The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian power that existed from 1674 to 1818 and ruled over much of the Indian sub-continent. The Marathas are credited to a large extent for ending the Mughal rule in India.
The Marathas are the Hindu warrior group from the western Deccan Plateau (present day Maharashtra) that rose to prominence by establishing a Hindavi Swarajya. The Marathas became prominent in the 17th century under the leadership of Shivaji who revolted against the Adil Shahi dynasty and the Mughal Empire and carved out a rebel territory with Raigad as his capital. Known for their mobility, the Marathas were able to consolidate their territory during the Mughal–Maratha Wars and later controlled a large part of India.
Chhattrapati Shahu, a grandson of Shivaji, was released by the Mughals after the death of Emperor Aurangzeb. Following a brief struggle with his aunt Tarabai, Shahu became ruler and appointed Balaji Vishwanath, and later, his descendants, as the peshwas or prime ministers of the empire. Balaji and his descendants played a key role in expansion of Maratha rule. The empire at its peak stretched from Tamil Nadu in the south, to Peshawar (modern-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan) in the north, and Bengal and Andaman Islands in the east. In 1761, the Maratha Army lost the Third Battle of Panipat to Ahmad Shah Abdali of the Afghan Durrani Empire which halted their imperial expansion into Afghanistan. Ten years after Panipat, the young Peshwa Madhavrao I's Maratha Resurrection reinstated Maratha authority over North India.
In a bid to effectively manage the large empire, he gave semi-autonomy to the strongest of the knights, which created a confederacy of Maratha states. They became known as the Gaekwads of Baroda, the Holkars of Indore and Malwa, the Scindias of Gwalior and Ujjain, the Bhonsales of the Nagpur and the Puars of Dhar and Dewas. In 1775, the East India Company intervened in a Peshwa family succession struggle in Pune, which became the First Anglo-Maratha War. The Marathas remained the preeminent power in India until their defeat in the Second Anglo-Maratha War which left the East India Company in control of most of India.
A large portion of the Maratha empire was coastline, which had been secured by the potent Maratha Navy under commanders such as Kanhoji Angre. He was very successful at keeping foreign naval ships, particularly of the Portuguese and British, at bay. Securing the coastal areas and building land-based fortifications were crucial aspects of the Maratha's defensive strategy and regional military history.
The Maratha Empire is also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy. The historian Barbara Ramusack says that the former is a designation preferred by Indian nationalists, while the latter was that used by British historians. She notes
"Neither term is fully accurate since one implies a substantial degree of centralisation and the other signifies some surrender of power to a central government and a longstanding core of political administrators. Maratha power was fragmented among several discreet fragments."
The Marathas are the Hindu warrior group from the western Deccan Plateau (present day Maharashtra) that rose to prominence by establishing a Hindavi Swarajya. The Marathas became prominent in the 17th century under the leadership of Shivaji who revolted against the Adil Shahi dynasty and the Mughal Empire and carved out a rebel territory with Raigad as his capital. Known for their mobility, the Marathas were able to consolidate their territory during the Mughal–Maratha Wars and later controlled a large part of India.
Chhattrapati Shahu, a grandson of Shivaji, was released by the Mughals after the death of Emperor Aurangzeb. Following a brief struggle with his aunt Tarabai, Shahu became ruler and appointed Balaji Vishwanath, and later, his descendants, as the peshwas or prime ministers of the empire. Balaji and his descendants played a key role in expansion of Maratha rule. The empire at its peak stretched from Tamil Nadu in the south, to Peshawar (modern-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan) in the north, and Bengal and Andaman Islands in the east. In 1761, the Maratha Army lost the Third Battle of Panipat to Ahmad Shah Abdali of the Afghan Durrani Empire which halted their imperial expansion into Afghanistan. Ten years after Panipat, the young Peshwa Madhavrao I's Maratha Resurrection reinstated Maratha authority over North India.
In a bid to effectively manage the large empire, he gave semi-autonomy to the strongest of the knights, which created a confederacy of Maratha states. They became known as the Gaekwads of Baroda, the Holkars of Indore and Malwa, the Scindias of Gwalior and Ujjain, the Bhonsales of the Nagpur and the Puars of Dhar and Dewas. In 1775, the East India Company intervened in a Peshwa family succession struggle in Pune, which became the First Anglo-Maratha War. The Marathas remained the preeminent power in India until their defeat in the Second Anglo-Maratha War which left the East India Company in control of most of India.
