The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c9.82

c9.82

What happened in the forts under the direct control of the Peshwa also happened in the forts held by his feudal subordinates. Only they were less efficiently garrisoned and provisioned when the feudal chief in question was not financially well off. In times of danger such a chief could in theory expect relief from the Peshwa; in practice the tardy arrival of reinforcement caused irreparable loss to the feudal baron and consequently to his master. So, in spite of the great natural strength of the country, it offered but a feeble fight when the Peshwa’s territories were finally conquered by the British.