Baji Rao I, first Peshwa of Maratha Empire (died 1740)

Bajirao I was the 7th Peshwa of the Maratha Empire. He was appointed Peshwa at the age of nineteen by Shahu I, following the death of his father, Balaji Vishwanath. He is credited with establishing the Marathas as the supreme power in the Indian subcontinent, displacing Mughal dominance.

The Peshwa was the second highest office in the Maratha Empire, next in rank and prestige only to that of the Chhatrapati. Initially serving as the appointed prime minister in the Maratha Kingdom, the office became hereditary when Shahu gave the seat of Peshwa to Bajirao Ballal. During the reign of Shahu, the office of Peshwas were handed more responsibilities to keep the Jagirdars and Vatandars of the Maratha Confederacy from rebelling. After the passing of Maharaj Shahu I the empire had no male heir apparent; hence the duty of maintaining peace lay with the Peshwas till the heir apparent was of age. The Peshwas decline was initiated when Raghunath Rao along with his wife Anandibai blinded by greed, had his 18 year-old nephew Narayanrao assassinated. The Peshwas were so powerful in the maratha empire that post shahu all the big decisions were taken by Peshwas. Post Shahu the chhatrapati position just remained a position.

The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern polity in the Indian subcontinent. It comprised the realms of the Peshwa and four major independent Maratha states under the nominal leadership of the former.