Q2. Who were the Marathas? What effect did they have on Aurangzeb’s Empire?
Answers
Answer:
When they were in power, they strived to bring reforms and were successful in conquering many forts and territories. The Maratha Empire gave a tough fight to all their rivals, including the British
Explanation:
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Answer:
In the central western India, along the west coast, roughly about today’s Nasik-Pune-Kolhapur region, is the ancient region of Maharashtra and it’s occupants are called the Marathas. The mountain range Sahyadri is its backbone. In ancient times, this region was covered with thick forests.
Due to this rough-difficult terrain, the life here was full of hardship. It made Marathas hardworking, strong and simple - typically how people from mountainous regions are. In long run Marathas emerged as brave, fearless and courageous community.
Thus Marathas were very handy people for any king who ruled there, but they collectively got an identity as a group under the visionary king Shivaji!
Chhatrapati Shivaji, for as prudent King he was, made a great use of the natural hilly terrain of Maharashtra and the fighting spirit of the Maratha character, in building a small but highly invincible kingdom!
(Check out this video for some more info - “Anatomy of Shivaji’s Kingdom” )
People started feeling a sense of belonging to his cause and kingdom, because of the personal character of Shivaji Raje as well as for his was the first native kingdom after a couple of centuries of enslavement under foreign rule.
What effect did Marathas have on Aurangzeb’s Mughal empire
Shivaji Raje and Aurangzeb were contemporaries. When Aurangzeb, fought his brothers and inherited the Mughal Empire from his father, Shah-jahan, around the same time Shivaji started slowly consolidating his future Kingdom. Prior to that Aurangzeb was governor of Deccan and Shivaji Raje was yet to gain any importance. But Aurangzeb - as a sharp and shrewd leader he was - had understood the potential of Shivaji Raje as a dangerous enemy! In his letters in those days, he has instructed his commanders to beware of Shivaji Raje and keep a close eye on his activities.
Immediately upon assuming the Mughal throne, Aurangzeb appointed his maternal uncle - Shasta Khan for Shivaji Raje . Shaista-Khan failed though and literally ran away. To Aurangzeb’s irritation, almost all his Generals failed against Shivaji Raje one after another - with the exception of Mirza Raja Jaisingh.
Shivaji Raje, on the contrary, kept on growing rapidly, in the process inflicting damages one after another to the prestige of Mughal Empire. He sacked the rich city of Surat, not once, but twice and the Mughal’s were utterly helpless about protecting their own subjects and territory. Shivaji’s aggression continued as he captured the forts in Baglan region (northern Maharashtra) and came just two days march away from Surat - thus becoming a hovering threat to the richest port.
He had already escaped directly under the nose of Aurangzeb, from Agra and walked some 1200 Km undetected in enemy territory before reaching home. In the process, he made a big joke of the so-called grand Mughal military and security system!
Slowly Shivaji Raje was becoming inspiration pan-India for defying the Mughal authority and as if this was not enough, Shivaji Raje crowned himself as a sovereign Hindu King!!!
Explanation: