Q. Who appointed Chimnaji Damodar as Peshwa after he opposed Bajirao’s appointment in 1720?
Answer: Sambhaji II of Kolhapur
Notes: Chimnaji Damodar, a prominent Maratha statesman from Maharashtra, opposed Bajirao I’s appointment as Peshwa in 1720 at the court of Shahu I. After this conflict, Chimnaji left Shahu’s service and aligned himself with Sambhaji II of Kolhapur—a rival claimant within the Maratha Empire. Sambhaji II, seeking to strengthen his own position against Shahu I, appointed Chimnaji Damodar as his Peshwa in 1727. This episode reveals the significant internal divisions and competitive politics among Maratha nobility in early 18th-century Maharashtra.