MughalMaratha

Mughal-Maratha relations refer to the political and military interactions between the Mughal Empire and the Maratha Confederacy in the Deccan and western Indian frontier from roughly the mid-17th century to the mid-18th century. The Marathas, a rising power centered in the western Deccan, challenged Mughal authority as the latter sought to retain control over a rapidly expanding frontier. The period was defined by a mix of warfare, diplomacy, and shifting alliances that shaped the political map of northern and central India.

The relationship developed from prolonged conflict and contested sovereignty to a more complex pattern that included truces and negotiations alongside outright military campaigns. The Marathas organized as a confederacy under the Peshwas, enabling sustained campaigns and the rapid mobilization of resources across diverse regional factions. Early clashes intensified under Aurangzeb’s Deccan campaigns, as Mughal efforts to curb Maratha expansion met fierce resistance and guerrilla warfare. The scale and duration of hostilities contributed to economic and administrative strains on the Mughal state.

In the early 18th century, following Aurangzeb’s death, the Marathas gained greater ascendancy and expanded their influence into large parts of north and central India. The Mughal state gradually receded from its former central authority, while the Marathas emerged as the dominant regional power in many areas of the subcontinent. This shift altered the balance of power, contributing to the fragmentation of Mughal authority and creating a political environment in which later regional powers and European colonial interests could expand.

The Mughal-Maratha dynamic significantly impacted the trajectory of Indian political development, strengthening regional polities and reshaping governance, military organization, and inter-polity relations in the centuries that followed.