Maharaja Pilaji Rao Gaekwad

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Pilaji Rao Gaekwad (d. May 14, 1732) was a Maratha general who can be credited as the founder of the Gaekwad Dynasty of Baroda. He succeded Damajirao Gaekwad I, his uncle who was second in command to the Senapati for the Peshwa.

The Peshwa the effective ruler of the Maratha empire, appointed him to collect revenues from the territories in Gujarat. Pilajirao then established himself at the fortress of Sonagadh in the early 1720s and made it his head-quarters. Thus, Songadh became the cradle of the Gaekwad House and remained so till 1761.

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Maharaja Pilaji Rao Gaekwad

Expanding the State :

From there, he proceeded to consolidate his position by following the policy of raids into the neighboring areas. The main objective was to collect tribute from the acquired areas.

Later with the help of other Maratha generals like Kantaji Bende and Asaf Jaha the governor of Deccan he defeated Rustom Ali Khan the governor of Surat. The territories of Rustom Ali Khan were then divided into two parts. One of these part was for Pilajirao and another for Bende, with Asaf Jaha as their overlord. In this Pilajirao got the territories south of the Mahi river and hence Baroda, Nadod Champaner, Bharuch, and Surat. But soon after the Maratha generals started to quarrel amongst themselves. This ended in a struggle at Cambay with Pilajarao going back to Songadh, Kantaji Bende to Khandesh and Triambakrao Dabhade establishing himself at Dabhoi.

With a view of driving out his rogue generals from Gujarat, in 1726 Bajirao I made a pact with Sarbuland Khan, the Mughal viceroy of Gujarat. For protecting Gujarat from stray Maratha generals like Pilajirao Bajirao I acquired the rights to collect taxes from its territories. But soon after Sarbuland Khan was replaced by Abhay Singh as the viceroy of Gujarat, as this pact was not favored by the Delhi Court. Because of this change in the pecking order, Bajirao I then joined forces with Abhay Singh to force out Pilajirao.

This enmity culminated in the Battle of Bhilapur in April 1731. The Peshwa Bajirai I emerged victorious against the joint forces of Pilajirao, Kantaji Bende and Triambakrao Dabhade. Fortunately for the confederates, Bajirao I was not eager to crush the power of the Maratha dominions permanently in Gujarat. Thus he appointed Yashwantrao Dabhade son of Triambakrao as Senapati of Gujarat with Pilajirao as his “Mutalik”(Deputy) with the additional title of Sena Khas Khel.

With the powers of Senapati at his disposal, Pilajirao looked to expand his territories. He then attacked Abhay Singh and got a considerable victory. But in a tragic turn of events, Pilajirao was assassinated at Dakor in 1732.

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Thus, Pilajirao established a foundation for the Gaekwad dynasty to rise on. The death of Pilajirao was a signal for a new turn, a turn for the consolidation of the Gaekwad power in Gujarat. Damajirao II his son succeded him after his assassination.

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