Which Maratha Peshwa was in power for 20 years during Mohammad Shah’s reign, and established Maratha hegemony all over India?

Baji Rao I (18 August 1700 – 28 April 1740) was a general of the Maratha Empire in India. He served as the Peshwa to the 4th Maratha Chhatrapati (Emperor) Shahu from 1720 until his death. Bajirao was Peshwa in the Ashta Pradhan (8-minister council) of Shahu. He is also known by the name Bajirao Ballal.

Bajirao I is credited with expanding the Maratha Empire in India. Maratha Empire reached its zenith later on under reign of Chhatrapati Shahu and Bajirao. He was one of the major contributors in expansion over the Indian subcontinent. In his military career spanning 20 years, Bajirao I never lost a single battle.

By the time of Baji Rao’s appointment, Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah had in 1719 recognized Marathas’ rights over the territories possessed by Shivaji at his death. The treaty also included the Maratha rights to collect taxes (chauth or chauthai and sardeshmukhi) in the six provinces of Deccan. Bajirao succeeded in convincing Chatrapati Shahu that if we want to defend the Maratha Empire then we have to be offensive on our enemy. Bajirao believed that the Mughal Empire was in decline and wanted to take advantage of this situation with aggressive expansion in North India. 

 

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