Raghunathrao | |
|---|---|
 Painting of Raghunath Rao by an unknown artist | |
 11thPeshwa ofMaratha Confederacy | |
| In office 5 December 1773 – 28 May 1774 | |
| Monarch | Rajaram II |
| Preceded by | Narayanrao |
| Succeeded by | Madhavrao II |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1734-08-18)18 August 1734 Satara, Satara State,Maratha Confederacy |
| Died | 11 December 1783(1783-12-11) (aged 49) |
| Spouses |
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| Children |
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| Parents | |
| Relatives | Balaji Baji Rao (brother) |
| Residence(s) | Shaniwar Wada,Pune,Maratha Empire |
| Profession | Peshwa |
| Military service | |
| Battles/wars | |
| Military career | |
| Branch |  Maratha Army |
| Rank | Peshwa |
| Unit | Peshwa'sCavalry |
| Battles / wars | See list
|
Raghunathrao (18 August 1734 – 11 December 1783), also known asRagho Ballal orRaghoba Dada,[1] was the younger son of PeshwaBajirao I who served as the 11thPeshwa of theMaratha Empire for a brief period from 1773 to 1774.
The army led by him defeated theRohillas at theBattle of Delhi (1757), resulting in the Marathas becoming the de facto rulers ofDelhi, with theMughal EmperorAlamgir II retaining only nominal authority. He also led successful campaigns against theDurrani Empire atSirhind andAttock, bringingnorthwestern India and parts of present-dayPakistan—mainlyPunjab up toPeshawar—underMaratha rule (1758–59) for a brief period.[2][3][4]
Ahmad Shah Durrani later sought revenge against the Marathas for capturing Punjab and defeating the Durrani armies. He began preparing for another campaign in India. Raghunathrao requested substantial financial assistance to check Abdali's advance, which was refused byPeshwa Balaji Baji Rao. Balaji Baji Rao's decision not to send Raghunathrao as the main commander of the Maratha armies against Ahmad Shah Abdali—along with other factors—ultimately culminated in thedefeat at Panipat in 1761.
After the death of Balaji Baji Rao, his sonMadhavrao I became the new Peshwa under the regency of Raghunathrao. The untimely death of Madhavrao I created a vacuum in the Peshwa position. Raghunathrao aspired to become Peshwa himself but was opposed by many Maratha nobles who viewed Madhavrao I's younger brother,Narayanrao, as the legitimate successor. Seeking to seize power, Raghunathrao was involved in theassassination of his nephew Peshwa Narayanrao in 1773.
However, his reign was short-lived, as Narayanrao's infant sonMadhavrao II was recognized as the legitimate Peshwa by the Maratha nobles in 1774. After being deposed, Raghunathrao allied with theEast India Company during theFirst Anglo-Maratha War, attempting to regain power. The attempt failed when the Marathas defeated the Company forces.
Raghunathrao later withdrew from active politics and died of unknown causes in 1783 atKopargaon.
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Raghunathrao Bhat, also known as "Raghoba", "Raghoba Dada" and "Ragho Bharari", was the younger brother of Balaji Baji Rao. He was born toPeshwa Bajirao I andKashibai.[5] He was born in Mahuli nearSatara on 8 December 1734. Much of his early childhood was spent in Satara. Shortly after his birth, his stepmotherMastani gave birth to his half-brother Krishna Rao, later known asShamsher Bahadur I.
Raghunathrao was born into theBhat family ofChitpavan Brahmin origin, which held the hereditary office of thePeshwa in theMaratha Empire. During his early years, the Maratha Empire was at the height of its territorial expansion under the leadership of his fatherBajirao I and grandfatherBalaji Vishwanath. Growing up in this political environment, Raghunathrao was exposed to administrative affairs, military organization, and statecraft from an early age.
He received an education inSanskrit,Marathi andPersian, and was trained in horseback riding, swordsmanship, and the use of traditional Maratha weapons. Contemporary accounts describe him as intelligent, energetic, and ambitious. His enthusiasm for warfare and quick decision-making on the battlefield earned him the nickname "Ragho Bharari" (literally, "Ragho the Charger") due to his preference for rapid cavalry movements.
In his youth, Raghunathrao assisted his elder brother Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao in various administrative and military responsibilities. Over time, however, differences in political and military judgment developed between the two brothers, which later contributed to factional divisions within the Peshwa administration. Despite these differences, Raghunathrao remained an influential figure within the Maratha polity and played an active role in several important military campaigns during the mid-18th century.
