Marathas PYQs – Medieval History, SSC & Railway

Answer: Option 4 — Malik Ambar
Malik Ambar, the Abyssinian regent-minister of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate, ran a council of ministers and a measured revenue settlement that the Marathas knew at first hand.
Shivaji's father Shahaji Bhonsle served in his army, and the Ashtapradhan is widely held to echo that Deccan model.
Revision note — Malik Ambar and Shivaji's Ashtapradhan
• Malik Ambar (1548-1626) was an Abyssinian (Habshi) slave who rose to be Peshwa, that is regent-minister, of Ahmadnagar, holding off Akbar and Jahangir in the Deccan for over two decades.
• He introduced a revenue settlement on the pattern of Raja Todar Mal, fixing the state's share by measurement instead of farming it out, and he founded Khadki, the city later renamed Aurangabad.
• He perfected guerrilla warfare (ganimi kava) in the Deccan; this is how both the method and the administrative model reached the Marathas.
• Shivaji's Ashtapradhan was a council of eight ministers headed by the Peshwa (Mukhya Pradhan).
• The other seven were Amatya (finance), Sachiv (correspondence), Mantri (royal household), Senapati (army), Sumant (foreign affairs), Nyayadhish (justice) and Panditrao (religious affairs).
• The first six ministers also commanded troops; only the Nyayadhish and Panditrao were purely civil posts, and no office was hereditary.
• Shivaji was crowned at Raigad in 1674; Maratha finance rested on chauth (one-fourth of the land revenue) and sardeshmukhi (a further 9 to 10 per cent).
Do not mix these up
• Malik Ambar vs Afzal Khan — Malik Ambar served Ahmadnagar and died in 1626, before Shivaji's rise; Afzal Khan was the Bijapur general killed by Shivaji at Pratapgarh in 1659.
• Shaista Khan vs Malik Ambar — Shaista Khan was Aurangzeb's Mughal viceroy of the Deccan, raided by Shivaji at the Lal Mahal, Pune, in 1663; he was an opponent, not a model.
• Peshwa of Ahmadnagar vs Peshwa of the Marathas — the same Persian title, but the Maratha Peshwa later became the effective ruler, with Pune as capital.
Also asked from this topic: the name of Shivaji's council of eight ministers (Ashtapradhan); the principal minister of the Maratha kingdom (Peshwa); what chauth and sardeshmukhi were (two Maratha taxes).

Correct Answer: Pune — Option (c)
Pune (also known as Poona) became the capital of the Maratha Empire under the Peshwas. When the Peshwas rose to power as de facto rulers of the Maratha Confederacy in the 18th century, they made Pune their seat of power. The Shaniwar Wada palace in Pune served as the Peshwa's official residence and administrative headquarters. Pune remained the center of Peshwa authority until the Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1818) ended Peshwa rule.
Option (a) Mumbai — Incorrect: Mumbai (Bombay) was under British East India Company control for much of this period and was not the Peshwa capital.
Option (b) Nagpur — Incorrect: Nagpur was the seat of the Bhonsle branch of the Marathas, not the Peshwas.
Option (d) Aurangabad — Incorrect: Aurangabad was the base of the Nizam of Hyderabad and earlier of the Mughals; it was not the Peshwa capital.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Guerilla warfare tactics and a deep understanding of Deccan topography
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (1630–1680) is celebrated for pioneering guerilla warfare (Ganimi Kava) in the Deccan. His military success against the much larger and well-equipped Mughal Empire was primarily due to:
1. Guerilla tactics: Hit-and-run attacks, ambushes, and raids rather than open field battles where the Mughals had numerical advantage.
2. Mastery of Deccan topography: Deep knowledge of the Western Ghats — its forts, passes, forests, and terrain — gave Maratha forces a decisive home-ground advantage.
3. Fort-based strategy: He captured and built a network of mountain forts as military strongholds.
4. Mobility and speed: Small, swift units could strike and withdraw before Mughal forces could respond.
Why other options are wrong:
Option 1 (Naval bombardments): While Shivaji did build a navy, his primary military success came from land-based guerilla warfare.
Option 2 (European siege warfare infantry): Shivaji's success was NOT based on European methods — it was based on indigenous Maratha guerilla tactics.
Option 4 (Direct confrontation with Mughal cavalry): Shivaji specifically AVOIDED direct open-field confrontations with the numerically superior Mughal cavalry.

