Rise of the Marathas in the Deccan

The rise of the Marathas in the Deccan during the seventeenth century was one of the most significant developments in Indian history. Emerging from the rugged hill country of western India, the Marathas, under the leadership of Shivaji Bhosale, transformed from a regional warrior community into a powerful political and military force. They played a decisive role in ending Mughal dominance and establishing an indigenous Hindu power that later evolved into the Maratha Empire, dominating large parts of India in the eighteenth century.

Background: The Political and Geographical Setting

The Deccan Plateau, comprising present-day Maharashtra, parts of Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, had long been a politically turbulent region. By the early seventeenth century, the area was divided among the Deccan Sultanates — Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda, and others — which had replaced the Bahmani Kingdom.
Meanwhile, the Mughal Empire, under Akbar and Shah Jahan, expanded southward, annexing parts of the Deccan and destroying the Ahmadnagar Sultanate. Amid this political instability, the Maratha clans, who had served as soldiers and administrators under both Muslim and Hindu rulers, began to assert their independence.
The rugged terrain of Maharashtra, with its forts, hills, and valleys, provided a natural defensive advantage that later became crucial in the Maratha struggle against larger empires.

Socio-Political Conditions in Maharashtra

The rise of the Marathas was not a sudden event but the result of long-term social, political, and economic developments in Maharashtra:

1. Fragmentation of Deccan Powers: The weakening of the Deccan Sultanates and the Mughal encroachment created a power vacuum that local chieftains, including the Marathas, sought to fill.
2. Local Chieftains and Deshmukhs: The Marathas were organised under numerous Deshmukhs and Patils, hereditary local chiefs who collected revenue and maintained small militias. These local institutions formed the foundation of later Maratha administration.
3. Agrarian and Military Society: The Marathas were primarily peasant-soldiers, adept in both agriculture and warfare. This dual character gave them resilience and self-sufficiency.
4. Cultural Unity: The Marathi language, shared traditions, and regional identity fostered unity among scattered Maratha families. The influence of Bhakti saints such as Tukaram, Namdev, Eknath, and Ramdas instilled moral discipline and religious pride, which were harnessed for political mobilisation.

Early Maratha Families and Political Base

Before the rise of Shivaji, several prominent Maratha families served under the Deccan sultanates:

• Bhosales of Pune and Satara,
• Nimbalkars of Phaltan,
• Ghorpades of Mudhol, and
• More family of Javli.

Among these, the Bhosales gained prominence through Shahaji Bhosale, Shivaji’s father, who served in both the Ahmadnagar and Bijapur courts as a high-ranking military officer. His assignments in Pune and Bangalore provided Shivaji with resources and political connections that later facilitated his rise.

Shivaji and the Foundation of Maratha Power

The true architect of Maratha independence and power was Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (1630–1680 CE). His extraordinary vision, military genius, and administrative skill transformed the Marathas from a collection of local clans into a sovereign state.

Early Life and Training

• Born in 1630 CE at the fort of Shivneri, Shivaji was raised under the care of his mother Jijabai and tutored by the scholar Dadoji Konddeo.
• Deeply inspired by the epics, Bhakti saints, and local traditions of heroism, he developed a strong sense of regional and cultural pride.

Early Conquests

• Shivaji began by capturing Torna Fort (1646) at the age of 16, followed by Purandar, Kondana, and Rajgad.
• These forts became strategic strongholds of his nascent kingdom.
• He employed guerrilla warfare (Ganimi Kava) — a swift, surprise-based tactic ideally suited to the mountainous terrain — to defeat larger, better-equipped enemies.

Conflict with Bijapur

• His initial success alarmed the Adil Shahi rulers of Bijapur, who sent their general Afzal Khan to suppress him.
• In the famous encounter near Pratapgad (1659), Shivaji killed Afzal Khan through a clever stratagem, boosting his prestige and expanding his influence across western Maharashtra.

Relations with the Mughals

• Shivaji’s growing power brought him into conflict with the Mughal Empire under Aurangzeb.
• His attack on Shaista Khan in Pune (1663) and the sack of Surat (1664) demonstrated his audacity.
• However, after setbacks at Purandar (1665), Shivaji temporarily accepted Mughal suzerainty under a treaty negotiated by Raja Jai Singh of Amber.

