Who are the Marathas?
The Marathas are a group of people, native to the Deccan region, especially present-day Maharashtra.
They speak Marathi, a language with a rich literary history dating back to the 12th century CE.
In the 13th century, the Yadava dynasty ruled most of Maharashtra with Devagiri (present-day Daulatabad) as its capital.The Rise of the Marathas Class 8 Notes Social Science Chapter 3 24
The Khilji Sultanate from Delhi defeated the Yadavas in the early 14th century.
Despite political changes, Maharashtra’s cultural identity remained strong due to the Bhakti movement.
During the 7th to 17th centuries, saints and seekers from different parts of India composed devotional songs and poetry in the regional languages to spread their spiritual messages far and wide.
Saints like Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Tukaram, and Ramdas made spiritual texts such as the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita accessible by translating them into Marathi.
Just like the Sikh gurus, these saints also promoted not only spiritual devotion but also social organisation and political awareness. Their efforts gave Maharashtrian society a solid cultural and spiritual foundation.
In the 17th century, early attempts at Maratha sovereignty failed.
Shivaji emerged as a unifying leader who successfully laid the foundation of Maratha power.
Foundation of Maratha Power and The Rise of Shivaji
Shivaji was born to Shahji and Jijabai in 1630.
Shivahji served the Deccan Sultanates and lived in Bengaluru due to a treaty with the Mughals.
Shivaji was raised in the Pune jagir under Jijabai’s guidance.
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The Pune region suffered from instability and conflict between local sultans.
Shivaji began capturing neglected forts and strengthening their defences.
His vision of Swarajya (self-rule) included political, economic, and cultural independence, which grew over the years.
He expanded his kingdom to the west coast and established a Maratha Navy, a unique step at the time.
Shivaji adopted the tactic of guerrilla warfare to defeat his powerful enemies.
Shivaji killed Afizal Khan near Pratapgarh Fort and captured several Adil Shahi forts afterward.
Resembling a modern-day surgical strike, Shivaji raided the nobleman Shaista Khan’s camp. After a crushing defeat, the Khan fled from Maharashtra.
Shivaji sacked Surat, the richest Mughal port city, acquiring nearly 1 crore rupees, but spared religious places and the homes of charitable people. These events became famous and were published in the London Gazette, an English newspaper of the time.
Aurangzeb sent Raja Jai Singh to defeat Shivaji, leading to a treaty where Shivaji lost territory and his son Sambhaji joined the Mughal service.
At Agra, Shivaji was insulted by Aurangzeb, placed under house arrest, and later escaped by hiding in fruit baskets with his son Sambhaji.
In 1674, Shivaji was formally coronated at Raigad Fort with full Vedic rites and took the title Shii Raja Shiva Chhatrapati.
He started his era, named Rajyabhisheka Shaka, symbolising independent sovereignty.
His Dakshina-Digvijaya (southern campaign) expanded Maratha control into present-day northern Tamil Nadu and southeastern Karnataka.
Shivaji died at the age of fifty, but his legacy inspired others like Chhatrasal of Bundelkhand and poet Bhushan.
Shivaji used the wagh nakh, a small, claw-shaped weapon resembling a tiger’s claw, to kill Afzal Khan during a hand-to-hand fight. It became a popular weapon during Shivaji’s reign, as it was specifically used in guerrilla warfare.The Rise of the Marathas Class 8 Notes Social Science Chapter 3 26
In the south, Shivaji boldly stopped the Dutch from trading Indians as slaves in foreign countries, something no other Indian had dared to do. His strong stand against this cruel abuse shows his deep commitment to protecting his people’s freedom and dignity and also reflects his care for them.
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The Marathas After Shivaji
Sambhaji, Shivaji’s elder son, became the second Chhatrapati after his father’s death.
Aurangzeb launched a full-scale war against the Marathas and captured and executed Sambhaji brutally, also seizing Raigad, the Maratha capital.
