1. The Treaty of Bassien (1802) was signed between

(1) the English and Peshwa Baji Rao II
(2) the English and Tipu Sultan
(3) the English and Holkar
(4) the English and Gaikwad
(JUNE 2012)

Answer: 1

The correct answer is (1) the English and Peshwa Baji Rao II. The Treaty of Bassein was signed on 31 December 1802 between the British East India Company and Baji Rao II. This treaty was a turning point in Indian history because it brought the Maratha confederacy under British influence. Baji Rao II had been defeated by the forces of Yashwantrao Holkar in the Battle of Poona (1802) and fled to the British for protection. In return for British military support to regain his position at Poona, he accepted the Subsidiary Alliance system, which meant he agreed to maintain a British force in his territory and surrender control over his external affairs. This effectively reduced him to a puppet ruler and compromised Maratha sovereignty.

The treaty alarmed other Maratha chiefs like Daulat Rao Scindia and Raghoji II Bhonsle, who saw it as a direct threat to Maratha independence. Their opposition led to the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805), through which the British decisively defeated the Marathas and expanded their control over large parts of India. The Treaty of Bassein is often considered one of the key steps in establishing British paramountcy in India, as it weakened one of the strongest indigenous powers of the time and demonstrated the effectiveness of the Subsidiary Alliance policy introduced by Lord Wellesley.

2. Arrange the following in chronological order and select the correct answer from the codes given below:

I. Second Anglo-Maratha War
II. Third Anglo-Mysore War
III. Second Carnatic War
IV. First Anglo-Sikh War

Codes:
(1) III, II, I, IV
(2) II, III, IV, I
(3) I, IV, III, II
(4) IV, III, I, II
(DEC 2012)

Answer: 1

The correct answer is (1) III, II, I, IV. The earliest among these was the Second Carnatic War, fought between 1749 and 1754, mainly between rival claimants to the Nawabship of Arcot and the Nizamship of Hyderabad, with the British East India Company and the French East India Company supporting opposite sides; this war marked the rise of British influence in South India, especially after Robert Clive’s success at Arcot. Next came the Third Anglo-Mysore War (1789–1792), fought between Tipu Sultan and a British-led alliance including the Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad; it ended with the Treaty of Seringapatam (1792), under which Tipu ceded nearly half of his territory. This was followed by the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805), which arose partly due to the Treaty of Bassein and resulted in major British victories over Maratha leaders like Scindia and Bhonsle, significantly expanding British control in India. The last in sequence was the First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–1846), fought between the Sikh Empire and the British, ending with the Treaty of Lahore, which weakened Sikh sovereignty and marked the beginning of British dominance in Punjab. This chronological progression reflects the gradual expansion of British power from South India in the mid-18th century to North India by the mid-19th century.

3. Find out the statement from below, which is not correct.

(1) The Maratha polity under Peshwas got transformed into a close confederacy
(2) The Peshwa created a new class of Sardars in the Swaraj area
(3) The office of Peshwa became hereditary
(4) Originally the Peshwa did not belong to the royal council
(DEC 2012)

Answer: 4

The incorrect statement is (4) Originally the Peshwa did not belong to the royal council. In reality, the Peshwa was very much a part of the royal council from the beginning. Under Shivaji Maharaj, the administrative system was organized through the Ashta Pradhan (council of eight ministers), and the Peshwa was one of its key members, functioning as the prime minister responsible for general administration and coordination of state affairs. Therefore, it is historically incorrect to say that the Peshwa did not belong to the royal council.

The other statements are correct and reflect the evolution of Maratha politics over time. After Shivaji’s death, especially during the reign of Balaji Vishwanath and his successors like Baji Rao I, the position of Peshwa became increasingly powerful and eventually hereditary. This shift reduced the authority of the Chhatrapati (king) and transformed the Maratha state into a confederacy, where major chiefs like the Scindias, Holkars, Gaikwads, and Bhonsles exercised semi-independent authority while nominally acknowledging the Peshwa. Additionally, the Peshwas created and promoted a new class of Sardars (military chiefs and nobles) within the Swaraj territories to expand their political and military base. This decentralization and rise of powerful chiefs ultimately contributed to internal rivalries, which later made it easier for the British to intervene and establish dominance over the Maratha confederacy.

4. Consider the following statements:

I. Shivaji could check the Deccan power from introducing into his swaraj territory.
II. He could plunder Surat in 1664.
III. He could withstand the attacks of Shaista Khan and Mirza Raja Jai Singh.
IV. Bijapur and Golkonda were annexed by the Mughals to undermine the position of Shivaji.

Which of the above statements are not correct? Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
(1) I and III
(2) I and IV
(3) II and III
(4) III and IV
(JUNE 2013)

Answer: 4

The correct answer is (4) III and IV. Statement II is clearly correct because Shivaji Maharaj successfully carried out the famous raid on Surat in 1664, targeting Mughal wealth and demonstrating his military audacity and naval awareness. Statement I is also broadly correct, as Shivaji effectively resisted the influence of major Deccan powers like Bijapur and the Mughals within his Swaraj territory through strong fortifications, guerrilla warfare (ganimi kava), and administrative control.

However, statement III is not correct because although Shivaji showed remarkable resistance, he did not fully “withstand” the campaigns of Shaista Khan and Mirza Raja Jai Singh I in a complete sense. While Shivaji famously attacked Shaista Khan in Pune in 1663, forcing him to retreat, he had to negotiate with Jai Singh after facing strong Mughal pressure, leading to the Treaty of Purandar (1665), where he ceded several forts to the Mughals. Statement IV is also incorrect because the annexation of Bijapur and Golkonda by Aurangzeb occurred later, in 1686 and 1687 respectively, primarily to expand Mughal dominance in the Deccan, not specifically to undermine Shivaji, who had already died in 1680. These conquests were part of Aurangzeb’s broader imperial ambitions rather than a direct strategy against Shivaji.