The Rise of the Marathas
Short Questions
1. Who founded the Maratha kingdom?
Answer:- Shivaji Maharaj.
2. In which year was Shivaji born?
Answer:- 1630.
3. What is the meaning of ‘Swarājya’?
Answer:- Sovereign kingdom.
4. Name the weapon Shivaji used to kill Afzal Khan.
Answer:- Wagh nakh.
5. What was Shivaji’s formal title after coronation?
Answer:- Shri Raja Shiva Chhatrapati.
6. Who succeeded Shivaji as Chhatrapati?
Answer:- Sambhaji.
7. What tax did Marathas levy that was 25% of revenue?
Answer:- Chauth.
8. Name the council of eight ministers under Shivaji.
Answer:- Ashta Pradhana Mandala.
9. Who was the famous Maratha naval commander?
Answer:- Kanhoji Angre.
10.What script was mainly used by Marathas for correspondence?
Answer:- Modi script.
11. Name one famous Maratha woman ruler known for rebuilding temples.
Answer:- Ahilyabai Holkar.
12. In which battle did Marathas suffer a big defeat in 1761?
Answer:- Panipat.
13. What was the capital of the Yadava dynasty?
Answer:- Devagiri.
14. Name a bhakti saint from Maharashtra.
Answer:- Tukaram.
15. Who was the Peshwa famous for pan-Indian expansion?
Answer:- Bajirao I.
Long Questions
1. How did Shivaji escape from house arrest in Agra?
Answer:- Shivaji started sending gifts in big baskets to holy men and generals; he and his son Sambhaji hid in the baskets and escaped when guards stopped checking them. This clever plan helped him avoid capture by Aurangzeb forever.
2. What was the role of bhakti saints in Maratha society?
Answer:- Bhakti saints like Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram composed devotional songs in simple languages and translated holy texts into Marathi, making philosophy easy for common people. They built a strong cultural foundation that helped Marathas unite into a political power.
3. Why did Shivaji create a navy?
Answer:- Shivaji built a navy to protect the west coast and access coastal resources, as other powers like Bijapur and Mughals had weak navies. This step made Maratha navy legendary and helped challenge European sea power.
4. Describe guerrilla warfare used by Shivaji.
Answer:- Guerrilla warfare uses small groups, speed, surprise, and knowledge of terrain like mountains to defeat bigger armies. Shivaji used it to win against Afzal Khan and Shaista Khan, protecting his people from strong enemies.
5. What changes happened in Maratha structure after Shivaji?
Answer:- After Shivaji, the centralised state became more decentralised, with chiefs and Peshwas like Bajirao I gaining more power. This helped rapid expansion across India but sometimes led to indiscipline.
6. How did Marathas treat trade and foreign merchants?
Answer:- Shivaji encouraged trade, owned ships for foreign ports, and controlled European merchants by not allowing strong buildings. Later, Marathas demanded passes from Europeans and protected provinces in return for taxes like chauth.
7. What was the importance of forts in Maratha kingdom?
Answer:- Forts were the core of the state, used to control routes, shelter armies, and survive invasions like from Aurangzeb. Shivaji built and captured many forts, which helped Marathas stay strong against larger enemies.
8. How did Marathas contribute to cultural revival?
Answer:- Marathas promoted Sanskrit and Marathi, rebuilt temples, supported arts, and used Devanagari on coins. Rulers like Serfoji II patronised music, dance like Bharatanatyam, and medicine, mixing cultures in places like Thanjavur.
9. Who was Tarabai and what did she do?
Answer:- Tarabai was a warrior queen who ruled after Rajaram’s death and sent armies to invade Mughal north India. Her strategy preserved Maratha independence and started their northward expansion against Aurangzeb.
10. Why did the British defeat the Marathas?
Answer:- Marathas had internal disunity and lacked British organisation and technology in three Anglo-Maratha wars from 1775 to 1818. This ended Maratha power, and British took control of India mainly from them, not Mughals.
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