mAdhava rAva, who stopped degeneracy after pAnipat, stabilized the confederacy (taming the bhosle and malharrAv holkar - see below,) despite raghunAtha rAv’s treachery and intrigues [M], defeated the mogols and the nizaam, was very aware and wary of the English (letter to mahadji), vowed to free prayAga and vArANasI from muslims, of whom it was said: “And the plains of Panipat were not more fatal to the Maratha Empire than the early end of this excellent prince…”. Also see his will.
- Madhavrao was infected with intestinal tuberculosis in May 1770. This disease is characterised by unbearable abdominal pain. Pain was such, that during his last days Madhavrao once asked for a dagger from his uncle to cut his belly so that he might escape from the terrible suffering!
- Died at age 27 of tuberculosis. [will - note point 3]
Taming jAnojI
When he [Madhavrao) was arranging for his expedition against Hyder Ali, he sent a summons to the Bhonsle chief of Nagpur (Janoji Bhonsle)to come over to join the Maratha army. The Bhonsle’s agent at Poona went to consult with the ex-minister Sakharam Bapu as to what should be done. The latter was afraid to give his counsel openly, as the Peshwa’s Karkun was present, but he managed to convey his advice to the Bhonsle’s agent without the Karkun understanding the point. He suggested to one of two persons who were sitting near him playing chess that, as the pawns (“pyaada” in Marathi, meaning both pawn and soldier) of his opponent had advanced in force, he should take back his king a square or two.
The Bhonsle’s agent, taking the hint, at once wrote off to his master to advise that he should not come to Poona in pursuance of the Peshwa’s summons, but should go back the one or two stages he had advanced from Nagpur. This was done accordingly, and Madhavrao, who had a great reputation for obtaining news of everything that was going on in which he was interested, heard of the Bhonsle’s return to his capital, and he also heard of Sakharam Bapu’s advice, which had led to it, though the latter was perceived only by him hidden under the facts he learnt from the crossexamination of the Karkun.
Madhavrao was a man of very strong will. He at once sent for the Bhonsle’s agent, and told him of his master’s return to Nagpur on the advice of Sakharam Bapu, and added, “If your master is in Poona within fifteen days, well and good; if not, I will pay no heed to my being a Brahman, but will break his head with a tent-peg!”
Turning malharrAv around
Just as he prepared to charge Malharrao Holkar came up fleeing from the battle. He tried to dissuade Madhavrao and urged him to seek in Poona safety and a throne. The young prince turned on him on like a wounded tiger. “Then it is true” he said, “that you left Sadashivrao to die at Panipat?”
Malharrao stung to the quick could but join his prince, and as the Mogol army advanced in the disorder of success, Madhavrao’s cavalry burst on them stabbing, sabring, trampling down all resistance. Few troops then in India could have stood that furious onset and the Mogol army, that but a moment before had had victory in their grasp, were hurled headlong into the Godavari. Twenty-one guns and 15 elephants were captured on the field of battle, and Naldurg fort and territory yielding 82 lakhs of rupees were paid by the Nizam as the price of peace.
- Tale of the Tulsi Plant and Other Studies By C.A. Kincaid
Tolerance defects
Madhavrao Peshwa accorded permission to a Portuguese priest to build a church at Ravdanda on the west coast…. using the pillars and remnants of seven or eight Hindu temples within the fort.