Narayan Rao
Narayanrao was the 10th Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy, serving from November 1772 until his assassination in August 1773. He was the third and youngest son of Balaji Baji Rao and Gopikabai, and the younger brother of Madhavrao I. He was married to Gangabai Sathe, the daughter of Krishnaji Hari Sathe, and the couple had a posthumous son, Madhavrao II, who later succeeded him as Peshwa.
Narayanrao ascended the throne at the age of 17 following the death of his brother Madhavrao I. His reign was short and politically turbulent, marked by growing tensions between him and his uncle Raghunathrao, who had expected to succeed as Peshwa. Although Narayanrao initially sought to maintain his elder brother’s policies and continue reforms aimed at stabilizing the administration, his inexperience and strained relations with senior ministers—especially Raghunathrao—led to internal discord within the Maratha Confederacy.
His administration relied heavily on experienced statesmen such as Sakharam Bapu Bokil and Nana Fadnavis, who advised him in state matters. However, conflicts within the court and factional rivalries culminated in a conspiracy that led to his assassination at Shaniwarwada in Pune on 30 August 1773. His death triggered a succession crisis, leading to the installation of his infant son Madhavrao II as Peshwa under the regency of the Barbhai Council, a coalition of influential Maratha nobles.
Early life
Narayanrao was born into the Bhat family on 10 August 1755. He was the third and youngest son of Balaji Baji Rao and Gopikabai. He received a conventional education in reading, writing, and arithmetic, and had a functional understanding of Sanskrit literature.He was married to Gangabai Sathe, the daughter of Krishnaji Hari Sathe, on 18 April 1763. After the death of his uncle Sadashivrao Bhau at the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, Narayanrao was brought up by Sadashivrao Bhau’s widow, Parvatibai.
Narayanrao’s eldest brother, Vishwasrao, who was heir to the title of Peshwa, was killed at Panipat along with Sadashivrao Bhau. Their father, Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao, died a few months later, and Narayanrao’s elder brother Madhavrao I succeeded as Peshwa.
Narayanrao accompanied his brother Peshwa Madhavrao on two military expeditions to the Carnatic region in 1765 and 1769. In April 1770, during the storming of Fort Nijagal, he sustained a wound to his wrist. During the last two years of Madhavrao’s reign, Narayanrao was placed under the guidance of minister Sakharam Bapu to learn administrative affairs. However, his behavior and performance failed to satisfy Madhavrao, who expressed concerns about his ability to rule effectively.
Ascension
Before his death, Peshwa Madhavrao I convened a court session to address the issue of succession. At the conclusion of this session, he nominated his younger brother Narayanrao as his successor. Madhavrao advised the latter to administer state affairs in consultation with ministers Sakharam Bapu and Nana Fadnavis,Their uncle, Raghunathrao, though displeased with the decision, did not openly oppose Narayanrao’s nomination in the presence of the dying Peshwa and formally acquiesced. Madhavrao also issued written orders to keep Raghunathrao under confinement to prevent him from interfering in political matters. Raghunathrao attempted to escape shortly before Madhavrao’s death but was recaptured and returned to custody.
Madhavrao died on 18 November 1772. His funeral rites were performed at Theur, after which the court returned to Pune on 2 December. Subsequently, Narayanrao traveled to Satara to receive the ceremonial robes of investiture from Chhatrapati Rajaram II.
Before Narayanrao’s departure, Raghunathrao demanded either permission to accompany him to Satara or to be granted an independent fief of ₹25 lakh annually for himself and his family. He was eventually persuaded to withdraw his demands. Narayanrao then proceeded to Satara, where he received his robes of office from Rajaram II on 13 December 1772. In the meantime, Sakharam Bapu assumed the position of Karbhari, and other state officials resumed their respective duties.
Reign
Alienation of various groups
Gardis
The Peshwas employed Gardi soldiers for police and security duties around the palace and the city of Pune. The Gardis numbered fewer than 5,000 and were primarily composed of recruits from the northern territories, including Pathans, Ethiopians, Arabs, Rajputs and Purbiyas. Their monthly pay ranged between ₹8 and ₹15. According to French military leader Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau, the Gardis regarded their service as a commercial arrangement and had little personal loyalty to their employer.When Narayanrao succeeded his brother Madhavrao I, he inherited an empty treasury. Madhavrao had depleted the state’s resources in repaying the empire’s debts and was unable to restore its finances in the final years of his illness. Following the deaths of Ibrahim Khan Gardi and de Bussy, the Gardis lacked strong leadership and discipline. Unpaid and disorganized, they increasingly became a liability for the Maratha administration. Despite this, neither the Peshwa nor his advisors took significant measures to address the situation.
