SHRUJAN SINHA

PRN NO. – 18010223107

DIVISION E
B.A.LL.B

MARATHA ADMINISTRATION: CONFEDERACY OF

MARATHA STATES

OBJECTIVE BEHIND THE TOPIC

The overall aim of my project is to have a detailed and structured analysis of

Maratha states along with their administration. It includes their origin, the
detailed report about their reign and their end of rule. As the topic being an
intriguing topic it is widely studied and researched upon the different
chapters of Maratha administration in the present era, so these factual
researches which are already available will help me having a broad analysis
on the above mentioned topic and will also help me add more knowledge to
my research and study. My aim also includes that my research and study is
completed within the deadline provided to us by the institution.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The broad overview of my topic helped me to identify the interest of the

research area. The objectives upon which I could work upon are as follows:-
1) How did the Marathas got the administration power?
2) What are the areas which came under the Marathas during their reign?
3) Who formed the confederacy of Marathas?
4) And lastly, the reason due to which the confederacy of Maratha states
ended.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

For the completion of this project, sources which were relied were
secondary sources. Secondary sources from the perspective of
understanding the whole administration of Maratha’s and also about the
confederacy of Maratha states. The secondary resources used are articles,
journals and some known books.

The research design which is used in this project is explanatory and

analytical. Explanatory in the sense that to have a clear theoretical
conception on Maratha administration and the rulers which gave the Maratha
Empire a prestigious value and Analytical research in the sense that, to
critically analyse the power and administration of Maratha states before
confederacy and after confederacy.

LITERATURE REVIEW
For the researches purpose some of the articles and books to which I would
be referring to are:-

1) ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM OF MARATHAS BY

SURENDRANATH SEN
The book was instrumental in the different provision related to the
origin of Marathas, the rise of peshwas, detailed study about the
different peshwas which came during the reign etc. It also helps me in
understanding the concept of military system under the Shivaji
administration by going through the article which deals with it. It also
helps me in having in depth study about the wars which took place in
their ruling era.
It starts with the introduction that in 17 th century most of the Maratha
territory was under the Nizamshah of Ahmednagar and the Adilshah
and then they recruited a large number of Marathi speaking people to
 help in their administration. Then it gives the detailed analysis of
Shahji , Shivaji , Balalji viswanath, Baji rao etc.

2) “MARATHA HISTORY: A QUEST FOR REGIONAL

IDENTITY” BY Professor (Dr.) Umesh Ashokrao Kadam

This article helps me in beautifully analyzing the scenario of Maratha

administration under peshwas and after the rise of pehwas in different
territories. It also helps me in analyzing the nature and behavior of
Marathas.
It begins with telling us that how the local lord Shivaji after having a
protracted struggle with Aurangzeb and established an independent
Maratha nations in 1674. Other subtopics included under this topic
talks about the condition of provincial administration under peshwas.
Further we get to know that village communities during the Marathas
functioned as local units for the administration. It also compares the
pattern of Maratha town administration with Maurya town
administration. It also shows us a link between Peshwa’s laws of
Mitakshara and Manu's code in the judicial administration. The main
source of income of peshwas has also been discussed here.

3) JOURNAL ON THE MARATHA STATE BY RADHIKA

SESHAN
This Journal helped me dividing the Marathas into two phases, first
from The latter half Of the Seventeenth Century till The death of

Aurangzeb and then comes the Mughal phase . It also helped me study the
detailed life structure of Shivaji, his departmental duties, his council of
ministers and his revenue system. It also talks about the military
organization system under the Marathas. Each and every important aspect
related to Marathas and their confederacy such as the information about
their war strategies, administration work etc. have been covered under this
topic which helped me to research a lot about them.