xxiv+410p., xvi+344p., xvi+388p., Index, 23 cm. (First pub. in 1863)
CONTENTS
DESCRIPTION
History of the Marathas (in three volumes) originally published quite sometime back and was the first attempt at a systematic and detailed history of the Marathas from 1000 A.D. till the overthrow of the Maratha power by the British in 1818. It covers the rise of the Marathas under Shahjee, Shivajee and his successors, as also the rise, progress and decline of the Marathas under the Peshwas. The power of the Maratha people before the rise of the British power was a unique phenomenon in Indian history. A detailed analysis of the power of the Marathas is essential to any study of the British conquest of India. And this is whatGrant Duff attempted in his monumental book on Marathas. Duff was historical-minded and had the good fortune to consult the mass of state papers of the Peshwas, after the last of the Peshwa was defeated and dethraned in 1818 and the Maratha territory was taken over by the British. Further, as the Political Resident of Satara he could well utilize the important state papers of great historical importance which he used with discrimination for writing his classic work on Marathas. Again, he had full access to the records of the Bombay Government from where he gathered valuable information to reconstruct Maratha history. Duff also fully utilised the records of the Surat factory and of the Portuguese Government, as also the records available in the East India House relevant to the Marathas. Over and above these sources he could lay his hands on records of private archivs, papers available with important contemporary high officials, law suits and law decisions and at least hundred relevant Persian and Maratha manuscripts. Last of all, he could acquire very useful information due to his personal acquaintance with many of the Maratha chiefs and several of the great Brahman Jagirdars, from whom he acquired many valuable documents pertaining to Marathas.