A large portion of the Maratha empire was coastline, which had been secured by the potent Maratha Navy under commanders such as Kanhoji Angre. He was very successful at keeping foreign naval ships, particularly of the Portuguese and British, at bay. Securing the coastal areas and building land-based fortifications were crucial aspects of the Maratha's defensive strategy and regional military history.
The Maratha Empire is also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy. The historian Barbara Ramusack says that the former is a designation preferred by Indian nationalists, while the latter was that used by British historians. She notes
"Neither term is fully accurate since one implies a substantial degree of centralisation and the other signifies some surrender of power to a central government and a longstanding core of political administrators. Maratha power was fragmented among several discreet fragments."
| Royal House | ||
| Ruler (Chhatrapati) | Reign | |
| Chhatrapati Shivaji | 1674 – 1680 | |
| Sambhaji | 1680 – 1689 | |
| Rajaram I | 1689 – 1700 | |
| Royal House - Satara | ||
| Ruler (Chhatrapati) | Reign | |
| Shahu I | 1708 - 1749 | |
| Ramaraja II | 1749 - 1777 | |
| Shahu II | 1777 - 1808 | |
| Pratap Singh | 1808 - 1839 | |
| Raja Shahaji | 1839 – 1848 | |
| Royal House - Kolhapur | ||
| Ruler (Chhatrapati) | Reign | |
| Shivaji II | 1710 – 1714 | |
| Sambhaji II | 1714 – 1760 | |
| Shivaji III | 1762 – 1813 | |
| Sambhaji III | 1813 – 1821 | |
| Shivaji IV | 1821 – 1822 | |
| Shahaji | 1822 – 1838 | |
| Shivaji V | 1838 – 1866 | |
| Rajaram II | 1866 – 1870 | |
| Shivaji VI | 1871 – 1883 | |
| Shahu I | 1884 – 1922 | |
| Rajaram III | 1922 – 1940 | |
| Shivaji VII | 1942 – 1946 | |
| Shahji II | 1947 – 1947 | |
| Peshwas | ||
| Ruler (Peshwas) | Reign | |
| Moropant Trimbak Pingle | 1657 – 1683 | |
| Bahiroji Pingale | 1708 – 1711 | |
| From Balaji Vishwanath onwards, actual power gradually shifted to the Bhat family Peshwas based in Pune. | ||
| Balaji Vishwanath | 1713 – 1720 | |
| Peshwa Bajirao I | 1720 – 1740 | |
| Balaji Bajirao | 1740 – 1761 | |
| Madhavrao Peshwa | 1761 – 1772 | |
| Narayanrao Bajirao | 1772 – 1773 | |
| Raghunathrao | 1773 – 1774 | |
| Sawai Madhava Rao II Narayan | 1774 – 1795 | |
| Baji Rao II | 1796 – 1818 | |
| Chieftains | ||
| Holkars of Indore | ||
| Shindes of Gwalior | ||
| Gaikwads of Baroda | ||
| Bhonsales of Nagpur | ||
| Puarss of Dewas and Dhar | ||
1 Rupee - Muhammad Shah, KM#206
Rev : sana julus and zarb, mint Azamnagar Gokak
Details :
Plain edge
KM#206
1 Rupee - Alamgir II, Unlisted in KM#
Rev : Lingam and flower symbol, regnal year (RY#1x), Aurangnagar - Mulher mint
Details :
Plain edge
M&W#T2b
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#256
Rev : Lingam and Nagari "Mu/Mo" (मु), regnal year, Aurangnagar - Mulher mint
Details :
Plain edge
KM#256
M&W#T7
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#258
Rev : RY#1, Burhanpur mint
Details :
Plain edge
KM#258
1 Rupee - Ali Gauhar, KM#216
Rev : Mint mark #3 - Scissors (Nagphani), samvat dates in Arabic numerals, RY#2, Poona mint
Details :
Plain edge
The issues with full AH FE(Fasli Era) dates are attributed as British issues. The issues without the dates are generally attributed to the Marathas. The designs are identical in all respects, except the addition of an AH FE date.
KM#216
M&W#T3
1 Rupee - Ali Gauhar, KM#261
Struck during the reign of Dev of Chinchwad.
Rev : Mint mark #2 - Axe (Farsa), Chinchwad mint
Details :
Plain edge
KM#261 (Previous KM#100)
M&W#T5
1 Rupee - Anonymous issue, KM#324
Rev : Flag (banner) flowing left, Gulshanabad (Nasik) mint
Details :
Plain edge
Coins struck after AH 1228 (1818 AD) under East India Company administration.
KM#324 (Previous KM#109)
1 Rupee - Anonymous issue, KM#335
Rev : Mint mark #1 - Elephant goad (Ankush), regnal year in Persian numerals, Poona mint
Details :
Plain edge
Also called as Ankushi Rupee.
The issues with full AH FE(Fasli Era) dates are attributed as British issues. The issues without the dates are generally attributed to the Marathas.
KM#335 (Previous KM#213)
1 Rupee - Ahmad Shah Bahadur, KM#349
Rev : Frozen Pseudo Regnal Year "511", Katak mint
Details :
Plain edge, Without mint marks
Bhonslas coin Minted in Katak (Cuttack)
KM#349 (Previous KM#16)
1 Rupee - Ahmad Shah Bahadur, KM#350
Rev : Frozen Pseudo Regnal Year "511", Katak mint
Details :
Plain edge
Bhonslas coin Minted in Katak (Cuttack)
KM#350 (Previous KM#18)
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#255
Rev : Dar-ul-khilafat (Shahanabad) athani, bagad zarab julus memanat manus sanat
Details :
Plain edge
KM#255 (Previous KM#71)
M&W#T2
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#257
Rev : Sana julus, zarb on top, Bagalkot mint
Details :
Plain edge
KM#257 (Previous KM#84)
M&W#T2
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#276
Rev : Sana julus zarb, RY#1, Kora mint
Details :
Plain edge
KM#276 (Previous KM#160)
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#278
Rev : Sana julus zarb, RY#4, Kora mint
Details :
Plain edge
KM#278 (Previous KM#162)
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#279
Rev : Sana julus zarb, RY#2, Kora mint
Details :
Plain edge
KM#279 (Previous KM#163)
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#287
Rev : Sana julus zarb, RY#25, Balanagar Gadha (Mandla) mint
Details :
Plain edge
KM#287 (Previous KM#190)
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, Unlisted in KM#
Rev : Sana julus zarb, RY#35, Balanagar Gadha (Mandla) mint
Details :
Plain edge
M&W#T2
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#292
Rev : Sana julus zarb, RY#26, Ravishnagar Sagar mint
Details :
Plain edge
KM#292 (Previous KM#239)
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#321
Rev : Sana julus zarb, RY#49, Ravishnagar Sagar mint
Details :
Plain edge
KM#321 (Previous KM#240)
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#321
Rev : Sana julus zarb, RY#52, Ravishnagar Sagar mint
Details :
Plain edge
KM#321 (Previous KM#240)
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#295
Rev : RY#39, Srinagar mint
Details :
Plain edge. Mint name: Nagar Ijhri (sic)
KM#295 (Previous KM#249)
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#295
Rev : RY#39, Srinagar mint
Details :
Plain edge, Small flan, crude execution. Mint name: Nagar Ijhri (sic)
KM#295 (Previous KM#249)
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#260
Rev : Manus memanat julus zarab J'afarabad 'urf Chandor
Details :
Plain edge. Also called Chandori Rupee. Mint name: Chandor
KM#260 (Previously listed under IPS - Indore. Previous KM#93)
Dot below the trishul mark. It’s suggested that this might be the rupee issued during the period when it was under British control (1818 till early 1830’s).
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#260
Rev : Manus memanat julus zarab J'afarabad 'urf Chandor, RY#2
Details :
Plain edge. Also called Chandori Rupee. Mint name: Chandor
KM#260 (Previously listed under IPS - Indore. Previous KM#93)
Dot below the trishul mark. It’s suggested that this might be the rupee issued during the period when it was under British control (1818 till early 1830’s).
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#260
Rev : Manus memanat julus zarab J'afarabad 'urf Chandor
Details :
Plain edge. Also called Chandori Rupee. Mint name: Chandor
KM#260 (Previously listed under IPS - Indore. Previous KM#93)
Dot below the trishul mark. It’s suggested that this might be the rupee issued during the period when it was under British control (1818 till early 1830’s).
