MARATHA CONFEDERACY

MARATHA CONFEDERACY

The origin of the Maratha confederacy may. be traced to the revival of the jagir or saranjam system by Rajaram. But it was only in the time of Baji Rao I that the system made a base for itself. In this process, Sahu issued letters of authority to his various Maratha sardars for collecting chauth and sardeshmukhi from various parts of India. These letters of authority were called saranjam; the holders of these saranjams were called saranjamdars. They merely recognised the Maratha peshwas as their nominal head after the death of Sahu. In this way arose the Maratha confederacy, con­sisting of very important Maratha jagirdars: (i) Raghuji Bhonsle of Berar; (ii) Gaekwar of Baroda; (Hi) Holkar of Indore; (iv) Scindhia of Gwalior; and (v) the Peshwa of Poona himself.