Medieval India
Rise of Maratha Power (1674–1720): Shivaji to Shahu
More Articles
- Rise Of Maratha Power (1674–1720): Shivaji To Shahu
- Introduction - Indian History
- Historical Sources (Literary & Archaeological Source)
- Human Evolution Pre-Historic Period
- The Stone Age/Lithic Age 30,00,000 BC to 1,000 BC
- 7 Highlights of India's Prehistoric Ages
- Origin & Culture of Aryans in Vedic India
- Mahajanapada Period (600 BC- 325 BC)
- Religious Movements (600 BC - 400 BC) – Jainism, Buddhism
- Maurya Period (322 BC - 155 BC)
- Post-Maurya/Pre-Gupta Period (185BC-319 AD)
- The Sangam Period (1st-3rd Century AD)
- The Gupta Period (319 AD - 540 AD)
- The Post-Gupta Period/Vardhana Dynasty (550 AD - 647 AD)
- Early Medieval Period: Rajputs to Cholas Overview
- History of Delhi Sultanate
- Vijayanagar Empire (1336-1565 AD)
- Religious Movements in 15th -16th Centuries
- Timeline of Mughal Period (1526-1857)
- Maratha State (1674-1720) and Maratha Confederacy (1720-1818)
- The Advent of the Europeans From (1498-1763)
- Expansion of British Power in India
- India’s Exploitation by the British Rule
- Socio-Religious Movements in 19th-20th Centuries
- Lower Caste/Caste Movements and Organisations
- Moderate Phase (1885-1905) - Indian National Congress
- Extremist Phase (1905-1917)
- The Gandhian Era: 1869–1948
- Miscellaneous - Indian History
- Brahmanic (Hindu) Texts
- Buddhist Texts and Jain Texts
- Historical and Semi-Historical Texts
- Biographical Texts - Indigenous Sources
- Greek Writers - Foreign Sources
- Chinese and Tibetan Writers
- Arabian & Arabic Writers
- Origin & Development of Indian Archaeology
- Inscriptions of Archaeological Sources
- Mauryan Inscriptions
- Post-Mauryan Inscriptions
- Gupta and Later Inscriptions in India
- South Indian Inscriptions
- Mesolithic Age in India (9,000 BC - 4,000 BC)
- Neolithic Age (7,000 BC - 1,000 BC)
- Neolithic Sites in India
- Chalco-Lithic Age (3,500 BC - 1,000 BC)
- Iron Age (1,000 BC–500 BC)
- Iron Using Cultures - Iron Age
- Harappan / Indus Civilization (2500 BC - 1750 BC)
- Vedic Culture (1500 BC – 600 BC)
- Rig Vedic/Early Vedic Period (1500 BC - 1000 BC)
- Later Vedic Period (1000 BC - 600 BC)
- Haryanka Dynasty (544 BC – 412 BC)
- Religious Movements of Jainism (600 BC - 400 BC)
- Religious Movements of Buddhism (600 BC - 400 BC)
- Maurya Period Sources (322 BC - 155 BC)
- Origin of the Maurya Dynasty (322 BC - 155 BC)
- Mauryan Administration & Art (322 BC - 155 BC)
- Gupta Administration: Society, Economy & Culture
- The Khilji Dynasty : 1290-1320 AD
- The Tughlaq Dynasty: 1320-1414 AD
- The Sayyed and Lodhi Dynasty
- Rise of Babur & Humayun in Mughal Period
- Sher Shah Suri Empire (1540–55): Second Afghan Empire
- The Mughal Empire Under Akbar (1556–1605)
- Jahangir to Aurangzeb (1605–1707)
- Later Mughal Empire and Its Administration
- Mughal Culture & Architecture Explained
- Maratha Confederacy (1720–1818)
Rise of Maratha Power (1674–1720): Shivaji to Shahu
Shivaji (1674–80)
Early Life
-
Born at Shivneri Fort in 1627.
-
Father - Shahji Bhonsle, Mother - Jija Bai, Religious Teacher - Samarth Ramdas.
