ErmelindaDez at 04:19, 16 June 2025

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{{Short description|Raja of Nagpur from 1772 to 1788}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Mudhoji I
| title = [[Sardar]]<br>Senadhurandhar Sarkar<br>King of [[Chandrapur]]
| titletext =
| more =
| type =
| image = Raja Mudhoji Bhonsle of Chandrapur.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Mudhoji Raghuji Bhonsle
| succession = 3rd [[Raja]] of [[Nagpur kingdom|Nagpur]]
| moretext =
| reign = 21 May 1772 – 18 May 1788
| reign-type =
| coronation =
| cor-type =
| predecessor = [[Janoji]]
| pre-type =
| regent =
| reg-type =
| successor = [[Raghoji II]]
| suc-type =
| spouse =
| spouse-type =
| consort =
| issue = [[Raghoji II]], Chimnaji, Vyankoji<ref name="state">{{cite book |last1=Wills |first1=C.U. |title=The Nagpur State in the 18th century |url=http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/278288 |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.278288/mode/2up |archive-date=23 January 2017}}</ref>
| house = [[Bhonsles of Nagpur]]
| issue-link =
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| full name =
| era name =
| era dates =
| regnal name =
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| father = [[Raghoji I]]
| mother = Sulā Bai [[Mohite (clan)|Mohite]]<ref name= "state"/><ref name= "mehta">{{cite book |last1=Mehta |first1=Jaswant Lal |title=Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813 |date=1 January 2005 |publisher=Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd |isbn=978-1-932705-54-6 |page=171 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d1wUgKKzawoC&pg=PA48 |language=en}}</ref>
| birth_date =
| birth_place = [[Nagpur]], [[Kingdom of Nagpur|Nagpur State]], [[Maratha Confederacy]] <br/> (modern day [[Maharashtra]], [[India]])
| death_date = 18 May 1788
| death_place = Nagpur, Nagpur State, Maratha Confederacy
| burial_date =
| burial_place =
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| religion = [[Hinduism]]
}}
'''Mudhoji I''' (Mudhoji Bhonsle; reigned 21 May 1772 – 18 May 1788) was the ruler of the [[Nagpur kingdom]] from 1772 to 1788. During his regency the Maratha kingdom remained peaceful and prospered.<ref name= "nagpur"/>

==Early life==
Mudhoji was a son of [[Raghoji I Bhonsle|Raghoji I]], a powerful Maratha leader and founder of Maratha rule in [[Nagpur Kingdom|Nagpur]], and Sulā Bai [[Mohite (clan)|Mohite]], the younger sister of Burhanji Mohite who was an influential courtier at [[Nagpur]].<ref name= "state"/><ref name= "mehta"/> His elder brother was [[Janoji Bhonsle]], younger brothers were [[Bimbaji Bhonsle]] and Sabaji Bhonsle.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Balfour |first1=Edward |title=Cyclopædia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia, Commercial, Industrial and Scientific: Products of the Mineral, Vegetable and Animal Kingdoms, Useful Arts and Manufactures |date=1873 |publisher=Scottish and Adelphi Presses |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rGsIAAAAQAAJ&dq=raghoji+bhonsle+children&pg=PA18 |language=en}}</ref>

In 1743, Sagunbai, the youngest queen of [[Shahu I]] (Mudhoji's aunt through his mother's side), proposed that Mudhoji be made the next [[Chhatrapati]] of the [[Maratha Empire]] after [[Shahu I]]'s death. However, the idea was abandoned due to fierce opposition by Sawkarbai, another queen of [[Shahu I|Shahu]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Vaidya |first1=Sushila |title=Role of Women in Maratha Politics, 1620-1752 A.D. |date=2000 |publisher=Sharada Publishing House |isbn=978-81-85616-67-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wVNuAAAAMAAJ&q=Mudhoji+Bhonsle |language=en}}</ref><ref name="study"/>

