THE PESHWAS..

Balaji Vishwanath  Balaji Vishwanath assisted a young

Maratha Emperor Shahu to consolidate his grip on a kingdom that had been racked by civil war and persistent attack by the Mughals under Aurangzeb. He was called "the second founder of the Maratha State."

Early life of Balaji Vishwanath

Balaji Vishwanath (Bhat) was born into a konkani chitpavan Brahmin family[2][3][4]

.The family hailed from the coastalKonkan region of present-day Maharashtra and were the hereditary Deshmukh for Shrivardhan under the Siddi of Janjira.[5] He was named "Balaji," which is a form of the given name Ballal

Bajirao I Bajirao I (18 August 1700 – 28 April 1740) was a

general of the Maratha Empire in India. He served as Peshwa (Prime Minister) to the fourth Maratha Chhatrapati (king) Shahu from 1720 until Bajirao's death. He is also known by the names Bajirao Ballal and Thorale (Marathi for Elder) Bajirao.[3]

Bajirao is credited with expanding the Maratha Empire, especially in the north, which contributed to its reaching a zenith during his son's reign twenty years after his death. Bajirao is generally regarded as the most influential of the nine Peshwas from the Bhat family.

Early life of Bajirao I Bajirao was born into the Bhat family of Chitpavan 

Brahmin lineage.[5] His father Balaji Vishwanath was the first Peshwaof Chhatrapati Shahu; his mother was Radhabai. Bajirao had a younger brother Chimaji Appa.[6]

Bajirao would often accompany his father on military campaigns. He was with his father when the latter was imprisoned by Damaji Thorat before being released for a ransom.[6] When Vishwanath died in 1720, Shahu appointed the 20-year old Bajirao as the Peshwa.[7] He is said to have preached the ideal of Hindu Pad Padshahi (Hindu Empire),[8] but there are doubts over his or his successors' sincerity on this matter

Death of Bajirao I Bajirao died on 28 April 1740, at the age of 39

of a sudden fever, possibly heat stroke, while inspecting his jagirs. At that time, he was en route to Delhi with 100,000 troops under his command at his camp in the district of Khargon, near the city ofIndore. He was cremated on 28 April 1740, at Raverkhedi on the river Narmada. The Scindias built a chhatri as a memorial at this place. The memorial is enclosed by a dharmashala. The compound has two temples, dedicated to Nilkantheshwara Mahadeva (Shiva) and Rameshvara (Rama).[19]

Balaji Baji Rao (Nanasaheb) Balaji Baji Rao (8 December 1720 – 23 June

1761), also known as Nana Saheb, was a Peshwa (prime minister) of theMaratha Empire in India.[1]

During his tenure, the Chhatrapati (Maratha king) was reduced to a mere figurehead. At the same time, the Maratha empire started transforming into a confederacy, in which individual chiefs — such as the Holkars, the Scindias and theBhonsles of Nagpur — became more powerful. During Balaji Rao's tenure, the Maratha territory reached its zenith. A large part of this expansion, however, was led by the individual chiefs, whose acts of plundering alienated the masses

Early years of Balaji Baji Rao

Balaji Rao was born in the Bhat family, to Peshwa Baji Rao I, on 8 December 1720. After Baji Rao died in April 1740,Chhatrapati Shahu appointed 19-year old Balaji as the Peshwa in August 1740, despite opposition from other chiefs such as Shahu's own relative Raghoji I Bhonsle.

Death of Balaji Baji Rao The defeat at Panipat resulted in heavy

losses for the Marathas, and was a huge setback for Peshwa Balaji Rao. He received the news of the defeat Panipat on 24 January 1761 at Bhilsa, while leading a reinforcement force. Besides several important generals, he had lost his own son Vishwasrao in the Battle of Panipat. He died on 23 June 1761, and was succeeded by his younger son Madhav Rao I.

Madhavrao Ballal Madhav Rao I (or Pantpradhan

Shrimant Madhavrao (Ballal) Peshwa I aka Thorle Madhav Rao Peshwa ) (14 February 1745 – 18 November 1772) was the fourth Peshwa of the Maratha Empire. During his tenure, the Maratha empire recovered from the losses they suffered during the Panipat Campaign, a phenomenon known as the "Maratha Resurrection". He is considered one of the greatest Peshwas in Maratha history.

Madhavrao meets British On 3 December 1767, the British officer

Mastin arrived in Pune. The colonial rulers wanted to set up their armies in the regions of Vasai and Sashthi, but Madhavrao had anticipated their intentions. Mastin’s repeated requests to acquire these regions in return for conquering Hyder Ali fell on deaf ears, the Peshwa never agreed to them.

