The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c8.13

c8.13

The first official mention of the employment of soldiers from other parts of India we find in a brief paper, dated 1734-35, which announced the appointment of Tryambak Rao Somvanshi as Sarlaskar and the enlistment of a number of Rajputs who had come from Jai Sing.² Whether these men were admitted to the infantry, and if so, on what terms, we do not know. It is also not stated whether Jai Sing had been asked to send them or whether they had voluntarily come in search of employment in the Maratha army. Seven years later two Arabs were employed by Balaji Baji Rao at a monthly salary of 11 Rupees each.³ In 1750 one Raje Muhammad, a Jamadar of infantry, was sent to Khandesh to get fifty recruits for the Peshwa’s force, but the salary, it seems, was to be fixed after a personal inspection, and probably after haggling with each man, the rate suggested varied from seven to eight and a half Rupees.⁴ In a document, dated 1753-54, we find the name of Muzaffarjang,⁵ the gardi officer,⁶ mentioned for the first time. About this time the Peshwa had probably organised the trained battalions of his army and this necessitated the further employment of non-Marathas. The published records, however, throw no light on the condition of their service during the Peshwaship of Balaji Baji Rao.