History of Maratha Empire and Family Tree

History of Maratha Empire and Family Tree

Shivaji (1627 – 1680)

• Known as the “father of the Maratha Nation” .
• He inherited the jagir of Poona from his father Shahji Bonsle in 1637.
• His mother Jijabai is often regarded as the master or the guru of Shivaji Maharaj.
• In 1659, he defeated Adilshahi general Afzal Khan in the Battle of Pratapgad.
• In 1665 AD, Aurangzeb’s general Mirza Raja Jai Singh I defeated the Marathas & had a Purandar treaty.
• As per the treaty of Purandar he surrendered 23 forts & Also agreed to help Mughals to fight against the Bijapur Sultans.
• In 1666, Shivaji was invited to the court of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and he was arrested. But Shivaji escaped very smartly.
• In 1674 AD, he adopted the title of “Chatrapati” & founded the powerful Maratha Empire.

Shivaji’s Administration

• King was the center of the government & was assisted by 8 ministers →“Ashtapradhans” .
• Peshwa → Finance & general administration. Later he became the prime minister.
• Sar-i-Naubat or Senapati → Military commander.
• Amatya → Accountant General.
• Waqenavis → Intelligence, posts & household affairs.
• Sachiv → Correspondence.
• Sumanta → aster of ceremonies.
• Nyayadish → Justice.
• Panditarao → Charities and religious administration.
• Administrative reforms of Shivaji were based on the practices of the Deccan sultanates. Ex:- Peshwa → Persian title.

Revenue system of Maratha empire

• Based on that of Malik Amber of Ahmadnagar & appointed his own revenue officials called karkuns.
• Lands were measured by using the measuring rod called “kathi”.
• Lands were also classified into 3 categories → paddy fields, garden lands and hilly tracks.

Taxes

• Chauth & sardeshmukhi were the taxes collected only in the neighbouring territories of the Mughal empire.
• Chauth → one fourth of the land revenue (avoid the Maratha raids).
• Sardeshmukhi → 10%t on lands which the Marathas claimed hereditary rights.

Military system

• Regular army consisted of about 30000 to 40000 cavalry supervised byhavaildars & they were given fixed salaries.

2 divisions in the Maratha cavalry →
1. bargirs, equipped and paid by the state &

2. silahdars, maintained by the nobles.

• By the end of his reign, Shivaji had about 240 forts. Each fort was put under the charge of three officers of equal rank.

Peshwas (1713 – 1818)

Balaji Viswanath (1713-1720)

• Began his career as a small revenue official & was given the title of Sena Karte by Shahu 1708.
• He became Peshwa in 1730 & made the post as hereditary.
• Played a crucial role in the final victory of Shahu over the Mughuls by winning over almost all the Marathas Sardas to the side of Shahu.
• Also cncluded an agreement with the Sayyid brothers (1719) by which the Mogul emperor recognized Shahu as the king of the Swarajya.

Baji Rao I (1720 -1740)

• Eldest son of Balaji Viswanath, became Pashwa at the yound age of 20.
• Considered the greatest exponent of gurrilla tactic after Shivaji & Maratha Power reached zenith under him.
• Conquered Bassein & Salsette from the Portuguese (1733).
• Defeated the Nizar-ul-Mulk near Bhopal & concluded the Treaty of Durai Sarai by which he got Malwa & Bundelkhand from the latter (1737).

Balaji Baji Rao (1740 -61)

• Known as Nana Saheb, he succeeded his father at the age of 20.
• After the death of Sahu (1749), the management of all state of affairs was left in his hands.
• In an agreement the Peshwa (1752) was to protect the Mughal empire from internal and external enemies in return for the Chauth.

Third Battle of Panipat – 1761

• Between the Afghan commander Ahmad Shah Durrani & the Maratha general Sadashiv Rao.
• Finally Marathas were routed by the forces of Ahmad Shah Abdali .

Shivaji Maharaj family tree

List of queens of Shivaji Maharaj-

1. Saibai (Nimbalkar)
2. Soyarabai (Mohite)
3. Putalabai (Palkar)
4. Gunwantabai (Ingle)
5. Sagunabai (Shirke)
6. Kashibai (Jadhav)
7. Lakshmibai (Vichare)
8. Sakwarbai (Gaikwad)

Shivaji Maharaj: Children

Saibai

1. Sambhaji (Son)
2. Sakhubai (Daughter)
3. Ranubai (Daughter)
4. Ambikabai (Daughter)

Soyarabai

1. Rajaram (Son)
2. Deepabai (Daughter)

Sagunabai

1. Rajkunvarbai (Daughter)

Sakwarbai

1. Kamlabai (Daughter)