The transfer of power to the Peshwas transitioned the Maratha state from a centralized monarchy into a dynamic confederacy. By delegating authority to capable military commanders, the Peshwas incentivized them to conquer new territories in North and Central India. This ...
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Chhatrapati Shahu I (reign 1707–1749) was the last Maratha ruler to enjoy full sovereign powers. Although he delegated administrative and military authority to the Peshwas, the power still rested with him. After his death, the power was completely formalized in ...
The central secretariat of the Maratha government, particularly under the Peshwas in Pune, was known as the ‘Huzur Daftar’ or simply the ‘Phad’. It was a highly sophisticated administrative hub where all land records, revenue accounts and official correspondence were ...
Sir Jadunath Sarkar, a renowned historian of the Mughal and Maratha eras, made this observation regarding the impact of the 1761 defeat. He argued that while the Marathas recovered territorially, they lost the psychological and political unity required to rule ...
The Maratha dynasty rulers collected the tax known as ‘Chauth’. This levy, amounting to one-fourth (25%) of the revenue, was demanded from territories outside the Maratha kingdom’s direct control. It was both a major source of income and a de ...