Damaji Gaikwad's Rebellion & Peshwa's Power Consolidation (1750)

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

The Rebellion: Damaji's Internal War

The Trigger:

• Tara Rani called Damaji Gaikwad from Gujarat
• Damaji was deputed there as commander
• She said: Attack Pune (implied: for me as sovereign)
• Damaji believed Tara Rani was rightful sovereign

Damaji's Force:

• Commander in chief of Maratha forces in Gujarat
• Had entire Gujarat territory under control
• Brought army toward Pune
• Defeated one Peshwa contingent in Khandesh (east of Pune)

Why He Thought He Was Right:

• Followed orders of Tara Rani (believed sovereign)
• Didn't realize power had shifted to Peshwa
• Thought he was serving legitimate royal authority
• Made catastrophic strategic mistake

The Problem: Fratricidal War

The Nature:

• Not civil war with external enemy
• Maratha vs. Maratha
• Damaji Gaikwad = Maratha commander
• Peshwa = Maratha administrator
• Both same faction, now fighting each other

The Cost:

• Weakened unified Maratha force
• Divided military resources
• Took attention away from external threats
• Exactly wrong time for internal fighting

Nana Sahib's Response: The Counterattack

The Situation:

• Nana Sahib in Karnataka fighting Nizam
• Heard about Damaji's rebellion
• Had to abandon Karnataka campaign
• Had to return north to handle internal crisis

The Negotiations:

• Was dealing with Nizam succession issue
• Paid 17 lakh rupees to settle Nizam problem quickly
• Essentially bought his way out of south
• Freed up forces to go north

The Return:

• Crossed 400 kilometers back to Pune/Satara
• Marched north with forces
• Defeated Damaji's army near Venna River
• Two Peshwa commanders (Purandare, Pethi) helped defend

The Military Victory

The Confrontation:

• Damaji wanted to go toward Satara from Pune
• Met Peshwa commanders who obstructed him
• Battle at Venna River
• Damaji defeated

The Political Opportunity:

• Damaji was major commander (important figure)
• Nana Sahib didn't kill him outright
• Instead: Invited him for negotiations
• Used diplomacy, not just military victory

The Political Genius: The Negotiation

Damaji's Position:

• Realized he'd backed wrong side
• Realized Peshwa was actually in control
• But still had leverage (was commander in chief)
• Had family network, regional support

Nana Sahib's Offer:

• Negotiations instead of execution
• Message: "You made mistake, but you're Maratha"
• Offered: Reinstatement with conditions
• Offered: Half of Gujarat territory (instead of full)
• Demanded: Acknowledgment of Peshwa authority

The Arrest & Release:

• When Damaji didn't comply initially, arrested him
• Held him at Lohogat Fort
• Kept his relatives arrested too
• Leverage: "Agree to my terms = release everyone"

The Final Deal:

• Damaji agreed to Peshwa being "rightful minister/wazir"
• Acknowledged Peshwa superiority
• In exchange: Released, given half of Gujarat
• Previously he had full Gujarat
• Lost half but kept enough to maintain status

The Difference: Damaji vs. Yashwantrao Dabhade

Damaji Gaikwad:

• Commander under Dabhade
• Admitted mistake, agreed to terms
• Got: Half of Gujarat back, reinstatement
• Accepted subordination to Peshwa

Yashwantrao Dabhade:

• Commander in Chief (superior position)
• Orchestrated the rebellion
• Didn't admit mistake
• Demanded continued autonomy

Nana Sahib's Response:

• Dabhade: Punished severely, lost everything
• Higher position = higher responsibility
• Shouldn't have followed Tara Rani's narrative
• No mercy for Senapati (army chief)

The Message:

• Junior commanders who admit mistakes = forgiven
• Senior commanders who rebel = destroyed
• Clear hierarchy being established
• No tolerance for insubordination from top

The Crucial Problem: Lack of Legitimacy

Nana Sahib's Weakness:

• Had all the power
• But not sovereign legitimacy
• Wasn't the "king"
• Peshwa was still nominally subordinate

