Post-Panipat Succession: Raghoba's Ambition & The Three and a Half Wise Men

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

The Three and a Half Wise Men (Peshwari Era)

The Concept:

• During Peshwa rule, there were "three and a half wise men"
• Advisory figures who guided state policy
• Nana Farnavis was one of them
• Served as prominent courtier after Panipat

Nana Farnavis's Rise:

• Arrived at Panipat at age 19 with wife and mother
• Survived the battle and escape
• Upon return to Pune, established himself as major courtier
• Became one of the key advisors in Peshwa court
• Played crucial role during turbulent succession period

The Succession Chain

Nana Sahib Peshwa:

• Defeated at Panipat
• Died within 6 months of the battle
• Had four sons:
  1. Vishwas Rao (killed at Panipat)
  2. Madhav Rao
  3. Narayan Rao
  4. [Fourth son unnamed in transcript]

Madhav Rao Becomes Peshwa:

• Next in line after Nana Sahib's death (both Bhaau/Bhau and Vishwas Rao dead)
• Great Peshwa by all accounts
• Did excellent administrative work
• Ruled ~7-8 years
• If he had lived longer, would have done greater things (consensus among historians)
• Died relatively young

Narayan Rao (Madhav Rao's Successor):

• Barely 12 years old when Madhav Rao died
• Not yet adult, too young to rule independently
• Became vulnerable to succession challenges

Raghoba's Treachery

Background:

• Full name: Raghoba Rao (also called Rabunath Rao)
• Nana Sahib Peshwa's younger brother
• Had NOT been sent to Panipat campaign (despite being capable)
• Reason: He came back with huge loans on previous campaigns, nearly bankrupt the state
• Nana Sahib couldn't afford to send him again

His Military Experience (Before Treachery):

• Had gone north on two campaigns before Panipat
• Deep knowledge of Northern India politics and landscape
• Understood "who is who" and weaknesses
• Was warrior AND administrator
• Could have been good choice - BUT trusted with money poorly
• Created loans during both northern campaigns

Why He Wasn't Sent to Panipat:

• Financial irresponsibility
• Too expensive to maintain
• Nana Sahib directly told him: "Can't send you, you incur too many loans"
• Likely resented being left out of campaign

His Ambition:

• Believed he SHOULD be the Peshwa after Madhav Rao's death
• Objected to Narayan Rao (nephew, young child) becoming Peshwa
• Thought succession should pass to him (uncle)

The Murder:

• Assassinated Narayan Rao (age ~12, son of Nana Sahib)
• Wanted to clear path to become Peshwa himself
• Had nephew killed in cold blood

The Political Response:

• Court case filed against Raghoba
• He was arrested
• "Ugly time" in Maratha politics
• Three and a Half Wise Men (including Nana Farnavis) played major role in handling crisis
• Complex because Raghoba himself was a Peshwa (difficult to arrest/punish Peshwa)

The Deeper Problem: Raghoba's Destructiveness

His Impact:

• Created lots of trouble after taking power
• Totally possessed by ambition
• "Thought he was possessed" (supernatural implication - utterly unhinged)
• Destructive to Maratha rule
• Prioritized personal power over empire stability

Assessment:

• Despite military knowledge and experience
• Despite understanding Northern Indian politics
• His fundamental ambition and ruthlessness made him terrible ruler
• Nephew's blood on his hands destroyed legitimacy

Key Themes

Panipat's Cascading Consequences:

• Victory went to Wrong person (didn't solve succession)
• Nana Sahib's death created vacuum
• Created power struggle that led to murder of child
• Showed how battle defeat could unsettle throne

The Cost of Ruthlessness:

• Raghoba had knowledge and experience
• But moral bankruptcy disqualified him
• Killing child for throne = permanent destruction of reputation
• Three and a Half Wise Men had to handle aftermath

Financial Mismanagement as Disqualification:

• Raghoba's loans in previous campaigns
• Showed poor judgment with resources
• Nana Sahib's decision to exclude him from Panipat WAS justified
• Sometimes saying "no" to ambitious general is correct decision

Timeline

Where We Left Off: Raghoba's treachery introduced. Narayan Rao murdered. Succession crisis creating need for council of wise men. Raghoba will be subject of separate book that goes deeper into his destructiveness.

Raghoba had been to the north twice and seen empires rise and fall. He understood power. But he didn't understand that power taken with blood on your hands is power that rots from inside. He killed a child to sit on a throne. The three and a half wise men had to clean up his mess. And Nana Farnavis, the boy who'd walked 32 miles barefoot to escape Panipat, was one of them. History has a sense of poetic justice sometimes.