. The discovery of the Cape of Good Hope route to India by the Portuguese navigator, Vasco-da-Gama, in 1498 led to a struggle among European nations for supremacy over trade with the East.
. Vasco-da-Gama's arrival at Calicut in 1498 was greeted by the local ruler, Zamorin.
. Francisco de Almeida was the first Portuguese governor in India. However, Alfonso de Albuquerque, who captured Goa from Bijapur in 1510, was the real founder of the Portuguese rule in the East.
. The Dutch East India Company was formed in 1602. In India, Nagapattanam and Chinsura (Bengal) were the main strongholds of the Dutch.
. In 1600, the East India Company, an English company formed in 1599, was granted a royal charter by Queen Elizabeth I to trade in the East.
. William Hawkins, an ambassador of King James I, stayed in Jahangir's court from 1609 to 1611, while Sir Thomas Roe, another British ambassador, reached Jahangir's court in 1615.
. In 1662, King Charles II of England got Bombay from Portugal as dowry for marrying a Portuguese princess.
. In 1717, the East India Company (under the leadership of John Surman) secured from the Mughal emperor, Farrukhsiyar a Jarman to trade not only in, Bengal but also in Gujarat and Deccan. The Jarman thus obtained was regarded the Magna Carta of the company.
. The French East India Company was founded in 1664. The first French factory was established at Surat in 1668.
. The long Dutch-English struggle (1654-1667) was finally settled with English giving up claims to Spice Islands of Indonesia, Java and Sumatra (in the main Dutch
interests) and the Dutch agreeing to leave India for Britain.
. The English built Fort St. George in Madras in 1641. . British kings Charles II and James II made the East India Company's rights in India permanent.
. Before the establishment of the city of Calcutta Hoogly 1
was the largest English settlement in India. . Goa was the administrative base of the Portuguese. . The Portuguese were the first Europeans to set their foothold in India.
. Within the first decade of the seventeenth century, the Portuguese dominance in India was replaced by the Dutch.
. In 1606, the Dutch obtained a Jarman from the Golconda Sultan to set up a factory at Masulipatnam.
. In 1680, Aurangzeb levied jaziya on the East India Company and issued aJarman that the Company's trade would be customs-free everywhere save Surat. It is said that for achieving this Jarman the Company spent Rs 50,000 to bribe the Mughal officers.
. The Portuguese governor, Almeida, defeated the combined fleet of Egypt, Gujarat and Zamorin of Calicut in 1509.
. The Mughal army waged a disastrous war with the East India Company in Surat following the capture of several Mughal ships by the English interlopers-the individual English merchants independent of the Company's control-in the Red Sea, in 1686.
. The Portuguese Estado da India, the name given to the Portuguese maritime empire, was seen as indulging in "a pirated and parasitic trade" because it believed in ruthless plunder of Asian ships and considered piracy and plunder more profitable than trade.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
FORMATIVE YEARS OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY
FORMATIVE YEARS OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY
1600: The East India Company was established.
1608: William Hawkins arrived at Jahangir's court.
1611: Captain Middleton obtained the permission of the Mughal governor of Surat to trade at the place.
1613: A permanent factory of East India Company was established at Surat.
1615: Sir Thomas Roe, the ambassador of King James I, arrived at Jahangir's court. By 1618, the ambassador succeeded in obtaining two farmans (one each from the king and the prince Khurram) confirming free trade with exemption from inland tolls.
1616: The Company established its first factory in the south in Masulipatnam.
1632: The Company got the golden Jarman from the Sultan of Golconda which ensured safety and prosperity of their trade.
1633: The Company established its first factory in east India in Hariharpur, Balasore (Orissa).
1639: The Company got the lease of Madras from a local king. 1651: The Company was given permission to trade at Hooghly (Bengal).
1662: The British King, Charles n, was given Bombay as dowry for marrying a Portuguese princess (Catherine of Braganza).
1667: Aurangzeb gave the English a farman for trade m! Bengal.
1691: The Company got the imperial order to continue their trade in Bengal in lieu of payment of Rs 3,000 a year.
1717: The Mugh31 emperor Farrukhsiyar issued a farman, called Magna Carta of the Company, giving the com pany a large number of trade concessions.
1600: The East India Company was established.
1608: William Hawkins arrived at Jahangir's court.
1611: Captain Middleton obtained the permission of the Mughal governor of Surat to trade at the place.
1613: A permanent factory of East India Company was established at Surat.
1615: Sir Thomas Roe, the ambassador of King James I, arrived at Jahangir's court. By 1618, the ambassador succeeded in obtaining two farmans (one each from the king and the prince Khurram) confirming free trade with exemption from inland tolls.
1616: The Company established its first factory in the south in Masulipatnam.
1632: The Company got the golden Jarman from the Sultan of Golconda which ensured safety and prosperity of their trade.
1633: The Company established its first factory in east India in Hariharpur, Balasore (Orissa).