In his early years, Raghunathrao led successful military campaigns in northernIndian subcontinent. His expedition between 1753 and 1755 was concluded by an advantageous treaty with theJat rulers ofBharatpur, which secured Maratha influence in parts of theDoab region and strengthened their position in the north.
During this period, Raghunathrao allied withImad-ul-Mulk, the powerful Mughal vizier, in a bid to assert Maratha authority over theMughal Empire. With Maratha support, Imad-ul-Mulk deposedAhmad Shah Bahadur in 1754, who was subsequently imprisoned along with his mother. The Mughal throne was then offered to Alamgir II, who ruled as a puppet monarch under the influence of the Marathas and Imad-ul-Mulk. This intervention made the Marathas the de facto power in Delhi for several years.[6]
Raghunathrao’s northern campaign extended Maratha control over several key territories and forts in Doab and theDelhi Subah, consolidating their presence in the region. However, despite these military gains, the expedition did not yield significant economic benefits for the Maratha treasury. The cost of maintaining garrisons and managing distant territories proved burdensome, and internal political divisions within the Maratha leadership limited the long-term success of these operations.[7]
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At the end of 1756,Ahmad Shah Abdali began preparations for another invasion of the Indian subcontinent and a march toward Delhi. In response, Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao directed his brother Raghunathrao, along withMalharrao Holkar,Dattaji Shinde and Sidojiraje Gharge-Desai-Dehmukh, to organize a northern expedition aimed at repelling the Afghan advance. The Marathas, as protectors of theMughal Emperor, sought to restore stability in the north and defend imperial authority from Durrani incursions.[8]
Balaji Baji Rao appointed Raghunathrao as the chief commander of this campaign, with Malharrao Holkar assigned to assist him in leading the Maratha forces. Their objective was to strengthen Maratha influence in the Doab andPunjab regions, secure Delhi from Afghan control, and ensure that the Mughal court remained under Maratha protection.
Malharrao Holkar departed forIndore at the end of 1756 to assemble his cavalry and logistical support. Raghunathrao followed a few weeks later, setting out fromPune in October 1756 with the Maratha army. His march northward was methodical, gathering local allies and reinforcements along the route throughMalwa andBundelkhand. The campaign marked the beginning of the Marathas’ final push to reassert dominance in the northern territories before theevents leading to Panipat unfolded a few years later.[9]
Raghunathrao reached Indore on 14 February 1757, accompanied by Santajirao Wable, where he was joined by Malharrao Holkar. The objectives of Raghunathrao’s northern expedition were twofold: first, to defend the Mughal Emperor from the advancing Afghan forces, and second, to collect outstanding taxes and tributes from northern states to meet the Peshwa's growing financial obligations.
In mid-May 1757, Raghunathrao dispatched an advance force of 20,000 troops into theGanga–Yamuna Doab region to recover territories previously held by the Marathas. Meanwhile, with Malharrao Holkar and the remaining army, he turned towardRajputana to levy contributions from local rulers. However, the fortified nature of Rajput strongholds and the martial resistance of the local population made revenue collection difficult. Raghunathrao repeatedly wrote to the Peshwa in Pune requesting funds to sustain his forces, stating:
I am feeding myself only by looting villages. In this country most places are fortified, and not a grain of food can be obtained without fighting. I have no money, and cannot even raise a loan. My soldiers have been fasting for one or two days at a time.
— Raghunathrao's letter to Peshwa
Advancing throughMewar, the Maratha army extracted a ransom of ₹1 lakh fromJawad and attacked Ranikheda in March 1757. ReachingJaipur in April, Raghunathrao demanded pending payments fromMadho Singh, the ruler of Jaipur, and laid siege to Barwada, a fort held by theShekhawat clan. The Marathas lacked adequate siege equipment, and the prolonged blockade strained their resources. Kaniram, Jaipur’s chief minister, offered payments as per previous agreements with the Marathas, but Raghunathrao insisted on a higher tribute, demanding ₹40–50 lakhs and territory valued at ₹14 lakhs. Madho Singh rejected these terms and instructed his feudatories to fortify their estates and remain on alert.
