The Marathas after Shivaji

The passing away of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1680 was a moment of profound uncertainty for the Maratha state. An empire built on the ideals of Swarajya suddenly found itself vulnerable. Many in Delhi and Bijapur hoped that the fall of its charismatic founder would be the end of the Maratha dream.

But history had other plans.

What followed was not the collapse of Swarajya — but its transformation into a resilient movement that, despite brutal repression, reorganised itself and emerged even stronger. This phase, spanning roughly from 1680 to 1707, laid the foundation for what would later become the Maratha Confederacy.

👑 Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj: A Warrior in the Shadow of the Mughals

After Shivaji’s death, his elder son Sambhaji Maharaj ascended the throne. Though often misunderstood or overshadowed in popular memory, Sambhaji was a fierce and defiant ruler, continuing the legacy of armed resistance against the Mughals.

⚔️ Sambhaji vs Aurangzeb

During his reign, the conflict with the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb intensified sharply. What made matters worse (or more threatening from the Mughal perspective) was Sambhaji’s decision to support Prince Akbar, Aurangzeb’s rebellious son. This alliance signaled that the Marathas were no longer just a regional force — they were now part of imperial politics.

This deeply angered Aurangzeb, who decided to personally lead a military campaign into the Deccan — a rare move by a Mughal emperor. For the next 25 years, Aurangzeb stayed in the Deccan, making it his main theatre of war.

But despite his enormous resources, experienced generals, and vast army, he could not crush the Maratha spirit.

💀 The Martyrdom of Sambhaji (1689): A Turning Point

In 1689, Sambhaji was captured under unfortunate circumstances and executed brutally on Aurangzeb’s orders. The Mughal emperor believed this would break Maratha resistance.

But what followed defied every imperial expectation.

Instead of collapsing, the Maratha struggle became a mass movement. The leadership transitioned, the military adapted, and the people rallied behind the idea of Swarajya with even greater intensity.

🏰 Rajaram Maharaj and the New Phase of Resistance

Following Sambhaji’s martyrdom, the mantle of leadership passed to his younger brother, Rajaram Maharaj, who took refuge in Raigad and later shifted his base to Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu — turning it into a southern bastion of Maratha resistance.

During his reign:

• Guerrilla tactics were sharpened even further.
• Leadership became decentralised, allowing various local Maratha leaders to carry on the fight independently.
• The Mughal army was stretched thin, forced to fight an enemy that would not engage directly.

This phase was marked not by great territorial gains, but by the survival and moral strengthening of Swarajya.

👩‍⚖️ Tara Bai: The Queen Regent Who Defied Empires

After Rajaram’s death, his minor son Shivaji II was proclaimed the king, and Tara Bai, his mother, took over as regent. Tara Bai was no passive queen. She took active command of military campaigns, mobilised forts, and rallied Maratha sardars.

In a deeply patriarchal time, she stood out as a symbol of authority, diplomacy, and endurance. Her leadership ensured that the Maratha fight continued even when the Mughals thought it was finished.

🕊️ Shahu Maharaj and the Rise of the Peshwas

The final turn in this phase of Maratha resurgence came with the release of Shahu Maharaj, the son of Sambhaji, by the Mughals after Aurangzeb’s death in 1707.

When Shahu claimed the throne of the Marathas, it led to internal rivalry — primarily with Tara Bai. But eventually, with Shahu’s accession, began the Peshwa era — a new chapter where the real power shifted from the king to the Peshwa (prime minister).

This phase would transform the Marathas from a regional power in Maharashtra to an all-India empire, challenging both the remnants of the Mughals and emerging colonial powers.

✍️ Final Reflection

This period after Shivaji is crucial because it demonstrates how an empire can survive without a single strong ruler, by relying on institutions, ideals, and people’s support. The Marathas, through their unrelenting struggle, exhausted the Mughal Empire, laid the foundations for the decline of imperial centralism, and paved the way for a federal, confederate idea of Indian politics — something the British would later try to dismantle.