Peshwa Period & Maratha Wars — Set 16
Maharashtra GK · पेशवा काल और मराठा युद्ध · Questions 151–160 of 160
What was the primary weapon that Ahmad Shah Durrani used to devastating effect at Panipat?
Correct Answer: C. Combination of artillery and cavalry in coordinated attack
Ahmad Shah Durrani effectively combined artillery and cavalry in a coordinated attack at the Third Battle of Panipat. His artillery caused heavy casualties while his cavalry exploited the gaps. The Marathas, weakened by months of siege and starvation, could not withstand this combined arms assault.
The Second Anglo-Maratha War resulted in British gaining supremacy over which region?
Correct Answer: C. Northern and central India
The Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803-1805) resulted in British gaining effective supremacy over northern and central India. They gained control of Delhi, Agra, Odisha, and territories of Scindia and Bhonsle of Nagpur. This positioned the British as the dominant power in the Indian subcontinent.
Who wrote the famous Persian work documenting the Third Battle of Panipat from the Afghan perspective?
Correct Answer: A. Kasim Ali Khan
Kasim Ali Khan's Ibrat Namah is one of the important contemporary Persian accounts of the Third Battle of Panipat from the Afghan perspective. Various Persian and Marathi sources provide different perspectives on this pivotal battle. Contemporary accounts help historians reconstruct the events of January 14, 1761.
The Congress of Vienna (1815) coincided approximately with which Anglo-Maratha War?
Correct Answer: C. Third
The Congress of Vienna took place in 1814-1815, approximately coinciding with the Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-1818) in terms of the historical period. Arthur Wellesley (Duke of Wellington), who had fought in the Second Anglo-Maratha War, represented Britain at the Congress. This connection illustrates how the same British military figures were involved in both Indian and European history.
Which Maratha Peshwa negotiated important rights from the Mughal Sayyid brothers in 1719?
Correct Answer: B. Balaji Vishwanath
Balaji Vishwanath traveled to Delhi in 1719 and skillfully negotiated with the Sayyid brothers who controlled the Mughal Emperor. He secured the release of Chhatrapati Shahu and formal Mughal recognition of Maratha rights to collect Chauth and Sardeshmukhi in the Deccan. This was a landmark diplomatic achievement that legitimized Maratha revenue collection across a vast area.
The 'Chauth Vahivat' system referred to what in the Peshwa period?
Correct Answer: B. Collection and management of Chauth revenues
Chauth Vahivat referred to the administrative system for collecting and managing Chauth revenues across territories under Maratha control. As the Maratha Empire expanded, the Chauth became a major source of revenue requiring systematic collection. The Peshwa's administration developed sophisticated methods for managing these revenues from across the subcontinent.
The story of the Maratha Confederacy illustrates which lesson about loose political unions?
Correct Answer: B. Political disunity is a major vulnerability
The story of the Maratha Confederacy powerfully illustrates that political disunity is a major strategic vulnerability. Despite their military strength and vast territories, the Marathas were unable to present a unified response to British expansion. Each Maratha chief prioritized his own interests over the collective good, allowing the British to defeat them individually.
The Holkar chief Malhar Rao Holkar is associated with founding which dynasty?
Correct Answer: B. The Holkar dynasty of Indore
Malhar Rao Holkar founded the Holkar dynasty of Indore and was one of the most important military commanders in the early Peshwa period. He helped the Peshwas expand Maratha power into Malwa and northern India. His daughter-in-law Ahilyabai Holkar became one of the most celebrated rulers in Indian history.
Which battle saw a small British-Indian force defeat the Peshwa's much larger army on January 1, 1818?
Correct Answer: B. Battle of Bhima Koregaon
The Battle of Bhima Koregaon on January 1, 1818, saw approximately 500 British-Indian soldiers (mostly from the Mahar regiment) defeat a Peshwa force several times their size. The British victory monument (victory obelisk) at Bhima Koregaon is visited annually by lakhs of Dalit pilgrims. The battle is a symbol of resistance against Brahmin Peshwa domination for the Dalit community.
What is the lasting significance of the Peshwa period in Indian administrative history?
Correct Answer: B. It showed sophisticated governance can collapse without political unity
The lasting significance of the Peshwa period in Indian administrative history is that it demonstrated how sophisticated governance and military power can ultimately collapse without political unity and effective leadership. The Peshwas created an advanced administrative system (the Pune Daftar is one of India's finest archives) but failed to build lasting political institutions. The rise and fall of Peshwa power is a case study in the importance of both military and political governance.