A History of the Mahrattas

The term Marathas refers generally to the Marathi speaking people of Maharashtra state in India numbering about 35 million. In a narrow sense the term denotes members of the dominant caste in Maharashtra. They claim Kshatriya, or Warrior, status and see themselves as equivalent to the Rajputs of the Punjab. The Marathas dominated the powerful Hindu state centred in Maharashtra in the 17th, 18th and earlier 19th centuries. Of the persons concerned, none stands higher than the great Shivaji – the founder of the Maratha Empire. They owed allegiance to the Deccan kingdoms and when they saw them being weakened by the Mughal attacks they broke away, expanded their powers and became a major source of harassment for the great Mughal armies. Shivaji declared himself the independent ruler of the Maratha kingdom and was crowned Chhatrapati in 1674. After his death in 1680, the Marathas were led by Peshvas (Chief Ministers) in the name of Shivaji’s successors, which eventually took the form of a confederacy. The Marathas also fought three wars against the British. (1775-87, 1803-05, 1817-18). This book brings together most important historical writings about the great Marathas in three large volumes, forming a historical antique in itself to provide basic historical material not only for historians and archaeologists but also for the general reader interested in Indian history. This work still remains the only most authentic and reliable record of this great race — The Marathas.