Bajirao I: Marwa Expansion & The Delhi Demonstration (1736-1737)

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

The Mastani Story: The Woman Who Changed Everything

Who She Was:

• Court dancer sent by Chhatrasal (Bundelkhand king) as tribute/wife to Bajirao
• Muslim background; Hindus very conservative about conversion
• Married Bajirao despite opposition

The Problem:

• Conservative Pune society refused to accept her
• Son Samshir Bahadur (born to Mastani) not recognized as heir or legitimate
• Despite being Hindu-eligible, Hindus wouldn't let him convert to gain acceptance
• Had to remain Muslim = no rights to Peshwa line

The Unintended Consequence:

• Mastani's presence established the precedent: wives now insisted on following armies to battle
• Created "deadweight" that slowed military operations
• Would become major factor in Panipat disaster (25+ years later)

Marwa Campaign: 1736

The Achievement:

• Bajirao defeated Sawai Jai Singh (Jaipur king) + combined Mughal forces
• Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah awarded Marwa subhedari (military governorship) to Marathas
• First time Marathas ruled outside Deccan
• Now collecting Chautai from Bundi & Kota (Rajasthan territories)

Why It Mattered:

• Expansion north of Narmada = beyond traditional Maratha lands
• Marathas entering Rajasthan politics directly

The Rajasthan Problem: Unintended Enemy-Making

The Good Old Days (Shivaji Era):

• Marathas & Rajputs were natural allies (both Hindu)
• Rajputs respected Shivaji
• Friendly, cooperative relationship

What Changed (Bajirao Era):

• Marathas now collecting taxes, enforcing authority
• Manipulating Rajput succession wars by taking sides
• When Rajput king dies with multiple sons, Shinde supports one son, Holkar supports another
• Marathas became kingmakers, not protectors

The Rajput Reaction:

• Lost trust in Marathas
• Saw them as usurpers exploiting internal disputes
• Felt powerless to resist (Marathas too strong)
• Deep resentment & bitterness grew
• Natural allies became rivals

The Irony:

"Marathas were so powerful that Rajputs had no alternative. But we don't want you here."

Delhi Gets Jealous: March 1737

The Setup:

• Bajirao in Agra (deep in Mughal territory)
• Three major Mughal commanders attacked him:
  1. Subedar of Ayodhya
  2. Mir Bakshi (army chief)
  3. Nawazir

The Battle:

• Bajirao's commanders: Malhar Rao Holkar, Pilaji Radhaurao, Baji Bhurau
• Holkar's contingent was routed (but not Bajirao's main force)
• Holkar retreated to Gwalior to regroup with Bajirao

The False Victory:

• Sadat Khan (one of the Mughal commanders) claimed he defeated Bajirao
• Actually only defeated Holkar's subsidiary force
• Emperor believed him & gave massive rewards
• Courtiers jealous: "Finally someone beat Bajirao!"

Bajirao's Response: The Psychological Strike

The Plan:

• Show the Emperor Bajirao is undefeated
• Prove Sadat Khan's victory was fake
• Demonstrate supreme confidence

The Distance Problem:

• Gwalior to Delhi = 10 days journey
• Bajirao covered it in 2 days & 2 nights (cavalry, day-night march)
• Ate bread on horseback while moving

The Geographic Miracle:

• Gap between Mir Bakshi's army and Sadat Khan's army
• Bajirao split them down the middle
• Appeared 10 miles from Red Fort (March 28, 1737)

The Location: Kalka Devi Temple

• Ram Navami festival happening (Rama's birthday)
• Bajirao's forces created havoc at the temple/fair
• Caught elephants, camels, looted shops, caused chaos
• Goal: Make sure news reaches the Emperor immediately

Delhi's Shock & Fear

The Reality Check:

• Emperor thought Bajirao was defeated
• Thought he was 10 days away
• Suddenly: he's 10 miles away at Red Fort entrance
• Their armies still 100+ miles south

The Verification:

• Courtiers couldn't believe reports
• Sent spies disguised as beggars to confirm
• Spies captured Maratha provisions (bread & vegetables in bags)
• Spy report: "When daybreak comes, Marathas will attack Red Fort"

The Terror:

• Entire court started shaking with fear
• Realized they had no home defense
• Main armies celebrating false victory down south
• Bajirao could attack anytime

The Calculation: Why He Didn't Attack

The Reason:

• Direct attack on Red Fort = full war with Mughal Empire
• Bajirao's goal: psychological humiliation, not conquest
• Show the Emperor he's vulnerable & unbeaten
• Make the point: "You're vulnerable. Don't underestimate me."