By July 1757, realizing that his army lacked the strength to capture the forts of Barwada or Jaipur, Raghunathrao agreed to negotiate. A settlement was reached on 12 July 1757, under which Jaipur paid ₹11 lakhs, six of which were paid immediately. On the same day, Raghunathrao wrote again to the Peshwa, noting:
I have no money, nor is any loan available. My troops are in debt. Prices here are very high. I am daily getting my food only by sacking the villages.
— Raghunathrao's letter to Peshwa on 12 July 1757
Despite his repeated appeals, no financial assistance arrived from Pune. Having concluded operations in Rajputana, Raghunathrao and Malharrao Holkar marched towardDelhi at the end of July 1757 to expel Afghan garrisons and reassert Maratha control over the Mughal capital. By this time, Ahmad Shah Abdali had already withdrawn to Afghanistan following his invasion of northern Indian subcontinent.[8]
The Maratha forces dispatched by Raghunathrao to recover lost territories inGanga Doab were commanded bySakharam Bapu, Vithal Shivdev, Tatya Gangadhar, and Antaji Mankeshwar. They reachedAgra in May 1757, where the Marathas negotiated peace withSuraj Mal before advancing toward theYamuna. Crossing the river at Agra, the Marathas capturedEtawah andSikandra and established a camp atKasganj on the southern bank of theGanges on 17 June 1757.
On 2 July 1757, Antaji Mankeshwar advanced towardAnupshahr. The town ofMeerut, then held by agents ofNajib Khan, resisted the Marathas but was quickly subdued. Imad-ul-Mulk sent his diwan, Nagar Mal, to Anupshahr to renew friendly relations with the Marathas. Meanwhile,Shuja-ud-daulah agreed to remain neutral in the conflict between Najib ad-Dawlah and the Marathas. As a result, most of the Ganga Doab was cleared of Najib’s agents and came under Maratha control.[8]
Before returning to Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Abdali retained Alamgir II on the Mughal throne, appointing Imad-ul-Mulk as hiswazir. However, Abdali vested real authority inNajib-ud-Daulah, his chief agent in India, and appointed himMir Bakhshi. Both Alamgir II and Imad-ul-Mulk sought to free themselves from Najib Khan’s dominance and requested Maratha assistance to liberate Delhi from Afghan influence.
Raghunathrao agreed and marched towards Delhi in July 1757. Meanwhile, Sakharam Bapu, already present in the Doab region, occupiedPatparganj, andShamsher Bahadur, commanding the artillery division, reachedRewari on 27 July 1757. Grain supplies were blocked from entering Delhi. In preparation for the impending battle, Najib Khan dug trenches atKhizrabad outside the city to hinder the advance of the Maratha cavalry. Upon learning of Raghunathrao’s approach, Najib Khan sent hiswakil, Meghraj, to Imad-ul-Mulk to negotiate terms of peace. Imad, however, proposed humiliating conditions unacceptable to Najib, leaving war as the only viable solution.[8]
Raghunathrao reached Khizrabad on 11 August 1757 with his lieutenants, where he was joined by Sakharam Bapu, who had crossed over from the Doab. He dispatched two Maratha divisions to attack Delhi. The first division advanced throughLal Darwaza and captured the old city after defeating Najib Khan's troops under Bakhtawar Khan. The second division attacked from the south-east, where Qutb Shah, commanding 2,500 troops, fired bombardments on the Maratha soldiers from the Blue Bastion. Upon realizing that the old city had fallen, Najib Khan and Qutb Shah retreated to the inner city with their Rohilla forces. In retaliation, the Rohillas plundered Imad-ul-Mulk's house in Delhi and dishonored the women in hisharem. Imad-ul-Mulk subsequently met with Raghunathrao and formalized an alliance with the Marathas.
Unable to storm the fort from the south, Raghunathrao decided to encircle it and lay siege from all sides. Grain supplies to the fort were cut off, and Maratha troops surrounded it. Najib Khan responded by placing guards and cannons on all sides, preventing the Marathas from approaching within effective range.
Malharrao Holkar and Vithal Shivdev led Maratha forces to attack the fort from the northern side nearKashmir Gate, supported by Imad-ul-Mulk's troops under Bahadur Khan Baluch and Jamil-ud-din Khan. Meanwhile, Santajirao Wable and Manaji Paygude entrenched opposite Kabul Gate in the north-western section of the fort. On 25 August 1757, Bahadur Khan and Nagar Mal attacked the outskirts of the fort, forcing the Rohilla defenders to retreat inside. Najib Khan positioned long-range cannons on the northern section of the fort and commenced bombardment, resulting in the deaths of several hundred of Bahadur Khan's troops. The fighting subsequently paused.
