Maharashtra was inhibited since the Palaeolithic era, as indicated by the archaeological evidences. Its recorded history is as old as the 3rd century BC. It was recorded with the use of the Marathi language, a Prakrit corruption of Sanskrit. Later, Maharashtra was included in the Magadha empire, ruled by the Buddhist emperor Ashoka. As the Mauryan Empire degraded, Maharashtra was overpowered by the Satavahanas between 230 BC and 225 AD.
¤ The Early History
The early history of Maharashtra dates back to the era of Ramayana which was known as “Dandak Aranya”. The language Maharastri, a prakrit corruption of Sanskrit was used during this period. Vidarbha, the eastern region of Maharashtra was also conquered by the Vakatakas (250 AD-525 AD), who were then the rulers of the state. Art and religion developed and technology flourished, during this period. By the 6th century, Maharashtra came under the reign of the Chalukyas. Later, in 753, Rashtrakutas ruled the region. This empire spread over most of the Indian peninsular. Rashtrakutas were then defeated in 973 by the Chalukayas, who ruled parts of Maharashtra until 1189, when they lost to Yadavas of Deogiri.
¤ The Islamic Influence
The first Islamic invasions which reached the south of the Narmada River were made by the Khalji Dynasty, the rulers of Bengal under Mohammad Ghori. Ala – ud – din Khalji invaded the Deccan region in the year 1296 AD. He defeated the last of the Hindu kings of the state, the Yadavas. At first the Islamic rulers invaded the northern part of the country and made Delhi their capital but after this invasion the others followed the trend and extended their kingdoms further south.When the Muslim emperors entered India, they established their capital in Delhi. Later, they started to expand towards the south of India.
After the Khalji Dynasty the next among Islamic invasions to influence the state was made by Mohammad Bin Tughlaq. The Tughlaq Dynasty reigned till 1347 AD and extended the empire till Madurai. After the disintegration of the Tughlaq Dynasty, the Bahmani Sultanate of Bijapur ruled the region for the coming 150 years. After the end of the Bahmani Dynasty the state of Maharashtra was ruled by several independent rulers with allegiance to the Mughal rulers. By the 16th century, central Maharashtra was ruled by numerous autonomous Islamic kingdoms that owed commitment to the Mughals. Meanwhile the coastal region was annexed by the Portuguese, who wanted to control the rich spice trade of the region.
¤ The Maratha Empire (1627-1680)
As the 17th century emerged the Maratha Empire began to take root. The Maratha Empire was started by Shivaji in the year 1674 in the Bijapur Sultanate. Shivaji unchained the Marathas from the rule of the Muslim ruler of Bijapur. The reign of the Marathas proved dangerous for the Mughal emperors, whose territory was continuously attacked by the army of Shivaji. Successful campaigns against the Mughals included the capturing of the port of Surat. Ten years later Shivaji crowned himself the king of the Marathas or the Chhatrapati. He included almost the entire Deccan, central India and some parts of modern day Pakistan into Maratha Empire. After his death in the year 1680, the two sons of Shivaji, Shambhaji and Rajaram both ruled the empire for a considerable amount of time. Rajaram’s death in 1700, prompted his widow Tarabai to enthrone her son, Shahu. After defeating the Mughals in 1707, the Marathas became the dominant rulers of India.
¤ Peshwa Dynasty
After the death of Shahu in the year 1712, his prime minister, Balaji Vishwanath ascended the throne and thus started the Peshwa Dynasty with Pune as their capital. Peshwa stands for Prime Minister, in Marathi. The Peshwa Dynasty prevented the Maratha Empire from disintegration after the death of Shahu in the year 1712. The Peshwa Dynasty brought the Maratha Kingdom into new heights of glory during the reign from 1712 to 1804.
Bajirao 1 made Pune the capital of the Peshwa rule. During his reign Maratha Empire suffered a heavy defeat to the Afghan chieftain Ahmad Shah Abdali, in the third Battle of Panipat in 1761. The loss was so huge that the Maratha Confederacy was reduced to a regional kingdom. As the British East India Company arrived in India and started interfering in the Indian politics, they faced stiff resistance from the Marathas. These two powers fought three major battles, which led to the annexation of Peshwa ruled territory in Maharashtra in 1819. This marked the end of the Maratha empire.
