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162 posed of three European and three Native members, on the charge of attempting to poison the Resident, and deposed. But the British Government refrained from annexing the State, and raised a descendant of the founder of the family from obscure poverty to the State cushion.

First Maráthá War with, the British, 1779-1781.—While the four northern houses of the Maráthás were pursuing their separate careers, the Peshwá's power was being broken to pieces by family intrigues. The sixth Peshwá, Madhu Ráo Náráyan, was born after his father's death; and during his short life of twenty-one years the power remained in the hands of his minister, Náná Farnavis. Raghubá, the uncle of the late Peshwá, disputed the birth of the posthumous child (Mádhu Ráo), and claimed for himself the office of Peshwá. The infant's guardian, Náná Farnavis, having called in the French, the British at Bombay sided with Raghubá. These alliances brought on the first Maráthá war (1779-1781), ending with the treaty of Salbái (1782). That treaty ceded the islands of Salsette and Elephanta near Bombay, together with two others to the British, secured to Raghubá a handsome pension, and confirmed the child-Peshwá in his sovereignty. But the young Peshwá only reached manhood to commit suicide at the age of twenty-one.

Second Maráthá War, 1802-1804.—His cousin, Bájí Ráo II., succeeded him in 1795 as the seventh and last Peshwá. The northern Maratha house of Holkar now took the lead among the Maráthás, and forced the Peshwád to seek protection from the English. By the treaty of Bassein in 1802, Bají Ráo the Peshwá agreed to receive a British force to maintain him in his dominions. The northern Maráthá houses combined to break down this treaty. The second Marathá war followed (1802-1804). General Wellesley (afterwards Duke of Wellington) crushed the forces of the Sindhia and Nágpur branches of the Maráthás on the fields of Assaye and Argaum in the south, while Lord Lake disposed of the Maráthá armies at Laswari and Delhi in the north. In 1804, Holkar was completely defeated at Díg. These campaigns led to large cessions of territory to the British, to the final overthrow of French influence in India,