With his forces reduced to around 2,000 men, Najib Khan attempted to negotiate through hiswakil, Meghraj. Raghunathrao’s terms required Najib to resign as Mir Bakhshi, vacate the fort with his troops, withdraw to his Rohilla jagirs, and pay an indemnity of ₹50 to 60 lakhs. Najib Khan refused, considering the terms humiliating and excessive, and prepared to continue the defense of the fort.[8]
The battle resumed on the night of 29 August 1757, when Raghunathrao attacked theDelhi Gate from the south, while Imad-ul-Mulk assaulted theLahore Gate in the north-west. The fort was bombarded by Maratha cannons from multiple directions, resulting in the demolition of two bastions of Delhi Gate. The cannonade continued until 31 August 1757. Najib Khan's soldiers attempted a counterattack, driving back the forces of Imad-ul-Mulk andAhmad Khan Bangash from Lahore Gate. Another sortie atTurkman Gate was also executed by Najib’s troops, during which Dilel Singh, thediwan ofWazir, suffered casualties.[8]
With famine affecting the city, many of Najib Khan's soldiers began deserting, leaving only a small contingent loyal to him. Outnumbered and facing inevitable defeat, Najib recognized that surrender was the only option. Malharrao Holkar persuaded Raghunathrao and Imad-ul-Mulk to agree to peace, while Abdul Ahad Khan urged Najib to accept the terms. On 3 September 1757, Qutb Shah and Najib Khan visited Malharrao's camp atQudsiabad and accepted the surrender conditions. This created some tension between Malharrao and Raghunathrao, as Raghunathrao commanded the northern expedition, but the peace negotiations were conducted by Malharrao.[8]
The terms of peace were implemented on 6 September 1757. Najib vacated his position along with his Rohilla soldiers and their belongings and encamped atWazirabad. Raghunathrao released all Rohilla prisoners, while grain was brought in from ferries to supply the starving city. Maratha troops were stationed to maintain order, and Imad-ul-Mulk replaced Najib's agents with his own officials in key positions. Ahmad Shah Bangash was appointed imperial Paymaster-General. As a result, Delhi was effectively freed from Rohilla and Afghan influence by the combined efforts of thewazir and the Marathas.[8]
On 22 October 1757, Raghunathrao and Malharrao Holkar departed Delhi after celebrating theDussehra festival and entered the Doab region. Raghunathrao proceeded toGarh Mukteshwar to perform ritual bathing, while Malharrao Holkar conducted raids inSaharanpur district, part of Najib Khan's formerjagir. Najib, along with his Afghan forces, retreated to his interior territories. Subsequently, Raghunathrao and Malharrao withdrew from Doab, leaving its administration to Imad-ul-Mulk, and began preparations for the Punjab campaign aimed at liberating the province from theDurrani Empire.[8]
Ahmad Shah Durrani of present-dayAfghanistan had annexed the province of Punjab from the Mughal Empire during his 1757 invasion. He appointed his son,Timur Shah, as the governor of the province. Timur Shah began consolidating his position in Punjab by sending Sarfaraz Khan to subdueAdina Beg, the Mughal governor of the region. Although Adina Beg successfully repelled Sarfaraz Khan's advance, he recognized the vulnerability of his position, as he commanded only 10,000 troops. Consequently, he entered into negotiations with Raghunathrao, who was then in Delhi, agreeing to pay ₹1 lakh for each day of the Maratha march and half a lakh for each day of halt.[2]
In response, Abdus Samad Khan Mohmand of Sirhind, a close ally of Ahmad Shah Durrani, marched toThaneshwar in October 1757, joined by the son of Najib-ud-Daulah. Raghunathrao and Malharrao Holkar avoided direct confrontation and temporarily circled around Delhi. In December 1757, Malharrao laid siege toKunjpura and raided territories stretching from Delhi to Thaneshwar. Abdus Samad Khan, then on an expedition againstAla Singh, was alarmed by the Maratha advance. He quickly concluded his campaign and returned to Sirhind Fort on 12 January 1758 to prepare defenses. Malharrao, however, did not engage directly and withdrew from Kunjpura after extracting a tribute of ₹5 lakhs.[2]
Raghunathrao entered Punjab in February 1758, accompanied by Mallharrao Holkar, Dattaji Shinde, Jankoji Shinde, and Shamsher Bahadur I. He laid siege to Sirhind Fort, joined by Adina Beg's forces andSikh mercenaries. Maratha raiding parties spread across the district to plunder surrounding villages. The siege lasted for several days, and on 21 March 1758, Abdus Samad Khan, along with Jangbaz Khan and other Afghan commanders, were captured while attempting to escape, though they were treated respectfully by Raghunathrao. This resulted in the Marathas capturing Sirhind. Subsequently, the combined forces of the Marathas and Adina Beg advanced toward Lahore to liberate it from Afghan control.[2]
Timur Shah's position at Lahore was precarious. Ahmad Shah Durrani was occupied inKhurasan suppressing a rebellion, the Lahore Fort was in a state of disrepair, and the region was largely hostile due to the Sikh population. Additionally, Timur Shah commanded a relatively small force, making the defense of Lahore untenable. Consequently, he decided to retreat in the face of the Maratha advance. On 19 April 1758, Timur Shah crossed theRavi River with his troops and supplies, abandoning Lahore.