¤ The British Rule
The British rule in Maharashtra started with the Second Bajirao Peshwa signing the treaty of Bassein with the British in the year 1802.the final nail in the coffin was the capture of the Ahmadnagar Fort in the year 1803 which established the power of the British in the Deccan. The British took the control of Maharashtra on the pretext of maladministration and in 1804 General Wellesley declared military rule in the Deccan states. This region was ruled by the British, as a part of the Bombay Presidency. The Bombay presidency included an area from Karachi in Pakistan to most of the northern Deccan.
The British Raj saw many social reforms, infrastructure improvement and many revolts due to their prejudiced policies. During the later years the minor protests and revolts were subdued by the British. By that time the Mughal power had already crumbled. Therefore the fall of the Maratha power in the hands of the British marked the beginning of the British rule in India.
Many measures were taken for social reformation by the British. The revolt of 1857 was the first protest against the British domination. With the dawn of the 20th century political leaders like Mahatma Gandhi started mass movements to get rid of the British rule in India. As the 20th century began, a non-violent struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi started taking shape. The Quit India Movement started by Gandhi in 1942 was marked by a non-violent civil disobedience movement and strikes. Finally Independence was attained in the year 1947, after which the state of Maharashtra underwent several changes.
¤ Post Independence (1947)
After India attained independence from the clutches of the British rule in the year 1947, Maharashtra went through a number of political changes. Post independence period saw the western Maharashtra and present day Gujarat being united under the Bombay state the eastern parts which were a part of the Hyderabad state were later also united with the Bombay state in the year 1956.
The modern state of Maharashtra came into existence on 1st May 1960.Under the Bombay Reorganization Act the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat were legally given the status of separate states on the basis of linguistic differences. The present Bombay city became the capital city of Maharashtra. The modern history of Maharashtra includes the period from attainment of independence to the final separation of the states.
During the 1970s many economic policies were implemented which helped in the overall growth and development of the state. The post independence era for Maharashtra was developmental with concentration on social and economic policies made by the government. At present Maharashtra has become one of the most developed states in India and is one of the leading state after the favorable economic policies in the 1970s.
¤ The Early History
The early history of Maharashtra dates back to the era of Ramayana which was known as “Dandak Aranya”. The language Maharastri, a prakrit corruption of Sanskrit was used during this period. Vidarbha, the eastern region of Maharashtra was also conquered by the Vakatakas (250 AD-525 AD), who were then the rulers of the state. Art and religion developed and technology flourished, during this period. By the 6th century, Maharashtra came under the reign of the Chalukyas. Later, in 753, Rashtrakutas ruled the region. This empire spread over most of the Indian peninsular. Rashtrakutas were then defeated in 973 by the Chalukayas, who ruled parts of Maharashtra until 1189, when they lost to Yadavas of Deogiri.
¤ The Islamic Influence
The first Islamic invasions which reached the south of the Narmada River were made by the Khalji Dynasty, the rulers of Bengal under Mohammad Ghori. Ala – ud – din Khalji invaded the Deccan region in the year 1296 AD. He defeated the last of the Hindu kings of the state, the Yadavas. At first the Islamic rulers invaded the northern part of the country and made Delhi their capital but after this invasion the others followed the trend and extended their kingdoms further south.When the Muslim emperors entered India, they established their capital in Delhi. Later, they started to expand towards the south of India.
After the Khalji Dynasty the next among Islamic invasions to influence the state was made by Mohammad Bin Tughlaq. The Tughlaq Dynasty reigned till 1347 AD and extended the empire till Madurai. After the disintegration of the Tughlaq Dynasty, the Bahmani Sultanate of Bijapur ruled the region for the coming 150 years. After the end of the Bahmani Dynasty the state of Maharashtra was ruled by several independent rulers with allegiance to the Mughal rulers. By the 16th century, central Maharashtra was ruled by numerous autonomous Islamic kingdoms that owed commitment to the Mughals. Meanwhile the coastal region was annexed by the Portuguese, who wanted to control the rich spice trade of the region.