Captain Gordon's Assessment (1741)

Who: British officer observing from the sidelines

Observations:

• Pune: Well-built, fertile, prosperous city
• Manufacturing: 13-inch cannons being produced
• Textile industry thriving
• Farmers get tax concessions = good morale
• 40,000 standing army under Bajirao's command

Military Discipline:

• Soldiers have absolute trust in Bajirao
• Don't even know campaign destinations before departure
• Perfect loyalty without information
• Ability to mobilize large forces quickly

British Takeaway: Bajirao is a force to be reckoned with

The Internal Problem: Shinde vs. Holkar

Two Major Commanders in North:

• Ranoji Shinde
• Malhar Rao Holkar
• Posted permanently in northern territories
• Rarely returned to Pune (only once every 1-2 years)

The Conflict:

• Economic: Both getting Chautai (1/4 taxes) from different Rajasthan areas
• Personal: Ego & animosity
• If one wins territory = other loses revenue
• Shinde supported some Rajput succession candidates; Holkar supported others

Why It Mattered:

• Bajirao was too mobile to manage day-to-day relations
• Conflicts escalated toward end of Bajirao's life
• Died in 1740 before resolving it
• Their interests were "exactly opposite" = unmeditable

The Sangharaja Problem: Decentralization

What Emerged:

• Empire became Sangharaja (federation of warlords)
• Local commanders had autonomy over their territories
• Made day-to-day decisions without Peshwa approval
• As long as they hit overall goals & sent revenue up

Why Different from Shivaji:

• Shivaji: Centralized, personal leadership
• Bajirao: Distributed, geography-forced decentralization
• Commanders thinking of personal wealth, not empire welfare
• Rajput vassal kings increasingly unhappy

The Structural Problem:

• Peshwa couldn't monitor everything (news took 1 month to arrive)
• Delegated power = less control
• Local commanders exploiting Rajput divisions
• Rajputs resented Maratha interference in succession
• Bad blood forming between natural allies

The Downside of Success

What Was Building:

1. Mastani Precedent: Wives now demanding to accompany armies (logistical nightmare later)
2. Rajasthan Alienation: Former allies becoming hostile
3. Commander Feudalism: Shinde & Holkar becoming quasi-independent rulers
4. Decentralization: No unified strategy, just local profit-seeking
5. Overreach: Marathas now enemies of everyone (Rajputs, Mughals increasingly hostile)

Key Players

Timeline

Critical Themes

1. The Double-Edged Victory

Success in Marwa meant expansion, but also entering Rajasthan politics. Took natural allies and turned them into rivals through manipulation and overreach.

2. The Mastani Foreshadowing

Her story established the pattern of wives following armies. Seemed romantic then; becomes a millstone 25 years later at Panipat.

3. Psychology Over Force

Demonstration at Delhi wasn't about conquest—it was about making a psychological point. Shows Bajirao understood warfare as much psychological as military.

4. The Delegation Trap

Autonomy to commanders worked when Bajirao was there. But with geographical distance and his early death, delegation became fragmentation.

5. The Decay of Governance

Shivaji prioritized governance + conquest. Bajirao prioritized conquest. By now, local welfare was secondary to commander profit-seeking.

Key Quotes

"So the women and families, they started insisting that they go with them" — Mastani effect on military operations

"Marathas are here to exploit our differences and swallow our kingdom" — Rajput sentiment

"Whatever truth the Emperor has understood we have to make sure that it is turned into a lie" — Bajirao to Chimaji before Delhi demonstration

"A gap of several miles between the armies, and he went through that" — The Delhi split maneuver

Where We Left Off: Bajirao's empire is at its height—vast, powerful, feared by Mughals, envied by Delhi courtiers. But cracks are forming. Rajput alienation is building. Commander egos are clashing. The centralized control is fragmenting. And Bajirao is dying. In just 3 years, he'll be gone. What emerges won't be the unified empire he built, but a federation of ambitious warlords. The seeds of Panipat are being planted right now.

Bajirao seemed invincible in 1737. Covered impossible distances, appeared at Delhi gates, frightened the Emperor. But success was deceiving. Mastani's presence seemed personal; it actually changed military logistics forever. Marwa expansion seemed brilliant; it actually made enemies of the Rajputs. Decentralization seemed efficient; it actually fragmented the empire. And his two northern commanders, Shinde and Holkar, who were supposed to be lieutenants? They were becoming independent rulers with conflicting interests. Bajirao could manage it because he was everywhere, doing everything. But he was dying. And when he died, nobody else could hold it all together.