Maratha history constitutes an important event in the history of India. The rise of the Marathas was possible under the leadership of the great Maratha ruler Shivaji. Shivaji Bhonsle (1627-80 A.D) is recognized as the "father of the Maratha nation."

The Maratha Confederacy
The Marathas are the Marathi-speaking social sect, who have descended from 96 different Maratha clans or "Kulis". They evolved from the Indo-Aryan genealogical tree. Their original habitat , has given shape to the present-day state of Maharashtra.

Shivaji
He was born in 1627 AD, in the fort of Shivneri, 40 miles north of Pune. Despite the frantic efforts of Aurangazeb , during his lifetime, the power of Shivaji could not be mellowed down.

In the year 1674, Shivaji affirmed himself as the independent ruler of the Maratha kingdom. By 1647, Shivaji had conquered two forts took the charge of whole of Pune region. He slowly captured forts in the region, namely Purandar, Rajgad, and Torna. In 1659 Shivaji killed the renowned Adilshahi general Afzal Khan and demoralized his army. Thus he secured the foundation of Maratha Kingdom near Pune, which later became the Maratha capital. Shivaji had rightly utilized guerilla tactics and brilliant military strategies. Thus he was successful in leading a numerous attacks against Mughal strongholds, including the major port of Surat in the 1660 and afterwards. However after his arrest on the 1666 as an immediated consequence of his defeat to Genearal Jai Singh, a general of Aurangzeb, he prepared for a courageous escape and recovered his lost kingdom and dignity. By the year 1673, he had in his control several states of western Maharashtra and had also declared `Raigad` as the capital of Maratha kingdom. In 1674 he assumed the title of "Chhatrapati" at his elaborate coronation. At the time of his death in 1680, nearly whole of the Deccan belonged to his kingdom.In fact , Shivaji had left his mark in the whole of Maratha history not only as a conqueror and a military statesman . Rather he was acclaimed as good ruler and diligent administrator. He established a solid foundation of the Maratha state.

Sambhaji Sambhaji succeeded Shivaji. Thus started a new phase in Maratha history. He was taken prisoner and executed by Aurangzeb, in 1689. Rajaram, Shivaji`s second son then rose to the power. In the year 1700 after the sad demise of Rajaram, Tarabai, the widow of Rajaram, placed her ten-year-old young son Shahu on the throne, and sustained the fight with Aurangzeb. Shahu successfully carried on his fight against the Mughals and captured Rajgad, the former Maratha`s capital. The fight against the Mughals ended with the death of Aurangzeb in 1707. In the conquest for supremacy Shahu was ultimately successful as he got the services of the ablest Maratha chief named Balaji Biswanath. Out of this conflict evoled the new system of Maratha governmemt called Peshwaship or the The Peshwa domination in Maratha history.

It was under the ruling of three Peshwas that the Marath history reached its zenith. Balaji Vishwanath reigned from 1712 to 1721. Balaji Vishwanath took over the throne after the death of Shahu in 1712. In 1717 a Mughal emissary signed a treaty with the Marathas confirming their claims to rule in the Deccan. 1718 marked the beginning of the Maratha influence in Delhi. Balaji Vishwanath`s died in 1721.

Baji Rao (1721 to 1740)
Bajirao, the elder son became Peshwa after the death of Balaji Vishwanath. Pune had regained its status as capital of Maratha Kingdom from Rajgad. In 1734, Bajirao captured the Malwa territory in the north, and in 1739, he drove out the Portuguese from nearly all their possessions in the Western Ghats. Bajirao died in 1740.

Balaji Bajirao
Baji Rao`s son (Nanasaheb) succeeded as the Peshwa. He defeated Ahmad Shah Abdalli in 1756 near Delhi. But in Third Battle of Panipat (1761), between Marathas and Ahmad Shah Abdalli, Marathas lost the war. This war destroyed both Abdalli and Peshwas. Balaji Bajirao died soon after the war shattered by the death of his older son and brother.

After his death Peshwa Madhav Rao I made a fresh attempt to revitalize the legacy of Maratha history. But after his death once again the Marathas fall on to the shambles.

Maratha history was glorified by the achievements of its legacy of kings and also assuming a place of importance in the glorious history of India in the medieval period.