Administrative System of the Marathas c18.s4.6

c18.s4.6

This does not signify that Shahu Chhatrapati was a mere puppet in the hands of his powerful ministers and unconsciously left his successor a victim to the ambitious intrigues of a Konkanastha Brahman. Shahu was not altogether a weakling. His ability like that of Charles II of England has been considerably underestimated by posterity. A state prisoner while still an infant, brought up as he was in the midst of the luxury and corruption of a Mughal court, we cannot expect from Shahu, the hardihood and untiring activity of his famous grandfather, or the careless bravery which characterised his licentious father even to the last moment. But he had inherited to a considerable extent the administrative qualities of the great Shivaji and he *ruled* as well as reigned. Here again we may profitably quote that great Maratha savant, Mahadev Govind Ranade: "In the forty years of rule enjoyed by Shahu, he was not merely a titular head of the Maratha Government; but he directed all operations, ordered and recalled Commanders, and he exercised a great controlling power on the chiefs, though he led no armies in the field. It was due to his efforts that Gujarath was divided between the Peshwa and the Dabhades or Gaikwads in equal halves after the battle of Dabhoi. When Balaji Baji Rao wanted to invade Bengal, Raghoji Bhosale protested at Satara, and Shahu was strong enough to enforce moderation even over the towering ambition of Balaji, and forced him to leave the Eastern provinces of India free for the development of the Bhosale's power. Baji Rao was only a general under Shahu, and the Pratinidhis, Bhosales, Nimbalkars, Dabhades, Gaikwads, Kadambandes, Angres, Ghorpades all respected his orders.²³