CBSE Class 8 · The Rise of the Marathas

Chhatrapati Shivaji and the Foundation of Maratha Power: Class 8 Notes and Questions

Updated 17 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Chhatrapati Shivaji (born 1630 to Shahji and Jijabai of the Bhonsle clan) built a sovereign kingdom, Swarajya, in the 17th century using forts, guerrilla warfare and a navy. He faced Afzal Khan, Shaista Khan and Jai Singh's Mughal army, escaped from Agra, was crowned at Raigad in 1674 and extended his rule to the south. He died in 1680.

Notice that Swarajya rests on three strategy pillars (forts, guerrilla warfare, navy), all standing on the cultural base built by bhakti saints.

Illustration drawn for QuestionBuddy.

Understand Chhatrapati Shivaji and the Foundation of Maratha Power

Who were the Marathas? People native to the Deccan plateau, especially present Maharashtra, identified by the Marathi language, which has had a continuous literary history since the 12th century. In the 13th century the Yadava dynasty ruled most of the region from Devagiri (now Daulatabad); in the early 14th century it was overcome by the Khilji Sultanate.

Cultural foundation: bhakti. Between the 7th and 17th centuries many saints preferred the path of bhakti (devotion) to mere external ritual, composing songs in the languages of the people. In Maharashtra, saints such as Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Tukaram and Ramdas helped bring the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita to people in Marathi. NCERT says this gave society a cultural foundation that later helped the Marathas organise politically.

Early life and first steps. Shivaji was born in 1630, in the Bhonsle clan, to Shahji and Jijabai. Shahji served the Deccan sultanates and was often away; Shivaji grew up in the jagir (land granted for service, from which the holder collects taxes) at Pune, under Jijabai's care. Around 1646, at 16, he began capturing neglected forts around Pune. His vision was Swarajya, a sovereign kingdom in political, economic and cultural terms.

Three pillars of his strategy.
1. Forts. Essential to control routes and to shelter the army during guerrilla warfare. Ramachandrapant Amatya, in the Adnyapatra, wrote that the kingdom survived decades of onslaught because of forts.
2. Navy (founded 1657). To secure access to coastal resources on the west coast. NCERT calls it revolutionary: Bijapur kept merchant ships but no full-time naval force, and the Mughals used a navy only in a limited way. Sindhudurg is one of the naval forts.
3. Guerrilla warfare. Small groups using speed, surprise and knowledge of terrain to defeat bigger armies.

Key episodes.

Afzal Khan: the Bijapur Sultanate sent this veteran general. A one-on-one meeting was arranged at the foot of Pratapgad amid thick forest; Shivaji killed him (using the 'wagh nakh', a tiger-claw weapon) and the Marathas, hidden in the hills, routed his army with guerrilla attacks.
Shaista Khan: a Mughal nobleman who occupied Shivaji's territories with a big army for three years. Shivaji raided his camp at night with only a few soldiers; the Khan escaped, losing some fingers, and left Maharashtra. NCERT compares the raid to a modern surgical strike.
Surat: in retaliation Shivaji sacked this wealthy Mughal port in present Gujarat and gained treasure worth almost one crore rupees. NCERT notes he avoided attacking religious places and spared the house of the charitable Mohandas Parekh. He sacked Surat again after a few years. The London Gazette reported his demand for presents of money from European agents.
Purandar: Aurangzeb sent the Rajput general Jai Singh; Shivaji had to concede defeat at Purandar Fort, give up a sizeable part of his kingdom, and his son Sambhaji entered Mughal service.
Agra (1666): persuaded by Jai Singh to visit Aurangzeb's court, Shivaji felt insulted and walked out; he was put under house arrest. He escaped with Sambhaji hidden in large baskets of gifts (fruits and sweets) that guards had stopped inspecting. Aurangzeb never captured him again.

Coronation (1674). At the hill fort of Raigad he was crowned with full Vedic rites, with the title Shri Raja Shiva Chhatrapati, and began his own era, the Rajyabhisheka shaka.

