There were three wars between British Vs Marathas which are also called Anglo-Maratha Wars. Between the late 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, the British and the Marathas fought three Anglo-Maratha wars (or Maratha Wars). This article will explain to you about the British vs Marathas which will be helpful in Modern Indian History preparation for the UPSC Civil service exam.

Rise of Marathas

• As the Mughal Empire fell, one of the empire's most tenacious foes, the Marathas, had an opportunity to climb to dominance.
• They ruled over a huge chunk of the land and received tributes from territories not immediately under their authority.
• By the middle of the 18th century, they were in Lahore contemplating becoming rulers of the North Indian empire and acting as kingmakers at the court of the Mughals.
• Though the Third Battle of Panipat (1761), in which they were beaten by Ahmad Shah Abdali, changed the situation, they reorganized, restored their strength, and established a position of dominance in India within a decade.
• Bajirao I (1720–40), regarded as the greatest of all Peshwas, established a confederacy of notable Maratha chiefs to govern the rapidly rising Maratha authority and, to some degree, pacify the Kshatriya element of the Marathas (Peshwas were brahmins) led by Senapati Dabodi.
• According to the Maratha confederacy's organization, each notable family under a chief was allotted a zone of influence that he was meant to conquer and control in the name of the then Maratha king, Shahu.
• The confederacy operated well under Bajirao I through Madhavrao I, but the Third Battle of Panipat (1761) changed everything.
• The defeat at Panipat, followed by the death of the young Peshwa, Madhavrao I, in 1772, reduced the Peshwas' hold over the confederacy.
• Though the leaders of the confederacy banded together on occasion, such as against the British (1775–82), they frequently quarreled among themselves.

Peshwa Bajirao I (1720–40)

• The 7th Peshwa, Shrimant Peshwa Baji Rao I, popularly known as Bajirao Ballal, enlarged the Maratha Empire to cover much of modern-day India.
• Balaji Vishwanath and his wife Radhabhai Barve gave birth to Baji Rao on August 18, 1700.
• Instead of Deccan, Baji Rao I directed the Maratha's attention to the north.
• He is credited as being the first Indian to detect the Mughals' fragility and fading empire. He was well aware of the Mughal rulers' weaknesses in Delhi.
• The well-known phrase "Attock to Cuttack" alludes to the Maratha Kingdom as visualized by Baji Rao-I, who wished to plant the Saffron Flag atop the walls of Attock.
• Baji Rao-I fought 41 wars and never lost a single one of them.
• This capable Maratha Prime Minister was able to form a confederacy of Marathas who had dispersed following Shivaji's death.
• The confederacy includes the Scindias which were led by Ranoji Shinde of Gwalior, the Holkars by Malharrao of Indore, the Gaekwads by Pilaji of Baroda, and the Pawars by Udaiji of Dhar.
• After Maharaja Chhattrasal's death, he was able to get one-third of Bundelkhand.
• He had a half-Muslim girlfriend from Bundelkhand named Mastani, who was never welcomed into Maratha culture.
• Baji Rao, I relocated the Marathas' administrative headquarters from Satara to Pune.
• Baji Rao-I died of an illness in 1740 and was succeeded by his son Balaji Baji Rao.

British vs Marathas

• Between the last quarter of the 18th century and the first quarter of the 19th century, the Marathas and the English clashed three times for political supremacy, with the English ultimately triumphing.
• The cause of these clashes was the English's excessive desire, as well as the split house of the Marathas, which encouraged the English to expect success in their attempt.
• The English in Bombay intended to build a government along the lines of Clive's organization in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.
• When the Marathas were split over succession, it was a long-awaited chance for the English.