The correct answer is (c) Ashtapradhan.
Ashtapradhan (meaning 'eight ministers' in Sanskrit) was the council of eight ministers that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj established to assist in the administration of the Maratha Empire. The eight ministers included the Peshwa (prime minister), Amatya (finance), Sachiv (correspondence), Mantri (court affairs), Senapati (commander), Sumant (foreign affairs), Nyayadhish (chief justice), and Panditrao (religious matters).
(a) Navratnas: The 'nine gems' — a group of nine brilliant scholars and artists in Emperor Akbar's court (including Birbal, Tansen, Abul Fazl); associated with the Mughal court, not Shivaji.
(b) Diwan-i-Khas: The Hall of Private Audience in Mughal architecture and administration; where the emperor held private meetings; not Shivaji's ministerial council.
(d) Bar-i-Aam: The Hall of Public Audience (Diwan-i-Aam) in Mughal courts; not associated with Shivaji's administrative structure.

The correct answer is (b) Two Maratha taxes.
Chauth and Sardeshmukhi were two taxes levied by the Maratha Empire:
• Chauth: One-fourth (25%) of the revenue of a territory; collected in lieu of providing protection against plunder and marauding.
• Sardeshmukhi: An additional 10% of revenue; Shivaji claimed this as the hereditary right of the Maratha chief (Sardeshmukh) over all of Maharashtra.
These taxes became the primary source of Maratha imperial income as they expanded.
(a) Two Maratha forts: The Maratha Empire had many forts (like Raigad, Pratapgad, Sinhagad); Chauth and Sardeshmukhi were taxes, not forts.
(c) Shivaji's sons: Sambhaji and Rajaram were Shivaji's sons; Chauth and Sardeshmukhi were taxation systems.
(d) Two types of soldiers: The Maratha army had horsemen (bargirs and siledars); Chauth and Sardeshmukhi were fiscal instruments, not soldier categories.

The correct answer is (b) Shivneri .
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born on February 19, 1630 (some sources say 1627) at Shivneri Fort near Junnar in present-day Pune district, Maharashtra. The fort is named ' Shivneri ' after the local deity Goddess Shivai, from whom Shivaji derived his name.
(a) Raigad: Became Shivaji's capital and is where he was crowned as Chhatrapati in 1674; not his birthplace.
(c) Pratapgad : The fort where Shivaji killed the Adilshahi general Afzal Khan in 1659; not his birthplace.
(d) Torna: The first fort captured by Shivaji at age 16 in 1646, beginning his military campaigns; not his birthplace.

The correct answer is option 2. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj founded the Maratha Empire in 1674 when he was formally crowned at Raigad fort and assumed the title of Chhatrapati . He built a strong and independent Maratha kingdom by resisting Mughal domination and uniting the Marathas under his leadership. His administration was based on efficient revenue collection, naval power, and a disciplined army. Shivaji also promoted religious tolerance, protected farmers, and encouraged trade, making the Maratha Empire a formidable force in 17th-century India.

Ujjain expanded and flourished under the patronage of the Sindhia (Scindia) clan of the Maratha Confederacy. Ujjain served as the capital of the Sindhia kingdom, and the Scindias were great patrons who developed the city's temples, infrastructure, and culture.
Holkars were based at Indore; Gaikwads at Baroda; Bhonsales at Nagpur. None of them were based at or patronised Ujjain. Hence, Sindhia is correct.

