Peshwa Period & Maratha Wars — Set 4

Correct Answer: A. Battle of Kirkee

The Battle of Kirkee (also Khadki) fought on November 5, 1817, was one of the key battles that signaled the beginning of the end for the Maratha Confederacy. The Peshwa's forces were defeated by the British near Pune. This defeat, followed by the Battle of Koregaon, led to the complete collapse of Peshwa authority in 1818.

Correct Answer: B. It established the largest Hindu kingdom before British rule

The Maratha Empire established the largest Hindu kingdom in India before the British took control of the subcontinent. At its zenith, it controlled large parts of central, western, and northern India. The legacy of the Marathas includes inspiring later freedom fighters and establishing a strong tradition of Hindu political power.

Correct Answer: B. Ahilyabai Holkar

Ahilyabai Holkar was the remarkable ruler of the Holkar dynasty of Indore who ruled from 1767 to 1795. She is remembered for her excellent administration, charitable works, and restoration of temples across India. She is revered as a model ruler and is featured on the currency of India.

Correct Answer: C. Mahar regiment of British East India Company

The Battle of Bhima Koregaon on January 1, 1818, saw a small British East India Company force with Mahar regiment soldiers defeat a much larger Peshwa army. It is celebrated by the Dalit community as a victory over upper-caste Peshwa domination. The site has a victory obelisk erected by the British.

Correct Answer: D. Gaekwad of Baroda

The Gaekwad (Gaikwad) family was based in Baroda (now Vadodara) in Gujarat and was one of the five major chiefs of the Maratha Confederacy. They controlled much of Gujarat. The Gaekwad rulers were known for their enlightened policies and Baroda State was considered one of the most progressive princely states in India.

Correct Answer: C. Balaji Baji Rao (Nanasaheb)

Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao (Nanasaheb) was the Peshwa during the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. He sent his son Vishwas Rao and cousin Sadashivrao Bhau to lead the Maratha army. The catastrophic defeat caused Nanasaheb such grief that he died just six months after the battle.

Correct Answer: A. First Anglo-Maratha War

Raghunathrao (Raghoba), who murdered his nephew Peshwa Narayanrao, sought British support to claim the Peshwaship. His appeal to the British led to British military intervention and triggered the First Anglo-Maratha War (1775-1782). The war ended inconclusively but gave the British a foothold in Maratha affairs.

Correct Answer: B. Nanasaheb

Under Peshwa Nanasaheb (Balaji Baji Rao), the Maratha forces led by Raghuji Bhonsle of Nagpur conducted raids into Bengal and Bihar, reaching the Bay of Bengal. These raids, known as Maratha Bargis, terrorized Bengal in the 1740s-1750s. This expansion marked the northernmost and easternmost extent of Maratha military power.

Correct Answer: B. Nanasaheb

Under Peshwa Nanasaheb, the Maratha forces under Raghunathrao extended Maratha control to Punjab and reached Attock on the banks of the Indus River. This was the greatest territorial extent of the Maratha Empire. The expansion was checked by the defeat at the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761.

Correct Answer: C. Nagpur Bhonsle's forces

The Maratha Bargis (light cavalry raiders) who terrorized Bengal were primarily the forces of Raghuji Bhonsle of Nagpur. They conducted raids from the 1740s onwards, looting extensively and causing widespread panic. The raids led to a popular saying in Bengal that equated calamity with the coming of the Bargis.