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Glossaries
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Maratha | The Marathas are an ethnopolitical group from the Deccan who became a dominant force in India between the 17th and 19th centuries. The Marathas, originating mainly from the Deccan Plateau (present‑day Maharashtra and parts of Goa, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh), are both a cultural community and a collection of dynasties that played a decisive role in Indian politics from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Their rise began in the 17th century under Chhatrapati Shivaji Bhonsle, founder of the Maratha Empire, who established independence from the Mughals. After Shivaji’s death and the empire’s initial expansion, power gradually shifted to the Peshwas of Pune, military leaders and administrators who headed the Maratha Confederacy. This confederacy united several semi‑autonomous but allied Maratha princely families, including:
– Patwardhan (various branches) By the 18th century, the Marathas controlled a vast territory covering the Deccan, Central India, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and even reaching Delhi. Their expansion brought them into contact—sometimes conflict—with the Mughals, Afghans, Rajputs, and the British. The three Anglo‑Maratha Wars (1775‑1818) resulted in their gradual loss of sovereignty to the British East India Company. Economically, they promoted agriculture, domestic trade, and certain artisanal industries. Culturally, they encouraged the construction of forts, temples, and palaces, and patronized the arts, including Marathi literature and Hindustani classical music. Although eventually defeated, the Marathas left a significant political, cultural, and architectural legacy, and some families continued to play a role in princely India until 1947. |
