Maratha Empire and Confederacy

🟢 Lite — Quick Review (1h–1d)

Rapid summary for last-minute revision before your exam.

The Maratha Empire (c. 1674–1818) was founded by Shivaji Bhonsle and grew to become the dominant power in India by the mid-18th century — eventually forming the Maratha Confederacy that filled the vacuum left by the declining Mughals. Shivaji’s grandson, Sambhaji, and later the Peshwas of Pune transformed the Marathas from a regional power into an empire that stretched from Attock (Afghanistan) to Cuttack (Odisha).

Key Facts for RPSC RAS:

• Shivaji (r. 1645–1680) founded the Maratha kingdom — declared Hindu Chatrapati (king) at Raigad in 1674.
• Shivaji’s general, Morar Bhonsle, built the strong foundation of Maratha administration.
• The Peshwa system began in 1713 when Balaji Vishwanath became the Peshwa (chief minister).
• Under Sadashiv Rao Bhau (Peshwa), the Marathas were defeated at the Third Battle of Panipat (1761) by Ahmad Shah Durrani.
• The Maratha Confederacy ended after the Anglo-Maratha Wars (1772–1818) — the last major Indian power to resist British rule.

⚡ Exam tip: Shivaji’s administration, the battle of Panipat, the Peshwa system, and the Maratha contribution to anti-Mughal resistance are high-yield topics.

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🟡 Standard — Regular Study (2d–2mo)

Standard content for students with a few days to months.

Shivaji — The Founder (1629–1680)

Early Life

Shivaji was born in Shivneri Fort (Maharashtra) in 1629 to Shahji Bhonsle and Jijabai:

• Father was a Maratha noble in the service of the Bijapur Sultanate
• Mother Jijabai instilled strong Hindu pride and leadership values
• Shivaji grew up watching Mughal and Bijapuri politics

Rise to Power

Shivaji’s early campaigns (1645–1655):

• Acquired Torna — his first fort (1645, age 16)
• Captured Sinhgad — strategically important fort near Pune
• Built a network of forts across the Western Ghats

Conflicts with Bijapur:

• The Bijapur Sultan tried to suppress Shivaji
• Shivaji defeated Bijapuri forces repeatedly
• The Mughals became involved — Shivaji was summoned to Agra (1656)

The Escape from Agra:

• In 1666, Shivaji was summoned by Aurangzeb to the Mughal court
• He escaped from Agra — famously jumped from the window of the harem (or from the Jilaukhana of the Jama Masjid)
• This became legendary in Maratha folklore

The Coronation (1674)

On 11 March 1674, Shivaji was formally crowned Chhatrapati (king) at Raigad Fort:

• Took the title Shivaji Maharaj
• Adopted Hindu rituals (not Islamic) — symbolically rejecting Mughal sovereignty
• Issued silver coins (rupiya) — signalling independence

Administration of Shivaji

Shivaji built an efficient and decentralised administration:

Ashta Pradhan (Council of Eight): Shivaji’s council of ministers:

Minister	Portfolio
Peshwa	Prime Minister, finance
Maji	Chief Revenue Minister
Sachiv	Home and correspondence
Pandit Rao	Religious affairs
Sumat	External affairs
Sawar	Cavalry and horses
Nayat	Food and supplies
Pandit	Legal/judicial

Revenue System:

• Mirasdar system — hereditary land rights for peasants who paid revenue
• Revenue was fixed at 1/3 of agricultural produce (relatively fair)
• Chauth and Sardeshmukhi — taxes on territories:
  • Chauth: 1/4 of revenue of adjoining territories
  • Sardeshmukhi: Additional levy — Maratha right to collect

Military Organisation:

• Mavli cavalry — loyal, well-trained horsemen
• Ganavari or river-based supply system
• Guerilla warfare — hit-and-run tactics in the hills

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Sambhaji and the Early Confederacy (1680–1740)

Sambhaji (r. 1680–1689)

Shivaji’s son Sambhaji (also educated, able) continued expanding but was captured by Aurangzeb’s forces:

• Tortured and executed in 1689 — Aurangzeb’s cruelest act
• Sambhaji’s son Shahu became the next Chhatrapati

Shahu (r. 1694–1749)

• As a child, was a prisoner of Aurangzeb for decades
• Released in 1707 after Aurangzeb’s death
• Became Chhatrapati with the help of the Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath

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The Peshwa Era (1713–1818)

Balaji Vishwanath (r. 1713–1720)

• First Peshwa (chief minister) — appointed by Shahu
• Established the Peshwa’s dominance over the Maratha Confederacy
• Negotiated the Treaty of Sarkar (Poona) with the Mughals — Marathas got recognition

Bajirao I (r. 1720–1740) — The Warrior Peshwa

Bajirao is considered the greatest Peshwa:

• “Ballala E Shahu” (lion among servants) — as he called himself
• Expanded the Maratha empire dramatically:
  • Battle of Delhi (1737): Maratha forces under Bajirao entered Delhi — the Mughals were humiliated
  • Defeated the Nizam — forced him to pay tribute and cede Malwa
  • Annexed Gujarat and Malwa to Maratha control
  • First Bajirao’s campaigns extended Maratha power to the Narmada

The Peshwa System

The Peshwas became the de facto rulers while the Chhatrapati remained a figurehead:

Hierarchy:

• Chhatrapati — nominal king (Shivaji’s descendants)
• Peshwa — chief minister and real power (from Pune)
• Subhedars — provincial governors
• Sardars — military commanders

The Maratha Confederacy:

• A loose confederacy — different leaders controlled different regions:
  • Peshwa (Pune) — overall leadership
  • Gaekwads (Baroda)
  • Holkars (Indore)
  • Scindias (Gwalior)
  • Bhonsles (Nagpur)

Sadashiv Rao Bhau and the Third Battle of Panipat (1761)

Sadashiv Rao Bhau (also called Sadashivrao Bhau) — Peshwa from 1761:

• Brilliant administrator and military organiser
• Launched the Maratha campaign to capture Delhi and north India

The Third Battle of Panipat:

• 14 January 1761
• Maratha army under Sadashiv Rao Bhau vs. Afghan army under Ahmad Shah Durrani
• Decisive Afghan victory:
  • Marathas were defeated badly
  • Sadashiv Rao Bhau was killed
  • ~100,000 Maratha troops killed
  • Maratha dream of Delhi ended

Why the Marathas Lost:

• Supply lines stretched — deep in north India
• Overconfidence — dismissed the Afghan threat
• Afghan reinforcement — Durrani got reinforcements
• Maratha heavy artillery was slower than Afghan cavalry

Consequences:

• Maratha power in the north was broken
• The British (EIC) gained from Maratha defeat — the power vacuum allowed them to expand
• Ahmad Shah Durrani returned to Afghanistan — didn’t stay in India

The Later Peshwas

Narayan Rao (r. 1773): Murdered by his uncle

Madhav Rao Narayan (r. 1774–1795): Puppet Peshwa under supervision of Nana Fadnavis

Baji Rao II (r. 1795–1818): Last Peshwa

• Defeated at the Battle of Hadaph (1802)
• The Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805) forced him to sign treaties ceding territory
• The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1818) ended the Maratha power:
  • Baji Rao II was defeated at Khadki (1817)
  • He was given a pension (Pension of 8 lakh rupees/year) and the title “Maharaja”
  • The Maratha Confederacy was dissolved

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Maratha Administration and Legacy

Military

• Cavalry-based — the famous Maratha light cavalry
• Guerilla tactics — especially under Shivaji
• Heavy artillery — especially under Sadashiv Rao Bhau
• Navy — Shivaji had built a small navy — contested Portuguese and Siddi control

Chauth and Sardeshmukhi

These were the unique Maratha revenue claims:

• Chauth: 25% of revenue from territories controlled by Mughals but claimed by Marathas
• Sardeshmukhi: Additional levy — a right to collect from territories they claimed
• These were levied throughout the Deccan and eventually extended to Malwa, Gujarat, and Bengal
• The Bengal Nawabs (Alivardi Khan, then Siraj-ud-Daulah) were forced to pay Chauth

Contribution to Indian History

1. Weakened Mughal power — Maratha campaigns accelerated Mughal decline
2. Promoted Hindu revival — reconsecrated temples destroyed by Aurangzeb
3. Administrative innovations — efficient revenue and military systems
4. Cultural patronage — supported Marathi and Sanskrit literature

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Practice Questions for RPSC RAS

1. Who was Shivaji? How did he establish the Maratha kingdom?
2. What was the Ashta Pradhan council? How did it function?
3. What was the Third Battle of Panipat? What were its consequences?
4. What were Chauth and Sardeshmukhi? How did the Marathas collect these?
5. How did the Maratha Confederacy end?

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Confusing the Third Battle of Panipat (1761) with the First (1526) and Second (1556) — Panipat I was Mughal-Babur vs Lodi; Panipat II was Mughal-Akbar vs Hemu; Panipat III was Maratha vs Afghan.
• Thinking the Marathas were unified — they were a confederacy of independent chieftains who often fought each other.
• Confusing Shivaji with later Peshwas — Shivaji was the founder; the Peshwas were chief ministers who later became more powerful.

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