Raghunath Rao
Raghunathrao, also known as Ragho Ballal or Raghoba Dada, was the younger son of Peshwa Bajirao I who served as the 11th Peshwa of the Maratha Empire for a brief period from 1773 to 1774.
The army led by him defeated the Rohillas at the Battle of Delhi, resulting in the Marathas becoming the de facto rulers of Delhi, with the Mughal Emperor Alamgir II retaining only nominal authority. He also led successful campaigns against the Durrani Empire at Sirhind and Attock, bringing northwestern India and parts of present-day Pakistan—mainly Punjab up to Peshawar—under Maratha rule for a brief period.
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 by Peshwa 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 the defeat at Panipat in 1761.
After the death of Balaji Baji Rao, his son Madhavrao 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 the assassination of his nephew Peshwa Narayanrao in 1773.
However, his reign was short-lived, as Narayanrao's infant son Madhavrao II was recognized as the legitimate Peshwa by the Maratha nobles in 1774. After being deposed, Raghunathrao allied with the East India Company during the First 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 at Kopargaon.
Early life
Raghunathrao Bhat, also known as "Raghoba", "Raghoba Dada" and "Ragho Bharari", was the younger brother of Balaji Baji Rao. He was born to Peshwa Bajirao I and Kashibai. He was born in Mahuli near Satara on 8 December 1734. Much of his early childhood was spent in Satara. Shortly after his birth, his stepmother Mastani gave birth to his half-brother Krishna Rao, later known as Shamsher Bahadur I.Raghunathrao was born into the Bhat family of Chitpavan Brahmin origin, which held the hereditary office of the Peshwa in the Maratha Empire. During his early years, the Maratha Empire was at the height of its territorial expansion under the leadership of his father Bajirao I and grandfather Balaji 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 in Sanskrit, Marathi and Persian, 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" 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.
First Northern Expedition (1753-1755)
In his early years, Raghunathrao led successful military campaigns in northern Indian subcontinent. His expedition between 1753 and 1755 was concluded by an advantageous treaty with the Jat rulers of Bharatpur, which secured Maratha influence in parts of the Doab region and strengthened their position in the north.During this period, Raghunathrao allied with Imad-ul-Mulk, the powerful Mughal vizier, in a bid to assert Maratha authority over the Mughal Empire. With Maratha support, Imad-ul-Mulk deposed Ahmad 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.
Raghunathrao’s northern campaign extended Maratha control over several key territories and forts in Doab and the Delhi 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.
Second Northern Expedition (1757-1758)
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 with Malharrao Holkar, Dattaji Shinde and Sidojiraje Gharge-Desai-Dehmukh, to organize a northern expedition aimed at repelling the Afghan advance. The Marathas, as protectors of the Mughal Emperor, sought to restore stability in the north and defend imperial authority from Durrani incursions.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 and Punjab regions, secure Delhi from Afghan control, and ensure that the Mughal court remained under Maratha protection.
Malharrao Holkar departed for Indore at the end of 1756 to assemble his cavalry and logistical support. Raghunathrao followed a few weeks later, setting out from Pune in October 1756 with the Maratha army. His march northward was methodical, gathering local allies and reinforcements along the route through Malwa and Bundelkhand. The campaign marked the beginning of the Marathas’ final push to reassert dominance in the northern territories before the events leading to Panipat unfolded a few years later.
Maratha affairs in Rajputana (February 1757 - July 1757)
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 the Ganga–Yamuna Doab region to recover territories previously held by the Marathas. Meanwhile, with Malharrao Holkar and the remaining army, he turned toward Rajputana 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:
Advancing through Mewar, the Maratha army extracted a ransom of ₹1 lakh from Jawad and attacked Ranikheda in March 1757. Reaching Jaipur in April, Raghunathrao demanded pending payments from Madho Singh, the ruler of Jaipur, and laid siege to Barwada, a fort held by the Shekhawat 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:
Despite his repeated appeals, no financial assistance arrived from Pune. Having concluded operations in Rajputana, Raghunathrao and Malharrao Holkar marched toward Delhi 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.
Marathas enter the Ganga Doab (May 1757 - July 1757)
The Maratha forces dispatched by Raghunathrao to recover lost territories in Ganga Doab were commanded by Sakharam Bapu, Vithal Shivdev, Tatya Gangadhar, and Antaji Mankeshwar. They reached Agra in May 1757, where the Marathas negotiated peace with Suraj Mal before advancing toward the Yamuna. Crossing the river at Agra, the Marathas captured Etawah and Sikandra and established a camp at Kasganj on the southern bank of the Ganges on 17 June 1757.On 2 July 1757, Antaji Mankeshwar advanced toward Anupshahr. The town of Meerut, then held by agents of Najib 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.