When the Marathas and their Mughal allies arrived, they captured Lahore Fort without resistance. Pursuing Timur Shah and his forces, the Marathas first crossed the Ravi River and defeated the rear guard commanded by Mir Hazar Khan. Alarmed at the prospect of being captured, Timur Shah crossed theChenab River with his core Durrani clansmen, leaving behind the majority of his troops and supplies, which were seized by the Marathas and Mughal forces. Subsequently, the Marathas extended their control by capturingAttock,Multan,Rohtas Fort,Dera Ghazi Khan, andPeshawar.
Raghunathrao highlighted these achievements in a letter to the Peshwa:
We have already brought Lahore, Multan, Kashmir and other subahs on this side of Attock under our rule for the most part... Ahmad Khan Abdali's son, Timur Sultan, and Jahan Khan, have been pursued by our troops, and their forces completely routed. Both of them have now reached Peshawar with a few broken troops... we have decided to establish our rule up to Kandahar.– Raghunathrao, Letter to the Peshwa[10]
On 15 September 1758, only a few months after the Maratha victory, Adani Beg died atKhanpur nearHoshiarpur.[11] Following his death, the Marathas appointed Dattaji Scindia and later Sabaji Shinde as governors of Punjab.[12]
In 1760, Ahmad Shah Durrani’s forces defeated and killed Dattaji Scindia at theBattle of Barari Ghat near modern-day Delhi. In response, Raghunathrao was instructed to lead a northern campaign. He requested substantial military and financial support, noting that the death of Adina Beg had left them without a key ally. However, his request was denied bySadashivrao Bhau, his cousin and theDiwan of thePeshwa. As a result, Raghunathrao declined to march north, and Sadashivrao Bhau was appointed commander-in-chief of the Maratha Army, under whom theThird Battle of Panipat was later fought.
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After the Maratha defeat at the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, and the deaths of his brother Balaji Baji Rao and half-brother Shamsher Bahadur I, the Peshwa title passed toMadhavrao I, the second son of Nanasaheb. As Madhavrao was a minor at the time, Raghunathrao was appointedregent of the young Peshwa.
Raghunathrao soon fell out of favor with Madhavrao and conspired against him by allying with theNizam ofHyderabad. This alliance was defeated atGhodegaon, and Raghunathrao was placed underhouse arrest. After Madhavrao's death in 1772, he was released and became regent for Madhavrao's younger brother,Narayanrao. Together with his wifeAnandibai, Raghunathrao orchestrated the murder of Narayanrao.
Legend holds that a written order originally read "Hyala Dharaava" (“Have him seized”), but Anandibai altered it to "Hyala Maraava" (“Have him killed”). When the assassins attacked, Narayanrao reportedly ran outside, crying “Kaakaa, malaa waachwaa” (“Uncle, save me”), but Raghunathrao did not intervene, and Narayanrao was killed. Raghunathrao assumed the Peshwa position, but he was soon overthrown byNana Fadnavis and eleven other administrators in the “Baarbhaai Conspiracy” (Conspiracy of the Twelve). He was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death byRam Shastri Prabhune, though the sentence was never executed.