-
Shivaji inherited the Jagir of Poona from his father in 1637.
-
After the death of his guardian, Dadaji Kondadev, in 1647, he assumed full charge of his Jagir.
Fort Conquests
-
Singh Garh/Kondana (1643)
-
Rohind and Chakan (1644–45)
-
Toran (1646)
-
Purandhar (1648)
-
Rajgarh/Raigarh (1656)
-
Supa (1656)
-
Panhala (1659)
Conflicts with Bijapur and the Mughals
-
Afzal Khan was deputed by Adil Shah (Ruler of Bijapur) to punish Shivaji, but the latter Afzal Khan was killed by Shivaji in 1659.
-
Shaista Khan, the governor of Deccan, was deputed by Aurangzeb to put down the rising power of Shivaji in 1660. Shivaji lost Poona and suffered several defeats till he made a bold attack on Shaista Khan (1663) and plundered Surat (1664) and later Ahmadnagar.
-
Raja Jai Singh of Amber was then appointed by Aurangzeb to put down Shivaji (1665). Jai Singh succeeded in besieging Shivaji in the fort of Purandhar. Consequently, the treaty of Purandhar (1665) was signed, according to which Shivaji ceded some forts to the Mughals and paid a visit to the Mughal court at Agra.
Coronation and Later Campaigns
-
In 167,4, Shivaji was coronated at the capital Raigarh and assumed the title of Haindava Dharmodharak (Protector of Hinduism).
-
After that, Chhatrapati Shivaji continued the struggle with the Mughals and Siddis (Janjira). He conquered Karnataka from 1677 to 80.
Shivaji's Administration
Territorial Division
-
Shivaji divided his territory under his rule (Swaraj) into three provinces, each under a viceroy.
-
Provinces were divided into prants, which were subdivided into parganas or tarafs.
-
The lowest unit was a village headed by a Patel (Headman).
Ashtapradhan (Council of Eight Ministers)
Shivaji was helped by the ashtapradhan (eight ministers), which was unlike a collective of ministers, for there was no collective responsibility; each minister was directly answerable to Shivaji.
Sanskrit Word |
Persian Word |
English Meaning |
|
Mukhya Pradhan / Pant Pradhan |
Peshwa |
Finance and general administration, later he became Prime Minister and assumed great importance. |
|
Amatya |
Majumdar |
Revenue and Finance Minister |
|
Mantri |
Waqenavis |
Home Minister |
|
Sumant |
Dabir |
Foreign Minister |
|
Sachiv |
Sumavis |
Head of Royal correspondence |
|
Pandit Rao / Danadhyaksha |
Sadra-i-Muhatsib |
Head of religious affairs |
|
Senapati |
Sar-i-Naubat |
Military commander. This is an honorary post with no real military powers. |
|
Nyayadhish |
Munsif / kazi |
Justice |
Revenue and Taxation
-
Most of the administrative reforms of Shivaji were based on Malik Ambar's (Ahmadnagar) reforms.
-
Assessment of land revenue was based on measurement. The Kathi of Malik Ambar was adopted as the unit of measurement.
-
Land revenue was fixed at 1/3rd, i.e., 33% of the gross produce (initially), and 2/5th, i.e., 40% of the gross produce (after reforms).
-
Chauth was 1/4th, i.e,. 25% of the land revenue was paid to the Marathas, so far not being subjected to Maratha raids.
-
Sardeshmukhi was an additional levy of 10% on those lands of Maharashtra over which the Maratha claimed hereditary rights, but which formed part of the Mughal Empire.
Sambhaji (1680–89)
-
Sambhaji, the elder son of Shivaji, defeated Rajaram, the younger son of Shivaji, in the war of succession.
-
He provided protection and support to Akbar II, the rebellious son of Aurangzeb.
-
He was captured at Sangameswar by a Mughal noble and executed.
Rajaram (1689–1700)
-
He succeeded the throne with the help of the ministers at Rajgarh.
