Baji Rao 1

BAJI RAO 1

The warrior Peshwa


As a military strategist and soldier, Peshwa Baji Rao I is one of the greatest names in Indian history. Some historians even rank this excellent warrior with Napoleon Bonaparte. For a man born in the peace-loving and exclusively religious Brahmin community, this is indeed a remarkable achievement. Whirlwind campaigns characterize his career. He went, he fought and he conquered without losing a single battle. His rivals, envious of his success and of the trust Shahu Maharaj placed in him, tried to poison the king's mind. But Shahu's faith in Baji Rao was firm.


If Shivaji was the founder of Maratha freedom, Baji Rao was the apostle of its splendour. He paved the way for the powerful confederacy which later made the Emperor of Delhi a mere puppet in its hands. But for the restraints imposed on him by Shahu (who, though for many years had been in the palace custody of the Mughals, had happy memories of his childhood days spent there), Baji Rao would have put an end to the titular supremacy of the Mughal throne.