Madhavrao I
In a bid to effectively manage the large empire, Madhavrao Peshwa gave semi-autonomy to the strongest of the knights. After the death of Peshwa Madhavrao I, various chiefs and statesmen became "de facto" rulers and regents for the infant Peshwa Madhavrao II. Thus, semi-autonomous Maratha states came into being in far-flung regions of the empire: