UPSC Prelims 2000 Q30: Medieval History – Maratha Empire
- (a) Raja Ram
- (b) Balaji Viswanath
- (c) Ganga Bai
- (d) Nanaji Deshmukh
Answer: (b) Balaji Viswanath
Explanation
Who streamlined Maratha administration after Sambhaji
| Person | Role |
|---|---|
| Raja Ram (r. 1689-1700) | Sambhaji's brother; ran the war of independence from Jinji |
| Balaji Vishwanath (Peshwa 1713-1720) | Reorganised the state under Shahu; won the 1719 sanads for chauth and sardeshmukhi |
| Tarabai | Raja Ram's widow; led resistance for her son Shivaji II |
| Nana Phadnavis | Late 18th-century minister at Pune |
After Sambhaji was executed by Aurangzeb in 1689, the Maratha state fell into years of war and then a civil war between Shahu and Tarabai.
Balaji Vishwanath, appointed Peshwa by Shahu in 1713, won over the leading chiefs to Shahu's side and brought order to revenue and administration.
In 1719 he obtained from the Mughal emperor the sanads recognising Maratha rights to chauth and sardeshmukhi over the Deccan, and he laid the base of the Peshwa-led system that his son Baji Rao I built on.
Raja Ram's reign was spent fighting from the fort of Jinji, not reorganising the administration.
The name Nanaji Deshmukh in option (d) is a 20th-century social worker and does not fit.
Answer: (b) Balaji Viswanath.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Raja Ram spent his reign in the war against the Mughals, much of it besieged at Jinji.
- (b) CORRECT. Balaji Vishwanath, Peshwa from 1713, put the Maratha state back in order under Shahu.
- (c) Incorrect. No Ganga Bai is known for reorganising Maratha administration.
- (d) Incorrect. Nanaji Deshmukh was a 20th-century social worker.
Key point
Balaji Vishwanath: first great Peshwa, 1713-1720; the 1719 sanads from the Mughal court.
Remember
Balaji Vishwanath: Peshwa 1713, 1719 sanads, base of Peshwa rule.
Common mistakes
- Choosing Raja Ram because he came right after Sambhaji.
- Confusing Nanaji Deshmukh with the 18th-century minister Nana Phadnavis.
- Thinking Baji Rao I was the first Peshwa.
Exam tip
Order after chaos = the Peshwa who made the Peshwaship powerful.
Sources
- Satish Chandra — Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals (Har-Anand)
- G.S. Sardesai — New History of the Marathas, Vol. II (Phoenix Publications)