Who Are the Marathas?
Marathas = people native to the Deccan plateau, present-day Maharashtra. They speak Marathi — a language with a rich literary history since the 12th century. The Bhakti movement (saints like Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Tukaram, Ramdas) gave them a strong cultural & spiritual foundation that united them politically.
⬆️ Raigad Fort, Maharashtra — where Chhatrapati Shivaji was crowned in 1674
- Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Tukaram, Ramdas — popular saints of Maharashtra
- Translated Upaniṣhads & Bhagavad Gītā into Marathi — made wisdom accessible to all
- Created social cohesion & political awareness — prepared Marathas to organise as a power!
Chhatrapati Shivaji's Rise
🏰 Age 16: Started capturing forts around Pune region
⚓ 1657: Founded the Maratha Navy (revolutionary!)
🏆 1674: Coronated at Raigad Fort with full Vedic rites
🗺️ 1677: Dakṣhiṇa-digvijaya — conquest of the South
💀 Died age 50 of fever — but his legacy lived on forever
Guerrilla warfare = small groups, speed, surprise & knowledge of terrain to defeat bigger armies. Used mountain forts and forests to ambush enemies. The Wāgh Nakh (tiger's claw weapon) was his personal weapon — he used it to kill the powerful Bijapur general Afzal Khan!
⬆️ Painting of Chhatrapati Shivaji (~1680s, British Museum) (left) • Sindhudurg Fort — Maratha naval fortification (right)
Key Military Achievements
Bijapur general sent to crush Shivaji. Shivaji lured him to a 1-on-1 meeting at Pratapgad fort. Killed Afzal Khan with Wāgh Nakh. Marathas hidden in mountains then routed the army!
Mughal general occupied Shivaji's territory for 3 years. Shivaji raided his camp at night with just a few soldiers. Khan barely escaped, losing fingers! Left Maharashtra immediately.
Sacked Surat (Mughal's wealthiest port) twice — obtained ~1 crore rupees! But spared religious places & charitable people. Made headlines even in London Gazette!
After being insulted at Aurangzeb's court, Shivaji was placed under house arrest in Agra. His plan: start distributing gifts in big baskets to holy men & guards. Guards stopped checking after a while. Then Shivaji & his son Sambhaji hid in the baskets and escaped! 🧺 Aurangzeb never captured him again.
Marathas After Shivaji
- After Shivaji's death, Tarabai (Rajaram's queen) led large-scale raids into Mughal territories
- Peshwas (prime ministers) became the real power — especially Bajirao I & Nanasaheb
- Marathas briefly controlled Lahore, Attock, even Peshawar (now Pakistan)!
- 1754: Marathas took control of Delhi
- 1761: Disastrous defeat at Third Battle of Panipat vs Afghans
- Quickly recovered under Mahadji Shinde — recaptured Delhi in 1771
⬆️ Maratha Empire extent at its peak (left) • Nana Phadnavis & Mahadji Shinde receiving British surrender (right)
Three wars: 1775–1782 (Maratha victory!), 1803–1805, 1817–1818 (British victory). Internal disunity + British superior organisation & technology = end of Maratha power in 1818. In effect, the British took India from the Marathas more than from the Mughals!
Maratha Administration
- Pradhān — Prime Minister
- Amātya — Finance Minister
- Sachiv — Intelligence Minister
- Sumant — Foreign Affairs Minister
- Senāpati — Commander-in-chief
- Panḍitrāo — Head of Religious Affairs
- Nyāyādhīsh — Chief Justice
- Mantrī — Land Revenue Minister
- Abolished hereditary posts
- Paid salaries from state treasury
- Officials regularly transferred
- Pensions for soldiers' widows
- Military posts for widows' sons
Chauth = 25% tax from territories not directly under Marathas. Sardeshmukhi = additional 10%. In return → Marathas provided protection & did not interfere in internal administration.
Military System
Bārgīrs = state-funded horses & equipment. Shiledārs = self-funded. Key mobile force.
Truly revolutionary! No Mughal, Bijapur or other Indian power had a full-time navy. Maratha Navy exploits became legendary.
Core of Maratha power. Controlled key routes, sheltered guerrilla armies. Shivaji controlled & built many — "Forts are the core of the state."
⬆️ Weapons used by the Marathas — swords, lances, plus guns & rockets
Legacy & Impact
- Became the largest pan-Indian power before the British
- Ended Mughal dominance of the Deccan & much of India
- Proved that Indian powers could challenge and defeat European-influenced armies (1st Anglo-Maratha War!)
- Nana Phadnavis organised the first pan-Indian anti-British alliance
- Shivaji's ideas of just governance, care for subjects, naval power & religious tolerance remain inspiring
- Maratha coins using both Devanagari & Persian scripts = cultural synthesis!
Quick Summary
- Marathas = Deccan people, Marathi-speaking, united by Bhakti movement & Shivaji's vision of Swarājya
- Chhatrapati Shivaji (1630–80): Guerrilla warfare expert, founded Maratha Navy, coronated 1674, cared for subjects
- After Shivaji: Peshwas expanded empire pan-India; briefly controlled Delhi; defeated British in 1st war
- Decline: Internal disunity + British superiority → Maratha power ended 1818
- Governance: Ashtapradhana council, fair salaries, chauth & sardeshmukhi taxes, Maratha Navy