In 1774, the first battle between Raghunathrao and the Baarbhai took place at Kasegaon nearPandharpur. He then moved toKhambhat seeking assistance from the British, who did not support him militarily but transported him toSurat.
At Surat, Raghunathrao signed a treaty with the British East India Company on 6 March 1775, under whichThane,Vasai, andSashti were to be handed over to the Company, and the Company would assist Raghunathrao in claiming the Peshwa position.[13]
However, the Company was not yet prepared for war, and after theTreaty of Purandar (1776), openly distanced themselves from Raghunathrao, asking him to live as a pensioner. Fearful of the Baarbhai, he remained in Surat, where the Company allowed him to stay.
In 1776, Raghunathrao unsuccessfully sought assistance fromthe Portuguese and subsequently moved toBombay, where the Company provided him ₹15,000. During this period, the East India Company suffered defeat at the Battle of Talegaon. Following this, a treaty was signed atVadgaon, in which Raghunathrao’s claim to the Peshwa position was formally rescinded.
On 30 August 1773, Peshwa Narayanrao wasassassinated by his uncle Raghunathrao and Raghunathrao's wife, Anandibai. As Raghunathrao was confined and could not directly orchestrate the act, the preparations were carried out by Tujali Pawar, an influential personal servant.[14]
Tujali Pawar reportedly held personal grievances against Narayanrao and possibly Madhavrao, and whether or not these perceived offenses were justified, they motivated him to play a central role in the plot. While the original plan had been to capture Narayanrao, it was later amended to involve murder. This revised plan relied, in part, on the assumption that Sakharam Bapu would remain neutral regarding the conspiracy.[15]
Ram Shastri, theNyayadhish ("Chief Justice") of the Maratha Empire, began investigating the assassination of Narayanrao immediately after the incident, despite Raghunathrao's opposition.[16] The investigation lasted approximately six weeks and was conducted in accordance with established judicial practices.
Shastri concluded that Raghunathrao was the main culprit and identified about fifty additional individuals as being more or less responsible for the murder (forty-nine men and one female servant). Among the forty-nine men, thirteen were Gardis (eight Hindus and five Muslims), twenty-six were Brahmins, three were Prabhus, and seven were Marathas. The twenty-six Brahmins primarily served as clerks who acted as agents in planning and executing the details of the conspiracy. Vyankatrao Kashi, his brother Laxman, and Sakharam Hari Gupte were the three Prabhus identified as having played prominent roles in the plot.
When Shastri confronted Raghunathrao, the latter attempted to downplay the murder as a private matter and urged Shastri not to concern himself with it. Shastri, however, fearlessly declared Raghunathrao the main culprit in the murder of his nephew, demonstrating the power of an independent judiciary in a well-governed state. Despite his principled stance, Shastri was subsequently dismissed from his office by Raghunathrao. Shastri returned to his native village.[17]
While Shastri was conducting the investigation, Sakharam Bapu took measures to ensure the safety of the pregnant Gangabai, the widow of Narayanrao. Her unborn child would determine the succession: if she gave birth to a male, he would become the heir to the Peshwa throne; if female, Sakharam Bapu considered installingAli Bahadur, the grandson ofBaji Rao I, as Peshwa of the Maratha Empire.
To secure this outcome, Sakharam Bapu persuaded many Maratha chiefs from Raghunathrao's camp to switch allegiance without raising his suspicion. He subsequently laid the foundations of a council of twelve influential Maratha officials and chiefs, collectively known as the Barabhai Council ("Twelve Comrades"). Key members of this council included Nana Fadnavis, Haripant Fadnavis, Babuji Naik, Maloji Ghorpade, Bhavanrao Pratinidhi, the Raste and Patwardhan families, along with Mahadji Shinde andTukoji Holkar.[18]
Raghunathrao moved toKopargaon to reside with his trusted Sardar, Santajirao Wable, and died there on 11 December 1783 of unknown causes.[19] He had two sons,Baji Rao II and Chimaji Rao II, and had also adoptedAmrut Rao. After his death, his wife Anandibai and his three sons were kept in confinement by the Peshwa's minister Nana Fadnavis. Following the death of Peshwa Madhavrao II, Nana Fadnavis, together with the influential chiefDaulat Rao Scindia, installed Chimaji Rao and Baji Rao II as puppet Peshwas in quick succession.
{{cite book}}:Check|isbn= value: checksum (help)| Preceded by | Peshwa 1773–1774 | Succeeded by |