-
He fled from Rajgarh to Jinji in 1689 due to a Mughal invasion in which Rajgarh was captured along with Sambhaji's wife and son (Shahu) by the Mughals.
-
Rajaram died at Satara, which had become the capital after the fall of Jinji to the Mughals in 1698.
-
Rajaram created the new post of Pratinidhi, thus taking the total number of ministers to nine (Pratinidhi + Ashtapradhan).
Tarabai (1700–07)
-
Rajaram was succeeded by his minor son Shivaji II under the guardianship of his mother Tarabai.
-
Tarabai continued the struggle with the Mughals.
Shahu (1707–1749)
-
Shahu was released by the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah.
-
Tarabai’s army was defeated by Shahu in the battle of Khed (1700), and Shahu occupied Satara.
-
But the Southern part of the Maratha kingdom, with its capital Kolhapur, continued to be under the control of descendants of Rajaram (Shivaji-II and later Shambhaji-II).
-
Shahu's reign saw the rise of the Peshwas and the transformation of the Maratha kingdom into an empire based on the principle of confederacy.
Balaji Viswanath (1713–20): The First Peshwa
-
He began his career as a small revenue official and was given the title of Sena Karte (marker of the army) by Shahu in 1708.
-
He became Peshwa in 1713 and made the post the most important and powerful, as well as hereditary.
-
He played a crucial role in the final victory of Shahu by winning over almost all the Maratha Sardars to the side of Shahu.
-
He agreed with the Syed Brothers - King Maker (1719) by which the Mughal emperor Farrukh Siyar recognised Shahu as the king of the Swarajya.
Final Thoughts
The story of the Maratha Empire, beginning with Shivaji’s visionary leadership and continuing through Shahu’s consolidation and the rise of the Peshwas, reflects one of the most dynamic phases in Indian history.
From fort conquests and military brilliance to administrative reforms and resistance against the Mughals, the Marathas laid the foundation for a powerful regional force that shaped the political landscape of 17th and 18th-century India.
Understanding this timeline—from Shivaji (1674) to Shahu (1749)—gives students and history enthusiasts deep insight into how strategy, diplomacy, and determination can build and sustain empires. The Marathas not only protected their sovereignty but also expanded their influence, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire.
Whether you're a student, educator, or history lover, this overview is a valuable resource to grasp the enduring significance of the Maratha rise to power.
More Related Articles
What is History? The study of the Past is called ‘History’. The English word ‘History is derived from the Greek word ‘historia’, meaning research, in
Historical sources provide information about events of the past. They are mainly of two types: Literary Sources—These are written records such as religious texts, historic
Africa was the original homeland of humans. For this reason, Africa is often referred to as "the Cradle of Humankind." The following two theories are prevalent in connection with
During the early period of humans, some archaeological evidence was found in which stone implements were found in great numbers. That's why this period is called the Lithic Age, Le Stone Age. T
Definition & Features Derived from Greek: Chalco (Copper) + Lithic (Stone) = Copper-Stone Age. Marked by the use of copper alongside stone tools. The transitional phas
Origin of the Aryans The origin of the Aryans is debated. Some scholars say they were indigenous to India, while others argue they migrated from regions like Central Asia (as per Max Muller), E
The Mahajanapadas were sixteen great kingdoms or republics in ancient India during the 6th century BCE. These are mentioned in Buddhist (Anguttara Nikaya, Mahavastu) and Jain (Bhagavati Sutta)
Various religious movements viz. Buddhism, Jainismetc. were bom and grew up in the Post-Vedic Period known as the Period of Second Urbanisation or the Age of Buddha (6th Century BC to 4th Century
The Mauryan Empire (322–185 BCE) was one of the most powerful and centralized empires in Indian history, founded by Chandragupta Maurya and reaching its zenith under Emperor Ashoka. But h
I. Native Successors of the Mauryas Sunga Dynasty: 185 BC – 73 BC [Capital – Vidisha (M.P.)]The The Sunga Dynasty was established by Pushyamitra Sunga, a Brahmin Commande