¤ The Maratha Empire (1627-1680)
As the 17th century emerged the Maratha Empire began to take root. The Maratha Empire was started by Shivaji in the year 1674 in the Bijapur Sultanate. Shivaji unchained the Marathas from the rule of the Muslim ruler of Bijapur. The reign of the Marathas proved dangerous for the Mughal emperors, whose territory was continuously attacked by the army of Shivaji. Successful campaigns against the Mughals included the capturing of the port of Surat. Ten years later Shivaji crowned himself the king of the Marathas or the Chhatrapati. He included almost the entire Deccan, central India and some parts of modern day Pakistan into Maratha Empire. After his death in the year 1680, the two sons of Shivaji, Shambhaji and Rajaram both ruled the empire for a considerable amount of time. Rajaram’s death in 1700, prompted his widow Tarabai to enthrone her son, Shahu. After defeating the Mughals in 1707, the Marathas became the dominant rulers of India.
¤ Peshwa Dynasty
After the death of Shahu in the year 1712, his prime minister, Balaji Vishwanath ascended the throne and thus started the Peshwa Dynasty with Pune as their capital. Peshwa stands for Prime Minister, in Marathi. The Peshwa Dynasty prevented the Maratha Empire from disintegration after the death of Shahu in the year 1712. The Peshwa Dynasty brought the Maratha Kingdom into new heights of glory during the reign from 1712 to 1804.
Bajirao 1 made Pune the capital of the Peshwa rule. During his reign Maratha Empire suffered a heavy defeat to the Afghan chieftain Ahmad Shah Abdali, in the third Battle of Panipat in 1761. The loss was so huge that the Maratha Confederacy was reduced to a regional kingdom. As the British East India Company arrived in India and started interfering in the Indian politics, they faced stiff resistance from the Marathas. These two powers fought three major battles, which led to the annexation of Peshwa ruled territory in Maharashtra in 1819. This marked the end of the Maratha empire.
¤ The British Rule
The British rule in Maharashtra started with the Second Bajirao Peshwa signing the treaty of Bassein with the British in the year 1802.the final nail in the coffin was the capture of the Ahmadnagar Fort in the year 1803 which established the power of the British in the Deccan. The British took the control of Maharashtra on the pretext of maladministration and in 1804 General Wellesley declared military rule in the Deccan states. This region was ruled by the British, as a part of the Bombay Presidency. The Bombay presidency included an area from Karachi in Pakistan to most of the northern Deccan.
The British Raj saw many social reforms, infrastructure improvement and many revolts due to their prejudiced policies. During the later years the minor protests and revolts were subdued by the British. By that time the Mughal power had already crumbled. Therefore the fall of the Maratha power in the hands of the British marked the beginning of the British rule in India.
Many measures were taken for social reformation by the British. The revolt of 1857 was the first protest against the British domination. With the dawn of the 20th century political leaders like Mahatma Gandhi started mass movements to get rid of the British rule in India. As the 20th century began, a non-violent struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi started taking shape. The Quit India Movement started by Gandhi in 1942 was marked by a non-violent civil disobedience movement and strikes. Finally Independence was attained in the year 1947, after which the state of Maharashtra underwent several changes.
¤ Post Independence (1947)
After India attained independence from the clutches of the British rule in the year 1947, Maharashtra went through a number of political changes. Post independence period saw the western Maharashtra and present day Gujarat being united under the Bombay state the eastern parts which were a part of the Hyderabad state were later also united with the Bombay state in the year 1956.
The modern state of Maharashtra came into existence on 1st May 1960.Under the Bombay Reorganization Act the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat were legally given the status of separate states on the basis of linguistic differences. The present Bombay city became the capital city of Maharashtra. The modern history of Maharashtra includes the period from attainment of independence to the final separation of the states.
During the 1970s many economic policies were implemented which helped in the overall growth and development of the state. The post independence era for Maharashtra was developmental with concentration on social and economic policies made by the government. At present Maharashtra has become one of the most developed states in India and is one of the leading state after the favorable economic policies in the 1970s.
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