1639: The Company got the lease of Madras from a local king. 1651: The Company was given permission to trade at Hooghly (Bengal).
1662: The British King, Charles n, was given Bombay as dowry for marrying a Portuguese princess (Catherine of Braganza).
1667: Aurangzeb gave the English a farman for trade m! Bengal.
1691: The Company got the imperial order to continue their trade in Bengal in lieu of payment of Rs 3,000 a year.
1717: The Mugh31 emperor Farrukhsiyar issued a farman, called Magna Carta of the Company, giving the com pany a large number of trade concessions.
PORTUGUESE RISE AND FALL
PORTUGUESE RISE AND FALL
1498: Arrival of Vasco-da-Gama at Calicut and his grand reception by the local king, Zamorin.
1503: Establishment of the first Portuguese fort at Cochin.
1505: Establishment of the second Portuguese fort at Cannanore.
1509: Defeat of the combined fleet of Gujarat, Egypt and Zamorin by the Portuguese governor Francisco Almeida.
1510: Alfonso Albuquerque, the Portuguese governor, captures Goa from Bijapur.
1530: Declaration of Goa as the Portuguese capital.
1535: Subjugation of Diu.
1559: The Portuguese capture Daman.
1596: Ouster of the Portuguese by the Dutch from South-east Asia.
1612: Loss of Surat to the English.
1663: The Dutch win all Portuguese forts on the Malabar coast to oust the Portuguese from India.
1498: Arrival of Vasco-da-Gama at Calicut and his grand reception by the local king, Zamorin.
1503: Establishment of the first Portuguese fort at Cochin.
1505: Establishment of the second Portuguese fort at Cannanore.
1509: Defeat of the combined fleet of Gujarat, Egypt and Zamorin by the Portuguese governor Francisco Almeida.
1510: Alfonso Albuquerque, the Portuguese governor, captures Goa from Bijapur.
1530: Declaration of Goa as the Portuguese capital.
1535: Subjugation of Diu.
1559: The Portuguese capture Daman.
1596: Ouster of the Portuguese by the Dutch from South-east Asia.
1612: Loss of Surat to the English.
1663: The Dutch win all Portuguese forts on the Malabar coast to oust the Portuguese from India.
THE FRENCH and OTHER EUROPEAN NATIONS
THE FRENCH
The Compagnie des Indes Orientales was formed in France in
1664, at the instance of a well known minister, Colbert, in the reign of Louis XIV. The French Company was created, financed and controlled by the state and it differed from the English Company which was a private commercial venture. The first French factories were established at Surat in 1668 and at Masulipatnam in 1669. The foundation of Pondicherry was laid in 1673 which, afterwards, became its capital. A factory was also developed at Chandernagar between 1690 and 1692.
OTHER EUROPEAN NATIONS
A Danish company was founded in 1616. They established factories at Tranquebar (1620) and at Serampore (1755). The Danes sold their settlements to the English in 1845. The merchants of Flanders organised the 'Ostend Company', in 1722. Further, in 1731, a Swedish East India Company was formed. However, they never rose to prominence.
The Compagnie des Indes Orientales was formed in France in
1664, at the instance of a well known minister, Colbert, in the reign of Louis XIV. The French Company was created, financed and controlled by the state and it differed from the English Company which was a private commercial venture. The first French factories were established at Surat in 1668 and at Masulipatnam in 1669. The foundation of Pondicherry was laid in 1673 which, afterwards, became its capital. A factory was also developed at Chandernagar between 1690 and 1692.
OTHER EUROPEAN NATIONS
A Danish company was founded in 1616. They established factories at Tranquebar (1620) and at Serampore (1755). The Danes sold their settlements to the English in 1845. The merchants of Flanders organised the 'Ostend Company', in 1722. Further, in 1731, a Swedish East India Company was formed. However, they never rose to prominence.
THE ENGLISH
THE ENGLISH
Towards the close of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, English sailors and merchants became interested in voyages to the East because of its wealth. A group of merchants, organised as "The Governor and Company of Merchants of London Trading into the East India", was granted a charter by the Queen to trade in the East for a period of 15 yeal"s. Initially, the Company was active in the Spice Islands only. Its trading activities in India began at the port of Surat.
Wllliam Hawkins presented the Mughal Emperor, Jahangir, a letter from James I and stayed at Jahangir's court from 1609 to 1611. But he failed to get the king's permission to erect a factory at Surat. Captain Middlet~n succeeded in this effort in 1611. The Company defeated the Portuguese on the sea of Surat in 1612 and thus revealed its strength. An imperial Jarman allowed the Company to set up a permanent factory at Surat in 1613. Two years later, Sir Thomas Roe James I's ambassador to the Mughal court, arrived at the court
Roe,who stayed at the court till 1618, managed to obtain rights to trade in Gujarat. In 1668, Bombay, which had been gifted to Charles IT by the King of Portugal, as dowry when he married Catherine was given over to the Company and, in 1687, it was Bombay, and not Surat, that was the Company's main settlement on the west coast of India.
