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  1. Kanhoji Angre is often called the "Father of the Indian Navy" for his defiance of colonial maritime powers. His primary objective was to assert Maratha sovereignty over the western coastline. He developed a sophisticated naval strategy that used coastal fortifications in tandem with a mobile fleet.Read more

    Kanhoji Angre is often called the “Father of the Indian Navy” for his defiance of colonial maritime powers. His primary objective was to assert Maratha sovereignty over the western coastline. He developed a sophisticated naval strategy that used coastal fortifications in tandem with a mobile fleet. By attacking European vessels that refused to pay for Maratha “permits,” he crippled their monopoly on trade. His naval prowess was so great that for decades, the British and Portuguese were unable to defeat him, securing the Maratha Empire’s maritime frontier during its formative years.

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  2. By signing the Treaty of Bassein, Bajirao II traded the empire's independence for his personal survival. The treaty allowed the British East India Company to station a permanent subsidiary force in Pune, paid for by Maratha revenues. This move was viewed as a humilitating betrayal by other Maratha sRead more

    By signing the Treaty of Bassein, Bajirao II traded the empire’s independence for his personal survival. The treaty allowed the British East India Company to station a permanent subsidiary force in Pune, paid for by Maratha revenues. This move was viewed as a humilitating betrayal by other Maratha sardars like Scindia and Bhonsle, as it effectively turned the Peshwa into a British puppet. It destroyed the internal balance of the confederacy and served as the immediate catalyst for the Second Anglo-Maratha War, ultimately paving the way for the total British conquest of Western India.

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  3. While the Mughals utilized a standardized "Mansabdari" system to ensure that no official became too powerful in one region, the Marathas embraced a "Confederate" model. Maratha administration relied on the "Saranjam" system, which encouraged regional leaders to build their own administrative and milRead more

    While the Mughals utilized a standardized “Mansabdari” system to ensure that no official became too powerful in one region, the Marathas embraced a “Confederate” model. Maratha administration relied on the “Saranjam” system, which encouraged regional leaders to build their own administrative and military structures. This high degree of decentralization allowed for rapid grassroots expansion and local resilience. However, it lacked the uniform legal and fiscal coherence of the Mughal state, making the Maratha Empire more of a military superpower and less of a consolidated administrative entity.

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  4. In the Maratha infantry, the smallest unit was commanded by a Naik, who oversaw 9 foot soldiers. The infantry followed a precise decimal system: ten Naiks were under a Havaldar (commanding 50 soldiers) and two or three Havaldars were under a Jumledar. This disciplined, hierarchical structure made thRead more

    In the Maratha infantry, the smallest unit was commanded by a Naik, who oversaw 9 foot soldiers. The infantry followed a precise decimal system: ten Naiks were under a Havaldar (commanding 50 soldiers) and two or three Havaldars were under a Jumledar. This disciplined, hierarchical structure made the infantry effective, especially in defensive warfare, siege operations and controlling the mountainous terrain where they utilized their local knowledge.

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  5. The Treaty of 1719 was formally signed between Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath (representing Chhatrapati Shahu) and the Sayyid Brothers (representing the short-lived Mughal Emperor Rafi-ud-Darajat). The treaty was a political masterstroke for the Marathas: in exchange for providing military aid to the SayyRead more

    The Treaty of 1719 was formally signed between Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath (representing Chhatrapati Shahu) and the Sayyid Brothers (representing the short-lived Mughal Emperor Rafi-ud-Darajat). The treaty was a political masterstroke for the Marathas: in exchange for providing military aid to the Sayyid Brothers, the Marathas received the official Mughal farman legalizing their collection of Chauth and Sardeshmukhi over the six Deccan provinces. This Mughal sanction gave the Marathas undisputed legal supremacy in the Deccan, leading Richard Temple to call it the ‘Magna Carta’ of the Maratha state.

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