27 Facts About Balaji Bajirao

1.

Balaji Bajirao was an astute strategist, a shrewd diplomat and an accomplished statesman.

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2.

Balaji Bajirao greatly improved the condition of peasants and brought remarkable changes in the state of agriculture.

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3.

Balaji Bajirao's mission was to help Pratap Singh of Thanjavur, a royal of the Bhonsle clan, against Dost Ali Khan.

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4.

Balaji Bajirao returned to Satara, and unsuccessfully lodged a protest against Balaji Rao's appointment as the Peshwa.

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5.

Balaji Bajirao presented the child as her grandson, and thus, a direct descendant of Shivaji.

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6.

Balaji Bajirao claimed that he was an impostor, and that she had falsely presented him as her grandson.

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7.

Balaji Bajirao's husband had been killed by the Mughals, and her eldest son had been killed by Balaji Rao's father for a rebellion against Chhatrapati Shahu.

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8.

However, after Shahu's death Peshwa Balaji Bajirao Rao faced an empty treasury and pressurized the Dabhades to share Gujarat revenues as per the agreement.

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9.

Meanwhile, on hearing about the rebellion, Balaji Bajirao Rao left the Mughal frontier, and quickly advanced towards Satara, covering 400 miles in 13 days.

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10.

Balaji Bajirao then joined Trimbakrao, who had been keeping a watch on Gaekwad's army.

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11.

Balaji Bajirao Rao demanded from him half of Gujarat's territories in addition to a war indemnity of 2,500,000.

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12.

Tarabai refused, and Balaji Bajirao Rao left for Pune, since a siege of the well-provisioned and strong Satara fort would not be easy.

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13.

Balaji Bajirao met Balaji Rao in Pune, and accepted the superiority of the Peshwa's office.

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14.

Balaji Bajirao agreed to dismiss her lieutenant Baburao Jadhav, whom the Peshwa disliked.

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15.

Balaji Bajirao then sent a military expedition to Gujarat, under his brother Raghunath Rao.

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16.

Meanwhile, Balaji Bajirao Rao received a setback when his general Shankarji Keshav Phadke was defeated at the siege of Parner.

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17.

In return, he was made the Maratha chief of Gujarat, and Balaji Bajirao Rao offered him assistance in expelling the Mughals from Gujarat.

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18.

Balaji Bajirao was asked to maintain a cavalry of 20,000 horses in service of the Peshwa.

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19.

In 1751, Balaji Bajirao Rao had invaded the territories of Nizam of Hyderabad Salabat Jung, who was supported by the French Governor-General of Pondicherry Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau.

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20.

Balaji Bajirao sought support of the English to counter the French, but the English refused to get involved in the conflict.

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21.

Balaji Bajirao participated in battles against the Marathas, until Safdarjung intervened and convinced the Marathas to leave with an apology and some compensation.

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22.

Balaji Bajirao was succeeded by his son Bijay Singh, who sought help against the Marathas from the Mughals, the Rohillas and Madho Singh.

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23.

Balaji Bajirao agreed to keep a force of 500 soldiers at the emperor's court, in addition to providing a force of 4,000 soldiers on a need basis.

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24.

Balaji Bajirao Rao dispatched Scindia and Holkar chiefs to prevent Nasir Jung from reaching Delhi, and thus, saved Safdarjung.

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25.

Meanwhile, the Marathas had reduced the Mughal emperor to a figurehead, and Balaji Bajirao Rao talked of placing his son Vishwasrao on the Mughal throne.

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26.

Balaji Bajirao gained allies in the Rohilla noble Najib-ud-Daula and the Nawab of Oudh Shuja-ud-Daula.

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27.

Balaji Bajirao Rao responded to the Durrani invasion by dispatching a large force commanded by Sadashiv Rao Bhau.

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