The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern Indian empire and later a confederation that controlled large portions of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. Maratha rule formally began in 1674 with the coronation of Shivaji of the Bhonsle dynasty as the Chhatrapati. Although Shivaji came from the Maratha caste, the Maratha empire also included warriors, administrators, and other nobles from the Maratha and several other castes from what is known today as Maharashtra. The Maratha Kingdom was expanded into a full-fledged Empire in the 18th Century C.E under the leadership of Peshwa Bajirao I.
Peshwa was second highest office in the Maratha Confederacy, next in rank and prestige only to that of the Chhatrapati. Initially serving as the appointed prime minister in the Maratha empire, the office became hereditary after the death of Shahu in 1749. During the reign of Shahu, the office of Peshwa grew in power and the Peshwas came to be the de facto rulers of the Maratha empire. However following the defeat of the Marathas in 1761, the office of the Peshwa became titular as well and from that point onwards served as the ceremonial head of the Confederacy underneath the Chhatrapati.
Madhavrao I was the 9th Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy. During his tenure, the Maratha Confederacy fully recovered from the losses they suffered during the Third Battle of Panipat, an event known as Maratha Resurrection.
Narayanrao was the 10th Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy from November 1772 until his assassination in August 1773. He married Gangabai Sathe who later gave birth to Sawai Madhavrao.
The Patil is an Indian last name and a title or surname. The female variant of the title is Patlin or Patlinbai, and is also used to describe the wife of a Patil.
Pratapgad is a mountain fort located in Satara district, in the Western Indian state of Maharashtra. The fort is situated 24 kilometres from the Mahabaleshwar hill station. The fort is now a popular tourist destination.
Deshastha Brahmin is a Hindu Brahmin subcaste mainly from the Indian state of Maharashtra and North Karnataka. Other than these states, according to authors K. S. Singh, Gregory Naik and Pran Nath Chopra, Deshastha Brahmins are also concentrated in the states of Telangana (which was earlier part of Hyderabad State and Berar Division), Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh (Which was earlier part of Central Provinces and Berar) Historian Pran Nath Chopra and journalist Pritish Nandy say, "Most of the well-known saints from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh were Deshastha Brahmins". The mother tongue of Deshastha Brahmins is either Marathi, Kannada or Telugu.
Nana Fadnavis, born Balaji Janardan Bhanu, was an influential minister and statesman of the Maratha Empire during the Peshwa administration in Pune, India. James Grant Duff states that he was called "the Maratha Machiavelli" by the Europeans.
Balwant Moreshwar Purandare, popularly known as Babasaheb Purandare, was an Indian writer of books and plays from Maharashtra, India. His works are mostly based on the life of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the 17th-century founder of the Maratha Empire; as a result he is called Shiv-Shahir. He is mostly known for his popular play on Shivaji, Jaanta Raja. Purandare also studied the history of the Peshwas of Pune. In 2015, he was awarded the Maharashtra Bhushan Award, Maharashtra's highest civilian award. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's highest second-civilian award on 25 January 2019.
Shankaraji Narayan Gandekar (1665–1707), also known as Shankaraji Narayan Sacheev or Shankaraji Narayan, was a popular Minister (Pradhan) and Count (Sardar) of the Maratha Empire. He also served as Imperial Secretary (Sacheev) during Rajaram's reign. He also served as Deputy to the Crown (Rajadnya) under Emperor Sambhaji. His contribution to the war of independence against Mughal rule is considered to be immensely supportive. He was also the founder of the princely state of Bhor located, in Pune district.
Bhoite is a surname found amongst the Maratha caste, mainly in the state of Maharashtra in India but it also appears in Indian states bordering Maharashtra.
Ranoji Bhoite was a Maratha chieftain of the Bhoite clan who lived in the 18th century. The Commander in Chief of the Maratha army from satara He was a contemporary of Ranoji Shinde, Dattaji Shinde, and others. Bhoite was an active Commander in Maratha's North India Campaign. Some Maratha leaders survived after the Panipat battle and created their own kingdoms, but Bhoite did not. He served under King Shahu in the Satara Kingdom.
Baloji Kunjar / Kunjir (17??–1816) was Sardar and Minister of Affairs in service of Peshwa Baji Rao II. He was Peshwa Baji Rao II's favorite. After the death of Peshwa Sawai Madhavrao, there was debates for the position of Peshwa among the Maratha Empire. Balaji Kunjar performed a successful role to convey most friendly declaration and assurance between Baji Rao II and Nana Phadanvis, to appoint Baji Rao II as peshwa of Maratha Empire. Peshwa Baji Rao II and Nana Phadanvis awarded inam (Jagir) to him in 14 villages near Purandhar fort, for his role. He performed successful role in administration of maratha empire and as affairs minister or diplomat (vakil) for Peshwa Baji Rao II. He along with his son Pandoji Kunjar and Narayan, enjoyed the position as Sur-Patil (सर-पाटील) at Pune Punch Mahals during the era of Peshawa Baji Rao II. He along with his family has long enjoyed the privileges of sar-patil of 360 villages and towns in the Subha of Poona.
Sakharam Hari Gupte was born in Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu (CKP) family, and was the commander and tipnis (secretary) of Peshwa Bajirao I. For few years he worked under Peshwa Nanasaheb and then became the General of Raghunathrao Peshwa. He was responsible for conquering Attock on the banks of the Indus and repelling the Durrani ruler, Ahmad Shah Abdali out of India in the 1750s.
Parasnis or Parasnavis is a title and surname native to the Indian state of Maharashtra and North Karnataka.
The Vinchurkar family is a prominent Maratha family of Nobles, Sardars, Patil, Jagirdars, Mankaris of Vinchur during Maratha Empire, East India Company and British Raj times.
Purandare is prominent Indian family of Nobles, Sardars, Patil, Jagirdars during Maratha Empire. They belong to Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmin (DRB) community. Dhondo Malhar Purandare, a member of purandare family held the patilki watan of Vadule, a village in present day Shevgaon taluka in Ahmednagar district. Purandare wada (palace} in Saswad was the seat of the Purandares until 1818, when the Peshwas lost control to the British East India Company after the Third Anglo-Maratha War.The Purandare Wada still stands but is in a much dilapidated state. The design of the Purandare wada was the inspiration for the better known Shaniwar Wada in Pune.
Vitthal Sundar Parshurami, was a diplomat and the Prime Minister of Hyderabad during the reign of Nizam Ali Khan. When Khan was appointed Subedar of the Deccan on 8 July 1762 he immediately appointed Sunder his Diwan and conferred upon him the title Raja Pratapwant. Sunder belonged to the Deshastha Brahmin community of Maharashtra. Sundar was Nizam's commander-in-chief during the Battle of Rakshasbhuvan on 10 August 1763, and was killed in the battle.
The Assassination of Narayan Rao occurred on 30 August 1773, when the 18 year old Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy Narayan Rao, was assassinated. This plot was carried out During the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival that took place from 21 to 31 August. This was plotted by his uncle Raghunath Rao and his wife Anandibai. They used members of the Kalbelia tribe as assassins. Raghunath Rao was the next in line for the throne, at the time of Narayan Rao's death. Narayan Rao and his servant Chapaji Tilekar were both killed. A total of eleven people had been killed in the palace, seven of them were Brahmins, two servants, two maids. One cow was also killed.