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#312
Rev : Manus memanat julus zarab vaphgaon, RY#13
Details :
Plain edge.
KM#312
1 Rupee - Alamgir II, KM#229
Rev : Manus memanat julus zarab. RY#4. Balwantnagar (Jhansi) mint
Details :
Plain edge.
KM#229 (Previous KM#132)
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, Unlisted in KM#
Rev : Manus memanat julus zarab. RY#4. Balwantnagar (Jhansi) mint
Details :
Plain edge.
M&W#T7a
As per M&W# this is struck during the time of governor Ragunath Rao Hari. But the town and fort of Jhansi were taken over by Shuja ud-Daulah following the chaos after the Maratha defeat of Panipat. The forces of Awadh captured Jhansi on 31 January, 1762 AD and Shuja ud-Daulah appointed Muhammad Bashir as the Faujdar of Jhansi. Then Malhar Rao Holkar recaptured it in 1766 AD. Also the coins struck under Awadh control are markedly different than the Maratha issues and include extra inscription 'Roshan Akhtar' on reverse.
This coin has only regnal year. The AH date is out of flan and the part of inscription where 'Roshan Akhtar' would have been mentioned is also out of flan. This makes it difficult to conclusively attribute it to Awadh and hence listing it under Maratha Confedaracy.
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#270
Rev : Manus memanat julus zarab. RY#12. Balwantnagar (Jhansi) mint
Details :
Plain edge. Crude fabric.
KM#270 (Previous KM#140)
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#274
Rev : Manus memanat julus zarab. RY#36. Balwantnagar (Jhansi) mint
Details :
Plain edge. Crude fabric.
KM#274 (Previous KM#143)
1 Rupee - Anonymous issue, KM#330
Rev : Manus memanat julus zarab. Balwantnagar (Jhansi) mint
Details :
Plain edge.
KM#330 (Previous KM#144)
1 Rupee - Alamgir II, KM#225
Rev : Manus memanat julus zarab. Ahmadabad mint. Ankush mint mark. RY#6.
Details :
Plain edge. The Marathas took control of Ahmadabad in the last year of Ahmad Shah Bahadur. The 'Ankush' mint mark was introduced on the coins of Ahmadabad which continued in the early years of Alamgir II. In the 3rd and 4th year of Alamgir II's reign Momin Khan of Khambayat captured Ahmadabad and the 'Ankush' was replaced by flower. The Marathas wrested control of Ahmadabad in the 5th year of reign of Alamgir II and the 'Ankush' returned on the coins.
KM#225 (Previous KM#43)
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#251
Rev : Manus memanat julus zarab. Ahmadabad mint. Ankush mint mark. RY#12.
Details :
Plain edge. The default 'Ankush' mint mark continued for the first 25 years of rule of Shah Alam II.
KM#251 (Previous KM#50)
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#251
Rev : Manus memanat julus zarab. Ahmadabad mint. Ankush mint mark. RY#30.
Details :
Plain edge. Change in the design of 'Ankush' between RY#25 to RY#32 when Bhavani Shivram was appointed as "Kamvisdar"
KM#251 (Previous KM#50)
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#251
Rev : Manus memanat julus zarab. Ahmadabad mint. Ankush mint mark.
Details :
Plain edge. Change in the design of 'Ankush' between RY#32 to RY#35 when Abu Shelukar replaced Bhavani Shivram as "Kamvisdar"
KM#251 (Previous KM#50)
1 Rupee - Shah Alam II, KM#251
Rev : Manus memanat julus zarab. Ahmadabad mint. Ankush mint mark. RY#3x
Details :
Plain edge. Variation in the design of 'Ankush' between RY#35 to RY#36? to mark the complete control of Ahmadabad by Anand Rao Gaikwad.
KM#251 (Previous KM#50)
References :
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maratha_Empire
- South Asian Coins & Paper Money (INDIAN EDITION) - Krause Publication
- Maratha Mints and Coinage by Kamalesh Kumar Maheshwari, Kenneth W. Wiggins
- http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php/topic,38055.0.html (for KM#251 coins)
- https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=154928 (for M&W#T7a coin)
- http://coinindia.com/galleries-awadh.html (for M&W#T7a coin)
- http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php/topic,43961.0.html (for M&W#T2 coin)
- https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=21497 (for KM#260)
