- The First Anglo-Maratha War started in 1775 effectively after the signing of the Treaty of Surat between the East India Company at Bombay and Raghunathrao, uncle of the newly-crowned Peshwa Narayanrao. Raghunathrao had nurtured ambitions to become the Peshwa for which he sought British help.
- However, the Calcutta Council of the company supported Narayanrao and his able minister Nana Phadnavis, who between themselves had signed the Treaty of Purandar (1776) which nullified the Surat Treaty.
- This new treaty gave the British possession of Salsette and also pensioned off Raghunathrao.
- But, the Bombay Council’s sheltering of Raghunathrao and Nana Phadnavis’s granting of a port to the French deteriorated the already strained relations between the English and the Marathas.
- The Battle of Wadgaon followed in which the Marathas, ably led by Mahadaji Shinde defeated the English. The English were forced to accept the Treaty of Wadgoan.
- However, more battles ensued between the rivals, and finally, the Treaty of Salbai was signed which effectively ended the hostilities.
- This treaty was signed after a lot of negotiations between the warring groups. As per the treaty, the areas of Salsette and Broach (Bharuch) were to be retained by the Company.
- The Marathas, for their part, were to guarantee that they would defeat Mysore’s Hyder Ali and retake the former Maratha possessions in the Carnatic.
- They also promised not to allow any French settlements in their regions.
- The British, in turn, accepted Narayanrao’s son Madhavrao II as the rightful Peshwa and pensioned off Raghunathrao.
- They also acknowledged Mahadaji Shinde’s territories west of the River Yamuna. All the territories acquired by them after the Treaty of Purandar were given back to the Marathas.
- However, the peace was temporary as the Second Anglo-Maratha War broke out in 1802, twenty years after the Salbai Treaty.