Maratha Empire and Peshwas: Quick Answer
Chhatrapati Shivaji (born 19 February 1630 at Shivneri fort) founded the Maratha state and was crowned at Raigad on 6 June 1674. He ran his government with a council of eight ministers, the Ashtapradhan, and collected chauth (one-fourth) and sardeshmukhi (an extra one-tenth). After him, real power passed to the Peshwas, starting with Balaji Vishwanath (1713). The Marathas lost the Third Battle of Panipat (1761) and, after the Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-18), the Peshwaship was abolished.
Key takeaway: The SSC favourites are Shivaji's key dates (Afzal Khan 1659, Purandar 1665, coronation 1674), the Ashtapradhan posts, the Peshwa order (Balaji Vishwanath → Baji Rao I → Balaji Baji Rao → Madhav Rao I...), the four Maratha houses (Gaekwad, Holkar, Scindia, Bhonsle) and the three Anglo-Maratha wars with their treaties (Salbai 1782, Bassein 1802).
Shivaji Maharaj: Life and Important Events
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 19 February 1630 | Born at Shivneri fort (near Junnar, Pune) to Shahaji Bhonsle and Jijabai |
| 1646 | Captured Torna fort, his first conquest |
| 1659 | Killed Afzal Khan, general of Bijapur, at Pratapgarh |
| 1663 | Night attack on Mughal governor Shaista Khan at Lal Mahal, Pune |
| 1664 | First sack of Surat (again in 1670) |
| 1665 | Treaty of Purandar with Raja Jai Singh of Amber (Aurangzeb's general); gave up 23 forts |
| 1666 | Visited Aurangzeb's court at Agra, was placed under house arrest, and escaped (reportedly hidden in fruit baskets) |
| 6 June 1674 | Coronation at Raigad by Gaga Bhatt; took the title Chhatrapati |
| 1677-78 | Karnataka campaign; captured Gingee and Vellore |
| 3 April 1680 | Died at Raigad |
Shivaji's guardian was Dadaji Kondadev; Samarth Ramdas is regarded as his spiritual guide. He built a navy and sea forts such as Sindhudurg and strengthened Vijaydurg.
Ashtapradhan: Shivaji's Council of Eight Ministers
| Post | Duty |
|---|---|
| Peshwa (Mukhya Pradhan) | Prime Minister; general administration |
| Amatya (Mazumdar) | Finance; accounts and revenue |
| Sachiv (Shurunavis) | Royal correspondence and records |
| Mantri (Waqia-navis) | King's daily affairs and intelligence |
| Senapati (Sar-i-Naubat) | Commander-in-chief of the army |
| Sumant (Dabir) | Foreign affairs |
| Nyayadhish | Chief justice |
| Panditrao | Religious affairs and charities |
All except the Nyayadhish and Panditrao also held military commands. Trick: learn them in four pairs: Peshwa-Amatya (PM and finance), Sachiv-Mantri (records and court), Senapati-Sumant (war and foreign affairs), Nyayadhish-Panditrao (justice and religion).
Maratha Revenue Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Chauth | One-fourth of the land revenue, collected from areas outside direct Maratha rule in return for protection |
| Sardeshmukhi | An additional 10% claimed as the hereditary "head deshmukh" |
| Saranjam | Land grant for service |
Shivaji's Successors (Chhatrapatis)
| Ruler | Period | Key facts |
|---|---|---|
| Sambhaji | 1680-1689 | Eldest son; captured and executed by Aurangzeb in 1689 |
| Rajaram | 1689-1700 | Fled to Gingee (Jinji) fort; continued the war |
| Tarabai (regent for Shivaji II) | 1700-1707 | Rajaram's widow; led resistance after his death |
| Shahu | 1707-1749 | Released by the Mughals after Aurangzeb's death; won the Battle of Khed (1707) against Tarabai; appointed Balaji Vishwanath as Peshwa in 1713 |
The rivalry split the house into the Satara (Shahu) and Kolhapur (Tarabai's line) branches.
List of Peshwas of the Maratha Empire
| Peshwa | Period | Key facts |
|---|---|---|
| Balaji Vishwanath | 1713-1720 | First hereditary Peshwa (of Shahu); got the 1719 royal farmans from Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar (through the Sayyid brothers) granting chauth and sardeshmukhi in the Deccan, called the "Magna Carta of the Maratha empire" |
| Baji Rao I | 1720-1740 | Greatest Peshwa; defeated the Nizam at Palkhed (1728) and near Bhopal (1737-38); raided Delhi (1737); policy of northward expansion |
| Balaji Baji Rao (Nana Saheb) | 1740-1761 | Sangola agreement (1750) made the Peshwa the real head of the state at Pune; Marathas lost the Third Battle of Panipat (14 January 1761) to Ahmad Shah Abdali; he died soon after |
| Madhav Rao I | 1761-1772 | Restored Maratha power after Panipat |
| Narayan Rao | 1772-1773 | Murdered |
| Raghunath Rao (Raghoba) | 1773-1774 | Disputed claim; sought British help, leading to the First Anglo-Maratha War |
| Madhav Rao II (Sawai Madhav Rao) | 1774-1795 | Minor; the state was run by Nana Phadnavis and the Barbhai council |
| Baji Rao II | 1795/96-1818 | Last Peshwa; signed the Treaty of Bassein (1802); defeated in 1818 and pensioned off to Bithur (near Kanpur); his adopted son was Nana Sahib of 1857 |
Order trick: "Baba Bought Big Mangoes, Not Raw, Made Better" → Balaji Vishwanath, Baji Rao I, Balaji Baji Rao, Madhav Rao I, Narayan Rao, Raghunath Rao, Madhav Rao II, Baji Rao II.