The Company first set up factories at Masulipatnam and Armagaon in 1616 and 1626 respectively, on the east coast of India. By a golden farman issued in 1632, the Company was allowed trading rights in the kingdom of the Sultan of Golconda. The Company obtained the lease of Madras from the Raja of Chandragiri in 1639 and built the Fort St. George in Madras which took over from Masulipatnam the distinction of being the headquarters of the English on the Coromandel Coast. Soon, the Company set up factories in Orissa (Hiuiharpur and Balasore), West Bengal (Hooghly and Kasimbazar) and Bihar (Patna). Shuja, subahdar of Bengal, allowed the English to trade in Bengal in return for an annual payment of Rs. 3,000, in lieu of all duties. In 1690, a factory was set up at Sutanuti village by Job Charnock. In Sutanuti and nearby villages of Kalikata and Gobindpur, grew the city of Calcutta (now Kolkata).
In 1696, the Company fortified the factory into Fort William, citing a rebellion in the nearby areas as the cause behind the move. In 1698, the company acquired the right to collect revenue (zamindan) from three Bengal villages-Sutanuti, Govindpur and Kalikata. In 1700, the factories in Bengal were kept under a separate control of a president and council. In 1717, John Surman obtained a farman from Farrukhsiyar which gave large concessions to the Company. This farman has been called the 'Magna Carta' of the Company.
In 1708, all the rival companies were amalgamated into one body named 'The United Company of Merchants of England Trading with the East Indies'. It was this Company which was to establish the British Empire in India.
Towards the close of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, English sailors and merchants became interested in voyages to the East because of its wealth. A group of merchants, organised as "The Governor and Company of Merchants of London Trading into the East India", was granted a charter by the Queen to trade in the East for a period of 15 yeal"s. Initially, the Company was active in the Spice Islands only. Its trading activities in India began at the port of Surat.
Wllliam Hawkins presented the Mughal Emperor, Jahangir, a letter from James I and stayed at Jahangir's court from 1609 to 1611. But he failed to get the king's permission to erect a factory at Surat. Captain Middlet~n succeeded in this effort in 1611. The Company defeated the Portuguese on the sea of Surat in 1612 and thus revealed its strength. An imperial Jarman allowed the Company to set up a permanent factory at Surat in 1613. Two years later, Sir Thomas Roe James I's ambassador to the Mughal court, arrived at the court
Roe,who stayed at the court till 1618, managed to obtain rights to trade in Gujarat. In 1668, Bombay, which had been gifted to Charles IT by the King of Portugal, as dowry when he married Catherine was given over to the Company and, in 1687, it was Bombay, and not Surat, that was the Company's main settlement on the west coast of India.
The Company first set up factories at Masulipatnam and Armagaon in 1616 and 1626 respectively, on the east coast of India. By a golden farman issued in 1632, the Company was allowed trading rights in the kingdom of the Sultan of Golconda. The Company obtained the lease of Madras from the Raja of Chandragiri in 1639 and built the Fort St. George in Madras which took over from Masulipatnam the distinction of being the headquarters of the English on the Coromandel Coast. Soon, the Company set up factories in Orissa (Hiuiharpur and Balasore), West Bengal (Hooghly and Kasimbazar) and Bihar (Patna). Shuja, subahdar of Bengal, allowed the English to trade in Bengal in return for an annual payment of Rs. 3,000, in lieu of all duties. In 1690, a factory was set up at Sutanuti village by Job Charnock. In Sutanuti and nearby villages of Kalikata and Gobindpur, grew the city of Calcutta (now Kolkata).
In 1696, the Company fortified the factory into Fort William, citing a rebellion in the nearby areas as the cause behind the move. In 1698, the company acquired the right to collect revenue (zamindan) from three Bengal villages-Sutanuti, Govindpur and Kalikata. In 1700, the factories in Bengal were kept under a separate control of a president and council. In 1717, John Surman obtained a farman from Farrukhsiyar which gave large concessions to the Company. This farman has been called the 'Magna Carta' of the Company.
In 1708, all the rival companies were amalgamated into one body named 'The United Company of Merchants of England Trading with the East Indies'. It was this Company which was to establish the British Empire in India.
THE DUTCH
THE DUTCH
The first assault upon the Portuguese monopoly for the Eastern trade came from the Dutch. They formed the United East India Company of the Netherlands in 1602. The Company was granted the right not only to carry on trade but also to wage wars, conclude treaties, acquire territories and build fortresses. They first conquered Java in 1619 and then effectively checked the English competition in the Malay Archipelago in 1623 by the infamous massacre of Englishmen at Amboyna. In India, the main Dutch strongholds were Nagapattanam and Chinsura (Bengal).