Conquest of the South (1677). The *dakshina-digvijaya* took in parts of northern Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, which were then ill-defended; it gave the Marathas strategic depth against Mughal attacks. In the south he also forbade the Dutch from trading slaves, according to NCERT.

Death and impact. He died of a fever at fifty, in 1680. NCERT says Europeans compared him to Alexander, and that the Bundela prince Chhatrasal was inspired by him to create an independent Bundelkhand. His values show in his letter to officials: do not force subjects, do not cut trees that people nurture like children, because gains from oppression soon perish.

Chhatrapati Shivaji and the Foundation of Maratha Power: key facts

Shivaji timeline (NCERT): Born 1630
begins rule 1646
navy 1657
Agra 1666
coronation 1674 at Raigad
dakshina-digvijaya 1677
dies 1680; Keep the order of events straight.
Three pillars of strategy: Forts
Navy
Guerrilla warfare; Foundation of Swarajya.
Opponents and results: Afzal Khan (Bijapur) killed at Pratapgad
Shaista Khan (Mughal) night raid
Jai Singh (Mughal) Purandar treaty; Name, side, outcome.
Coronation details: Raigad
1674
Vedic rites
title Shri Raja Shiva Chhatrapati
Rajyabhisheka shaka; Formal start of Maratha kingdom.
Parents and clan: Shahji
Jijabai
Bhonsle clan
jagir at Pune; Early life.

How to answer Chhatrapati Shivaji and the Foundation of Maratha Power questions

Questions ask for the strategy behind Shivaji's success, particular episodes, the meaning of Swarajya, and why the Maratha navy and forts mattered.

1Open with Swarajya: a sovereign kingdom in political, economic and cultural terms.
2Give three pillars (forts, navy, guerrilla warfare) and tie each to geography: hills, forests and coast.
3For episodes, state who, where, how and the result in one line.
4For 'why was X a turning point', link the event to a consequence (Purandar: territory lost; Agra: escape; 1674: legitimacy).
5Support values with a quotation-like paraphrase of his letter to officials, not a verbatim copy.

Chhatrapati Shivaji and the Foundation of Maratha Power in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Small force, local advantage

Suppose a school team of eight plays a bigger team on its own narrow, uneven field and wins by playing quick, short passes on ground the visitors do not know.

Which of Shivaji's strategies does this resemble, and why does it work?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

A small group uses speed and surprise.
Knowledge of terrain is an advantage.
The bigger side cannot use its numbers well.

Answer: It resembles guerrilla warfare, which NCERT defines as small groups using speed, surprise and knowledge of terrain to defeat bigger armies. Home-ground knowledge turns the larger side's numbers into a disadvantage.

Memory hook: Speed, surprise, ground.

Tricks to remember Chhatrapati Shivaji and the Foundation of Maratha Power

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

F-N-G
Forts, Navy, Guerrilla.
Use it when: Pillars of Shivaji's strategy.
A-S-S-P-A
Afzal, Shaista, Surat, Purandar, Agra.
Use it when: Order of the main episodes.
Jag-Wag-Raj
Jagir at Pune, Wagh nakh at Pratapgad, Raigad coronation.
Use it when: Place and object in each stage.

Chhatrapati Shivaji and the Foundation of Maratha Power: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Place of coronation · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

Chhatrapati Shivaji was crowned in 1674 at:
(a) Pune
(b) Raigad
(c) Purandar
(d) Pratapgad

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

NCERT: the coronation took place at the mountain fortress of Raigad (1 mark).

Answer: (b) Raigad

Example 2: Why a navy? (3 marks) · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Why did Shivaji build a navy, and why does NCERT call this a revolutionary step? (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

His kingdom expanded to the west coast and he needed to secure access to coastal resources (1 mark).
Bijapur had only merchant ships and no full-time naval force that could protect the coast (1 mark).
The Mughal use of a navy was very limited, so a dedicated navy was new (1 mark).