Coronation and the Maratha Kingdom

• In 1674 CE, Shivaji formally assumed the title of Chhatrapati (Sovereign King) at his coronation at Raigad Fort, establishing an independent Hindavi Swarajya — a self-ruled Hindu kingdom.
• His coronation signified the assertion of indigenous rule after centuries of foreign domination in the Deccan.

Administration under Shivaji

Shivaji created an efficient and progressive administrative system:

• Ashta Pradhan Council: A cabinet of eight ministers, including the Peshwa (Prime Minister), Amatya (Finance), and Senapati (Military Commander).
• Revenue System: Adapted from Malik Ambar’s system, ensuring fair land assessment and tax collection.
• Fort Administration: Strategic forts formed the backbone of Maratha defence and governance.
• Religious Tolerance: Though a devout Hindu, Shivaji was tolerant towards Muslims and supported local religious institutions.

Expansion after Shivaji

After Shivaji’s death in 1680, the Maratha kingdom underwent phases of consolidation and expansion under his successors.
1. Sambhaji (1681–1689):

• Shivaji’s son, Sambhaji, continued resistance against Aurangzeb but was captured and executed by the Mughals.

2. Rajaram (1689–1700) and Tarabai (1700–1707):

• Rajaram ruled from Jinji (Tamil Nadu), keeping the Maratha resistance alive in southern India.
• After his death, Queen Tarabai emerged as a capable leader, organising a strong defence against Aurangzeb’s prolonged Deccan campaigns.

Despite Aurangzeb’s military might, the Mughals failed to crush the Marathas completely. The continuous guerrilla warfare exhausted Mughal resources, and following Aurangzeb’s death in 1707, the Marathas quickly recovered lost territories.

Rise of the Maratha Confederacy

After the death of Aurangzeb, the Marathas evolved from a kingdom into a confederacy of powerful chiefs under the leadership of the Peshwas.
1. Establishment of Peshwa Dominance:

• Under Balaji Vishwanath (1713–1720) and Baji Rao I (1720–1740), the office of Peshwa (Prime Minister) became hereditary and politically dominant.
• The Marathas expanded northwards, intervening in Mughal affairs and collecting Chauth (one-fourth tax) and Sardeshmukhi (ten percent) from conquered provinces.

2. Expansion under the Peshwas:

• Baji Rao I extended Maratha power into Malwa, Bundelkhand, Gujarat, and the Deccan.
• Under Balaji Baji Rao (Nanasaheb), the Marathas reached Delhi and became the de facto power in India.
• By the mid-eighteenth century, the Maratha Empire stretched from the Kaveri River in the south to the Sutlej in the north.

3. Confederacy System: The empire eventually evolved into a loose confederation of regional powers, including:

• Gaekwads of Baroda,
• Holkars of Indore,
• Scindias of Gwalior,
• Bhonsales of Nagpur, and
• Peshwas of Pune.

Causes for the Rise of the Marathas

The remarkable rise of the Marathas in the Deccan was due to a combination of favourable political, social, and geographical factors:

1. Weakness of the Deccan Sultanates and Mughals.
2. Leadership of Shivaji — visionary, charismatic, and militarily adept.
3. Guerrilla Warfare Tactics, perfectly suited to the Deccan’s hilly terrain.
4. Strong Regional Identity based on the Marathi language and Hindu culture.
5. Efficient Administration and Revenue System ensuring stability and public welfare.
6. Support of the Peasantry and Local Chiefs (Deshmukhs and Patils).
7. Role of the Bhakti Movement, which unified people across caste lines.
8. Strategic Use of Forts as centres of defence, logistics, and governance.

Significance of the Maratha Rise

The rise of the Marathas was not just a regional phenomenon but a national resurgence in Indian history.

• It marked the revival of indigenous political power after centuries of Turkish, Afghan, and Mughal dominance.
• The Marathas acted as a bridge between medieval and modern India, developing efficient governance and diplomacy.
• Their resistance ultimately weakened the Mughal Empire, paving the way for new power centres in eighteenth-century India.
• They also contributed to Indian unity by extending their influence across vast territories and creating a pan-Indian political network.