AngloMaratha

Anglo-Maratha refers to the series of diplomatic, military, and political interactions between the British East India Company and the Maratha Confederacy in 18th- and early 19th-century India. The Marathas were a loose federation of Hindu and Marathi-speaking polities, led by the Peshwa in Pune and including major chiefs such as the Scindias (Sindhias), Holkars, Bhonsles, and Gaekwads. As the British extended their commercial and territorial reach, they and the Marathas pursued both alliance and confrontation, shaping the balance of power in western and central India.

The period saw three major wars. The First Anglo-Maratha War (1775–1782) ended with the Treaty of Salbai, which established a tenuous status quo and a period of relative peace. The Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805) led to significant cessions and the imposition of British influence over many Maratha territories. The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1819) was decisive, culminating in the defeat of the Peshwa and the dissolution of the Maratha Confederacy. By the end of this era, large parts of western and central India were brought under British paramountcy, with the Maratha chiefs losing their political independence and many territories, revenue rights, and forts being absorbed into the British-administered system.

The Anglo-Maratha interactions profoundly affected the political landscape of the region. British diplomacy often exploited rivalries among Maratha factions, while military campaigns enabled the consolidation of British control. The eventual incorporation of Maratha polities into the British Raj marked a major shift in Indian governance and the balance of power on the subcontinent.