📑 Topics on this page (Jump to Topic):
📌 1. Chhatrapati Shivaji (1630–1680)
- Born at Shivneri Fort (1630); father Shahji Bhonsle, mother Jijabai; mentors Dadaji Konddev and Samarth Ramdas.
- 1659 — killed Bijapur general Afzal Khan (Pratapgarh); 1663 — night raid on Shaista Khan (Pune); 1664 and 1670 — sacked Surat.
- 1665 — Treaty of Purandar (with Raja Jai Singh), ceded 23 forts; 1666 house arrest in Agra, escaped in fruit baskets.
- 1674 — coronation at Raigad, title "Chhatrapati".
- Revenue: chauth (1/4) and sardeshmukhi (extra 1/10) — levied on neighbouring areas.
| Ashtapradhan | Function |
|---|---|
| Peshwa | Prime minister |
| Amatya / Majumdar | Finance |
| Sachiv / Shurunavis | Correspondence |
| Mantri / Waqia-navis | Home affairs/king's diary |
| Senapati / Sar-i-Naubat | Commander-in-chief |
| Sumant / Dabir | Foreign affairs |
| Nyayadhish | Justice |
| Panditrao | Religious affairs |
📌 2. Successors & the Peshwas
| Ruler | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Sambhaji | Executed by Aurangzeb in 1689. |
| Rajaram / Tarabai | Resistance from Gingee; Tarabai continued the fight against the Mughals. |
| Shahu | Released by the Mughals in 1707; made Balaji Vishwanath the first Peshwa (1713). |
| Baji Rao I (1720–40) | Greatest Peshwa; "Hindu Pad Padshahi"; defeated the Nizam at Palkhed (1728); raided Delhi in 1737. |
| Balaji Baji Rao (Nana Saheb) | Third Battle of Panipat (14 January 1761) — Marathas defeated by Ahmad Shah Abdali (commander Sadashivrao Bhau). |
| Madhav Rao I | Revived Maratha power after Panipat. |
| Baji Rao II | Last Peshwa; Treaty of Bassein (1802) — accepted subsidiary alliance; Peshwaship abolished in 1818. |
- Maratha confederacy: Pune (Peshwa), Nagpur (Bhonsle), Baroda (Gaekwad), Indore (Holkar), Gwalior (Scindia).
- Nana Phadnavis — astute minister of the Peshwa court ("Maratha Machiavelli").
⚠️ Exam Traps:
- The first hereditary Peshwa was Balaji Vishwanath; under Shivaji the Peshwa was just one of the Ashtapradhan.
- Panipat III (1761) Abdali vs Marathas; Panipat II (1556) Akbar vs Hemu.
📌 3. Practice MCQs
📝 Practice MCQs (prepared by SF Prep — not PYQs)
Q1. Where was Shivaji born? Practice
Correct answer: (B)
Shivaji was born in 1630 at Shivneri Fort near Pune.
Shivaji was born in 1630 at Shivneri Fort near Pune.
Q2. Where was Shivaji crowned in 1674? Practice
Correct answer: (D)
He was crowned at Raigad in 1674, taking the title Chhatrapati.
He was crowned at Raigad in 1674, taking the title Chhatrapati.
Q3. The Treaty of Purandar (1665) was signed between Shivaji and: Practice
Correct answer: (A)
With Mughal general Jai Singh; Shivaji ceded 23 forts.
With Mughal general Jai Singh; Shivaji ceded 23 forts.
Q4. How much was 'chauth'? Practice
Correct answer: (C)
Chauth was one-fourth; sardeshmukhi an additional 1/10.
Chauth was one-fourth; sardeshmukhi an additional 1/10.
Q5. In Shivaji's Ashtapradhan, the 'Sumant' handled: Practice
Correct answer: (A)
The Sumant (Dabir) was the foreign minister.
The Sumant (Dabir) was the foreign minister.
Q6. Who was the first (hereditary) Peshwa? Practice
Correct answer: (B)
Shahu appointed Balaji Vishwanath Peshwa in 1713.
Shahu appointed Balaji Vishwanath Peshwa in 1713.
Q7. When was the Third Battle of Panipat fought? Practice
Correct answer: (C)
On 14 January 1761 Abdali defeated the Marathas.
On 14 January 1761 Abdali defeated the Marathas.
Q8. Who fought the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat? Practice
Correct answer: (D)
Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated the Marathas.
Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated the Marathas.
Q9. The ideal of 'Hindu Pad Padshahi' is linked with which Peshwa? Practice
Correct answer: (C)
Baji Rao I gave this ideal for Maratha expansion.
Baji Rao I gave this ideal for Maratha expansion.
Q10. Who signed the Treaty of Bassein (1802)? Practice
Correct answer: (A)
Baji Rao II accepted the subsidiary alliance at Bassein.
Baji Rao II accepted the subsidiary alliance at Bassein.
Q11. At Pratapgarh in 1659, Shivaji killed: Practice
Correct answer: (D)
Shivaji killed Bijapur's general Afzal Khan with tiger claws.
Shivaji killed Bijapur's general Afzal Khan with tiger claws.
Q12. Who commanded the Maratha army at Panipat III? Practice
Correct answer: (B)
Sadashivrao Bhau commanded the Maratha army.
Sadashivrao Bhau commanded the Maratha army.
Q13. Which family ruled Indore in the Maratha confederacy? Practice
Correct answer: (D)
Indore — Holkar, Gwalior — Scindia, Baroda — Gaekwad, Nagpur — Bhonsle.
Indore — Holkar, Gwalior — Scindia, Baroda — Gaekwad, Nagpur — Bhonsle.
Q14. Which Mughal ruler executed Sambhaji? Practice
Correct answer: (B)
Aurangzeb executed Sambhaji in 1689.
Aurangzeb executed Sambhaji in 1689.
Q15. Who is called the 'Maratha Machiavelli'? Practice
Correct answer: (C)
Nana Phadnavis earned this name for his diplomacy.
Nana Phadnavis earned this name for his diplomacy.
Q16. At Palkhed (1728) Baji Rao I defeated: Practice
Correct answer: (A)
At Palkhed Baji Rao defeated the Nizam of Hyderabad.
At Palkhed Baji Rao defeated the Nizam of Hyderabad.
Q17. When was the post of Peshwa abolished? Practice
Correct answer: (B)
After the Third Anglo-Maratha War the British abolished it in 1818.
After the Third Anglo-Maratha War the British abolished it in 1818.
Q18. When did Shivaji first sack Surat? Practice
Correct answer: (D)
Shivaji raided the Mughal port of Surat in 1664, again in 1670.
Shivaji raided the Mughal port of Surat in 1664, again in 1670.
Q19. In the Ashtapradhan, the 'Panditrao' handled: Practice
Correct answer: (A)
The Panditrao was in charge of religious affairs and charity.
The Panditrao was in charge of religious affairs and charity.
Q20. Who was Shivaji's mother? Practice
Correct answer: (C)
Shivaji's mother was Jijabai, who shaped his values.
Shivaji's mother was Jijabai, who shaped his values.