In 1802, British East India Company signed the treaty of Bassein with:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:
The Treaty of Bassein, signed on December 31, 1802, was a pivotal moment in the decline of the Maratha Confederacy and the rise of British supremacy in India. The treaty was signed between the British East India Company, represented by Governor-General Lord Wellesley, and the Maratha Peshwa **Baji Rao II**. Baji Rao II was forced to seek the protection of the British after his forces were defeated by the Holkar faction under Yashwant Rao Holkar in the Battle of Poona. By signing the Subsidiary Alliance under the terms of the Treaty of Bassein, Baji Rao II effectively surrendered his independence: he agreed to maintain a British subsidiary force, cede territory for the upkeep of that force, and conduct his foreign affairs subject to British consent. This treaty directly led to the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805), as it deeply offended the independent spirit of other Maratha chiefs like the Sindhias and Holkars, who viewed the Peshwa's submission as a national humiliation.

The incorrect option is 1:
Yashwant Rao Holkar was actually the Maratha leader whose victory over the Peshwa's forces at Poona caused Baji Rao II to flee and sign the Treaty of Bassein. Holkar was strongly opposed to British intervention and his actions were a driving force behind the start of the Second Anglo-Maratha War.

The incorrect option is 2:
Daulat Rao Sindhia was another major Maratha chieftain (Scindia of Gwalior) who was one of the most powerful and influential members of the Confederacy. Sindhia viewed the Treaty of Bassein as an unacceptable infringement on Maratha sovereignty, which prompted him to ally with other Maratha leaders to challenge the British in the Second Anglo-Maratha War.

The incorrect option is 3:
Nana Phadnavis was a renowned and influential Maratha statesman and the chief minister (Mutalik) who managed Maratha affairs during the late 18th century. However, Nana Phadnavis died in 1800, two years before the Treaty of Bassein was signed in 1802, so he could not have been a signatory to the treaty.