The Death Knell

Too many cooks spoil the broth. One can say that the saying applies to empires as well. Quite often, too many powerful clans can clash with each other, and by the time they realize they're on one side, the enemy becomes too powerful to be defeated, making the mightiest of empires crumble down.

After the Anglo-Maratha War. Image source: Britannica

The Maratha wars are legendary. If you know what India looked like back in the colonial era, you'd be familiar with the ruling clans of the Maratha region. You'd also know that the Marathas and the British were constantly at odds with each other.

The first Maratha war ended on a bitter note as the British extended their support to Peshwa Raghunath Rao and continued to have friendly relations with his son, Bajirao II.

The Maratha chiefs were engaged in an internal quarrel nearly all the time. You can only imagine how easy it must have been for the British to enter the scene and continue to get their way by introducing policies in their favour.

Thus when Lord Mornington's offer of the subsidiary treaty to the Peshwa was repeatedly refused by Nana Fadnavis, a war ensued. After the Peshwa and Scindia forces were defeated by Yashwant Rao Holkar, Baji Rao II had no other option but to accept the terms of the British. Thus, the Treaty of Bassein was signed in December 1802.

The Scindia and the Bhonsle were angered by the defeat and the Peshwa’s decision to accept British protection. The two clans, the Scindia rulers of Gwalior and the Bhonsle rulers of Nagpur and Berar, were ready to fight the British again.

The British knew how crucial it was for them to expand into the Deccan region. They were eagerly waiting for the opportunity to defeat the Marathas and establish their control in the wealthy princely state.

In 1803, the Second Anglo-Maratha War began and the armies of the Scindia and Bhonsle were defeated in the battle of Assaye and Argaon. Humiliated by their loss, the Maratha chiefs had no alternative but to accede to the terms of the British.

This resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Deogaon by Raghoji II Bhonsle on 17th December 1803. The provisions of the treaty stated that the provinces of Cuttack, Balasore, and the land to the west of the river Warda were now a part of the British territory. The land that lay to the west of River Warda was ceded to the Nizam of Hyderabad. The Marathas also had to accept the Subsidiary Alliance with the British.

The Marathas lost many rich provinces. And by accepting the subsidiary, the Bhonsle Dynasty became entirely dependent on British rule.

By the end of the three Anglo-Maratha wars, the Marathas found themselves weakened and exhausted. With the British as masters of the lost territories, they were free to define the region on their terms.