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After Sambhaji’s death, Rajaram led the resistance from Gingee (present-day Tamil Nadu), spreading the war to South India.
The Marathas adopted guerrilla warfare, held strongholds, and inflicted repeated defeats on the Mughals.
Aurangzeb died in the Deccan, unable to crush the Marathas; his death marked the decline of the Mughal Empire.
Tarabai, Rajaram’s wife, led successful offensive campaigns against the Mughals.
The centralised administration of Shivaji transitioned into a decentralised structure, with Peshwas gaining dominance.
Peshwa Bajitao I and his son Nanasaheb Peshwa played key roles in Maratha expansion across India.
The regional Maratha chiefs exploited Shivaji’s core values, acquiring more power and autonomy.
The Marathas briefly ruled Lahore, Attock, and Peshawar, and even captured Delhi.
Despite a horrific defeat of the Marathas by the Afgans at Panipat, they quickly recovered militarily.
Under the leadership of Mahadji Shinde, they again captured Delhi in 1771 and kept it under control till the next three decades.
In the late 18th century, the British became their main rivals and fought three Anglo-Maratha wars between 1775 and 1818.
Due to internal disunity and British superiority, the Maratha power collapsed, paving the way for British rule in India.
Maratha Administration
Civilian Administration
Shivaji managed a centralised governance system in his kingdom, establishing firm control over administration.
He nullified all the hereditary posts, land grants, and instead introduced a salary-based system for government officials, all funded by the state treasury.
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Many officials were transferred over a short period so that Chhatrapati could control their power and prevent autonomy.
He provided pensions to the widows of his soldiers who died in battles and often appointed their sons to military posts.
Shivaji governed with the help of the Ashtha Pradhana, a council of eight ministers including the Prime Minister, the Land Revenue Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, etc., among others.
The Marathas charged taxes; chauth (25%) and sardes mkhi (an additional 10% on chauth) from the Deccan and northern provinces, protecting them from the Mughals. Many of these provinces later became a part of the Maratha Empire.
Military Administration
The Maratha army was divided into Infantry, Cavalry, and Navy.
The cavalry had two main types of soldiers:
Bargirs – state-supplied horses and equipment.
Shiledars – self-supplied horses and equipment.
In the 18th century, the Marathas (Mahadji Shinde) began adopting European-style troops and artillery for improved military discipline.
Swords and lances were their traditional weapons, though they also used guns and rockets.
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Rockets were in use since Shivaji’s time, with metal tube rockets introduced around 1770.
Forts were the backbone of Maratha defence, used for strategic control and guerrilla warfare.
Shivaji restored and built many forts to strengthen his kingdom’s defence.
Ramchandrapant Amatya (Shivaji’s finance minister), in his text Agyapatra, emphasised that forts were the core of the state.
Forts helped the Maratha state survive despite decades of invasion by powers like Aurangzeb.
Maritime Supremacy
The Maratha Navy was established to protect coastal territories and assert control over maritime trade. They saw many victories in many novel battles under the leadership of Kanhoji Angre.
It posed a serious challenge to European naval powers such as the British, Portuguese, and Dutch.The Rise of the Marathas Class 8 Notes Social Science Chapter 3 31
European powers forced Indian ships to buy trade passes called Cartaz (especially by the Portuguese), or risk having their ships confiscated.
The Marathas reversed this practice, demanding passports from Europeans instead, who showed their frustration by calling Kanhoji a ‘pirate’!
Judicial System
The Maratha judicial system was known for being moderate and just, especially in its limited use of capital punishment.
The Panchaya was the primary local body responsible for dispensing justice.
The Panchayat was composed of officials and prominent local men.
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If a person was dissatisfied with a verdict, they could appeal to the Maratha chiefs.
In urban centers like Pune and Indore, the Kotwal (police officer) ensured law and order.
Trade Networks
Shivaji actively promoted trade, including maritime foreign trade.