Answer: As his kingdom reached the west coast, Shivaji needed a navy to secure access to the resources of coastal regions. It was revolutionary because the Bijapur Sultanate had merchant ships but no full-time naval force to protect the coast, and the Mughal Empire used a navy only to a limited extent.

Example 3: Assertion-reason: Purandar · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level

Assertion (A): Shivaji had to concede defeat at Purandar Fort and give up a large part of his kingdom.
Reason (R): The Mughal emperor sent the Rajput general Jai Singh against him after the sack of Surat.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, but R is false.
(d) A is false, but R is true.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

The sack of Surat insulted Mughal prestige, so Aurangzeb sent Jai Singh; Purandar followed. R explains why the campaign happened (1 mark).

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

Example 4: Strategy and episodes (5 marks) · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level

Describe how Shivaji used guerrilla warfare, with the help of the episodes of Afzal Khan and Shaista Khan. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Define guerrilla warfare: small groups, speed, surprise, terrain knowledge to defeat bigger armies (1 mark).
Afzal Khan: a meeting at the foot of Pratapgad in thick forest; he was killed (1 mark).
The Marathas hidden in the hills routed his army by guerrilla attacks (1 mark).
Shaista Khan: after three years of occupation, a night raid with a few soldiers (1 mark).
The Khan barely escaped, lost a few fingers and left Maharashtra; compared to a surgical strike (1 mark).

Answer: Guerrilla warfare means small groups using speed, surprise and knowledge of the terrain to defeat bigger armies, and Shivaji used it to protect his people from powerful enemies. When Bijapur sent Afzal Khan, a meeting was arranged at the foot of Pratapgad amid thick forests; Shivaji killed the general and the Marathas, hidden in the hills, routed his army by guerrilla attacks. Later, when the Mughal noble Shaista Khan occupied his territories for three years with a big army, Shivaji raided his camp at night with only a few soldiers. The Khan barely escaped, losing a few fingers, and left Maharashtra. NCERT likens the raid to a modern surgical strike.

Example 5: Case: the letter to the officials · 4 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

Read the case and answer.

NCERT quotes a letter of Shivaji to his officials. Wood from big trees like teak may be taken for the navy after getting permission from the forest. Other trees such as mango and jackfruit must be left alone because they take years to mature and people look after them like children. Gains made by oppressing others soon perish, along with the oppressor, and force must not be used in any circumstances.

(i) Why did the navy need timber? (1)
(ii) What does the letter say about fruit trees? (1)
(iii) What values as a ruler does the letter show? Support with two points. (2)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

(i) For building ships (1 mark).
(ii) Do not cut them; people value them like their children (1 mark).
(iii) Concern for subjects' property and feelings; rule against oppression and force; permissions required even for state needs (2 marks).

Answer: (i) Teak wood was needed for the navy's ships. (ii) Mango and jackfruit trees should not be touched, because people nurture them like children and cutting them would cause lasting sorrow. (iii) The letter shows concern for the people's property and feelings, and a belief that rule based on oppression is short-lived; it also requires permission before cutting even needed teak and forbids force in all circumstances.

Where students lose marks in Chhatrapati Shivaji and the Foundation of Maratha Power

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Wrong order of coronation and southern campaign
Dates not learnt.
Wrong working
Shivaji conquered the South before being crowned.
Right working
Coronation 1674; dakshina-digvijaya after it (NCERT timeline lists 1677).
Do this: Write the dates beside each event.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Confusing Afzal Khan and Shaista Khan
Both 'Khan' and similar stories.
Wrong working
Shaista Khan was killed at Pratapgad.
Right working
Afzal Khan (Bijapur) was killed at Pratapgad; Shaista Khan (Mughal) escaped after a night raid.
Do this: Match side and place: Afzal-Bijapur-Pratapgad, Shaista-Mughal-night raid.
Usually costs: 1-2 marks.
Mistake: Describing guerrilla warfare as 'sneak attacks by bandits'
Everyday meaning.
Wrong working
It means attacking randomly.
Right working
Small groups using speed, surprise and knowledge of terrain to defeat bigger armies.
Do this: Learn the textbook definition.
Usually costs: 1 mark.

