Balaji Vishwanath
The 2nd Founder of the Maratha State
Often called the second founder of the Maratha State, Balaji Vishwanath was the one who made the Peshwa all powerful, from a mere Prime Minister to the main power center. As well as ensuring the hold of the Chitpavan Brahmins over the position, primarily from Konkan.He had to deal with the threat to the Maratha Empire on 2 fronts, one was the deadly internal conflict between Tarabai and Shahu, and another the continous assault by Aurangzeb. It was a crucial period, where the Empire was facing attack on both ends.
Technically speaking Peshwa was equivalent to the Prime Minister in the Maratha Empire, starting out as subordinates to the Chattrapati, in later years they became the actual ruling power, starting with Balaji Vishwanath. Moropant Pingle, Shivaji’s revenue minister, was the first ever Peshwa, though Shivaji referred to him as Pant Pradhan. The rise of the Peshwa was more an effect of the internal conflict between Tara Bai and Shahu, and the latter’s victory saw him appointing Balaji Vishwanath as the Peshwa.
Two noticeable aspects on Maratha history, while they had their own deadly internal rivalries, sometimes leading to a civil war, when it came to facing the Mughals, or other Muslim rulers, they more or less managed to counter them effectively, except Panipat. Another was the very important role played by women, be it Jijabai who guided Shivaji, or Tarabai who took on Aurangzeb or Ahilyabai Holkar, the women played an equally important role in the affairs of the kingdom.
Balaji Vishwanath was born in Shrivardhan, now in Raigad district, famous for it’s beach, on January 1, 1662. His family held the hereditary Deshmukh of Srivardhan for the Siddis of Janjira. He worked for some time as an accountant general for Dhanaji Jadhav. However when Jadhav, passed away, Balaji Vishwanath, had a fall out with his son Chandra Rao Jadhav, and joined as an assistant to the newly appointed Maratha emperor Shahu in 1707, who had heard of his abilities.
It was the period when the Maratha Empire was engulfed in a bitter civil conflict between the families of Sambhaji and Rajaram for the throne. Inspite of Sambhaji’s brutal execution and early death of Rajaram, his widow Tarabai continued the fight against Mughals. While Tarabai continued her resistance to the Mughals, Shahu the son of Sambhaji was held as captivee by the Mughals till 1707. On the other hand, the long Deccan campaign exhausted Aurangzeb who passed away in 1707, leading to another war of succession among his sons.
Following Aurangzeb’s death, the Mughal Governor released Shahu, hoping to use him as a pawn against Tarabai, considering no love was lost between them. Tarabai on the other hand denounced Shahu as an impostor and sent her general Dhanaji Jadhav to attack him. However Balaji Vishwanath is believed to have met Dhanaji Jadhav, and convinced his master to support Shahu. Dhanaji switched sides, and proclaimed Shahu as the rightful successor, which in turn aroused the jealousy of his son Chandrasen.
Though Shahu appointed Chandrasen Jadhav as Senapati, the latter joined hands with Tarabai, to get even with his long time rival Balaji Vishwanath. Chandrasen attacked Balaji, who was forced to flee to the fort of Purandar. Shahu bought back Balaji Vishwanath under escort, and Chandrasen defected to Tarabai’s side in 1711. Haibatrao Nimbalkar too defected to Tarabai’s side, leaving Shahu totally vulnerable. It was at such a period, that Balaji stood firmly with Shahu.
Balaji Vishwanath was made the Senakarta, and he soon bought down Tarabai in a palace coup in 1712, with the help of disgruntled people in her own court, that included Rajaram’s other widow Rajasbai who wanted to see her son on the throne. He used Rajasbai and some other disgruntled elements to conduct a succesful palace coup against Tarabai and her son Shivaji II, while installing Rajasbai’s son Sambhaji II at Kolhapur, effectively shutting out the opposition.
Balaji Vishwanath, was one of the shrewdest brains in the Maratha Empire, a man who guided it during the difficult times of the civil war, and more importantly began the process of the downfall of Mughals, reducing them to a nominal power.He also laid the foundation for the Maratha Administrative system, as well as their tax collection system, that would hold on for long, till it’s end. The Maratha revenue collection was as significant as their military victories.
Source
Although salute to this great person of Maratha History.
I think three facts are need to be corrected.
1. In Maharashtra Marathas/Marathi people never saw him as founder of second Maratha empire. Instead Tarabai has reputation and respect to keep safe and build the empire from fury of Aurangzeb.
2. Balaji Vishwanath has helped Shahu to gain support from prominent warriors which are with Tarabai. He convinced them to join Shahu.
3. Both Shivaji Maharaj and his sons (Sambhaji Maharaj and Rajaram Maharaj have legacy of well settled administration setup and established tax collection system. On the other hand Rule under Peshavas always be blamed by historians (including H V Sardesai who wrote Magnum office historical volumes on Peshwa) that Peshwas were never been able to manage their administration and finance effectively. Even when the Peshwa, where at the highest point of their glory, that time to Bajirao and his predecessor, finding difficult to manage the finance. They always been under debt.