Peshwa Period & Maratha Wars — Set 9

Correct Answer: B. Vishwas Rao

Vishwas Rao, son of Peshwa Nanasaheb, was killed at the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. Nanasaheb was so devastated by his son's death and the defeat at Panipat that he died of grief just six months later (June 1761). The simultaneous loss of his son and the empire's greatest military defeat broke the Peshwa.

Correct Answer: B. Narayanrao

Peshwa Narayanrao was murdered at Shaniwarwada on August 30, 1773, by bodyguards reportedly acting on the orders of his uncle Raghunathrao and aunt Anandibai. Narayanrao was just 18 years old at the time of his murder. This political assassination led to the First Anglo-Maratha War.

Correct Answer: C. Raghunathrao

Raghunathrao (Raghoba) led the Maratha campaign to expel Ahmad Shah Durrani's forces from the Punjab in 1758-59. The campaign was initially successful, with the Marathas occupying Lahore and reaching Attock on the Indus River. However, this overextension of Maratha power provoked Ahmad Shah Durrani's retaliatory invasion that culminated in the Third Battle of Panipat.

Correct Answer: D. Four

Nana Phadnavis (Nana Fadnavis) served under four Peshwas: Narayanrao, Sawai Madhav Rao, Baji Rao II, and acted as regent during the minority of Sawai Madhav Rao. His long career spanning about 40 years made him the most experienced Maratha statesman of his era. He died in 1800, and British observers noted his death would accelerate Maratha decline.

Correct Answer: C. Yashwantrao Holkar

Yashwantrao Holkar (Jaswant Rao Holkar) was the Holkar chief who most effectively challenged British power in the early 19th century. He defeated a British force at the Battle of Kankaria in 1804 and evaded British armies for months. His campaigns during the Second Anglo-Maratha War caused significant difficulties for the British.

Correct Answer: B. Chitpavan Brahmins

The Peshwas belonged to the Chitpavan (Konkanastha) Brahmin community of the Konkan coast. Their rise to power marked a shift from the Kshatriya Maratha dominance under Shivaji to Brahmin administrative control. This social change caused some resentment and had long-term implications for Maharashtra's social history.

Correct Answer: C. Mahadji Scindia

Mahadji Scindia took the initiative to restore Maratha power in northern India after the Panipat defeat. He rebuilt the Maratha presence in the north, defeated several opponents, and effectively controlled the Mughal Emperor in Delhi from 1784 onwards. He received the title 'Vakil-ul-Mutlaq' (Regent Plenipotentiary) from the Mughal Emperor.

Correct Answer: B. Regent Plenipotentiary of the Mughal Emperor

Vakil-ul-Mutlaq means 'Regent Plenipotentiary' and was the title conferred on Mahadji Scindia by the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II in 1784. This title made Scindia the de facto ruler of the Mughal Empire and gave him immense prestige. It was the highest formal recognition of Maratha power over the declining Mughal state.

Correct Answer: C. Third Anglo-Maratha War

The battles of Seonee and Nagpur (1817) were part of the Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-1818). The Nagpur Bhonsle chief Appa Sahib was defeated at the Battle of Sitabaldi and Nagpur. These battles eliminated the Bhonsle of Nagpur as an independent power and brought central India under British control.

Correct Answer: B. Maratha New Year and victory celebration

Gudi Padwa is celebrated as the traditional Marathi New Year (Chaitra Shukla Pratipada) and is associated with Maratha tradition as a day of victory and new beginnings. The Gudi (flag) is hoisted outside homes symbolizing victory. It is traditionally associated with Shivaji Maharaj's victories and his establishment of Swarajya.