Madhavrao II
Shrimant Peshwa (Regent of the Empire) Madhavrao II | |
|---|---|
Portrait of Madhavrao II c.1790–1792 | |
| 12th Peshwa of the Maratha Empire | |
| In office 28 May 1774 – 27 October 1795 | |
| Monarch | Rajaram II |
| Preceded by | Raghunathrao |
| Succeeded by | Baji Rao II |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 April 1774 |
| Died | 27 October 1795 (aged 21) |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Vishwasrao (uncle) Madhavrao I (uncle) Balaji Baji Rao (grandfather) Gopikabai (grandmother) |
Madhavrao II (18 April 1774 – 27 October 1795), also known as Sawai Madhav Rao or Madhav Rao Narayan, was the 12th Peshwa of the Maratha Empire, ascending the throne during infancy. He was the posthumous son of Peshwa Narayanrao, who was murdered in 1773 on the orders of Narayanrao's uncle Raghunathrao. Despite his young age, Madhavrao II was recognized as the legal heir and installed as Peshwa following the Treaty of Salbai in 1782, after the conclusion of the First Anglo-Maratha War.
During his reign, the Maratha Confederacy was effectively administered by regents and influential generals, including the minister Nana Fadnavis, who maintained internal stability and oversaw military campaigns. Madhavrao II's rule marked a period of relative recovery and consolidation of Maratha power after the turbulence following the Third Battle of Panipat. He was also known for being a symbolic figurehead around whom the Maratha nobility rallied, despite his limited personal involvement in governance due to his early death at the age of 21.