Prabhus
The Prabhus were an influential community in the Maratha Empire. They claimed Kshatriya status, which entitled them to perform religious rituals using Vedic chants. A dispute regarding their caste status arose in the late 17th century but was largely resolved when the Maratha ruler Shivaji I and his confidential secretary, Balaji Avji Chitnis—a Prabhu by caste—performed the sacred thread ceremony of their sons simultaneously, using Vedic chants under the supervision of the Brahmin scholar Gaga Bhatt. This event established a precedent that allowed the Prabhus to retain their Kshatriya status without interference from orthodox Brahmins.During the reign of Narayanrao, however, the issue was revived. Influenced by Nana Fadnavis and orthodox Brahmin opinion, Narayanrao reduced the Prabhus’ caste status from that of Kshatriya to Shudra. Prominent leaders of the community were summoned and, under conditions of severe torture and starvation, forced to renounce their Kshatriya claims. They were compelled to sign an agreement consisting of nine specific articles, formally accepting Shudra status. This act alienated the Prabhus, who subsequently withdrew their support from Narayanrao and sided with Raghunathrao.
Sakharam Bapu
Sakharam Bapu’s moderate and conciliatory policy often clashed with the impulsive and irritable temperament of Narayanrao. Their differences became evident during the appointment of the governorship of Vasai. The post had long been held by Visajipant Lele, a soldier and diplomat whom Sakharam Bapu highly regarded for his loyalty and assistance in several difficult situations. However, Lele was known to be corrupt, and during his final years in office, Madhavrao I dismissed him for misappropriating government property valued at approximately ₹20 lakh.After Narayanrao’s accession, Lele petitioned to be reinstated as the Governor of Vasai, a request supported by Sakharam Bapu. Narayanrao, however, rejected Bapu’s advice and instead appointed Trimbak Vinayak to the position.
Narayanrao and Sakharam Bapu also disagreed over the treatment of the Patwardhan Sardars. The Patwardhans had risen to prominence through their loyal service to the late Peshwa, which caused resentment among Sakharam Bapu and Raghunathrao, who sought to curtail their growing influence. Narayanrao, however, opposed these measures. As tensions between Narayanrao and Sakharam Bapu intensified, they decided to consult Gopikabai, the widow of Balaji Baji Rao and the senior-most member of the Peshwa family.
In March 1773, Narayanrao, Sakharam Bapu, and Vamanrao Patwardhan, a leading member of the Patwardhan family, travelled to Gangapur to seek her counsel. Despite several days of discussion, the meeting concluded without any definitive resolution.
Other Maratha officials
The courtiers at Pune held largely unfavorable opinions of the new Peshwa, describing him as impatient, irritable, facetious, gullible, and immature. They believed that he frequently disregarded the advice of his senior minister, Sakharam Bapu. Narayanrao was said to have begun imitating the mannerisms and behavior of his elder brother, Madhavrao I, and on several occasions openly disrespected Sakharam Bapu and other senior officials.Nana Fadnavis remained largely aloof from government affairs due to the lack of confidence Narayanrao showed in him. Unlike his senior colleague Sakharam Bapu, Nana Fadnavis involved himself in administrative matters only when absolutely necessary, which may explain why he was unaware of the intrigues and conspiracies developing in Pune at the time.
Moroba Fadnavis, another member of the executive council, shared this attitude of indifference toward the Peshwa, as did the Maratha general Haripant Phadke.
Confinement of Raghunathrao
First attempt to escape
Narayanrao’s relationship with his uncle Raghunathrao was cordial at first. When Raghunathrao’s daughter Durgabai was to be married, Narayanrao made all the necessary arrangements for the ceremony, which took place on 7 February 1773.However, tensions soon developed between the two. While Narayanrao was at Nashik, Raghunathrao attempted to take advantage of his absence and plotted an escape. He began to recruit troops and wrote to Hyder Ali seeking support. Naro Appaji, the Maratha officer in charge of law and order in Pune, responded by increasing security around Raghunathrao, posting guards at all palace exits and city gates. Raghunathrao then pitched his tents outside the city, claiming he was setting out on an expedition.
Upon hearing this news, Narayanrao returned to Pune, found his uncle encamped outside the city, and brought him back to the palace on 11 April 1773. Additional guards were placed to prevent further escape attempts, which deepened the rift between them. In July 1773, Raghunathrao became so distressed by the restrictions imposed on him that he threatened to starve himself, his wife, and his adopted son to death. Narayanrao failed to resolve the matter through compromise and, by this point, lacked trusted advisers.