Download Dear Delegates, My name is Mashal Shah, and as head chair, I

Dear Delegates,
My name is Mashal Shah, and as head chair, I would like to welcome you to
Peshwa Bajirao I’s Pradhan (Council)! I am third year at the University of California,
Davis majoring in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior. I have been a member of the
Model United Nations Club at UC Davis since my freshman year, and participated in
MUN and Parliamentary Debate in high school as well, and my favorite committees are
usually historical ones. A fun fact about me: I lived in five different countries by the time
I was eight years old, and this has inspired me to explore the world even more.
I look forward to chairing another conference on the collegiate circuit, and am
even more excited about chairing a committee on the Maratha Empire and the Indian
Subcontinent. Originally from Karachi, Pakistan, South Asian history and politics have
always interested me. I hope you enjoy your time at AggieMUN 2017 as you engage with
the Marathas, the Mughals, the Europeans, and many, many more.
Regards,
Mashal Shah
[email protected]
Dear Delegates,
My name is Stephen Zehnder, and I will be the Crisis Director for Peshwa
Bajirao’s I’s Council. I am a senior at the University of California, Davis studying
History and Economics. Model United Nations has been a part of my life since high
school, helping mold my areas of interest. This will be my third time staffing a crisis
committee, and my first in the arena of South Asia. This particular committee is exciting
for me because of the inherent potential for power politics from within the Council as
well as without.
As an intern in the California State Capitol as well as in Washington D.C., I live
for politics. Cultures may be different, but the political and economic motivations for
action are often quite similar. Although the Indian Subcontinent has not been an area of
extensive study for me in the past, I have relished the opportunity to learn more about its
history and culture. Hopefully in your preparation for this committee, you find an
appreciation Maratha and Mughal history as I have. I look forward to our time together at
AggieMUN 2017.
Regards,
Stephen Zehnder
Malhara! Malhara! Welcome to Peshwa Bajirao I’s Cabinet! The year is 1720,
and twenty year old Bajirao Ballal has just inherited the peshwa throne from his deceased
father. He is tasked with the job of expanding the Maratha empire and leaving his mark in
the Indian subcontinent. While it may seem like his only enemies are the Mughals and the
Europeans, one must not forget that there was much opposition to his appointment as
peshwa at such a young age. You as delegates must be wary not only the external forces
that are trying to sabotage Bajirao’s mission, but also of the conflicts among the Maratha
officials and within the Maratha community.
Historical Background
Before the rise of the Marathas in the Indian subcontinent, the Mughals held
power in the region since Babur won the First Battle of Panipat in 1526. However, when
Shivaji Bhonsle wanted to free the Maratha people from the rule of the sultans in Bijapur
in 1764, the seeds for the empire were sown, it posed a great threat to the Mughals, for
they had lost their stronghold over the region.
Maratha chiefs worked under of the sultans of Bijapur in the western Deccan,
which the Mughals ruled. Shivaji, however, was determined to have the Maratha nation
represented in the subcontinent. In 1647, he had seized two forts and had complete
control over the city of Pune. He further expanded his territory by occupying forts in
Purandar, Rajgad, and Torna.1
In an effort to continue his expansion, Shivaji led a Maratha army to challenge the
Adilshahi rule. While the Adilshahi general, Afzal Khan, initially managed to push the
Marathas back into the hill forts, he made the mistake of provoking Shivaji further. In an
attempt to bring Shivaji back onto the battlefield once again, General Khan instructed his
army to destroy many Hindu temples, and Shivaji returned to fight. The general had
planned to take Pune, but Shivaji knew that he would be at a disadvantage here, so moved
the battle to Pratapgad Fort. Shivaji’s army was far more used to the topography of the
area, and successfully defeated the Adilshahi army and killed the general. By doing so, he
managed to take over Pune and establish the Maratha dominance.
In the 1660s, he used guerrilla warfare and other military tactics to take down
multiple major Mughal cities, including the Port of Surat. However, in 1666 he fled from
a court meeting that the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb had invited him to, he was
imprisoned with his son, Sambhaji, but this army was allowed to return to the Deccan.
After several weeks, Shivaji and Sambhaji escaped from their Mughal jail, and in
disguise, returned to the Deccan.
Between 1666 and late 1670, many peace proposals were made between Shivaji and the
Mughals, but Shivaji broke these off by launching an attack on the Mughals in an attempt
to reclaim the territory he lost to them. During this offensive, he regained Surat and also
took the Fort of Sinhgad By 1673, Shivaji had taken much of the Western Maharashtra,
declared Raigad the capital, and in 1674 had crowned himself Chhatrapati (monarch).
