Important Terms Related to Maratha Kingdom
Here you will come across some essential terms related to the Maratha kingdom. No doubt, the Marathas are the single most crucial power which emerged in the twilight of the Mughal dynasty. Let us see the important terms related to the Maratha kingdom. Marathas belonged to the western Deccan area and were a peasant warrior group. The Maratha clan rose to power during the rule of the Sultans of Ahmadnagar and Bijapur. It is worth mentioning here that the most crucial Maratha warrior clan, also known as the Bhonsles, was assigned with the administration of comprehensive land-tax entitlements.
In those days, the land-tax entitlements were known as Jagirs. The essential terms related to Maratha kingdom would help you to learn various types of reforms introduced by the then Maratha rulers.
To be precise, Shahji Bhonsle was the first prominent member of the clan. He was also the first Maratha ruler who drew significant revenues from the Karnataka area. The territory of Karnataka was once ruled by the Mysore rulers and other chiefs. After their fall, Shahji Bhonsle decided to derive revenues from the site.
One of his children, Shivaji Bhonsle, emerged as the most powerful and prominent figure in the clan. With these things in mind, let’s take a glance at some of the essential terms related to the Maratha kingdom.
What should you know about Sardeshmukhi?
In case you don’t know, Sardeshmukhi was first introduced by the Maratha Empire. After the exchange, the revenue was segregated into four parts which went to several Maratha Empire functionaries. In simple words, define sardeshmukhi implies a claim to one-tenth of the standard land revenue, which was enforced on the entire population of the town and villages.
Sardeshmukhi was collected as a mark of the identification of the Maratha ruler as their Sardeshmukh. Here Sardeshmukh refers to the Chief Headman of the clan. The charismatic Maratha ruler, Shivaji, commenced the collection of this tax even from the alien territories.
In the late 17th century, Shivaji first claimed the right to analyze and collect this tax. His family were the old tax collectors in the Maratha kingdom, which enabled him to collect this tax. Note that the mobilization of capital with this tax under Shivaji was highly successful.
Chauth and Sardeshmukhi- Important Things to know
Both Chauth and Sardeshmukhi were introduced under the Maratha ruler. Chauth refers to one-fourth in Sanskrit. To be precise, it was a daily tax or tribute that was levied on the parts ruled by the Marathas. It started during the 18th century. Note that Chauth was an annual tax imposed on the sales or production of goods at 25 percent.
Quite interestingly, Chauth and Sardeshmukhi were also levied on the areas which were under the control of the Mughals. On top of the Chauth, the Sardeshmukhi was an additional 10% tax. Both these taxes were a form of tribute paid to the kind. It is also essential to know about Chauth and Sardeshmukhi under the rule of Shivaji.
Between 1665 and 1667, Shivaji had derived these taxes from the unfriendly Muslim rulers of the Deccan. Chauth, as the name suggests, was one-fourth of the income analysis charged as non-molestation tax. Sardeshmukhi was an extra tax levied at 10% of the revenue.
Sardeshmukhi meaning refers to the mark of identification of the Maratha ruler. In simple words, Sardeshmukhi usually refers to the additional 10% tax levied upon the collection of Chauth. It is also imperative here to discuss the Chauth tax under the rule of the future Maratha leaders after Shivaji.
In 1719, a Mughal Emperor named Darajat had attributed the Chauth and Sardeshmukhi rights over the Mughal areas of the Deccan to a king named Raja Shahu. The rights of collecting both these taxes rested with Raja Shahu. But there are some agreements too at the same time.
In return for the Chauth, Shahu maintained a contingent of 15000 Maratha soldiers for the protection and security of the Mughal dynasty. In return for Sardeshmukhi, the Marathas kept strict vigil over their areas to prevent crimes like rebellions and robberies.
Interesting Facts about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that you Should Know
Undoubtedly, defining Sardeshmukhi is a common aspect whenever you go through the tax collection systems and reforms of the great Marathas. But at the same time, you should be aware of some interesting facts about the great Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Here is the list of some of them.
Do you know Shivaji is known as the Father of the Indian Navy? Shivaji was the first Indian ruler who provided due importance to the maintenance of a naval force. That’s why he established the navy and subsequent forts at the coastline. These defensive measures were aimed to thwart attacks on the Konkan side of present-day Maharashtra.
