Administrative System of the Marathas c21.s4.20

c21.s4.20

Instead of maintaining a strong army, independent of the feudal forces, the Peshwas became more and more dependent on the Sardars. New fiefs were granted even in the neighbourhood of Poona, and new families like the Patwardhans, the Rastias, the Vinchurkars, and the Phadkes rose in power. Even Nana Fadnavis depended on these feudal Barons for military help. These chiefs, however, were not more faithful to their master than the more powerful and older Sardars like Sindhia and Holkar. In a Despatch, dated the 19th of November, 1799, Wellington says that southern Maratha chiefs including the son of Parashram Bhau sent *Wakils* to him and to the English Agent of Mysore offering to subsidise a British force. This independent spirit was further evinced in the final struggle of the Peshwa with the English. He had made himself unpopular