Exam tips

Use the dates in the chapter timeline: 1630, 1646, 1657, 1666, 1674, 1677, 1680.
State both sides' names and places for each episode; examiners check pairings.
Mention that Shivaji spared religious places and the house of Mohandas Parekh when asked about the sack of Surat.
Keep language factual and respectful; describe actions of rulers of the past without generalising to any group today.

Practice questions on Chhatrapati Shivaji and the Foundation of Maratha Power

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
Who were Shivaji's parents?
(a) Shahji and Jijabai
(b) Ekoji and Tarabai
(c) Rajaram and Tarabai
(d) Sambhaji and Jijabai
Hint
Bhonsle clan.
Answer
(a) Shahji and Jijabai
Q2 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level
What is meant by Swarajya in Shivaji's vision? (2 marks)
Hint
Sovereign kingdom in many aspects.
Answer
Swarajya was Shivaji's vision of a sovereign kingdom of his own. It covered political, economic and cultural aspects, and was reflected in his own coins, his Sanskrit seal and his own era.
Q3 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Describe Shivaji's escape from Agra and its background. (3 marks)
Hint
Court insult, house arrest, baskets of gifts.
Answer
After the treaty of Purandar Shivaji was persuaded by Jai Singh to visit Aurangzeb's court at Agra, where he was made to stand before the emperor and a Mughal general he had defeated. Insulted, he left the court and was put under house arrest. He began sending gifts of fruits and sweets in big baskets to holy men and generals; the guards stopped checking them, and Shivaji and his son Sambhaji escaped hidden in the baskets. Aurangzeb never captured him again.
Q4 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level
Assertion (A): The conquest of the South increased the Marathas' strategic strength against the Mughals.
Reason (R): It added parts of northern Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, which gave them strategic depth.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, but R is false.
(d) A is false, but R is true.
Hint
What is strategic depth?
Answer
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
Q5 · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
'Forts were the core of the Maratha state.' Evaluate this statement using the chapter. Include at least two reasons and one example of how the forts helped against a much larger enemy. (5 marks)
Hint
Control of routes, shelter, guerrilla base, Ramachandrapant Amatya's view, Aurangzeb's conquests.
Answer
NCERT presents forts as essential to the Marathas for two main reasons: they let Shivaji control important routes and they sheltered the army when it fought by guerrilla warfare, using speed and local terrain. Ramachandrapant Amatya, Shivaji's finance minister, wrote in the Adnyapatra that the kingdom was created from forts alone, and that even when a great enemy like Aurangzeb conquered large sultanates such as Bijapur, it was due to forts that the Maratha state survived decades of onslaught. Without forts, he noted, a land gets devastated under invasion. So the statement is supported: the forts gave the smaller Maratha force secure bases and control of terrain from which to resist a far larger empire.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.In which year was Shivaji born, as per NCERT?Show answer
1630.
2.Where did Shivaji meet and kill Afzal Khan?Show answer
At the foot of Pratapgad fort.
3.What was the Maratha navy founded in?Show answer
1657.
4.What was the era started after the coronation?Show answer
The Rajyabhisheka shaka.
5.Which Rajput general did Aurangzeb send against Shivaji?Show answer
Jai Singh.

Chhatrapati Shivaji and the Foundation of Maratha Power: frequently asked questions

What was Swarajya?

Shivaji's idea of a sovereign kingdom, political, economic and cultural, shown in his own coins, Sanskrit seal and era.

How did Shivaji escape from Agra?

By hiding in a large basket of gifts, with his son Sambhaji, after the guards stopped inspecting such baskets.

Why was the Maratha navy important?

It secured access to coastal resources on the west coast, in an age when Bijapur had no full-time navy and the Mughals used theirs very little.