New History of the Marathas v3.c37.71

v3.c37.71

¹ In the parlance of political science, I think I am justified in calling the Peshwa king, because his status was really that of any one of the constituent princes under the Holy Roman Empire. It is not correct to call him a *Mayor of the Palace*, as the analogy of French history does not really go far. The Peshwa made war and peace himself, only reporting the accomplished fact to the sleeping nominal head at Satara as a mere form, and even that form came to be dropped after 1772, though the continuity of tradition was respected by his soliciting the robes of his office from the Chhatrapati.