The first assault upon the Portuguese monopoly for the Eastern trade came from the Dutch. They formed the United East India Company of the Netherlands in 1602. The Company was granted the right not only to carry on trade but also to wage wars, conclude treaties, acquire territories and build fortresses. They first conquered Java in 1619 and then effectively checked the English competition in the Malay Archipelago in 1623 by the infamous massacre of Englishmen at Amboyna. In India, the main Dutch strongholds were Nagapattanam and Chinsura (Bengal).
THE PORTUGUESE
THE PORTUGUESE
Vasco-da-Gama on his arrival at Calicut was well received by its ruler called Zamorin. In 1502, he established a factory at Cochin.. He was followed by Alfonso de Albuquerque in 1503. In 1505, the Portuguese decided to appoint a governor to look after their affairs in India. Francisco de Almeida was the first governor to be appointed. He built forts at Anjadiva, Cannanore and Cochin. AlfonSo de Albuquerque, who succeeded Almeida in 1509, was the real founder of the Portuguese empire in the East. His first act was to capture Goa in 1510 from the Bijapur ruler. He proved to be a. capable ruler. An interesting feature of his rule was the abolition of sati.
But the power of the Portuguese deQined as quickly as it had risen, the reason being: (I) there was no efficient person to carry on the work of Albuquerque;
(ii) the Portuguese administration had become corrupt;
(iii) their religious intolerance; (iv) and the rise of other European trading powers, namely the Dutch, French and the British.
Vasco-da-Gama on his arrival at Calicut was well received by its ruler called Zamorin. In 1502, he established a factory at Cochin.. He was followed by Alfonso de Albuquerque in 1503. In 1505, the Portuguese decided to appoint a governor to look after their affairs in India. Francisco de Almeida was the first governor to be appointed. He built forts at Anjadiva, Cannanore and Cochin. AlfonSo de Albuquerque, who succeeded Almeida in 1509, was the real founder of the Portuguese empire in the East. His first act was to capture Goa in 1510 from the Bijapur ruler. He proved to be a. capable ruler. An interesting feature of his rule was the abolition of sati.
But the power of the Portuguese deQined as quickly as it had risen, the reason being: (I) there was no efficient person to carry on the work of Albuquerque;
(ii) the Portuguese administration had become corrupt;
(iii) their religious intolerance; (iv) and the rise of other European trading powers, namely the Dutch, French and the British.
DISCOVERY OF SEA-ROUTE TO INDIA
DISCOVERY OF SEA-ROUTE TO INDIA
With the decline of the Roman empire, around the seventh century, when the Arabs~onquered those regions, and after Turkish conquest of Cqnstantinople, the commercial contact between the East and the West suffered. The European nations now embarked on finding a new sea-route to the East. The first efforts were by the Portuguese. Prince Henry of Portugal, nicknamed the 'Navigator'; devoted his whole life to encourage voyages for the discovery of the sea-route to India. In 1487, Bartholomew Diaz reached Cape of Good Hope. Following his route another Portuguese navigator, Vasco-da-Gama, reached the shores of Calicut in 1498. Thus was discovered the long-sought direct trade link with India.
With the decline of the Roman empire, around the seventh century, when the Arabs~onquered those regions, and after Turkish conquest of Cqnstantinople, the commercial contact between the East and the West suffered. The European nations now embarked on finding a new sea-route to the East. The first efforts were by the Portuguese. Prince Henry of Portugal, nicknamed the 'Navigator'; devoted his whole life to encourage voyages for the discovery of the sea-route to India. In 1487, Bartholomew Diaz reached Cape of Good Hope. Following his route another Portuguese navigator, Vasco-da-Gama, reached the shores of Calicut in 1498. Thus was discovered the long-sought direct trade link with India.
THE TREATY, OF PURANDHAR (1665)
THE TREATY, OF PURANDHAR (1665)
Following terms were agreed upon in the Treaty of Purandhar:
(i) Out of the 35 forts held by Shivaji, he agreed to surrender 23 forts (which yielded four lakh huns every year) to the Mughals. The remaining 12 forts (with annual income of one lakh of huns) were to be left to Shivaji.
(ii) Shivaji agreed to the condition attached with his possession of 12 forts-service and loyalty to the Mughal throne.
(iii)Shivaji was allowed to keep possession of the territory worth four lakh huns a year in the Bijapuri Konkan.
(iv)Shivaji was granted the Balaghat territory (of Bijapur).
(v) Shivaji had to pay 40 lakh huns to the Mughals in lieu
Following terms were agreed upon in the Treaty of Purandhar:
(i) Out of the 35 forts held by Shivaji, he agreed to surrender 23 forts (which yielded four lakh huns every year) to the Mughals. The remaining 12 forts (with annual income of one lakh of huns) were to be left to Shivaji.
(ii) Shivaji agreed to the condition attached with his possession of 12 forts-service and loyalty to the Mughal throne.
(iii)Shivaji was allowed to keep possession of the territory worth four lakh huns a year in the Bijapuri Konkan.