Reasons for the Battles

• The three battles fought in India between the British East India Company and the Maratha confederacy or the Maratha Empire, are known as the Great Maratha Wars or the Anglo-Maratha Wars.
• The wars began in 1777 and ended in 1818 with the British triumph and the annihilation of the Maratha Empire in India.
• When the Marathas were defeated at the battle of Panipat, the third Peshwa, Balaji Baji Rao, died on June 23, 1761.
• His son Madhav Rao succeeded him after his death.
• He was a capable and competent commander who maintained unity among his nobles and chiefs and was quickly successful in restoring the Marathas' lost authority and dignity.
• The British became increasingly wary of the Marathas as their power grew, and they sought to undermine their re-establishment.
• When Madhav Rao died in 1772, the British were free to attack the Marathas.

First Anglo-Maratha War (1775–82)

• The main cause of the first Maratha war was the British's growing meddling in the Marathas' internal and foreign affairs, as well as the power struggle between Madhav Rao and Raghunath Rao.
• After Peshwa Madhav Rao died, his younger brother, Narain Rao, took over as Peshwa, but it was his uncle, Raghunath Rao, who wished to be Peshwa.
• So he enlisted the assistance of the English to assassinate him and make him Peshwa in exchange for Salsette and Bessien, as well as earnings from Surat and Bharuch regions.
• The British promised Raghunath Rao assistance and furnished him with 2,500 men.
• The English and Raghunath Rao's united army invaded and defeated the Peshwa.
• The Pact of Surat was signed on March 6, 1775, but it was not authorised by the British Calcutta Council, and the treaty was cancelled at Pune by Colonel Upton, who abandoned Raghunath's sovereignty and guaranteed him merely a pension.
• The Bombay government denied this, and Raghunath was granted asylum.
• In violation of the pact with the Calcutta Council, Nana Phadnis granted the French a port on the west coast in 1777.
• As a consequence, the British and Maratha troops clashed on the outskirts of Pune at Wadgaon.

Result of First Anglo-Maratha War

• Salsette and Bessien were held by the East India Company.
• It also got a promise from the Marathas that they would regain their Deccan lands from Hyder Ali of Mysore.
• The Marathas also vowed that they would not cede the French any further provinces.
• Raghunathrao was to get an Rs.3 lakh pension each year.
• After the Treaty of Purandar, the British relinquished all lands captured by them to the Marathas.
• The English recognised Madhavrao II (Narayanrao's son) as the Peshwa.

Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–05)

• The Second Anglo-Maratha War was fought in Central India in 1803 and 1805 between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire.
• The defeat of Peshwa Baji Rao II by the Holkars, one of the key Maratha clans, was the main cause of the second Maratha war.
• As a result Peshwa Baji Rao II requested British protection by signing the Treaty of Bassein in December 1802.
• Other Maratha kings, such as the Scindia rulers of Gwalior and the Bhonsle rulers of Nagpur and Berar, would not accept this and sought to battle the British.
• As a result, the second Anglo-Maratha war in Central India erupted in 1803.

Result of Second Anglo-Maratha War

• The British defeated all of the Maratha army in these conflicts.
• In 1803 the Scindias signed the Treaty of Surji-Anjangaon, which granted the British the lands of Rohtak, Ganga-Yamuna Doab, Gurgaon, Delhi Agra area, Broach, various districts in Gujarat, sections of Bundelkhand, and the Ahmednagar fort.
• In 1803 the Bhonsles signed the Treaty of Deogaon, by which the English obtained Cuttack, Balasore, and the region west of the Wardha River.
• The Holkars signed the Treaty of Rajghat in 1805, giving away Tonk, Bundi, and Rampura to the British.
• As a result of the conflict, the British gained control over significant swaths of central India.

Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–19)

• The two primary causes of the third and last struggle between the British and the Marathas were the Marathas' rising desire to reclaim their lost territory and the British's overbearing control over Maratha nobles and chiefs.
• Another reason for the conflict was the British fight with the Pindaris, whom the British believed was being protected by the Marathas.
• The fight took place in Maharashtra and surrounding territories during 1817 and 1818.
• When the Peshwa invaded the British Residency in November 1817, the Maratha leaders were defeated in areas including Ashti, Nagpur, and Mahidpur.
• The Treaty of Gwalior was signed on November 5, 1817, and Sindia was reduced to the status of a bystander in the conflict.
• The Treaty of Mandsaur was signed on January 6, 1818, between Malhar Rao Holkar and the British, which resulted in the dethronement of the Peshwa and the pensioning of the Peshwa.
• More of his holdings were taken by the British, and the British consolidated their dominance in India.

Result of Third Anglo-Maratha War

• Sindia and the British signed the Treaty of Gwalior in 1817, despite the fact that he had not been part of the war.
• Sindia surrendered Rajasthan to the British under the terms of this treaty.
• After accepting British control, the Rajas of Rajputana maintained the Princely States until 1947.
• In 1818, the British and the Holkar rulers signed the Treaty of Mandsaur. Under British tutelage, an infant was placed on the throne.
• In 1818, the Peshwa surrendered.
• He was deposed and retired to a modest estate in Bithur (near Kanpur). The majority of his area was absorbed into the Bombay Presidency.
• Nana Saheb, his adopted son, was a leader of the Kanpur Revolt of 1857.
• The lands seized from the Pindaris became British India's Central Provinces.
• The Maratha Empire was destroyed as a result of this conflict. The British captured all of the Maratha kingdoms.
• At Satara, an unknown descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji was installed as the ceremonial ruler of the Maratha Confederacy.

Why did the marathas lose?

• This was one of the last great wars that the British fought and won.
• With this, the British gained direct or indirect control of most of India, with the exception of Punjab and Sindh.

Incompetent Leadership

• The Maratha state had a dictatorial aspect to it. The personality and character of the state's leader had a significant impact on the state's affairs.
• Bajirao II, Daulatrao Scindia, and Jaswantrao Holkar, however, were later Maratha leaders who were worthless and egotistical.
• They couldn't stand a chance against English officials like Elphinstone, John Malcolm, and Arthur Wellesley (who eventually led the English to victory against Napoleon).

Defective Nature of Maratha State

• The Maratha state's people's cohesiveness was not organic, but manufactured and accidental, and so insecure.
• From the time of Shivaji, there was no attempt to organise a well-thought-out community betterment, dissemination of knowledge, or unification of the people.
• The religio-national movement fueled the emergence of the Maratha state.
• When the Maratha state was pitted against a European force organised on the finest Western model, this flaw became apparent.

Loose Political Structure

• The Maratha empire was a loose confederation led by the Chhatrapati and subsequently by the Peshwa.
• Powerful chiefs like the Gaikwad, Holkar, Scindia, and Bhonsle carved established semi-independent kingdoms for themselves while paying lip respect to the Peshwa's authority.
• Furthermore, there was implacable antagonism among the confederacy's various components.
• The Maratha chief frequently supported one side or the other.
• The lack of cooperation among Maratha leaders was damaging to the Maratha kingdom.

Inferior Military System

• Despite their strength and gallantry, the Marathas lagged behind the English in terms of troop organisation, war weaponry, disciplined action, and efficient leadership.
• The centrifugal tendencies of divided leadership were responsible for many of the Maratha setbacks.
• Treason among the ranks had a role in weakening the Maratha army.
• The Marathas' use of contemporary military methods proved insufficient.
• The Marathas overlooked the critical necessity of artillery. The Poona administration established an artillery department, but it was ineffective.

Unstable Economic Policy

• The Maratha leadership was unable to develop a solid economic policy to meet the shifting demands of the period.
• There were no industries or opportunities for overseas trade.
• As a result, the Maratha economy was not favourable to a stable political setup.

English Diplomacy and Espionage

• The English were superior at winning friends and isolating the adversary through diplomacy.
• The English's work was made easier by the Maratha leaders' dissension.
• Due to their diplomatic dominance, the English were able to launch an immediate onslaught against the objective.
• In contrast to the Marathas' ignorance and lack of information about their adversary, the English maintained a well-oiled espionage network to obtain information about their adversaries' potentialities, strengths, weaknesses, and military tactics.

