Early life
In the 1740s, during the last years of Shahu's life, Tarabai brought Rajaram II to him. She presented the child as her grandson, and therefore, as a direct descendant of Shivaji through her husband Rajaram Chhatrapati. She claimed that he had been concealed after his birth for his protection and had been raised by the wife of a Rajput soldier. Consequently, Shahu adopted him as a child. After Shahu's death, Rajaram II was appointed as the new Chhatrapati, the Emperor of Marathas. When Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao left for the Mughal frontier, Tarabai urged Rajaram II to remove him from the post of Peshwa. When Rajaram refused, she imprisoned him in a dungeon at Satara, on 24 November 1750. She claimed that he was an imposter from Gondhali caste and she had falsely presented him as her grandson to Shahu. His health deteriorated considerably during this imprisonment. Tarabai later signed a peace treaty with the Balaji Rao, acknowledging his superiority. On 14 September 1752, Tarabai and Balaji Rao took an oath at Jejuri#Khandoba Temple, Khandoba temple in Jejuri, promising mutual peace. At this oath ceremony, Tarabai also swore that Rajaram II was not her grandson, but an impostor from the Gondhali caste. Nevertheless, the Peshwa retained Rajaram II as the titular Chhatrapati and a powerless figurehead.Reign
During Rajaram II's reign, the power of the Chhatrapati based in Satara district, Satara was almost totally overshadowed by his hereditary Peshwas belonging to the Bhat family in Pune and other commanders of the empire such as the Holkars, Gaekwad, Scindia and Bhonsale(Nagpur). During this period, the Marathas were engaged in a continual conflict with the Durrani Empire based in Afghanistan. the Third Battle of Panipat took place in his time. The Marathas and the Mughals signed an agreement in 1752. The Marathas agreed to help the Mughals defeat external aggression as well as internal rebellions. The Mughals agreed to appoint Peshwa Balaji Rao as the Subahdar of Ajmer subah, Ajmer and Agra Subah, Agra subah. The Marathas were also granted the right to collect ''chauth'' from Subah of Lahore, Lahore, Subah of Multan, Multan, Sindh#Maratha_empire, Sindh subahs as well as some districts of Hisar (city), Hissar and Moradabad. However, the Mughal emperor had also ceded Lahore and Multan to Ahmad Shah Durrani in order to pacify him. In addition, he did not ratify the transfer of Rajput-ruled territories like Ajmer to the Marathas. This brought the Marathas in conflict with Durranis as well as Rajputs. Madho Singh I, Madho Singh sought help from Shuja-ud-Daula as well as the Afghan king Ahmad Shah Durrani (Abdali). The Marathas-Jat people, Jat relations also worsened during Rajaram's reign. He was succeeded by another adopted titular ruler Shahu II of Satara.References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rajaram 02 Of Satara Maharajas of Satara People of the Maratha Empire