Medieval History Notes on The Marathas"

The Marathas

• 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.