The first great leader of the Marathas was Chatrapathi Shivaji.
The Marathas became prominent in the later half of the 17th century.
Shivaji belonged to the Bhonsle clan of the Marathas.
Shaji Bhonsle and Jiga Bai were the Parents of Shivaji.
He was born in 1627 February 19 at the fort of Shivner near Junnar.
His father was a military commander under the Nizam Shahi rulers of Ahmedanagar and later of Bijapur.
Shivaji's tutor was Dadaji Kondadev.
Shivaji received the help of Malavi tribe to capture the territories of Bijapur Sulthan.
Torna was the first place captured by Shivaji in 1646.
Shivaji came to conflict with the Mughals for the first time in 1657, during the period of Shah Jahan.
In 1659 Bijapur Sulthan Ali Adilshah sent Afzal Khan to kill Shivaji. But he killed Afsal Khan.
In 1660 Aurangazeb deputed his viceroy of Deccan, Shaisthakhan to kill Shivaji.
1665, Shivaji signed the treaty of Purandar with Raja Jai Singh of Ambher, who was deputed by Aurangazeb.
In 1666 Shivaji visited Aurangazeb in his court at Agra. But he and his son Sambaji were imprisoned by Aurangazeb in the Jaipur Bhavan.
On 16th June 1674 Shivaji crowned himself an independent Hindu king became the Chatrapathi and assumed the title'Haidavadhasmodharak'.
Shivaji died in 1680 at the age of 53.
Shahu became the Chatrapathi in 1708 and his period witnessed the rise of Peshwaship.
Balaji Vishwanath (1712 - 1720) Baji Rao (1720 - 40) Balaji BajiRao I (1740 - 61) and Madhav Rao I (1761 - 1772) were the Peshwas who ruled Maharashtra.
Baji Rao popularised the idea of Hindu Padpadshahi or Hindu Empire.
Balaji Baji Rao's period witnessed theThird Battle of Panipat in 1761. In this battle Ahmed Shah Abdali of Afghanistan defeated the Marathas.
Madhava Rao was the last great Peshwa.
Last Peshwa was Baji Rao II.
Madhava Rao's period witnessed the disintegration of the Maratha power and the formation of independent kingdoms - Holkarofindor, Bhonsle of Nagpur, Sindhya of Gwalior and Gaekwad of Baroda.
Shivaji's Council of Ministers was known as Ashtapradhan. They were Peshwa, Pandit Rao, Sumant, Sachiva, Senapathi, Amatya, Mantri andNyayadhyaksha.
Peshwa was the Maratha Chief Minister.
Chaudh and Sardesh Mukhi were two special laxes collected by the Marathas.
The first Maratha war (1775 -82) Swai Madhav Rao Vs Raghunath Rao with English support.
Second Maratha war 1803 - 05.
Third Maratha war 1816 - 19.
The last great Soldier and statesman of Maratha was Nana Phadavnis(1800)
The Maratha script was called Modiscript.
Peshwaship was abolished in 1818
Baji Rao was the ablest of the Peshwas.
Shivaji did not allow women in his military camp.
The Marathas were equipped with an efficient naval system under Shivaji.
