Raghoji I Bhonsle

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Raghoji I Bhonsle (died 1755) was a Maratha general who took control of the Nagpur Kingdom in east-central India. His successors ruled the kingdom until 1853. The Bhonsle family were originally headmen from Deora, a village in Satara District. Raghoji's grandfather and his two brothers had fought in the armies of Shivaji, and to the most distinguished of them was entrusted a high military command and the collection of chauth (tribute) in Berar. Nagpur was then the capital of a Gond kingdom ruled by Chand Sultan, who had moved the capital to Nagpur from Deogarh. On Chand Sultan's death in 1739 there were disputes as to his succession, and his widow invoked the aid of Raghoji, who was governing Berar on behalf of the Maratha Peshwa.