Maratha Confederacy: Main Houses and Their Capitals
| House | Capital / seat |
|---|---|
| Peshwa | Pune |
| Gaekwad | Baroda (Vadodara) |
| Holkar | Indore (Ahilyabai Holkar ruled from Maheshwar, 1767-1795) |
| Scindia (Shinde) | Gwalior |
| Bhonsle | Nagpur |
Anglo-Maratha Wars and Treaties (Table)
| War | Years | Governor-General | Key events and treaties |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | 1775-1782 | Warren Hastings | Treaty of Surat (1775) with Raghunath Rao; Convention of Wadgaon (1779), a British setback; ended by the Treaty of Salbai (1782) with Mahadji Scindia's mediation |
| Second | 1803-1805 | Lord Wellesley | Triggered by the Treaty of Bassein (1802), under which Baji Rao II accepted the subsidiary alliance; battles of Assaye and Laswari (1803); treaties of Deogaon (Bhonsle) and Surji-Anjangaon (Scindia) in 1803, and Rajghat (Holkar, 1805) |
| Third | 1817-1818 | Lord Hastings | Battles of Khadki (Kirkee) and Koregaon (1 January 1818); Peshwaship abolished; Peshwa territories added to the Bombay Presidency |
Maratha Forts as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
In July 2025, the "Maratha Military Landscapes of India" was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. It covers 12 forts: Salher, Shivneri, Lohagad, Khanderi, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijaydurg and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, and Gingee in Tamil Nadu.
Maratha Empire: PYQ-Style Practice Questions with Answers
1. Shivaji was born at: (a) Raigad (b) Shivneri (c) Pratapgarh (d) Torna Answer: (b) Shivneri fort, near Junnar, Pune, on 19 February 1630.
2. Shivaji's coronation took place in 1674 at: (a) Pune (b) Raigad (c) Satara (d) Panhala Answer: (b) Raigad.
3. The Treaty of Purandar (1665) was signed between Shivaji and: (a) Shaista Khan (b) Afzal Khan (c) Jai Singh (d) Aurangzeb Answer: (c) Raja Jai Singh of Amber, Aurangzeb's general.
4. In Shivaji's Ashtapradhan, the Sumant was in charge of: (a) Finance (b) Foreign affairs (c) Justice (d) Religious affairs Answer: (b) Foreign affairs.
5. Chauth was a tax equal to: (a) One-tenth (b) One-sixth (c) One-fourth (d) One-third Answer: (c) One-fourth of the land revenue.
6. Who was the first Peshwa appointed by Shahu? (a) Baji Rao I (b) Balaji Vishwanath (c) Balaji Baji Rao (d) Madhav Rao I Answer: (b) Balaji Vishwanath, in 1713.
7. The Third Battle of Panipat (1761) was fought during the time of Peshwa: (a) Baji Rao I (b) Balaji Baji Rao (c) Madhav Rao I (d) Baji Rao II Answer: (b) Balaji Baji Rao (Nana Saheb).
8. The Treaty of Salbai (1782) ended the: (a) First Anglo-Maratha War (b) Second Anglo-Maratha War (c) Third Anglo-Maratha War (d) Third Anglo-Mysore War Answer: (a) First Anglo-Maratha War.
9. The Treaty of Bassein (1802) was signed by the British with: (a) Mahadji Scindia (b) Baji Rao II (c) Yashwant Rao Holkar (d) Raghoji Bhonsle Answer: (b) Peshwa Baji Rao II, accepting the subsidiary alliance.
10. The Holkars ruled from: (a) Gwalior (b) Baroda (c) Indore (d) Nagpur Answer: (c) Indore. Gwalior was Scindia, Baroda Gaekwad, Nagpur Bhonsle.
11. Which Peshwa defeated the Nizam at the Battle of Palkhed (1728)? (a) Balaji Vishwanath (b) Baji Rao I (c) Madhav Rao I (d) Narayan Rao Answer: (b) Baji Rao I.
12. Shivaji killed Afzal Khan in 1659 at: (a) Pratapgarh (b) Purandar (c) Sinhagad (d) Torna Answer: (a) Pratapgarh.
Maratha Empire FAQs
Who founded the Maratha empire?
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who was crowned at Raigad on 6 June 1674.
What was the Ashtapradhan?
Shivaji's council of eight ministers: Peshwa, Amatya, Sachiv, Mantri, Senapati, Sumant, Nyayadhish and Panditrao.
Who was the last Peshwa?
Baji Rao II (1795/96-1818). After the Third Anglo-Maratha War the British abolished the post and sent him to Bithur on a pension.
What is called the Magna Carta of the Maratha empire?
The royal farmans of 1719 issued by Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar to Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath, recognising Shahu's right to chauth and sardeshmukhi in the Deccan.
Who was the greatest Peshwa?
Baji Rao I (1720-1740), famous for his cavalry campaigns, the victory at Palkhed and the raid on Delhi in 1737.
Who were the main houses of the Maratha confederacy?
The Peshwa (Pune), Gaekwad (Baroda), Holkar (Indore), Scindia (Gwalior) and Bhonsle (Nagpur).
Practice Next
- History mock tests: SSC CGL History Mock Test 01, SSC CGL History Mock Test 02, SSC CHSL History Mock Test 01, RRB NTPC History Mock Test 01.
- Related notes: Mughal emperors list trick, Important battles in Indian history, Governor-General of India list trick, Revolt of 1857, Vijayanagara empire rulers list.
- Exam updates: SSC CGL 2026, RRB NTPC 2026.
- Browse all study notes.