Baji Rao II was the last Peshwa of the Maratha Empire, serving from 1774 until 1802. He was born in 1775 and became Peshwa after the death of his adoptive father, Baji Rao I. His reign was marked by internal conflicts and challenges to his authority, particularly from the British East India Company. In 1802, Baji Rao II signed the Treaty of Bassein, which led to the loss of his power and the establishment of British control over the Maratha territories. He was later exiled to Bithoor, near Kanpur, where he lived until his death in 1808.