Treaty of Bassein (1802)
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Bassein was a pact
signed on December 31, 1802 between the British East India Company
and Baji Rao II
, the Maratha
peshwa
of Pune
(Poona) in India
after the Battle of Poona
. The treaty was a decisive step in the dissolution of the Maratha Confederacy, which led to the East India Company's usurpation of the peshwa's territories in western India in 1818.
On May 13, 1803, Baji Rao II was restored to Peshwarship under the protection of the East India Company and the leading Maratha state had thus become a client of the British. The treaty led to expansion of the sway and influence of the East India Company over the Indian subcontinent. However, the treaty was not acceptable to all Marathas chieftains, and resulted in the Second Anglo-Maratha War
.
Pact
A pact is a formal agreement.Pact, The Pact or PACT may also refer to:-PACT as an acronym:* Protein ACTivator of the interferon-induced protein kinase, a protein that activates protein kinase R...
signed on December 31, 1802 between the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
and Baji Rao II
Baji Rao II
Baji Rao II was the last Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy, and governed from 1796 to 1818. His reign was marked by confrontations with the British.-Biography:...
, the Maratha
Maratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
peshwa
Peshwa
A Peshwa is the titular equivalent of a modern Prime Minister. Emporer Shivaji created the Peshwa designation in order to more effectively delegate administrative duties during the growth of the Maratha Empire. Prior to 1749, Peshwas held office for 8-9 years and controlled the Maratha army...
of Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
(Poona) in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
after the Battle of Poona
Battle of Poona
The Battle of Poona took place on 25 October 1802 near Pune between the rival factions of the Maratha Confederacy. The forces of the Scindia and the Peshwa Bajirao II were attacked by the Holkars...
. The treaty was a decisive step in the dissolution of the Maratha Confederacy, which led to the East India Company's usurpation of the peshwa's territories in western India in 1818.
On May 13, 1803, Baji Rao II was restored to Peshwarship under the protection of the East India Company and the leading Maratha state had thus become a client of the British. The treaty led to expansion of the sway and influence of the East India Company over the Indian subcontinent. However, the treaty was not acceptable to all Marathas chieftains, and resulted in the Second Anglo-Maratha War
Second Anglo-Maratha War
The Second Anglo-Maratha War was the second conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India.-Background:...
.
Terms
The terms of the treaty entailed the following:- A British force of around 6,000 troops be permanently stationed with the peshwa.
- Any territorial districts yielding twenty-six lakhLakhA lakh is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand . It is widely used both in official and other contexts in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and is often used in Indian English.-Usage:...
rupeeRupeeThe rupee is the common name for the monetary unit of account in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives, and formerly in Burma, and Afghanistan. Historically, the first currency called "rupee" was introduced in the 16th century...
s were to be ceded to the East India Company. - The peshwa could not enter into any other treaty without first consulting the Company.
- The peshwa could not declare war without first consulting the Company.
- Any territorial claims made by the peshwa would be subject to the arbitration of the Company (i.e. NizamNizamNizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
and Gaekwar). - The peshwa must renounce his claim over SuratSuratSurat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
and Baroda. - The peshwa must exclude all Europeans from his service.
- To conduct his foreign relations in consultation with the British.