The reign of Chhatrapati Shahu (1707–1749) is known as the effective reign of the Peshwas. Although Shahu was the Chhatrapati, he delegated most of the executive, military and administrative powers to his chosen Peshwas, especially Balaji Vishwanath and Bajirao I, ...
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After Shivaji’s death, his son Shambhaji became the second Chhatrapati. Shambhaji elevated the North Indian Brahmin, Kavi Kalash, to the position of his chief advisor, effectively making him the second Peshwa (though the title was Kavi Kalash). Kavi Kalash held ...
The post of ‘Pratinidhi’ (The Viceroy or Representative of the King), which was superior to the Peshwa, was created by Rajaram, the second son of Shivaji. He created the post to balance the power of the Peshwa and to strengthen ...
Shivaji established his first naval fleet at Colaba. Recognizing the strategic importance of the Arabian Sea, he focused on building a navy to protect his coastal territories, control sea trade and defend against the Portuguese, the Abyssinian Siddis of Janjira ...
In the Maratha infantry, a Naik (corporal) commanded a unit of 9 foot soldiers. Similar to the cavalry, this was the basic operational unit. Ten Naiks were overseen by a Havaldar, ensuring a well-defined chain of command and promoting coordination ...