A History of the Mahrattas

Written by Scots historian James Grant Duff, this 1826 publication describes the history of the Marathi people in India.

First published in 1826, this three-volume history of the Marathi people was written by Scottish army captain James Grant Duff, who served in India for many years. Volume 3 covers 1784 to 1819, beginning with the dispute over Nurgood and concluding with the settlement of the Maratha territory.One of the many famous 'administrator-historians' of India, James Grant Duff (1789–1858), Captain of the First Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry, first arrived in India as a cadet at the age of sixteen. Quickly mastering the Marathi, Urdu, and Persian languages, Duff became well known for his ability to cut through the cultural divide, and was regarded as a valuable resource for the East India Company's expansion of trade. His wide-ranging network of connections enabled him to obtain unrestricted access to state papers, documents and temple archives. Consequently, Duff's history is comprehensive and thorough; it served as the best history of its kind for decades. This third and final volume covers the years 1784 to 1819, beginning with the dispute over Nurgood and ending with the final reduction and settlement of the Maratha territory.