Question

Who was the Peshwa in Shahu Maharaj’s era?
A. Balaji Vishwanath
B. Malharrao Holkar
C. Ranoji Shinde
D. Udaji Pawar

Answer 1

Hint:
He is called the ‘Second founder of the Maratha State’ due to his exemplary service to Chhatrapati Shahu.
Many financial reforms in the state were made by him and apart from that, he made the title of the Peshwa hereditary.

Complete answer:
On 16 November 1713, Balaji Vishwanath was appointed the Peshwa or Prime Minister of the Maratha Empire by Maratha Emperor Shahu Maharaj.

Balaji was born on 1 January 1662 in Shrivardhan, which is presently in the Raigad district of Maharashtra.

Balaji Vishwanath was the first in a series of hereditary Peshwas and the 6th Peshwa of the Maratha Empire.

He is called the ‘Second founder of the Maratha State’ due to his exemplary service to Chhatrapati Shahu. With the help of Balaji, Emperor Shahu was able to consolidate the Maratha Empire and brought many disputing factions under him. Balaji was able to appeal to the Marathas and sought to establish a strong, unified entity.

Balaji was also a master in finance. In 1718, he successfully negotiated a treaty with Husain Ali, Deccan’s Mughal governor, because of which the Maratha state received one-fourth of revenues and additional 10% revenues of the Deccan Mughal provinces.

Many financial reforms in the state were made by him and apart from that, he made the title of the Peshwa hereditary.

He is remembered mostly because of the peace and stability he brought into the Maratha Empire through treaties and battles, and also for creating the foundations of a strong state that would succeed the Mughal Empire and become the strongest kingdom in the subcontinent.

On 12 April 1720, Balaji Vishwanath died of ill-health. His son Baji Rao I became the Peshwa after him.

Option (B) Malharrao Holkar: This option is incorrect. He was a subedar in the Maratha Empire during the reign of Emperor Shahu I.

Option (C) Ranoji Shinde: This option is incorrect. He founded the Scindia Dynasty. He started out as a servant of Peshwa Bajirao I and eventually rose to high power.

Option (D) Udaji Pawar: This option is incorrect. He founded the Dhar Dynasty in 1729. He was a Maratha General who was granted the territory by a Maratha Emperor.

Thus, the correct answer is option A

Note
The system of “Jagirdari” was started by Balaji to appease the Maratha Sardars.

A cooperative commission of all Sardars was also created by him and Shahu was made the Chhatrapati of the commission.

It was during his time that the Peshwa acquired paramount importance with the Chhatrapati becoming a nominal ruler only.