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Ashta Pradhan (literally, 'Council of Eight') was a system of ministerial delegation in the Maratha empire. [1] The council is credited with having implemented good governance practices in the Maratha heartland, as well as for the success of the military campaigns against the Mughal Empire.
The coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji was held in 1674, at the fort of Raigad in present-day Indian state of Maharashtra. On that occasion, Shivaji formalized the institution of a council of eight ministers to guide the administration of his nascent state. This council came to be known as the Ashta Pradhan. Each of the ministers was placed in charge of an administrative department; thus, the council heralded the birth of a bureaucracy.
The formalization of an administrative mechanism was of a piece with other measures, indicative of the formalization of a sovereign state, which were implemented on the occasion of Shivaji's coronation: coinage bearing his insignia (the copper Shivrai and the gold hon) were issued, and a new era, the Rajyabhishek era, was proclaimed on the occasion.
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The Ashta Pradhan was designed to encompass all the primary administrative functions of the state, with each minister being given charge of one role in the administration. Ministerial designations were drawn from the Sanskrit language; the eight ministerial roles were as follows:
Continued conflict with the Mughal Empire meant that military matters remained exceedingly important to the affairs of the nascent state. Hence, with the notable exception of the priestly Panditrao and the judicial Nyayadisha, the other pradhans held full-time military commands, and their deputies performed their civil duties in their stead. In the later era of the Maratha Empire, these deputies and their staff constituted the core of the Peshwa's bureaucracy.
| Designation/Title | Office Holder | Appointment | Successor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pantpradhan / Peshwa (Prime Minister) | Moropant Trimbak Pingle | 1674 | Moreshvar Pingale | |
| Amatya / Mazumdar (Finance Minister) | Nilo Sondeo | 1662 | Ramchandra Pant Amatya | |
| Shurunavis/Sacheev (Secretary) | Annaji Datto Sacheev | 1662 | Ragho Annaji | |
| Waqia-Navis (Interior Minister) | Dattoji pant | |||
| Sar-i-Naubat / Senapati (Commander-in-Chief) | Hambirao Mohite | 1674 | Mhaloji Ghorpade | |
| Sumant / Dabir - (Foreign Minister) | Sonopant Trimbakpant Dabir | Trimbakpant Dabir | ||
| Nyayadhish (Chief Justice) | Niraji Ravaji | Pralhad Niraji | ||
| Panditrao (High Priest) | Raghunathrao Panditrao | Moreshvar Raghunath |
Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj son Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj , (ruled 1680–89) reduced the powers of the council. Over time, council positions became hereditary, ceremonial positions at court with nominal powers, if any. Beginning 1714 AD, a prime minister appointed by Shivaji's grandson Shahu gradually arrogated power. Within a short period, de facto control of the Maratha state passed to his family. This family of hereditary prime ministers retained the title of Peshwa. However, the Ashta Pradhan council was never revived to fill the functions it discharged for the last decade of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj reign.
Also See: Khando Ballal Chitnis
Also see: Bahirji Naik
The Maratha Empire 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 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.
Jijabai Bhonsle (or Bhonsale, Bhosale, Bhosle) or Jadhav, referred to as Rajmata, Rastramata, Jijabai, Jijamata or Jijau, was the mother of Chattrapati Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire. She was a daughter of Lakhujirao Jadhav of Sindkhed Raja.
Moropant Trimbak Pingale (1620–1683), was the first peshwa of the Maratha Empire, serving on Shivaji Maharaj's Ashta Pradhan.
Shahu I was the fifth Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire founded by his grandfather, Shivaji I. He was born into the Bhonsle family, and was the son of Sambhaji I and Yesubai. At a young age, he was taken into custody at the Siege of Raigad by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and held captive by the Mughals. He was released from captivity after the death of Aurangzeb in the hope of engineering an internecine struggle among the Maratha factions of Tarabai and Shahu. Raja Shahu emerged victorious in the bloody Battle of Khed and was crowned as Chhatrapati.
Balaji Vishwanath Bhat (1662–1720) was the first of a series of hereditary Peshwas hailing from the Bhat family who gained effective control of the Maratha Empire and the Mughal vassals of the Marathas during the early 18th century. Balaji Vishwanath assisted a young Maratha king Shahu to consolidate his grip on a kingdom that had been racked by civil war and persistently intruded on by the Mughals under Aurangzeb. He was called the Second Founder of the Maratha State. He secured a grant from the Mughal court that confirmed Shahu as the legitimate Mughal vassal, at the expense of his rival Sambhaji. Later, his son Bajirao I became the Peshwa.
Shrivardhan is a taluka, city, and local governing body in the Raigad district of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is renowned as the birthplace of Balaji Vishwanath, the first Peshwa (1713–1720) and father of Bajirao I, who held the position of Deshmukh in the town. It has developed into a seaside resort, along with the nearby town of Harihareshwar, which also has a Shiva temple. Located on a peninsula, the town itself boasts many beaches, in addition to proximity to numerous other beach destinations such as Diveagar Beach and Kondivali Beach. People from across Maharashtra come to Shrivardhan and the nearby beaches all year round.
