Chauth was a tax levied by Shivaji on neighbouring Mughal territories or states not under direct Maratha rule. It represented one-fourth (25%) of the revenue. It was essentially protection money—paid in exchange for a Maratha guarantee not to plunder the area, acting as both an income source and an assertion of Maratha dominance. ANSWER: (B) A land tax levied by Shivaji on neighboring states
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Chauth was a compulsory levy, representing one-fourth (25%) of the annual revenue, collected by the Marathas from territories outside their direct control, primarily the Mughal provinces and the Deccan Sultanates. The payment was considered a price for protection, guaranteeing that the Maratha army would not raid or plunder the paying territory. Although framed as a feudal right, it was, in practice, a clear assertion of Maratha military supremacy and financial claim over the region, challenging Mughal sovereignty.