Progressive English Outlook

• The powers of the Renaissance resurrected the English, freeing them from the clutches of the Church.
• They devoted their efforts to scientific discoveries, long ocean journeys, and colonial conquest.
• Indians, on the other hand, were still mired in medievalism, which was characterised by archaic dogmas and beliefs.
• The Maratha leaders were unconcerned about the day-to-day running of the state.
• The insistence on maintaining existing social stratification based on the influence of the priestly elite made imperial merger impossible.

Conclusion

The first, second, and third Anglo-Maratha wars were all key events in Indian history. At the time, the British had already taken control of the Mughal Empire. The British, however, were still unable to gain control of lands in the south, which were ruled by Maratha chieftains. The British acquired large holdings and territory in India as a result of treaties with princely states, and India was undoubtedly a jewel in the crown of the British Empire. Following these conflicts, the Maratha Empire came to an end. India was totally under British rule. In reality, following the wars, India became British property, with the British mapping and defining India entirely on their terms and conditions, in the Orientalist manner.

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Discuss the causes and consequences of the Anglo-Maratha Wars in the context of British expansion in India.

Answer: The Anglo-Maratha Wars were driven primarily by the British East India Company’s ambition to expand its influence in India and consolidate its control over Indian territories. The internal divisions and weakened leadership within the Maratha Confederacy created opportunities for British intervention. The wars resulted in the gradual decline of the Maratha Empire and established British dominance over most of India. Consequences included the weakening of Indian regional powers, increased British control over administrative and political matters, and the eventual consolidation of British rule in India, laying the foundation for the British Raj.

Q2: Analyze the factors that contributed to the British victory over the Marathas.

Answer: The British victory over the Marathas can be attributed to several factors, including the Maratha Confederacy’s internal divisions and infighting, which weakened their ability to present a united front. The British employed superior military tactics, strategic alliances, and advanced weaponry, giving them a decisive advantage. Diplomatic maneuvering and treaties, such as the Treaty of Bassein, further isolated key Maratha leaders. The British East India Company’s well-organized and disciplined army, along with effective leadership, allowed them to defeat the fragmented Maratha forces and establish dominance.

Q3: What was the impact of the Third Anglo-Maratha War on Indian politics and society?

Answer: The Third Anglo-Maratha War marked the end of the Maratha Empire and the establishment of British dominance in India. With the defeat of the Marathas, the British East India Company became the supreme power, consolidating control over vast territories. This war signaled the end of significant Indian resistance to British expansion, leading to political centralization under British rule. It also led to socio-economic changes, as traditional Maratha administrative and revenue systems were replaced by British practices. The defeat of the Marathas set the stage for subsequent colonial policies and the eventual establishment of the British Raj.

Previous Year Questions on  British vs Marathas

1. UPSC CSE 2020

Question: Evaluate the significance of the Treaty of Bassein (1802) in the context of British-Maratha relations.

Answer: The Treaty of Bassein (1802) was a significant turning point in British-Maratha relations. By signing this treaty, Peshwa Baji Rao II accepted British protection, effectively becoming a client of the East India Company. This marked the beginning of direct British intervention in Maratha affairs, leading to divisions within the Maratha Confederacy and contributing to the Second Anglo-Maratha War. The treaty allowed the British to station troops in Maratha territory, weakening Maratha autonomy and paving the way for the eventual British conquest of the Maratha Empire. It exemplified British diplomacy and military strategy in consolidating power in India.

2. UPSC CSE 2019

Question: Analyze the causes of the decline of the Maratha Empire with reference to the Anglo-Maratha Wars.

Answer: The decline of the Maratha Empire was caused by a combination of internal and external factors. Internally, the Maratha Confederacy suffered from fragmented leadership, regional rivalries, and a lack of unified command, weakening their resistance against external threats. Externally, the British East India Company’s superior military tactics, strategic alliances, and diplomatic maneuvering played a key role in defeating the Marathas. The Anglo-Maratha Wars, especially the Third Anglo-Maratha War, marked the end of Maratha power and established British dominance. The Maratha Empire’s decline highlighted the challenges faced by regional powers in resisting the expansionist ambitions of the British.