Shivaji was most profoundly influenced by his mother, Jijabai. A highly devout and principled woman, Jijabai instilled in him the ideals of righteous governance, Hindu self-rule (Swaraj) and justice. She was his first guardian and political mentor, providing the moral ...
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The Third Battle of Panipat (1761 AD) was fought between the forces of the Maratha Confederacy (under the nominal control of Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao) and the invading Afghan forces of Ahmad Shah Abdali. The Marathas suffered a crushing defeat, ...
The capital of Shivaji’s empire was Raigad Fort. Strategically located in the rugged Western Ghats, Raigad was Shivaji’s most secure fortress. It served as the administrative, military and political centre of the nascent Maratha state and was the site of ...
The Maratha chief Sambhaji, Shivaji’s son and successor, was captured and assassinated by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1689 AD. Aurangzeb, who was personally present in the Deccan ordered the brutal execution. This act, meant to end the Maratha threat, ...
In the Maratha cavalry, a Havaldar commanded a troop of 25 cavalrymen. This was the basic organizational unit. Five Havaldars were commanded by a Jumledar, demonstrating a highly standardized, decimalized military structure aimed at efficiency, quick deployment and clear lines ...