Shivaji and his officials owned ships that sailed to distant ports such as Mocha (Yemen), Muscat (Oman), and Malacca (Southeast Asia).
Maratha ships carried valuable cargo like gold, textiles, and other goods.
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Road construction and maintenance were undertaken to facilitate inland trade and movement.
In riverine regions like Odisha, a network of ferries was used for regular transport.
Bridges were built over rivers and streams to ensure uninterrupted movement.
Cultural Revival
The Marathas made significant contributions to Indian culture, especially in language and religion.
Shivaji’s royal seal carried a Sanskrit inscription, which was a major departure from the Persian tradition.
The Sanskrit seal praised Shivaji and stated that his rule was for the welfare of the people.
He commissioned the Rajya-Vyavahara-Kosha, a treatise aimed at purifying the Marathi language.
This work replaced Persian words with Sanskrit equivalents in official communication.
The Marathas reduced the use of foreign loanwords in their diplomatic correspondence.
Shivaji promoted Hindu values, but also respected other religions.
He used a saffron-coloured flag, which became a symbol of Hindu identity.
Shivaji rebuilt temples desecrated by invaders, promoting a revival of Indian cultural heritage.
His efforts marked a cultural renaissance during a time of Mughal domination.
Another powerful branch of the Marathas, the Bhonsles, established themselves in Nagpur.
They supported to culture and traditions and also revived the worship of Jagannath at Puri in Odisha, which was then interrupted by the Mughals.
The Mighty Maratha Women
Tarabai
Tarabai was a Maratha warrior queen who ruled in the early 18th century after the death of her husband, Rajaram (younger son of Shivaji).
She led armies into battle against the Mughal Empire.
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She led the expansion of the Maratha Empire toward the north.
She used smart military tactics and strong determination to protect Maratha Independence during a difficult time.
Ahilyabai Holkar
Ahilyabai Holkar was an inheritor of the Holkar dynasty.
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During the 18th century, the Holkar dynasty majorly contributed to the expansion of the Maratha Empire in north India.
They ruled central India, around present-day Indore.
After the deaths of her husband and son, she bravely ruled the kingdom for nearly 30 years.
She was a patron of architecture and constructed hundreds of temples, ghats, wells, and roads.
Her architectural contributions stretched from Kedamath in the north to Rameshwaram in the south.
She restored many important temples, such as the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and the Somnath Temple, destroyed by Aurangzeb and Mahmud Ghazni.
She also promoted traditional handloom crafts like the Maheshwar weaving industry in Madhya Pradesh that continues to thrive even today.
In Focus: Thanjavur
Ekoji, Shivaji’s half-brother, conquered Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu) in the late 17th century, starting Maratha rule there.
The Thanjavur Marathas promoted a syncretic culture (mixing of cultures).
Many Thanjavur rulers were poets, dramatists, and patrons of the arts.
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Serfoji II was the most notable ruler, fluent in Indian and European languages.
He wrote a Marathi play called Devendra Kuravanji, which described world geography.
Modern Carnatic music and Bharatnatyam received patronage during his rule.
Dhanwantari Mahal, a medical center founded by Serfoji, offered free treatment using Indian and Western medicine.
Serfoji started a printing press, which was the first in India by a native ruler.
He recorded Bhonsle family history on the walls of the Brihadeeshwara temple in Thanjavur, one of the largest inscriptions in India.
The local Tamil Culture, the Telugu culture of previous rulers & current Maratha rulers’ culture blended, making Thanjavur’s cultural environment vibrant, rich, and multilingual.
The Maratha Legacy
Before the British took over the region, the Marathas had established the largest empire in India, challenging Mughal dominance, controlling most of central and northern India.
They had a stable governance system and also revived the Hindu traditions and culture without any discrimination.
They bravely fought against the oppressive foreign rule in India, driven by the idea of achieving Swarajya, which later inspired many Indians to plant the early seeds for India’s freedom movement against the Britishers.
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