The Maratha Empire

One of the greatest empires of India was the Maratha empire. It existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire's territories covered much of South Asia.The Maratha empire was founded and united by its greatest ruler, Chatrapati Shivaji Bhosale. They taught the world what is now the best technique of warfare, the guerrilla technique.Covering a large part of the Indian Subcontinent, the Maratha Empire kept the British army at bay during the 18th century, until there were conflicts between the Peshwas(prime ministers) and their Sardars(army commanders). This lead to the gradual downfall of the heroic and majestic Maratha empire.

The Maratha Empire was at its height in the 18th century under Shahu and the Peshwa Baji Rao I. The defeat at the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761 stopped further expansion of the empire in the North-west and reduced the power of the Peshwas. In 1761, after great losses in the Panipat war, the Peshwas slowly started losing the control over the kingdom. Many military chiefs of the Maratha Empire like Shinde, Holkar, Bhosale of Nagpur, and Newalkar started to work towards their ambition of becoming kings in their respective regions. 

However, under Madhavrao Peshwa, Maratha authority in North India was restored, 10 years after the battle of Panipat. After the death of Madhavrao, the empire gave way to a loose coalition with political power resting into mostly five Maratha dynasties: 

1. the Peshwas of Pune; 
2. the Shindes of Malwa and Gwalior; 
3. the Holkars of Indore; 
4. the Bhonsles of Nagpur; 
5. the Gaekwads of Baroda. 

A rivalry between the Sindhia and Holkar dominated the confederation's affairs into the early 19th century, as did the clashes with the British and the British East India Company in the three Anglo-Maratha Wars. In the Third Anglo-Maratha War, the last Peshwa, Baji Rao II, was defeated by the British in 1818. Most of the former Maratha Empire was absorbed by British East India Company. However, some of the Maratha states persisted as "quasi-independent" princely states until India became independent in 1947.

 





 This picture shows the extent of the Maratha empire in the year 1760