Mudhoji had initially opposed his brother [[Janoji Bhonsle]]'s accession to the throne of [[Nagpur]]. He deserted Janoji when [[Peshwa]] [[Madhavrao I]] attacked [[Nagpur]] in 1768 (on account of Janoji supporting [[Madhavrao I]], went to [[Madhavrao I]]'s camp and unconditionally surrendered.<ref name="study">{{cite book |last1=Mehta |first1=Jaswant Lal |title=Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813 |date=1 January 2005 |publisher=Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd |isbn=978-1-932705-54-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d1wUgKKzawoC&dq=Mudhoji+Bhonsle&pg=PA452 |language=en}}</ref>

==Reign==
[[File:Handwriting of Mudhoji Bhonsle.jpg|thumb|Seal and Handwriting of Mudhoji Bhonsle I]]
Mudhoji's elder brother [[Janoji Bhonsle]] had appointed Mudhoji's infant son [[Raghoji II Bhonsle|Raghoji II]] as ruler of [[Nagpur Kingdom]] before his death.

Between 1772 and 1775 a civil war ensued between Sabaji Bhonsle and his brother Mudhoji Bhonsle for the regency of Mudhoji's infant son [[Raghoji II Bhonsle]], culminating in the [[Battle of Pachgaon]]. Mudhoji appeared victor and secured the regency of the [[Nagpur Kingdom]] for himself.<ref name="nagpur">{{cite book |title=Central Provinces District Gazetteers- Nagpur |url=https://gazetteers.maharashtra.gov.in/cultural.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/Nagpur%20District/history.html#. |chapter=History- "Sabaji and Mudhoji"}}</ref>

Mudhoji immediately started restoring order in the kingdom, governing wisely. In the year 1777 he cautiously entered into agreements with the English, who were then preparing to support the claims of the upstart [[Raghunath Rao]] as [[Peshwa]].

In 1778, Mudhoji came to [[Pune|Poona]] to reconcile with [[Nana Phadnavis]], a powerful Maratha statesman who was disappointed with Mudhoji for supporting the British cause in the [[First Anglo-Maratha War]].<ref name="duff">{{cite book |last1=Duff |first1=James Grant |title=History Of Marathas, Vol II |page=141-142 |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofmarathasbygrantduffvol2 |language=English}}</ref><ref name="maratha history">{{cite book |author1=R.S. Chaurasia |title=History of the Marathas |date=2004 |publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Distributors |isbn=9788126903948 |pages=3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D_v3Y7hns8QC&dq=bhonsles+of+nagpur&pg=PA89 |language=English |format=Hardcover}}</ref> [[Nana Phadnavis]] convinced Mudhoji to join an alliance against [[Tipu Sultan]] on his stay in [[Poona]]. Mudhoji contributed 10,000 troops to the cause of the coalition but left after the successful [[Maratha–Mysore Wars|siege of Badami]] in May 1786, leaving a major portion of his troops with [[Hari Pant]].<ref name="tipu">{{cite book |last1=Hasan |first1=Mohibbul |title=History of Tipu Sultan |date=2005 |publisher=Aakar Books |isbn=978-81-87879-57-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hkbJ6xA1_jEC&dq=Mudhoji+Bhonsle&pg=PA149 |language=en}}</ref>

In 1785, he nominally added [[Mandla]] and the Upper [[Narmada]] Valley to the [[Nagpur Kingdom]] through a deal with the [[Peshwa]], paying twenty-seven lakh rupees to the [[Peshwa|Poona government]].<ref name="nagpur"/>

==Death==
Mudhoji died of an illness on 18 May 1788.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sen |first1=Sailendra Nath |title=Anglo-Maratha Relations, 1785-96 |date=1994 |publisher=Popular Prakashan |isbn=9788171547890 |page=257 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y-kanqrtVhYC&dq=Mudhoji+Bhonsle&pg=PA257 |language=en}}</ref> The [[Nagpur]] [[District Gazetteer]] states that he left behind a peaceful and prosperous kingdom at his death.<ref name="nagpur"/>

After his death, his son, the now mature [[Raghoji II Bhonsle]] assumed control of the government.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Madhoji Bhonsle}}
[[Category:Maratha Chiefs in the Maratha Empire]]
[[Category:Maharajas of Nagpur]]
[[Category:History of Nagpur]]
[[Category:18th-century regents]]

Mudhoji I - Revision history

ErmelindaDez at 04:19, 16 June 2025