Maratha Empire

A South Asian empire founded by Shivaji in 1674 that became a major power across the Indian subcontinent before its defeat by the British in 1818.

Chhatrapati: A royal title used by Maratha rulers, including Shivaji and his successors. The title marked the sovereign authority at the empire’s center, even as power shifted to the Peshwas.
Shivaji: The Maratha ruler who established an independent kingdom in western India and was crowned in 1674. His campaigns, administration, and coronation founded the empire’s political tradition.
Third Battle of Panipat: The 1761 battle in which Ahmad Shah Durrani defeated the Maratha army in northern India. The defeat halted Maratha expansion for a time and exposed the costs of distant campaigning.
Baji Rao I: A Peshwa who led Maratha expansion across central and northern India from 1720 to 1740. His campaigns transformed the state into a major power beyond the Deccan.
Anglo-Maratha Wars: Three wars between the Maratha powers and the British East India Company from 1775 to 1818. Their outcome ended Maratha political independence and secured British supremacy in India.
Peshwa: The chief minister of the Maratha state, whose office became the empire’s dominant political authority. Peshwas directed expansion and governance while the Chhatrapati’s practical power declined.
Deccan Sultanates: Muslim-ruled states of the Deccan, including Bijapur and Golconda, that competed for regional power. Bijapur’s conflicts with Shivaji helped shape the early Maratha state.
Battle of Wadgaon: A 1779 battle in which Maratha forces compelled a British East India Company army to retreat near Pune. Its outcome showed that the Company’s early campaigns against the Marathas could be reversed.
Balaji Baji Rao: A Peshwa from 1740 to 1761 who presided over the Maratha Confederacy’s greatest territorial reach. His tenure culminated in the disastrous campaign at Panipat.
British East India Company: An English joint-stock company that built a territorial empire in South Asia through trade, diplomacy, and warfare. Its rivalry with the Marathas culminated in the conquest of their remaining territories.

Linked from 38 pages