First Anglo Maratha War

(1775 – 1782)

Reason & Course :

  • The third Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao died in 1761 due to shock after his defeat at the Third Battle of Panipat.
  • His son Madhavrao I succeeded him. Madhavrao I was able to recover some of the Maratha power and territories which they had lost in the Battle of Panipat.
  • The English were aware of the growing Maratha power.
  • When Madhavrao I died, there was a tussle for power in the Maratha camp.
  • His brother Narayanrao became the Peshwa but his uncle Raghunathrao wanted to become the Peshwa. For this, he sought the help of the English
  • So, the Treaty of Surat in 1775 was signed according to which Raghunathrao ceded Salsette and Bassein to the English and in return he was given 2500 soldiers.
  • The British and army of Raghunathrao attacked the Peshwa and won.
  • The British Calcutta Council under Warren Hastings annulled this treaty and a new treaty, the Treaty of Purandhar was signed in 1776 between the Calcutta Council and Nana Phadnavis, a Maratha minister.
  • Accordingly, Raghunathrao was given a pension only and Salsette was retained by the British.
  • But the British establishment at Bombay violated this treaty and sheltered Raghunathrao.
  • In 1777, Nana Phadnavis went against his treaty with the Calcutta Council and granted a port on the west coast to the French.
  • This led the British to advance a force towards Pune. There was a battle at Wadgaon near Pune in which the Marathas under Mahadji Shinde secured a decisive victory over the English.
  • The English were forced to sign the Treaty of Wadgaon in 1779.
  • There was a series of battles at the end of which the Treaty of Salbai was signed in 1782. This ended the first Anglo-Maratha war.

Outcome :

  • The East India Company retained Salsette and Broach.
  • It also obtained a guarantee from the Marathas that they would retake their possessions in the Deccan from Hyder Ali of Mysore.
  • The Marathas also promised that they would not grant any more territories to the French.
  • Raghunathrao was to receive a pension of Rs.3 lakh every year.
  • All territories taken by the British after the Treaty of Purandhar were ceded back to the Marathas.
  • The English accepted Madhavrao II (son of Narayanrao) as the Peshwa.