Overview

• A series of three wars between the British East India Company and the Maratha Confederacy
• Time period: 1775–1818
• Resulted in:
  • Collapse of the Maratha Empire
  • British paramountcy in India
• Root cause: Maratha internal divisions and British expansionist ambitions

Reasons for the Anglo–Maratha Wars

• Aftermath of the Third Battle of Panipat (1761) → weakened Maratha unity
• Succession disputes within Peshwaship
• Confederate nature of Maratha polity (Gaekwad, Bhonsle, Holkar, Sindhia, Peshwa)
• British ambition to replicate Bengal-type dominance in western India
• Treaty politics & alliances were exploited by the British
• Pindari problem (especially the Third War)

Rise & Weakening of Peshwaship

• Peshwa evolved from PM to de facto ruler
• Balaji Vishwanath → made Peshwaship hereditary
• Bajirao I → expanded Maratha power via confederacy
• Defeat at Panipat (1761) → weakened central control
• Death of Madhavrao I (1772) → factionalism intensified

Maratha Confederacy

• Gaekwad – Baroda
• Bhonsle – Nagpur
• Holkar – Indore
• Sindhia – Gwalior
• Peshwa – Poona

First Anglo–Maratha War (1775–1782)

Cause

• Succession dispute after the death of Madhavrao I
• Raghunathrao vs Barabhai Council (Nana Phadnavis)
• Treaty of Surat (1775) → British support to Raghunathrao

Important Treaties

• Treaty of Surat (1775)
  • Salsette & Bassein ceded to the British
• Treaty of Purandar (1776)
  • Raghunathrao pensioned
• Treaty of Wadgaon (1779)
  • British defeat by Mahadji Sindhia
• Treaty of Salbai (1782) → Final settlement

Treaty of Salbai

• Salsette was retained by the British
• Bassein restored to the Marathas
• The British withdraw support from Raghunathrao
• No European power (except the British) was to be supported by the Peshwa
• Mahadji Sindhia → guarantor

Outcome

• Maratha political victory
• British diplomatic learning
• 20 years of peace between the Marathas & British

Second Anglo–Maratha War (1803–1805)

Cause

• Ineffective rule of Bajirao II
• Murder of Vithuji Holkar
• Defeat of Peshwa at Hadapsar (1802) by Holkar

Treaty of Bassein (1802)

• Peshwa accepted the Subsidiary Alliance
• British troops stationed at Poona
• Surat ceded
• Chauth claims on Nizam abandoned
• External relations controlled by the British

Course

• Sindhia & Bhonsle resisted → defeated
• Holkar’s coalition attempt failed

Outcome

• Marathas reduced to British vassals
• British strategic dominance strengthened

Third Anglo–Maratha War (1817–1818)

Causes

• Lord Hastings’ imperial policy
• Pindari menace
• Resentment against the Treaty of Bassein
• End of Company monopoly (Charter Act, 1813)

Course

• Peshwa attacked the British Residency at Poona
• Battles:
  • Khirki – Peshwa
  • Sitabuldi – Bhonsle
  • Mahidpur – Holkar

Key Treaties

• Treaty of Poona (1817) – Peshwa
• Treaty of Gwalior (1817) – Sindhia
• Treaty of Mandasor (1818) – Holkar

Outcome

• Peshwaship abolished
• Bajirao II pensioned at Bithur
• The Maratha Confederacy dissolved
• Satara State was formed under Pratap Singh

Impact of Anglo–Maratha Wars

• End of Maratha political dominance
• The British emerged as the supreme power in India
• Annexation of Pune, Nagpur, and Central India
• Traditional Maratha nobility weakened
• Expansion of British administrative control