in Bundelkhand. 6. Review of the disaster. 7. Significance of the disaster 8. The Peshwa's last days. 9. Balajirao's character.
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XXII. MADHAVRAO COMES INTO HIS OWN [1761-1763] .. .. .. 465
1. Nizam Ali's attack upon Poona. 2. Civil War, the Peshwa defeated. 3. The assemblage of Alegaon. 4. Maratha-Nizam hostilities. 5. The decision of Rakshasbhuwan.
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XXIII. THE PESHWA ASSERTS HIMSELF [1763-1767] 485
1. Offensive against Haidar Ali. 2. The Kolis of Purandar. 3. Peace with Haidar Ali. 4. March against Janoji Bhosle. 5. Friendship with Nizam Ali. 6. Babuji Naik humbled. 7. The Pretender, Sadashivrao Bhau. 8. Mahadji Sindia's rise. 9. The British menace.
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XXIV. MARATHA AMBITIONS COMPLETED IN THE NORTH [1761-1772] .. .. .. 501
1. Maratha set back in North India. 2. Malharrao Holkar worsted. 3. Clive and the Diwani. 4. Raghunathrao before Gohad. 5. Expedition of Ramchandra Ganesh and its results. 6. British opposition to Maratha plans. 7. The Emperor restored to Delhi.
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XXV. INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF THE STATE [1765-1772] 521
1. Raghunathrao's demand for partition. 2. Raghunathrao finally overcome. 3. Bhosle brought to obedience. 4. Damaji Gaikwad's death. 5. War with Haidar Ali renewed (1767-1772).
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XXVI. TRAGIC END [1772] .. .. .. 539
1. The Peshwa's incurable malady. 2. His last will. 3. Peaceful death. 4. His wife and mother. 5. Character of the Peshwa. 6. Foreign eulogy. 7. Anecdotes.