(iv)Shivaji was granted the Balaghat territory (of Bijapur).
(v) Shivaji had to pay 40 lakh huns to the Mughals in lieu
POINTS TO REMEMBER
. Shivaji was generally influenced by Dadaji Konda-dev and Guru Ramdas.
. The Sultan of Bijapur ~nt Afzal Khan to capture Shivaji. Shivaji killed Afzal Khan with a weapon called Baghnakh (tiger's claw). . Shivaji was coronated at Raigarh in 1674. . The eight-member council of ministers of Shivaji was called ashtapradlinn.
. The territory directly under the rule of Shivaji was known as swaraj.
. Sardeshmukhi was. an additional levy of 10 per cent on
such lands which formed part of the Mughal empire but on which the Maratha claimed hereditary rights.
. The Treaty of Purandhar in 1665, signed between Shivaji and the Mughal was mediated by Raja Jai Singh of Amber.
. In the post-Shivaji period, Aurangzeb divided the
Marathas into two rival camps-one under Tara Bai and the other under Sahu.
. Saranjam was the letter of authority issued by the Maratha king Sahu to the Maratha sardars which gave the latter the power to collect chauth and sardeshmukhi.
. The first major political victory of Shivaji was the conquest of Javli in 1656 from the Maratha chief, Chandra Rao More.
. Haindava-Dharmoddharak (Protector of the Hindu faith)
was the title adopted by Shivaji.
. Shivaji's last military expedition was the Karnataka
expedition.
. Shivaji built the fort of Jenji where his son Rajaram took refuge following Aurangzeb's all-out war on the Marathas.
. Shivaji's revenue system followed the pattern of Malik
Ambar's system.
. The Sultan of Bijapur ~nt Afzal Khan to capture Shivaji. Shivaji killed Afzal Khan with a weapon called Baghnakh (tiger's claw). . Shivaji was coronated at Raigarh in 1674. . The eight-member council of ministers of Shivaji was called ashtapradlinn.
. The territory directly under the rule of Shivaji was known as swaraj.
. Sardeshmukhi was. an additional levy of 10 per cent on
such lands which formed part of the Mughal empire but on which the Maratha claimed hereditary rights.
. The Treaty of Purandhar in 1665, signed between Shivaji and the Mughal was mediated by Raja Jai Singh of Amber.
. In the post-Shivaji period, Aurangzeb divided the
Marathas into two rival camps-one under Tara Bai and the other under Sahu.
. Saranjam was the letter of authority issued by the Maratha king Sahu to the Maratha sardars which gave the latter the power to collect chauth and sardeshmukhi.
. The first major political victory of Shivaji was the conquest of Javli in 1656 from the Maratha chief, Chandra Rao More.
. Haindava-Dharmoddharak (Protector of the Hindu faith)
was the title adopted by Shivaji.
. Shivaji's last military expedition was the Karnataka
expedition.
. Shivaji built the fort of Jenji where his son Rajaram took refuge following Aurangzeb's all-out war on the Marathas.
. Shivaji's revenue system followed the pattern of Malik
Ambar's system.
Shivaji's Ashtapradhan (Council of Eight Ministers)
Shivaji's Ashtapradhan (Council of Eight Ministers)
(i) The peshwa or the chief minister : He looked after general administration
(ii) The amatya or majumdar : He was responsible for finance, state's income and expenditure.
(iii) The sachiv or shuru nawis: He was responsible for all correspondence.
(iv) The sumant or dabir: He worked as foreign minister and was responsible for corre
spondence with other kings.
(V) The Senapati or san-i-naubat : He was not the commander-inchief but looked after recruitment, training and discipline of the army.
(Vi) The mantri or waqia nawis: He was responsible for the personal safety of the king.
(Vii) The nyayadhish : He was responsible for administration of justice.
(viii) The dhanadhyaksha or the pundit rao: He had two responsibilities
(a) looking after charitable work, and (b) working for the moral uplift of the people.
(i) The peshwa or the chief minister : He looked after general administration
(ii) The amatya or majumdar : He was responsible for finance, state's income and expenditure.
(iii) The sachiv or shuru nawis: He was responsible for all correspondence.
(iv) The sumant or dabir: He worked as foreign minister and was responsible for corre
spondence with other kings.
(V) The Senapati or san-i-naubat : He was not the commander-inchief but looked after recruitment, training and discipline of the army.
(Vi) The mantri or waqia nawis: He was responsible for the personal safety of the king.
(Vii) The nyayadhish : He was responsible for administration of justice.
(viii) The dhanadhyaksha or the pundit rao: He had two responsibilities
(a) looking after charitable work, and (b) working for the moral uplift of the people.