Damaji & Dabhade's Belief:

• Still thought Tara Rani was sovereign
• Believed she had legitimacy
• Didn't realize power had shifted
• Followed "sovereign's" orders (wrong)

The Result:

• Nana Sahib could enforce his will
• But couldn't claim divine/traditional authority
• Had to use force, not just legitimacy
• Had to destroy anyone who defied him

The Transition: Eighth Ministers to Peshwa Supremacy

The Historical Context:

• Ashta Pradhan Mantar = Eight Ministers Council (Shivaji's system)
• All eight ministers equal, reported to sovereign
• Peshwa was just one of eight
• Sovereign (king) was the center

What Changed:

• After Shahu: No sovereign with authority
• Peshwa became center of gravity
• New commanders appointed by Peshwa
• Reported to Peshwa, not to sovereign
• All officials answered to Peshwa directly

The Power Shift:

• Eight Ministers Council became nameplate only
• Nobody cared about it anymore
• Power rested entirely with Peshwa
• Peshwa had his own officials reporting to him
• System inverted: Peshwa at center, not sovereign

The Gradual Process:

• Started when Shahu died (1749)
• Accelerated during Damaji crisis
• Fully consolidated when Damaji capitulated
• By end of this period: Peshwa = absolute authority
• Satara = irrelevant

Key Players

Timeline

Critical Insights

1. The Legitimacy Problem

Nana Sahib had power but no legitimacy. Could enforce will through force but couldn't claim rightful authority. Dangerous position: Can't defend rule philosophically.

2. The Hierarchy Clear

Damaji (junior) forgiven when he admitted mistake. Dabhade (senior) destroyed for same mistake. Clear message: Accept hierarchy or be eliminated.

3. The System Inversion

Eight Ministers = equal council under sovereign. Now: All officials under Peshwa. Peshwa = center, not Satara. Complete power structure reversed.

4. The Timing Problem

Spent weeks/months fighting internal rebellion while Abdali building Afghanistan. Couldn't afford this distraction at this critical moment.

5. The Sovereignty Question

Even after consolidating power, Peshwa never claimed sovereignty. Maintained legal fiction that Satara was still relevant. But everyone knew truth: Peshwa = absolute power.

Key Quotes

"Damaji didn't realize power had shifted to Peshwa. He followed the sovereign's orders—wrong sovereign."

"He was higher up in responsible position—shouldn't have behaved this way. You're done with."

"For namesake, the Eighth Prime Ministerial Council remained absent"

"Power rested with Peshwa and he had his own officials reporting directly to him"

"Satara will have zero importance. Nobody will give importance to any so-called sovereign."

The Larger Implications

What This Consolidation Meant:

• Peshwa = de facto absolute ruler
• Satara = ceremonial figuration
• All commanders answered to Pune, not Satara
• No more sovereign veto on Peshwa decisions
• Administrative efficiency increased, but legitimacy lost

The Problem at Panipat:

• Peshwa had power but no legitimacy foundation
• Soldiers fought for Maratha cause, not for Peshwa personally
• When defeat came, no rallying around sovereign or religion
• Just defeat of administrative entity

Where We Left Off: Nana Sahib has consolidated Peshwa power. Damaji learned the cost of backing wrong side but kept half his territory (mercy). Dabhade lost everything (severity). Ashta Pradhan Mantar system is dead—Peshwa is supreme. Satara is officially irrelevant. The empire is unified under Peshwa rule. But it's unified through force, not legitimacy. And Abdali is ready. The collision is approaching.

Damaji made a choice: he followed the queen, not realizing the king was already dead and his successor was the Peshwa. He lost half his territory for that mistake. Dabhade made the same choice from a higher position—he lost everything. The message was clear: Peshwa is in charge now, and everyone better understand it. The Eighth Ministers were obsolete. The sovereign was irrelevant. Pune ruled, not Satara. And just when everyone finally accepted that unified structure? Abdali was coming. The timing couldn't have been worse.