Raghuji had four son, Mudhoji and
Bimbaji from the elder wife, and Janoji and Sabaji from the younger.
Janoji was the eldest among these brothers. It was Raghuji desire that
Janoji shold succeed him and other should get their due shares of his
vas territory. However, Mudhoji put his claim for this father's Gadi
on the plea that he was the son of the eldest wife of Raghuji. By the
practive of primogeniture then prevailing, this claim was
inadmissible. Janoji had the support of a number of courtiers like
Krsnaji Govindrav, the Subhedar of Berar, Narahar Ballal, the Subhedar
of Nagpur. Sivabhat Vanjal, Naroji Jacaka, sivaji Kesav Talkute,
Anandrav Vagh and Krsnaji Atole. Mudhoji had the support of Sadasiv
Hari, his Divan, Dinkar Vinayak, Sivaji Vinayak and Narasingrav
Bhavani. The dispute of the two brothers was referred to the Pesva
Balaji Bajirav. Both of them were called to Poona. The title of
Senasaheb Subhawas conferred on Janoji while the new title of
Senadhurandhar was created for Mudhoji. Mudhoji received Chandrapur or
Chanda and Chattisgad with the former as this seat of administration.
Bimbaji was to reside at Chattisgad and Sabaji at Darva in Berar. The
Bhosle Brothers agreed t o pay to the Pesva a sum of twenty Lacs as
present on this occasion according to the time honoured custom.
Actually the sanad of Senasaheb Subha was issued as late as 1761. By
Tarabai when Madhavrav I assumed Pesvaship. At the time, Dvajipant
Corghade was a promising young man who settled the amount of present
between Janoji and the Pesva Balaji Bajirav.
Janoji and Mudhoji fought among
themselves when their negotiations were in progress at Poona and even
after their dispute was settled by the Pesva.
By about 1759, the two brothers tried
to settle their differences by resorting to arms. A battle was fought
near Rahatganv in which Mudhoji was forced to retreat. In the treaty
that followed. It was decided that Mudhoji should actively participate
in the administration and Raghuji Darande, Trimbakji Raje (Wavikar)
Bhosle and Piraji Nimbalkar should act as mediators with a view to
avoid any rupture in future. Piraji Nimbalkar along with his force of
six thousand was brought into the service of janoji by Divakarpant.
Piraji hailed from western Maharastra.
In 1760 Janoji and Mudhoji appealed to
Sadasivrav to settle their dispute. Sadasivrav offered to settle it
but asked them to run to his help at Udgir in his war against the
Nizam. Both the brothers hastened to help Sadasivrav but the latter
had concluded a treaty with the Nizam before the armies of the Bhosles
could be brought into the field.
Later, Mudhoji was forced to leave the
fort of Chanda. When two of his trusted officers Abaji Bhosle and
Gagadharpant turned against hm. Janoji taking advantage of this
difficulty marched on Chanda, but hurriedly left the place being
involved in the Pesva-Nizam war, leaving behind Tulojipant and
Majidkhan for the reduction of Chanda fort.
The differences between the two
brothers often resulting in an armed clash naturally weakened the
power of the Bhosles. Nagpur after the death of Rahuji became a hot
bed of political intrigues. Many courties exploited the family faction
to each other because Janoji who was without a son decided to adopt
Mudhoji's son as his successor. The credit for this amity, however,
goes to the situation rather than to tlhe wisdom of either of the
brothers.
Janoji Bhosle was a man of vacillating
nature. In the conflict between the Pesva and the Nizam be sided with
the Later. But both the Pesvas Balaji and Madhavrav I proved too
strong for him. Raghuji Bhole when once reconciled with the Pesva by
the efforts of Sahu remained loyal to him. Janoji failed to grasp the
situation and had to pay heavily for the same in his relations with
the Pesvas. At least as a matter of policy for safe guarding his own
territory he would have maintained friendly relations with the pesvas.