MARATHA CONFEDERACY
MARATHA CONFEDERACY
The origin of the Maratha confederacy may. be traced to the revival of the jagir or saranjam system by Rajaram. But it was only in the time of Baji Rao I that the system made a base for itself. In this process, Sahu issued letters of authority to his various Maratha sardars for collecting chauth and sardeshmukhi from various parts of India. These letters of authority were called saranjam; the holders of these saranjams were called saranjamdars. They merely recognised the Maratha peshwas as their nominal head after the death of Sahu. In this way arose the Maratha confederacy, consisting of very important Maratha jagirdars: (i) Raghuji Bhonsle of Berar; (ii) Gaekwar of Baroda; (Hi) Holkar of Indore; (iv) Scindhia of Gwalior; and (v) the Peshwa of Poona himself.
The origin of the Maratha confederacy may. be traced to the revival of the jagir or saranjam system by Rajaram. But it was only in the time of Baji Rao I that the system made a base for itself. In this process, Sahu issued letters of authority to his various Maratha sardars for collecting chauth and sardeshmukhi from various parts of India. These letters of authority were called saranjam; the holders of these saranjams were called saranjamdars. They merely recognised the Maratha peshwas as their nominal head after the death of Sahu. In this way arose the Maratha confederacy, consisting of very important Maratha jagirdars: (i) Raghuji Bhonsle of Berar; (ii) Gaekwar of Baroda; (Hi) Holkar of Indore; (iv) Scindhia of Gwalior; and (v) the Peshwa of Poona himself.
PESHWAS
PESHWAS
In the reign of Sahu, the peshwa or prime minister, Balaji Vishwanath, virtually became the ruler of the state. From now onwards began the rule of the Peshwas who had their seat of power at Poona. (Sahu's capital was Satara.)
In all, there were seven Peshwas, namely Balaji Vishwanath (1713-1720); Baji Rao I (1720-1740); Balaji Baji Rao (1740-1761); Madho Rao (1761-1772); Narayan Rao (1772-1773); Madho Rao Narayan (1773-1795); and the last being Baji Rao II (1795-1818). Of these seven Peshwas the ablest was Baji Rao I and the weakest and most incompetent was Baji Rao II.
In the reign of Sahu, the peshwa or prime minister, Balaji Vishwanath, virtually became the ruler of the state. From now onwards began the rule of the Peshwas who had their seat of power at Poona. (Sahu's capital was Satara.)
In all, there were seven Peshwas, namely Balaji Vishwanath (1713-1720); Baji Rao I (1720-1740); Balaji Baji Rao (1740-1761); Madho Rao (1761-1772); Narayan Rao (1772-1773); Madho Rao Narayan (1773-1795); and the last being Baji Rao II (1795-1818). Of these seven Peshwas the ablest was Baji Rao I and the weakest and most incompetent was Baji Rao II.
SAMBHAJI (1680-1689)
SAMBHAJI (1680-1689)
Shivaji's successor was his son Sambhaji who found in Kanauji a faithful adviser and conferred upon him the title of Kavi-Kalash. Both Sambhaji and Kavi-Kalash were captured and put to death in 1689 by Aurangzeb. Sambhaji was succeeded by Rajaram as his son Sahu was still young. Rajaram with his two able generals, Santaji Ghorpade and Dharaji Jadav began to harass the Mughal army and destroyed many of their outposts. Rajaram died in 1700 and was succeeded by his minor son Shivaji III under the regency of Tara Bai, his mother. Tara Bai directed the conduct of both civil and military affairs with equal success. The final failure of Aurangzeb against the Marathas was largely due to Tara Bai's energy and administrative genius.
The Mughals, however, succeeded in dividing the Marathas into two rival camps-one under Tara Bai and the other under Sambhaji's son, Sahu. Sahu, till now in the Mughal court, was released. He succeeded in deposing Tara Bai with the help of a Chitpavan brahman named Balaji Vishwanath.
Shivaji's successor was his son Sambhaji who found in Kanauji a faithful adviser and conferred upon him the title of Kavi-Kalash. Both Sambhaji and Kavi-Kalash were captured and put to death in 1689 by Aurangzeb. Sambhaji was succeeded by Rajaram as his son Sahu was still young. Rajaram with his two able generals, Santaji Ghorpade and Dharaji Jadav began to harass the Mughal army and destroyed many of their outposts. Rajaram died in 1700 and was succeeded by his minor son Shivaji III under the regency of Tara Bai, his mother. Tara Bai directed the conduct of both civil and military affairs with equal success. The final failure of Aurangzeb against the Marathas was largely due to Tara Bai's energy and administrative genius.
The Mughals, however, succeeded in dividing the Marathas into two rival camps-one under Tara Bai and the other under Sambhaji's son, Sahu. Sahu, till now in the Mughal court, was released. He succeeded in deposing Tara Bai with the help of a Chitpavan brahman named Balaji Vishwanath.
MILITARY SYSTEM
MILITARY SYSTEM
Shivaji established a regular standing army and greatly improved its morale and discipline. His army was mostly composed of cavalry and infantry. Shivaji did not allow women in the military camps. A special feature of his military administration was the maintenance of a large number of forts. Shivaji also provided the Marathas with an efficient naval system.
