Shivaji’s Administration: Governance, Revenue and Military Structure

Shivaji’s administration was a well-organized system comprising central and provincial governments, with ministers overseeing various aspects of governance. From revenue administration to military organization, his policies aimed at ensuring efficiency and justice. Through innovative practices like the Kathi system and compassionate revenue collection, Shivaji established a system that prioritized the welfare of farmers and subjects.

Shivaji’s Governance: Foundations of the Maratha Empire

1. Central Government 

• Advisory Council: Shivaji had an advisory council called ‘Ashta Pradhan Mandal’ with eight ministers.

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• Ministerial Authority and Military Leadership: Every minister led military expeditions and commanded armies except Nyayadhish and Pandit Rao.
• Administrative Structure and Decree Approval: Every royal decree needed approval and seals from the King and the Peshwa and endorsements from four other key ministers. There were eighteen administrative departments each overseen by different ministers.
• Control of Landed Families: Shivaji controlled the influential Maratha landed families (Deshmukhs) by expanding the crown land.
• Formal Documentation of Policies: Adnyapatra was a royal edict on the principles of Maratha policy written in Modi script by Ramchandra Pant Amatya. 
  • It was supposed to be the formal documentation of Shivaji’s ideals, principles, and policies of state administration.
  • ‘Modi’ was a script used to write Marathi.

2. Provincial Government

• Administrative Division: Shivaji divided the kingdom (Swaraj) into Mauzas, Tarafs and Prants. 
  • Provinces: were known as prants under subedar, karkun (or mukhya desbadhikari).
  • Tarfs: were headed by a havaldar, karkunoa paripatyagar.
  • Mauza: was the smallest unit.
• Hierarchy in Provincial Administration: 
  • Sarsubedar: Over a number of prants there was the sarsubedar to control and supervise the work of subedars.
  • Subedars: Each subedar had eight scbordinate officers: diwan, mazumdar, fadnis, sabnis, karkhanis, chitnis, jamadar and potnis.
  • Faujdar/Kotwal: The police officer in rural areas was called Faujdar and in urban areas was called Kotwal. 
• Abolition of Jagirs: The tradition of granting jagirs was replaced with cash payments to all officers. 
  • Officials who were assigned the revenues of a place had control only over the income, not the people. 
• Non-Hereditary Offices: None of the offices were hereditary.

3. Revenue Administration

• Shivaji’s Compassionate Revenue System: The revenue system was established on Malik Amber’s Kathi system where the land was calculated by Rod or Kathi.
  • Compassionate to Farmers: lands diligently assessed and a fixed state demand of initially 30%, later raised to 40%, of the gross produce.
  • During Famines: the government provided repayable aid and advanced loans to peasants for agricultural necessities.
• Chauth and Sardeshmukhi: Shivaji collected Chauth (one-fourth of revenue of the district conquered) and Sardeshmukhi (additional 10% by virtue of his position as Sardeshmukh) from adjoining territories of his empire, conquered territories and Mughal/Bijapur lands. 

4. Military Organisation 

• Warfare and Innovative Weaponry: The Marathas were experts in guerrilla warfare, along with the use of an innovative weapon, the Bagh naka, meaning tiger claw. 
• Infantry:  The infantry was highly mobile and light, with Mavli (foot soldiers) playing an important role. 
  • Part Time Soldiers: At the time of exigencies, peasants also functioned as part time soldiers.
  • Military Organization and Rank Structure: The smallest unit with nine soldiers was headed by a Naik (corporal). 
    • Each unit with 25 horsemen was placed under one Havildar (equivalent to the rank of a sergeant). 
    • Five havildars were placed under one Jamaladar and ten Jamaladars under one Hazari. 
• Cavalry: was divided into two classes: 
  • Bargirs: soldiers whose horses were given by the state
  • Shiledars: mercenary horsemen who had to find their own horses. 
• Judicial System: Justice system was rudimentary with no formal courts and Panchayats operating in villages.
  • Ordeals and Smritis: guided legal proceedings.
  • Nyayadhish: heard appeals in both civil and criminal cases. 
  • Hazir Majlim: served as the final court of appeal. 

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Conclusion

Shivaji’s administration, marked by its decentralized structure and focus on the welfare of its people, laid the foundation for the Maratha Empire’s success. With a keen emphasis on military prowess, revenue management, and judicial fairness, Shivaji’s governance left a lasting legacy that influenced future generations of rulers in India.

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