Peshwa Under Maratha - General Knowledge of Modern India

The Marathas were a highly combative/ violent caste who established a powerful confederacy in the Deccan region. After the death of the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, he came in the center of politics and power. Local leader Shivaji established an independent Maratha state in 1674 AD. Their administrative system was a mixture of Hindu and Muslim institutions. After the establishment of the Peshwa Raj, many changes were made in the administrative system of the Marathas.

Read More History: Maratha Administration History - General Knowledge of Modern India

Maratha Federation:

Rajaram's move to grant jagirs to Maratha chieftains was an important contributor to the rise of the Maratha confederacy.
The foundation of this union was formed during the time of Bajirao I, when Shahu granted the rights to collect chauth and sardeshmukhi on different areas to different Maratha chieftains.
The most important Maratha chieftains of the Maratha confederacy were-

Bhonsles of Berar
Gaekwads of Vadodara
Holkars of Indore
Scindias of Gwalior

Peshwas of Poona

Peshwa under Marathas
The Peshwa was a minister loyal to the Marathas who was appointed to advise the king on various administrative and political issues. Bajirao I was the most qualified Peshwa out of the total seven Peshwas.

Balaji Vishwanath (1713-1721 AD) - He was appointed as Peshwa by Shahuji in 1713 AD to organize the empire. He expanded the Maratha empire by conquering almost all the chieftains and made the position of Peshwa extremely important.
Bajirao-I (1721-1740 AD) - He was the eldest son of Balaji Vishwanath and took the post of Peshwa after his father at the age of twenty. He was the greatest exponent of guerrilla technology after Shivaji.
Balaji Bajirao (1740–1761 AD) – also known as 'Nana Sahab' who became Peshwa after the death of his father Bajirao. He died in 1761 AD due to the shock of the death of his son (Vishwas Rao) and cousin (Sadashiv Rao) in the Third Battle of Panipat.
Madhav Rao-I (1761-1772 AD) – After the death of Balaji Bajirao, his seventeen-year-old son Madhav Rao became the first Peshwa and Raghunath Rao, the eldest member of the Peshwa family, was made the guardian of the younger Peshwa. After the death of Madhav Rao I the importance of the post of Peshwa diminished.

Administration of Peshwas

The Peshwa's secretariat located in Poona was called 'Hujur Office'. During the Peshwa period, feudatories ruled their jagirs independently.
He divided the village into smaller units whose head was called 'Patil' and Kulkarni helped him in the maintenance of village documents. The 'Potar' used to inspect the cash/cash.
Under the Balute system, farmers had to pay in the form of goods, but most of the time they had to pay for agricultural products every year after harvest.
For the prevention of corruption, he appointed Deshmukh, Deshpande and Drakhdars.

Peshwa Under Maratha - General Knowledge of Modern India