Correct Answer: Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath (Option 2)
Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath (also known as Balaji Vishwanath Bhat) was the father of Baji Rao I. Balaji Vishwanath (served 1713–1720) was the first hereditary Peshwa (Prime Minister) of the Maratha Empire under Chhatrapati Shahu. His son Baji Rao I (Peshwa from 1720–1740) became one of the greatest military commanders in Indian history, expanding the Maratha Empire across the subcontinent.
Raghunath Rao ( Raghoba ) — was himself a Peshwa (served briefly in 1773–1774), a later figure in Maratha history.
Shahu Ji Maharaj — was the Chhatrapati (king) of the Maratha Empire under whom Baji Rao served; he was Baji Rao's ruler, not his father.
Peshwa Madhavrao — was a later Peshwa (served 1761–1772), known as Madhavrao I ( Thorle Madhavrao).

In the Maratha Kingdom, the principal minister (Prime Minister) was called the Peshwa. Originally the chief minister under Chhatrapati Shivaji, the Peshwa later (under the Bhat family) became the de facto ruler of the Maratha Empire.
Nawab: Muslim provincial governor; Diwan: finance/revenue minister; Subedar: provincial administrator or military officer.

Shivaji Maharaj was renowned for using Guerrilla warfare (known as ' Ganimi Kava' in Marathi) against the much larger armies of the Mughals, Adil Shahis, and other opponents. This involved swift hit-and-run attacks, use of mountainous terrain, surprise raids, and rapid retreats. Open field battle and elephant warfare were strategies of larger empires; siege tactics were not his primary strategy.

Correct Answer: Chhatrapati Sambhaji
Chhatrapati Sambhaji (Sambhaji Bhosale) succeeded his father Shivaji Maharaj as the ruler of the Maratha Empire in 1680 CE. He was Shivaji's eldest son. Sambhaji continued to resist Mughal expansion under Aurangzeb and fought numerous battles. He was captured by the Mughals in 1689 and executed by Aurangzeb. After his death, his brother Rajaram became Chhatrapati.
Why other options are wrong:
- Chhatrapati Shahu: Was Sambhaji's son; became Chhatrapati much later (1708) after being released from Mughal captivity.
- Chhatrapati Rajaram: Sambhaji's brother who became Chhatrapati after Sambhaji's death in 1689, not directly after Shivaji.
- Maharani Tarabai: Rajaram's wife who acted as regent after Rajaram's death; not the direct successor of Shivaji.

Correct Answer: Shahaji and Jijabai
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born to Shahaji Bhosale (his father) and Jijabai (his mother) on 19 February 1630 at Shivneri Fort in Maharashtra. Shahaji was a Maratha general who served the Bijapur Sultanate. Jijabai, also known as Rajmata Jijau, was a deeply religious and strong-willed woman who shaped Shivaji's character and ideals.
Why other options are wrong:
- Sambhaji and Saibai: Sambhaji was Shivaji's son; Saibai was Shivaji's wife, not his mother.
- Dada Konddev and Jijabai: Dada Konddev was Shivaji's guardian/mentor, not his father.
- Shahaji and Saibai: Saibai was Shivaji's first wife, not his mother.

The Kunbis (a peasant-farming community of Maharashtra) provided the backbone of the Maratha army. Shivaji Maharaj built his military power primarily from the hardy Kunbi peasantry of the Deccan. They were known for their loyalty, bravery, and knowledge of local terrain. Why others are wrong: - Ur: Refers to village assemblies in South India (Chola period), not Maratha military backbone. - Zamindars: Were landowning nobles, not the primary military force of the Marathas. - Mansabdar : A Mughal ranking system for nobles/commanders; not part of the Maratha structure.

Correct Answer: Both I and II
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj became a legendary figure through his military exploits against both the Mughal Empire and the Bijapur Sultanate:
- Against Bijapur: Shivaji carved out his early kingdom by capturing forts from the Bijapur Sultanate. His assassination of Afzal Khan (Bijapur general) in 1659 was a legendary act of bravery.
- Against Mughals: Shivaji defied the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, escaped from Mughal captivity in Agra (1666), and successfully fought Mughal forces across the Deccan.
Both struggles together established Shivaji as a symbol of resistance, courage, and Hindu pride.

Baji Rao I (1700–1740), the 7th Peshwa of the Maratha Empire under Chhatrapati Shahu, is popularly called "Baji Rao Ballal" — Ballal being his patronymic.
He is renowned for never losing a battle.