“Indian History - Rise of Marathas and Sikh Kingdoms in India.” Indian History Rise of Marathas and Sikh Kingdoms in India,
www.gatewayforindia.com/history/maratha.htm.
1
This title freed him from all Mughal influence, so that he could officially establish a
homeland for the Marathas.
Starting in October 1674, the Marathas began their expansion into Southern India, taking
over land including Khandesh, Bijapuri Ponda, Karwar, and Kohlapur. By the time of
Shivaji’s death in 1680, the Marathas had taken much of South India, including Athani,
Belgaum, Vayem Rayim, Vellore, and Gingee; most of the Deccan had become part of
the Maratha kingdom.1
During March 1680, Shivaji was suffering from a fever and dysentery, and died in
early April 1680 at 52. Right after his death, his younger son, Rajaram, was initially
named as the heir to the throne on April 21, 1680 when he was made the new
Chhatrapati. However, Shivaji’s eldest son, Sambhaji, felt cheated out of his right, and
after taking the Fort of Raigad of June 18, 1680 and formally took the position of
Chhatrapati away from Rajaram on July 20, 1680.
Sambhaji continued the expansion of the Maratha empire, but unlike his father, he
condoned the use of force and violence on those living in the territories that he was
conquering. With these same tactics, he looted and burned down the city of Burhanpur,
once a Mughal stronghold.
At the beginning of 1681, the angered Mughals sent armies to impose blockades on
multiple Maratha forts, and later that year, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb set out on a
mission to the Deccan to destroy the Maratha empire in its infancy. He was able to
establish himself in Burhanpur. Within three years of violence and aggression, the
Mughal army took back Bijapur and Golconda from the Marathas.
When Sambhaji’s senapati (general) Hambir Rao Mohite was killed by the
Mughals in 1687, the Marathas lost direction, and were surrounded by Mughal forces.
Additionally, Rajaram’s mother’s clan, still angry that Sambhaji had taken the throne,
were relaying all of Sambhaji’s movements and actions to the Mughals, and by 1689,
Sambhaji was arrested with counsel and twenty-five of his officers, and taken to
Aurangzeb’s camp and tortured to death. With Sambhaji’s death, the entire Maratha
empire was transferred to Aurangzeb and the Mughals.2
However, while Aurangzeb thought he had strong control of the empire,
Sambhaji’s death had aroused a sense of Maratha patriotism that he could did not instill
in his life. Many that had envisioned the Maratha empire to be as strong as it was during
Shivaji’s time rallied together to take their territory back from the Mughals. At the
forefront of this struggle was Shivaji’s younger son, Rajaram, who was freed from prison
by the Marathas once they had learned of Sambhaji’s death, and he was made chhatrapati.
Since Rajaram had been a state prisoner from a young age, he had no knowledge
of civil or military governance. However, his character was much like his father’s,
determined and strong-willed, and he set forth to reclaim the Maratha empire. In March
1690, Maratha commanders forced their way against the Mughals, attacked the army, and
found the tent in which the Mughal Badshah Aurangzeb slept. Although Aurangzeb was
not in his tent at the time, many members of his army and security contingency were
Mehta, J. L. “Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813.” Advanced
Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813, New Dawn Press, Inc., Slough,
Berkshire, UK, 2005, pp. 45–50.
2
killed. However, during this time, Sambhaji’s wife and son, Yasu Bai and Shahu, were
captured, and Raigad had been taken from the Marathas.
Meanwhile, the Mughal army continued their attempt to reconquer land further
south, and raided Fort Panhala, however, the Maratha military leader in Panhala fought
bravely and the Mughal forces incurred a great loss. Unfortunately for the Marathas,
Aurangzeb himself made an appearance at Panhala, and they were forced to surrender.
Once Panhala and Raigad had been given up to the Mughals, many Maratha
ministers realized that Rajaram had to be moved to a new capital. Jinji, which was
conquered by Shivaji in the south, was chosen to be the new capital, and Rajaram was
secretly escorted there. Once Aurangzeb learned of Rajaram’s escape, he sent a small
army to keep an eye on Rajaram’s whereabouts, but this army was attacked by Maratha
generals Santaji Ghorpade and Dhanaji Jadhav.
In 1691, Maratha chiefs convened to develop a new strategy to keep the Mughals
out of the little territory that they still held. Santaji and Dhanaji were instructed to launch
operations in the east to keep the Mughal army divided, as they would have to move
troops from other areas towards the east, thereby weakening their forces all around. Other
generals led armies towards the northern Karnataka and southern Maharashtra, again with
the goal to further divide the Mughal forces. The Marathas were successful, particularly
in the east, and during the Battle of Athani, Santaji managed to defeat the Mughal general
Kasim Khan.
Once the Marathas had regained much of their lost territory, Aurangzeb feared for
the future of the Mughal empire. He threatened that if his generals did not take Jinji, then
he would take away their high-ranking titles. However, Rajaram managed to escape from
the tight Mughal grasp, and the Marathas pushed the Mughals out of Jinji while Rajaram
was moved to Vishalgad.
In 1698, however, the Mughals were able to successfully capture Jinji.
Additionally, the Mughal generals Santaji and Dhanaji had a falling out, which resulted
in Santaji being killed, which motivated the Mughal army even more, but his did not pose
too much of a threat for Marathas, as the Mughal army had been so demoralized earlier,
that this small victory was not enough to rally them together. Instead of listening to his
top advisors, Aurangzeb went ahead and instructed his army to continue the attack on the
Marathas, and this time, it did not work in his favor.
Rajaram prepared for this attack by instructing Dhanaji to be commander-in-chief,
and Dhanaji subsequently divided his army into three factions. One faction defeated the
Mughal army near Pandharpur, another took Pune from the Mughals, and some generals
from these two divisions jointly took Nandurbar. When Aurangzeb heard of these
Maratha victories, he laid siege to Panhala and the fort of Satara. The Marathas valiantly
fought against Aurangzeb’s army for six months, but lost the battle in April 1700. While
this was a triumph for the Mughals, Aurangzeb was forced to revise his military plans, as
he initially had intended to take back as much land as he could before the monsoon
season.
In March 1700, Rajaram died of lung disease at Sinhagad, and his wife, Tarabai, took
the throne. She continued the war against the Mughal army, and because she was trained
in the art of warfare, she was at the forefront of the resistance. For seven years, she
fought against the Mughals with little success, but Aurangzeb’s death in 1707 was a ray
of hope for the Marathas.3
To discourage the Marathas yet again, and to hopefully create a divide within the
people, the Mughals released Shahu, Sambhaji’s son, from their confinement. Shahu then
went on to question Tarabai’s authority over the Marathas, and in fact had the support of
the Mughals in doing so. In 1709, he defeated Tarabai with the help of Dhanaji and Balaji
Vishwanath, and took over Satara.
During the twenty-seven year long war with the Mughals, many Maratha noble became
very powerful. Shahu used this to his advantage, and ensured that these nobles
cooperated and had the best interests for the empire. He welcomed officers from all walks
of life and all stratas of society were represented, and this helped him consolidate his
power as every individual felt as though they were being represented.
It was chhatrapati Shahu that created the peshwa (prime minister) position in the
Maratha empire, and appointed Bahiroji Pingale as his first peshwa. However, when
Pingale was taken prisoner in 1711, Shahu immediately appointed Balaji Vishwanath and
made the post a hereditary one. Vishwanath was dubbed “the second founder of the
Maratha State” because he greatly assisted Shahu in stabilizing and securing the Maratha
territory after years of political turmoil. Once he was established as the peshwa, the
chhatrapati role became a ceremonial one, and most of the governing was carried out by
Balaji Vishwanath himself. Shahu gave him complete control of all civil administration,
and the peshwa set up his administrative offices in Pune. The peshwa also had complete
control over the military as he was also appointed the senapati (commander-in-chief) of
the Maratha armies. He called his council, comprising of military and government
officers, the Ashta Pradhan. Overall, the transition from chhatrapati rule to peshwa rule
was peaceful and free of any skirmishes, being one of its kind in the Indian subcontinent.
In 1718, Vishwanath signed the Maratha-Mughal Treaty, and this gave the Marathas
the right to establish the chauth and sardeshmukhi taxes in the six Deccan provinces,
giving them twenty-five percent of the revenue from these provinces, and a further ten
percent of the revenues. It also allowed the Marathas to collect these taxes in Gujarat and
Khandesh, and returned Karnatak to the Marathas. To uphold the Maratha side of the
agreement, the peshwa recognized the overlordship of the Mughal Empire, and
contributed 15,000 armed horsemen to the Mughal army. It was ratified in 1719, and the
Marathas finally regained control of more of Shivaji’s original empire.4
When Balaji Vishwanath died in 1720, the title was passed on to his son Bajirao on
April 17 at Masur at the tender age of twenty. When Bajirao inherited the empire, he felt
as though the Mughal empire was declining rapidly, and when he had visited Mughal
nobles with his father in the years prior to his term as peshwa, he understood the inner
workings of the Mughal administration, and knew what its strengths and weaknesses
Mehta, J. L. “Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813.” Advanced
Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813, New Dawn Press, Inc., Slough,
Berkshire, UK, 2005, pp. 51-54.