Military Organisation
(i) Foot soldiers : Guerilla Warfare (most efficient).
(ii) Bargis : A part of the cavalry, formally recruited with fixed pay and horses and equipment provided by the state
(iii) Silahdars : A part of the cavalry, recruited informally; required to maintain their own horses and equipment; entitled for a share in war-booty but not for a regular pay
Other posts
(i) Sar-i-nauhat (senapati)
(ii) Qilandars
(iii) Nayak
(iv) Havaldar
(v) Jumaladar
(vi) Ek Hazari
Navy
(i) Ghuraw
(ii) Gallivat
Shivaji established a regular standing army and greatly improved its morale and discipline. His army was mostly composed of cavalry and infantry. Shivaji did not allow women in the military camps. A special feature of his military administration was the maintenance of a large number of forts. Shivaji also provided the Marathas with an efficient naval system.
Military Organisation
(i) Foot soldiers : Guerilla Warfare (most efficient).
(ii) Bargis : A part of the cavalry, formally recruited with fixed pay and horses and equipment provided by the state
(iii) Silahdars : A part of the cavalry, recruited informally; required to maintain their own horses and equipment; entitled for a share in war-booty but not for a regular pay
Other posts
(i) Sar-i-nauhat (senapati)
(ii) Qilandars
(iii) Nayak
(iv) Havaldar
(v) Jumaladar
(vi) Ek Hazari
Navy
(i) Ghuraw
(ii) Gallivat
REVENUE SYSTEM
REVENUE SYSTEM
The assessment of revenue was made after a careful survey and classification of the lands according to their quality and yield. The share of the state was fixed at two-fifths of the gross produce. The cultivator was given the option of paying either in cash or kind. Besides the land revenue, Shivaji had other sources of income, of which the most important were the chauth and sardeshmukhi. The chauth amounted to one-fourth of the standard revenue assessment of the place, while the sardeshmukhi was an additional levy of 10 per cent demanded from areas outside his kingdom because he claimed to be the hereditary sardeshmukh (chief headman) of the entire Maratha country. These taxes were levied on those living outside Maratha kingdom as a safeguard (a kind of protection money) against Shivaji's forces plundering or raiding their territory.
The assessment of revenue was made after a careful survey and classification of the lands according to their quality and yield. The share of the state was fixed at two-fifths of the gross produce. The cultivator was given the option of paying either in cash or kind. Besides the land revenue, Shivaji had other sources of income, of which the most important were the chauth and sardeshmukhi. The chauth amounted to one-fourth of the standard revenue assessment of the place, while the sardeshmukhi was an additional levy of 10 per cent demanded from areas outside his kingdom because he claimed to be the hereditary sardeshmukh (chief headman) of the entire Maratha country. These taxes were levied on those living outside Maratha kingdom as a safeguard (a kind of protection money) against Shivaji's forces plundering or raiding their territory.
MARATHA ADMINISTRATION
MARATHA ADMINISTRATION
The king was the suo preme head of the state. He was assisted by a council of eight ministers known as the ashta pradhan. The chief minister or mukhya pradhan was called the peshwa. All the ministers, except the nyayadhisha (chief justice) and pandit rao (Almoner), usually held military commands besides their civil duties. The council of ministers could not initiate policy; its functions were purely advisory. Shivaji did not allow the high offices to become hereditary. He thus defeudalised his administration and thereby checked the prevailing tendency towards disintegration.
Shivaji divided the territory directly under his rule (Swaraj) into three provinces, each under a viceroy. He further divided the provinces into prants each of which was subdivided into pl1rganas and tarafs. The lowest unit was the village, and each village had its headman or patel.
The king was the suo preme head of the state. He was assisted by a council of eight ministers known as the ashta pradhan. The chief minister or mukhya pradhan was called the peshwa. All the ministers, except the nyayadhisha (chief justice) and pandit rao (Almoner), usually held military commands besides their civil duties. The council of ministers could not initiate policy; its functions were purely advisory. Shivaji did not allow the high offices to become hereditary. He thus defeudalised his administration and thereby checked the prevailing tendency towards disintegration.
Shivaji divided the territory directly under his rule (Swaraj) into three provinces, each under a viceroy. He further divided the provinces into prants each of which was subdivided into pl1rganas and tarafs. The lowest unit was the village, and each village had its headman or patel.
SHIVAJI (AD 1627-1680)
SHIVAJI (AD 1627-1680)
Shivaji was born in the hill-fort of Shivner near Junnar in 1627 or as some modern historians assert in 1630. Shahji Bhonsle, the father of Shivaji, was a military officer at first in the state of Ahmadnagar and then, from 1636, in the state of Bijapur, and he owned the territory of Poona as a jagir. His mother was Jija Bai, a very religious lady. Shivaji was brought up at Poona under the careful supervision of his mother and an able brahman Dadaji Konda-dev. Dadaji Konda-dev made Shivaji an expert soldier and an efficient administrator. Shivaji also came under the religious influence of Guru Ramdas, which made him proud of his motherland.