Shivaji was one of the most secular Indian rulers you would ever come across in history. He perceived all religions to be the same. What’s more, even at that time, he has a large number of Muslim soldiers in the army. He was supportive of people who embraced Hinduism.
Shivaji advocated the rights of women. He opposed various types of violence against women. Anyone under his rule violating the rights of women was severely punished.
Do you know that Shivaji was nicknamed the mountain rat by his adversaries? He was prominently known for his guerilla warfare tactics. Shivaji was well-aware of the geography of the land, which enabled him to trap enemy soldiers with ease. He was also famous for raiding and annihilating enemy resources.
He expanded the 2000 men strong army to 10000 almost single-handedly. This speaks volumes of Shivaji’s prowess with warfare.
So as you can see, apart from the Sardeshmukhi tax, there are other important and exciting things to learn about the Maratha Empire.
Difference Between Chauth and Sardeshmukhi
Chauth, which means one-fourth in Sanskrit, was a regular tax imposed by the Maratha rulers in the areas under their rule. Note that it was an annual tax levied at 25% on production or revenue. It was imposed on those lands which were under the nominal Mughal rule.
On the contrary, the Sardeshmukhi was an extra 10% tax imposed over the Chauth. The Sardeshmukhi was initiated as a way to pay tribute to the king.
Ashta Pradhan- What to know?
Ashta Pradhan was an advisory and administrative council established by the Hindu Maratha leader Shivaji. Quite impressively, it was Ashta Pradhan who contributed to the successful military attacks on the invading Mughal armies. Let’s segregate the Ashta Pradhan to know more details about it.
The senior member of the council was called the Peshwa, who was in charge of general administration.
The Amatya, along with the Pant Sachir were associated with budgets and finances
The Sumanta administered how foreign affairs should be carried out
The Mantri oversaw the aspects related to intelligence and enemy updates
The Senapati was the commander in chief
The Nyayadhisha was responsible for maintaining the legal sanity of the regions
The Pandit Rao supervised affairs associated with religious matters
Ashtapradhan
Council of minister is known as Ashtapradhan.
There are 8 members in Ashtapradhan.
Peshwa - Head of Council
Senapathi - Commander of Army
Nyayadhish - Justice
Majumdar - Justice
Pant Schiv - G.Secretary
Manthri - Head of Intelligence
Dandadhyaksha - Religious Matters
Shivaji’s son was responsible for scattering this council of ministers. However, after the revival of the Maratha power in the 18th century, these members of the committee became an integral part.
FAQs on The Great Maratha Kingdom
1. What made the Marathas so Famous and Powerful?
The Maratha kingdom was a powerful kingdom that originated from competing with the Mughal forces. It was created at a time when the suppression and oppression of the Mughals were at a high. Both Shivaji and the Peshwas are credited for the formation of the Maratha Empire. Shivaji carved out a stable kingdom with the help of powerful warrior clans known as the Deshmukhs.
The primary backbone of the Maratha army was the group of courageous men who revered Shivaji. To be precise, Shivaji was the first such ruler who deployed a wide variety of tactics to challenge the advance of the Mughals in the area. One can also credit the Peshwas for the development of the Maratha kingdom.
Under the rule of the Peshwas, the Marathas were able to develop a successful military power. It was typical for the Peshwas at that time to raid Mughal cities and engaging the armies of the Mughals. Moreover, the guerilla warfare tactics employed by them also helped a lot in annihilating the Mughal forces.
2. What are the Important Things to Know about the Administrative System of the Marathas?
The Marathas were able to emerge successful not only because of their powerful army and warfare tactics. They also had in place a very well-defined administrative system. After the Maratha dynasty became secure, the revenue demands were introduced after considering all the factors. Agriculture and trade were highly encouraged.
The tax reforms like Chauth and Sardeshmukhi were imposed for the collection of revenues. The revenue collected from taxes and other forms of services enabled the Marathas to raise mighty armies. From the Sindhia of Gwalior to Bhonsle of Nagpur, the Marathas rose to prominence with the help of their well-oiled army and administrative system.
