पान:आंग्ल प्रभा.djvu/9

One other general feature, which distinguishes the first period under Shivaji and Shahu from the period which followed the establishment of the Peishwa's power at Poon, relates to the fact that while most of the great Military Commanders in the earlier period were Marathas, with the notable exception of the Peish was themselves, the men who rose to distinction in the latter half of the century were, for the most part, Brahmins. In the wars of In dependence, Dhanaji Jadhav and Santaji Ghorpade made their mark aB leaders, and the Nimbalkars, the Attoles, the Bhosles, the Powars, the Angres and the Dabhades distinguished themselves in the war, which led to the accession of Shahu to the throne. These were all Maratha leaders. In Shivaji's own time, the Brahmin leaders, Moropant Pingle, the Hanmantes, Abaji Sonadeo, Datto Annaji, and others played as prominent a part as did the Maratha Sirdars, Gujars, Mohites, Palkars, Kanks, and Malusares; but in the Wars of Indepenence, the Brahmin element chiefly exerted its influence in the Council, and not on the battle-field. In the time of the second Peishwa, the great leaders were Malhararao Holkar, Pilaji Jadhav, Ranji Shinde, and his three sons. In Balaji Bajirao's time, the preponderance of the Maratha element continued and excepting the members of the Peishwa's family, the Brahmins made themselves useful chiefly as civilians. After the removal of the capital from Satara to Poona, a change took place in this policy, and we find that all the great。 commanders, who acquired fame and territory after 1760, were in the Deccan, almost exclusively, Brahmins. Even the Parbhu element ceased to be of any importance at the Poona Court, though it enjoyed considerable power at Baroda and Nagpur. The Shenvis (Goud Saraswat) rose to eminence in the Scindia's territory ; the Brahmin element in the great . camps at Indore, Baroda, Gwalior and Nagpur occupied a very subordinate position. In the Deccan, however, the men who rose to power Were all Brahmins, the Vinchurkars, the Raje Bahadars, the Bhuskutes, the Bundeles, the Khers, the Purandares, the Panses, the Biniwales, the Patward hans, the Mehendales, the Gokhles, the Ekbotes, the Lagus, the Rastes, the Fadkes, the Pethes, and a host of other smaller names might be mentioned in support of this view. And even among the Brahmins, it so happened that later in the century, many of the Deshastha leaders took sides with Raghoba Dada, while the Konkanastha Sirdars followed the lead of the Poona ministers. Sakharam Bapu, the RajeBahadars, the Vinchurkars, and the Hinganes took part in these Wars on Raghoba's side; while the other Brahmin leaders, mentioned above, sided with the Party opposed to Raghoba. When, in course of time, Bajirao II. suc Caste ascendency.