Canberra, 11 October 2022 The Maratha Empire originated as a small jagir handed over to a young Shivaji by his father to learn the rudiments of land management under the watchful eyes of Dadaji Kondadev. As Shivaji gradually grew it into a kingdom, of necessity the administrative system of the budding State also changed, expanded […]
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Tag Archives: Maratha
The Marathas Part 22 Ruling the Waves Section IV: A Requiem for the Maratha Navy
October 4, 2022 
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Canberra, 04 October 2022 There is no mention of the Peshwa possessing a naval fleet up to the mid-1700s, even in any of the treaties concluded with the Europeans. The first mention of a Peshwa fleet is in the treaty that he signed with the English in 1739 and then again in 1740–41 in the […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 22 Ruling the Waves: The Maratha Navy Section III: The House of Angre is Brought Down
October 4, 2022 0 Comments
Canberra, 04 October 2022 Kanhoji Angre had many children from several wives and concubines, of whom six sons are known by name in history—Sekhoji, Sambhaji, Manaji, Tulaji, Yesaji and Dhonaji. Sekhoji, probably the eldest son, succeeded to his father’s position without any contest or dissention from his siblings, receiving the robes of investiture from the […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 22 Ruling the Waves: The Maratha Navy Section II: Kanhoji Angre Takes Over
October 4, 2022 0 Comments
Canberra, 04 October 2022 The crisis that followed Shivaji’s death was such that the fledgling Maratha kingdom was at the doors of extinction under constant Mughal and Muslim onslaught. The Maratha polity was saved by the efforts of a number of extraordinarily talented young men who willingly came forward to shoulder the enormous responsibilities of […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 22 Ruling the Waves: The Maratha Navy Section I: Shivaji Lays the Foundation
October 4, 2022 0 Comments
Canberra 04 October 2022 A seafaring tradition had existed among the people of the Western Coast of Maharashtra for centuries, although there is no evidence of any attempt at creating a naval power before the 14th century. It could be said that the sea was a new and untested element for the Marathas, in terms […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 21 The Creation, Evolution and Decline of the Maratha Army Section II; Feudalism to Final Decline
September 20, 2022 0 Comments
Canberra, 20 September 2022 In the annals of the history of the sub-continent, the Marathas came into prominence suddenly and swiftly and dissipated and collapsed as a ruling entity equally rapidly. While the rationale for their rise have been adequately chronicled, the causes for their downfall and the speed at which the collapse took place […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 21 The Creation, Evolution and Decline of the Maratha Army Section I: Shivaji Creates the Core
September 20, 2022 0 Comments
Canberra, 20 September 2022 Shivaji started his career with a small jagir that had been bestowed on his father and expanded it to a kingdom covering more than half of the modern-day State of Maharashtra. In keeping with this rapid expansion of territorial holdings through conquest, the military system that Shivaji instituted also changed and […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 20 The Prominent Feudatories of the Empire Section V: The Gaekwads of Baroda
September 11, 2022 0 Comments
Canberra, 11th September 2022 The Gaekwads were hereditary Patels of Davdi, a village near Talegaon in Pune district. From the time of the Maratha conquest of Gujarat, they were in the direct service of the Senapati, Khande Rao Dabhade. The Senapati was also a hereditary position and equal in status to the Peshwa, being the […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 20 The Prominent Feudatories of the Empire Section IV: The Holkars of Indore
September 6, 2022 0 Comments
Canberra, 06 September 2022 Originally the Holkars were a sturdy pastoral tribe, used to living outdoors and constantly moving residence; said to have been Dhangars, they easily adapted to the life of Maratha warriors. The main Holkar family initially lived in Wafgaon in the Khed district near Pune, then moved to Hol Marum near Jejuri […]
Continue readingThe Marathas Part 20 The Prominent Feudatories of the Empire Section III: The Scindias of Gwalior
August 29, 2022 0 Comments
Canberra, 29 August 2022 The earliest mention of Scindia (also spelt Sindia, Sindhia, supposed to have been anglicised from ‘Shinde’) is found during the Bahmani rule in Deccan when a few Scindia families are reported to have risen to eminence in the service of the Sultan. The name is traced back to ‘Sendrak’ an ancient […]
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