Shivaji began his military career at a young age. He captured the fort of Torna in 1646. Shortly afterwards he built new forts like Raigarh and Pratapgarh. On seeing this, the Sultan of Bijapur was much alarmed and he put Shahji, Shivaji's father in prison. Shivaji proved equal to the occasion and sought the intervention of Shah Jahan OR his father's behalf and thus Shahji was released. Shivaji resumed his offensive operations in 1656 and captured the principality of Javli. After some time, Shivaji raided the Bijapur territory and, in 1659, the Sultan of Bijapur sent his general, Afzal Khan, to capture Shivaji. But Shivaji was too clever for him and killed him with a deadly weapon called Baghnakh or tiger's claw. Ultimately, in 1662, the Sultan of Bijapur made peace with Shivaji and acknowledged him as an independent ruler of his conquered territories.
Shivaji now began to ravage the Mughal territories. Aurangzeb sent Shaista Khan, the viceroy of the Deccan, with a big army against Shivaji. Shaista Khan captured Poona. But Shivaji managed to outwit the Mughals in 1663.
He further plundered Surat and carried off an immense booty. Aurangzeb sent his own son, Prince Muazzam, and then, on his failure, Mirza Raja Jai Singh of Amber against Shivaji. Raja Jai Singh won a few victories against Shivaji and besieged him in Purandhar (1665) and persuaded him to cede some forts to the Mughills by signing the Treaty of Purandhar and pay a visit to the Mughal court at Agra. But, when Shivaji went there, he was ill-treated and was taken a prisoner. He managed to escape, reaching Raigarhin 1666. From then onwards, he became an avowed enemy of the Mughals. He very soon conquered all the forts which he had surrendered to the Mughals. In 1670, he plundered Surat for the second time.
In 1674, Shivaji made Raigarh his capital and celebrated his coronation, and assumed the title of Chhatrapati. Shortly after this, he made a great expedition into southern India and conquered Jingi, Vellore and many forts in Kamataka. He died at Raigarh in 1680 after ruling for only six years. In this short time he founded the Maratha empire which dominated India for a century and a half.
Shivaji was born in the hill-fort of Shivner near Junnar in 1627 or as some modern historians assert in 1630. Shahji Bhonsle, the father of Shivaji, was a military officer at first in the state of Ahmadnagar and then, from 1636, in the state of Bijapur, and he owned the territory of Poona as a jagir. His mother was Jija Bai, a very religious lady. Shivaji was brought up at Poona under the careful supervision of his mother and an able brahman Dadaji Konda-dev. Dadaji Konda-dev made Shivaji an expert soldier and an efficient administrator. Shivaji also came under the religious influence of Guru Ramdas, which made him proud of his motherland.
Shivaji began his military career at a young age. He captured the fort of Torna in 1646. Shortly afterwards he built new forts like Raigarh and Pratapgarh. On seeing this, the Sultan of Bijapur was much alarmed and he put Shahji, Shivaji's father in prison. Shivaji proved equal to the occasion and sought the intervention of Shah Jahan OR his father's behalf and thus Shahji was released. Shivaji resumed his offensive operations in 1656 and captured the principality of Javli. After some time, Shivaji raided the Bijapur territory and, in 1659, the Sultan of Bijapur sent his general, Afzal Khan, to capture Shivaji. But Shivaji was too clever for him and killed him with a deadly weapon called Baghnakh or tiger's claw. Ultimately, in 1662, the Sultan of Bijapur made peace with Shivaji and acknowledged him as an independent ruler of his conquered territories.
Shivaji now began to ravage the Mughal territories. Aurangzeb sent Shaista Khan, the viceroy of the Deccan, with a big army against Shivaji. Shaista Khan captured Poona. But Shivaji managed to outwit the Mughals in 1663.
He further plundered Surat and carried off an immense booty. Aurangzeb sent his own son, Prince Muazzam, and then, on his failure, Mirza Raja Jai Singh of Amber against Shivaji. Raja Jai Singh won a few victories against Shivaji and besieged him in Purandhar (1665) and persuaded him to cede some forts to the Mughills by signing the Treaty of Purandhar and pay a visit to the Mughal court at Agra. But, when Shivaji went there, he was ill-treated and was taken a prisoner. He managed to escape, reaching Raigarhin 1666. From then onwards, he became an avowed enemy of the Mughals. He very soon conquered all the forts which he had surrendered to the Mughals. In 1670, he plundered Surat for the second time.
In 1674, Shivaji made Raigarh his capital and celebrated his coronation, and assumed the title of Chhatrapati. Shortly after this, he made a great expedition into southern India and conquered Jingi, Vellore and many forts in Kamataka. He died at Raigarh in 1680 after ruling for only six years. In this short time he founded the Maratha empire which dominated India for a century and a half.
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