The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c9.60

c9.60

It became customary for every military officer to secure at least one strong fort for the residence of his family, and Balaji Vishwanath pursued the same practice when he obtained from the Sachiv Shankraji Narayan the fort of Purandar. After the expansion of the Maratha empire into Malwa and Hindustan the Peshwa’s officers began to garrison the fortresses of the newly conquered province on their own account, and the contamination naturally spread among their subordinates as well. Thus there arose not only a number of hereditary military officers, but they were furnished with forts and strongholds where they could with impunity defy the authority of the central government.