Talegaon is a town on the outskirts of the city of Pune, India.
Santaji Ghorpade (1660–1696) was a Maratha general and held the esteemed position of the 7th Senapati within the Maratha Empire during the reign of Chattrapati Rajaram I. He is widely regarded as one of the foremost experts in Guerrilla warfare. Santaji Ghorpade, in collaboration with Dhanaji Jadhav, conducted a series of successful campaigns against the Mughals from 1689 to 1696. His strategic acumen was demonstrated through the adept utilization of tactics such as guerrilla warfare, ambushes, and swift mobility, ultimately resulting in effective defeats of the Mughal Army. In recognition of his valor, Rajaram bestowed upon him the title of Mamlakat-Madar in 1690.
Rajgad is a Hill region fort situated in the Pune district of Maharashtra, India. Formerly known as Murumbdev, the fort was the first capital of the Maratha Empire under the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji for almost 26 years, after which the capital was moved to the Raigad Fort. Treasures discovered from an adjacent fort called Torna were used to completely build and fortify the Rajgad Fort.
Ramchandra Neelkanth Bawadekar (1650–1716), also known as Ramchandra Pant Amatya, served on the Council of 8 as the Finance Minister (Amatya) to Emperor (Chhatrapati) Shivaji, dating from 1674 to 1680. He then served as the Imperial Regent to four later emperors, namely Sambhaji, Rajaram, Shivaji II and Sambhaji II. He authored the Adnyapatra, a famous code of civil and military administration, and is renowned as one of the greatest civil administrators, diplomats and military strategists of the Maratha Empire.
Khanderao Ballal , popularly known as ‘Khando Ballal Chitnis’, was a diplomat in Maharashtra during the late 17th century and the early 18th century. He was also the personal Assistant of Rajaram and Shahu. He is remembered for his support of Rajaram Maharaj as well as his support for Sambhaji Maharaj. There is a story that Sambhaji Maharaj had gone to war in Goa, but his horse started suddenly drowning in a river, but Khanadoballal chitnis bravely got off his horse and saved the Chhatrapati.
Adnyapatra, also pronounced as ‘Ajnapatra’, is a royal edict on the principles of Maratha policy written in Modi Marathi by Ramchandra Pant Amatya, who served on the Council of 8 as the Finance Minister (Amatya) to Maratha King Shivaji, with intention to guide Shivaji’s grandson Sambhaji II. It is supposed to be the formal documentation of Shivaji’s ideals, principles and policies of state administration.
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.
Vijaydurg, the oldest fort on the Sindhudurg coast, was constructed during the regime of Raja Bhoja II of the Shilahar dynasty and restructured by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Shivaji was the founder of the Maratha Empire in the Indian subcontinent. This article describes Shivaji's life from his birth until the age of 19 years (1630–1649).
The Pratinidhi was an important member of the ministry in the Maratha Empire. The title of Pratinidhi means the representative of the King, and such officials were entitled to sign and seal papers and to issue orders in the absence of the Ruler. Shivaji's ministry of the eight - the Ashta Pradhan did not include a Pratinidhi. Later the post of Pant Pratinidhi was created during the Rajaram I reign and a person holding this office exercised powers over all ministers of the Maratha court including the Peshwas. Above the Ashta pradhan Rajaram I appointed Pralhad Niraji to the high post of Prathinidhi. The office of Pratinidhi was created and the office of Peshwa was made next to it in hierarchy. The first occupant of the position under Rajaram was Pralhad Niraji, who was appointed in 1689.
Pralhad Niraji popularly known as Pralhad Pant, was the Pant Pratinidhi of the Maratha Empire during the reign of Chatrapathi Rajaram I. He was the first occupant of the position of Pant Pratinidhi.He is remembered for his splendid contribution in strengthening the Maratha Empire by way of loyalty, diplomacy and exceptional sacrifice.
The Sachiv was an important member of the ministry in the Maratha Empire. Sachiv was one of the Ashta Pradhans of Maratha Empire during the rule of Chachtrapathi Shivaji. Later during the reign of Rajaram I, the office became hereditary like most of the others instituted by Shivaji. Shankaraji Narayan Pant Sachiv, who was appointed to the post in 1698 by Rajaram I was a hereditary Pant Sachiv. The Pant Amatya and The Pant Sachiv were the most powerful civil functionaries in the Maratha Empire next to the Peshwa until the death of Shahu I.
Maharani Yesubai Bhonsale was the wife of Chatrapati Sambhaji, and referred to as Chatrapati Maharani of the Maratha Empire. She was also the mother of Chatrapati Shahu I. Chatrapati Sambhaji had shared with her his power as the emperor. When Chatrapati Sambhaji was away from the Maratha capital due to battles, all the political decisions were made by her. After Jijabai she is Kulmuktyar of Swarajya. After cruel death of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj by Aurangzeb she announced Rajaram as next Chhatrapati of Swarajya. The Mughal Empire captured Raigad in November 1689 and arrested Maharani Yesubai and Shahu Maharaj. The Mughals kept Maharani Yesubai captive to ensure that Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj adhered to the terms of his release. She was released in 1719 when the Marathas became strong under Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj and Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath.