Maratha Empire: History, Rulers, War & Administration [UPSC Notes]

Maratha Empire (1674 – 1818)

The Maratha Empire, flourishing from the 17th to the 18th century was a strong and key force in Indian History, known for its strong military, innovative governance,  and resilience against foreign invasions. The Maratha’s rise in the Deccan began in the early 17th century under the leadership of Shivaji. He carved his territories out of Bijapur, Ahmednagar and Golkonda

• Shahji, Shivaji’s father, joined the services of Bijapur as a Zamindar in 1636 and obtained Poona as a grant.
• Born at Shivneri (Poona) in 1627, Shivaji was the youngest son of Shahji and Jija Bai. In 1637, Shivaji inherited the Poona jagir under the guardianship of Dadaji Kondadev.
• Shivaji assumed full charge of his jagir in 1647 after the death of his guardian Dadaji Kondadev.
• Shivaji began his military campaign at a very young age; he captured several forts like Raigarh, Kondana and Torana from the Bijapur kingdom between 1645-47.
• In 1646, he took control of the Purandhar fort, providing an impregnable defence to the Marathas in the coming times.
• Battle of Pratapgarh (1659): The Sultan of Bijapur sent his general Afzal Khan against Shivaji. But he was killed by Shivaji.

Maratha Empire Relations with the Mughals

First Phase: 1615-1664

• Mughals during Jahangir’s reign recognised the importance of Maratha chieftains in Deccan politics.
• While Shah Jahan, too, attempted to bring Marathas on their side, after the defection of Shahji, Sivaji’s father, he chose to ally with the Bijapur kingdom against the Marathas.
• Aurangzeb’s attempts to align with Shivaji as early as 1657 failed because Shivaji demanded Dabhol and the Adil Shahi Konkan, a fertile and rich region important for foreign trade.
• In 1660, Aurangzeb sent Shaista Khan, the Mughal governor of Deccan, to invade Maratha dominions. He captured Poona and north Konkan from the Marathas.
• However, in 1663, Shivaji seriously wounded Shaista Khan in a night raid in the Mughal camp. It was a significant blow to the Mughal prestige.
• This was followed by the Marathas’ sack of the Mughal port of Surat in 1664.

Second Phase: 1664-1667

• Aurangzeb appointed Mirza Raja Jai Singh as the viceroy of Deccan.
• He succeeded in defeating Shivaji at Purandar (1665).
• Jai Singh proposed the Mughal-Maratha alliance. By the resultant Treaty of Purandhar (1665), Shivaji surrendered 23 out of 35 forts; on the other hand, the Mughals recognised the rights of the Marathas to keep certain territories in Bijapur.
• Shivaji’s son was enrolled as a mansabdar of 5000 zat in the Mughal army.
• In 1665, Shivaji and his son visited Agra, but he was imprisoned there due to heated arguments in court. However, he managed to escape in 1666.

Third Phase: 1667-1680

• After he escaped from Agra, Shivaji did not desire conflict with the Mughals immediately.
• However, Aurangzeb, enraged by his son Muazzam’s friendship with Shivaji, asked Muazzam to arrest Maratha agents in his court. Mughals also attacked Maratha territories to settle their dues.
• Alarmed by the situation, Shivaji attacked many forts ceded to the Mughals during the Treaty of Purandhar (1665).
• Battle of Sinhagadh (Kondhana), 1670: Marathas won, but Tanhaji, Shivaji’s aide, lost his life.
• Taking advantage of the internal conflict in the Mughal army, Shivaji again sacked the Surat port in 1670. In the next four years, he recovered most of his forts.
• Battle of Salher (1672): First of few battles in which the Marathas, known for Guerrilla warfare, defeated the Mughals on an open battlefield.
• Shivaji crowned himself as king on 6 June 1674 at Raigarh and took the title of Chhatrapati.
• In 1680, Shivaji died, leaving behind him the foundation of a strong empire that dominated Deccan and north India for more than a century.

Maratha Administration