4 Mehta, J. L. “Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813.” Advanced
Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813, New Dawn Press, Inc., Slough,
Berkshire, UK, 2005, pp. 55-70.
3
were. He firmly believed that the land claimed by Shivaji was rightfully Maratha
territory, and was set on taking this land back.
Figure : Maratha Empire (blue) in 1720
List of Committee Members
Chimnaji Appa: Chimnaji was the younger brother of Bajirao Peshwa, and son of Balaji
Vishwanath Bhat. He led the Marathas in 1733 to victory over the Portuguese, taking
Belapur Fort with the aid of Sardar Shankarbuwa Shinde. In November of 1738,
Chimnaji Appa captured the fort of Dahanu, leading to the surrender of Mahim. He
would turn his sights on the Portuguese fort of Bassein. Using mines to breach the walls,
he would lead Maratha soldiers in a costly, but honored victory over Portuguese forces.
The defeated Portuguese forces were allowed safe passage from the city. It was estimated
by Portuguese sources that between 1737 and 1740, the Portuguese lost Vasai, eight more
cities, four major ports, twenty fortresses, and 340 villages, equally nearly the entire
Northern Provinces at the hands of Chimnaji Appa.
Ranoji Rao Scindia: Ranoji was a general in Bajirao’s army from 1720 to 1745. He
founded the princely state of Gwalior, which would be rule by the Scindia dynasty within
the Maratha from its founding in 1761 to 1948. As part of the 1723 conquest of Malwa,
Ranoji was one of three major generals under Peshwa Bajirao. He was awarded
substantial land and possessions through the Malwa settlement in 1731. In the same year
he made this capital at Ujjain, and would be named Subedar in 1736.
Malhar Rao Holkar: Malhar was the first Maratha Subhedar of Malwa. Additionally, he
would be given the state of Indore to rule over as reward for being one of the first officers
to aid in the spread of Maratha power to the northern states. He began his military career
as a member of Balaji Vishwanath’s campaign to Delhi in 1719, then battled the Nizam
in 1720 at the Battle of Balapur, and served the Raja of Barwani. This all occurred while
he was in service of Kadam Bande of Khandesh. He would abandon the Bande and turn
to Bajirao. He would prove to be an effective soldier and diplomat in places such as
Bhopal, Malwa, the Battle of Palkhed, and would eventually command a force of 7,000
cavalry and was seen as one of the most loyal supporters by 1732.
Maharaja Chhatrasal: Maharaja was the father of Mastani, the second wife of Bajirao.
He married Ruhaani Bai, a Persian Muslim woman. His ancestors had been vassals to the
Mughals until he led a revolt with only 5 horsemen and 25 swordsmen in Bundelkhand as
a young man in 1671. He would gradually increase his territorial reach and found the
Panna State. Before dying in 1731, he gave Mahoba and the surrounding territory to
Bajirao and his daughter as Bajirao’s bride in return for aid against the Mughals.
Chhatrapati Shahu: Chhatrapati Shahu was the fourth king of the Maratha Empire,
reigning from 1708 to 1749. A prisoner at the age of 7 by the Mughal Empire, he would
not be released until the war of succession between the sons of Mughal Emperor
Aurangzeb. Despite his release and subsequent reign in 1708, his mother was still held by
the Mughal as collateral. He would prevail over his rivals within the Maratha Empire,
specifically Tarabai and Shivaji II. Shahu is known for creating the Peshwa position in
the Empire. Following the expansion of the Maratha Empire due to conquest of the
declining Mughal Empire, Shahu’s role was as unifier of the numerous growing nobles of
the Maratha Empire. Among the Peshwas, he appointed Bahiroji Pingale, Balaji
Vishwanath, Bajirao, and later Nanasaheb. He would appoint Kanhoji Angre as the first
Maratha naval chief.
Pilaji Rao Gaekwad: Gaekwad was a general in the Maratha Empire. He is attributed
with founding the Gaekwad dynasty, and his family would rule the Baroda State within
the Maratha Empire. The family were originally the lieutenants of the Dabhade family,
rulers of Gujarat (Baroda) within the Empire. The Gaekwad followed the lead of their
superiors during the Dabhade revolts against the Maratha Peshwa, but would be granted
control over the State and the title of Marath chief following the defeat of the Dabhade.
This would not occur until after Pilaji’s assassination in 1732 by emissaries of Abhay
Singh, the Mughal governor of Gujarat.
Kanhoji Angré: Angré was an admiral under Satara in 1698. He developed skill
targeting European merchant vessels. He would be appointed as head of the Maratha
Navy by Shahu in order to gain support for his position as leader over the Maratha
Empire over the rival Tarabai. Besides attacking colonial European powers, he would
also be involved in the campaign against Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Angré would
never lose a naval battle to the European powers, but nonetheless go down as a mere
pirate in their records out of an embarrassment and frustration on their part despite his
title as head of the Maratha navy being formally recognized by its Chhatrapati.
Tarabai Bhonsle: Tarabai was the queen of Chhatrapati Rajaram Bhonsle. She claimed
her young son as heir to the throne after her husband’s death and directed loyal Maratha
forces in a resistance against the Mughal Empire and its occupation of Maratha
territories. The release of Shahu by the Mughals was intended to have a divisive effect on
the Marathas, which initially was successful. She was defeated at the Battle of Khed,
forcing her and her infant son to flee to Kolhapur. She would be deposed from her
position as Raja of Kolhapur in place of her young son, in 1714 by her deceased husband
Rajaram’s second wife Rajasabai and her son Sambhaji II. Tarabai would later come to
terms with Chhatrapati Shahu in 1730 and move to Satara powerless.
Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I: He was the commander and chief as well as viceroy of
Bijapur, Malwa, and eventually Deccan under the Mughal Emperor. He was made vizier
of the Mughal Empire in 1722, but was ordered to move by Emperor Muhammad Shah
from Deccan to Awadh out of the fear of his growing power. His refusal caused an armed
Mughal response which was defeated by his forces and aid from Bajirao. It caused a
forced acceptance by the Mughal Emperor of Nizam’s standing as viceroy of Deccan.
Nizam refusal to accept Maratha demands of tax collection, using splits within the
Maratha to legitimize his refusals. It would culminate in a battle between Nizam and
Bajirao, ending in a victory for Bajirao and the signing of the Treaty of Mungi Shevgaon.
Udaji Rao Pawar: He was a commander in the Maratha Army under Bajirao. He
assisted the Peshwa in the Malwa campaign and for his reward was given the estate of
Dhar in 1728. He and the Peshwa reach a breaking point, and his lands and title are
transferred to his brothers Tukaji Pawar and Jivaji Pawar of Dewas, who establish
themselves as rulers of the Senior and Junior branch respectively. Udaji Rao is exiled to
Multan.
Mendhaji Bhatkar: He was a Maratha naval commander. He often worked alongside
Kanhoji Angré. He would command a number of ships of his own and be labelled a pirate
by European powers for his prowess in intercepting and plundering European shipping in
the Indian Ocean. He was often joined by fellow naval commander Mainak Bhandari on
his expeditions. His predominate area of operations was the shores of western India.
Sardar Ranoji Bhoite: He was a Maratha chieftain of the Bhoite clan. The Bhoite were
particularly known as a warrior clan in India. He would lead thousands of troops in
campaigns in North India campaigns. Among the battles he was a part of were Malwa,
Dhar, Aurangabad, and Vasai. He was a loyal ally of Bajirao, who aided in resisting the
Nizams, and commanded an army of 5000 Marathas in 1728.
Sambhaji II: He was born in 1698 to Rajaram Chhatrapati and Rajasbai. He was made
Raja of Kolhapur of the Bhonsle dynasty in 1714. His rise to power was due to the
political manipulations of his mother, Rajasbai. Following Rajaram Chhatrapati’s death,
Tarabai had positioned herself and her son as Maratha leaders in Kolhapur. The Treaty of
Warana was signed in 1731 between Sambhaji II and Shahu to formally recognize the
two separate seats of Bhonsle family.
Mainak Bhandari: He was a Maratha naval commander. He often worked alongside
Kanhoji Angré. He would command a number of ships of his own and be labelled a pirate
by European powers for his prowess in intercepting and plundering European shipping in
the Indian Ocean. He was often joined by fellow naval commander Mendhaji Bhatkar on
his expeditions. His predominate area of operations was the shores of western India.
Tukaji Pawar: Tukaji was born in 1696. He established himself as a ruler in Dewas in
1732 following the fall of his brother Udajirao of Dhar. He would lead the senior branch
of the Dewas State while his brother, Jivaji Rao Puar, would lead the junior branch. In
1739 he would assist the Peshwas in the Malwa Conquest and gain fame in the Battle of
Dharawi. His reign in the Dewas would last from 1732 to 1754 with his death in a
skirmish with the Jats.