Anglo-Maratha Struggle for Supremacy - Key Events & Historical Impact

As the Mughal Empire declined, the Marathas emerged as one of its staunchest adversaries, rising in power and influence.
The Marathas controlled a large portion of the country and received tributes from areas not directly under their control.
By the mid-18th century, the Marathas were in Lahore, aspiring to rule the North Indian Empire, and played the role of kingmakers in the Mughal court.
Although defeated in the Third Battle of Panipat (1761) by Ahmad Shah Abdali, they regrouped, regained strength, and within a decade re-established their power in India.
Bajirao I (1720–1740), considered the greatest of the Peshwas, initiated a confederacy of prominent Maratha chiefs to manage the expanding power of the Marathas.
Under the Maratha Confederacy, prominent families were assigned spheres of influence to conquer and rule on behalf of the Maratha King, Shahu.
Key families in the Maratha Confederacy included:
- Gaekwad of Baroda
- Bhonsle of Nagpur
- Holkars of Indore
- Sindhias of Gwalior
- Peshwas of Poona
The confederacy worked harmoniously under Bajirao I and Madhavrao I, but the defeat at Panipat and the death of Madhavrao I (1772) weakened the Peshwas’ control.
While the chiefs united occasionally against the British (e.g., during 1775–1782), internal quarrels often divided them.

From the late 18th to early 19th century, the Marathas and the English clashed thrice for political supremacy, with the English emerging victorious.
The root cause of these conflicts was the English ambition for dominance and the internal divisions among the Marathas, which encouraged British intervention.
The English in Bombay sought to establish governance similar to the system implemented by Clive in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.
The British capitalized on succession disputes and divisions among the Marathas, turning them into an opportunity to assert their control.

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