Death of Madhavrao 18 November 1772, early morning

approximately at eight: Madhavrao died at the temple premises of Chintamani, Theur. Thousands of citizens visited the site and paid their last respects. His wife Ramabai performed sati during his cremation later that day. Madhavrao was cremated on the banks of the river which was about half a mile from the temple. A small memorial carved out of stone rests today at that place as a memorial.

Madharao Ballal

Narayan Rao Narayan Rao (10 August 1755 – 30

August 1773) was the fifth Peshwa or ruler of the Maratha Empire from November 1772 until his murder in August 1773. He married Gangabai Sathe who later gave birth to Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa.

Early life of Narayan Rao Narayanrao was the third son of Peshwa 

Balaji Bajirao (or Nanasaheb) and Gopikabai. Narayanrao was born on 11 August 1755. His elder brother Vishwasrao had died in the Third Battle of Panipat and the second brother Madhavraosucceeded Balaji Bajirao, their father after the latter's death. Narayanrao was made Diwan of Peshwa from 1770.

Murder of Narayan Rao During the Ganesh Festival of 1773 (the actual date

was 30 August 1773, the last day of Ganesh Festival i.e. Anant Chaturdashi), several Gardi guards, led by their captain, Sumer Singh Gardi, entered the palace and started creating a commotion. They then charged towards the sleeping Peshwa's chambers, killing a clerk on the way. They intended to release Raghunathrao. Raghunathrao and his wife Anandibai, who were opposed to Narayanrao, had promised the Gardis that they would mediate in their dispute with Narayanrao. The Gardis followed Narayanrao to his uncle's chamber and a menial pulled him while Sumer Singh Gardi cut him down. His corpse was cremated secretly by the river at midnight.

Narayan Rao

Raghunath Rao Shreemant Raghunathrao Ballal

Peshwa (aka Ragho Ballal or Ragho Bharari[1])(b. 18 Aug.1734 – d. 11 Dec.1783) was Peshwa of the Maratha Empire from 1773 to 1774.

Early life of Ragunath Rao Raghunathrao, also known as "Raghoba",

"Raghoba Dada" and "Ragho Bharari," was the younger brother ofNanasaheb Peshwa. His father was Peshwa Bajirao I & mother was Kashibai. Raghunathrao was born in Mahuli nearSatara on 8 December 1734. Much of his childhood was spent in Satara.

Death of Ragunath Rao Raghunathrao died on 11 December 1783

of unknown causes. He had two sons Baji Rao II and Chimaji Rao II; in addition, he had adopted Amrit Rao. After his death, his wife Anandi Bai and his three sons were kept in confinement by the Peshwa's minister Nana Fadnavis. 

Ragunath Rao

Madhavrao II Peshwa Madhav Rao II (b. 18 Apr. 1774 –

d. 27 Oct. 1795), (aka Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa or Madhav Rao II Narayan), was Peshwa of the Maratha Empire in India, from his infancy. He was known as Sawai Madhav Rao or Madhav Rao Narayan. He was the posthumous son of Narayanrao Peshwa, murdered in 1773 on the orders ofRaghunathrao Madhavrao was considered the legal heir, and was installed as Peshwa by the treaty of Salbai[1] in 1782.

Life of Madhavrao II Madhavrao was the son of Peshwa Narayanrao and

his wife , Gangabai. Gangabai (Nee, Sathe) was pregnant at the time of Narayanrao's murder. After Narayanrao's murder, Raghunathrao became Peshwa but was soon deposed by the courtiers and knights of the Maratha Empire. They instead installed Gangabai's new born son, Madhavrao II, as the Peshwa with the courtiers themselves, led by Nana Fadnavis, as the Regents. His time in power was dominated by the political intrigues of Nana. He was made Peshawa when he was barely 40 days. He is the youngest Peshawa ever seen in history.

Death of Madhavrao II Madhavrao committed suicide at the age

of twenty-one by jumping off from the high walls of the Shaniwar Wada inPune.

Madhavrao II

Bajirao II Baji Rao II (10 January 1775 – 28

January 1851), also Rao Pandit Pandham, was Peshwa of the Maratha Empire, and governed from 1796 to 1818. His reign was marked by confrontations with the British. He was the grandson of Bajirao I .

Early life of Bajirao II Baji Rao was the son of the former Peshwa 

Raghunathrao and Anandibai. Raghunathrao had defected to the English, causing the First Anglo-Maratha War, which ended with the Treaty of Salbai. Baji Rao was born in 1775, when both his parents were kept in imprisonment by the then Peshwa's cabinet. Till the age of 19, he along with his brothers were kept in confinement denying even basic rights of education.