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Medieval Indian History

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medium importance~1 Q in Tier 1⚡ 14 shortcuts7 subtopics
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Marathas & Sikh Gurus

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⏱ 5 min read🧩 6 question types🎯 14 practice Q
The idea in one minute

Shivaji built the Maratha state in the 1600s with hill forts and fast cavalry. After him the Peshwas led a confederacy until the British ended it in 1818. The ten Sikh Gurus shaped the Sikh faith, and Ranjit Singh built a Sikh kingdom at Lahore.

01

Shivaji builds a kingdom

Shivaji was born in 1630 at Shivneri. His father was Shahaji and his mother Jijabai. He built a state out of Bijapur's Deccan land with hill forts and light cavalry.

YearEvent
1659Killed Bijapur general Afzal Khan at Pratapgarh
1665Treaty of Purandar with Raja Jai Singh. He gave up 23 forts.
1666Visit to Agra and escape
1674Crowned Chhatrapati at Raigad. Gaga Bhatt led the rituals.

Forts of note: Torna, Rajgad, Sinhagad. Tanaji Malusare fell at Sinhagad. Shivaji also raided Surat and humbled Shaista Khan at Pune.

Revenue used kathi assessment. The army was paid in cash. Two taxes are asked often: chauth (1/4, 25% of revenue) and sardeshmukhi (an extra 10%).

02

Shivaji's Ashtapradhan

PostPortfolio
PeshwaPrime Minister
Amatya (Majumdar)Finance and accounts
Mantri (Waqia-navis)Daily records, the king's diary
Sachiv (Shurunavis)Royal letters
Sumant (Dabir)Foreign affairs
Senapati (Sar-i-Naubat)Army
PanditraoReligious matters
NyayadhishJustice

Tip: Chauth = Chaar ana in a rupee (1/4). Sardeshmukhi is 10%.

03

The Peshwas and the confederacy

  • Balaji Vishwanath was the first Peshwa of the Bhat family (1713).
  • Baji Rao I (1720-40) was the greatest cavalry general. He took Maratha arms to Malwa, Bundelkhand and Delhi's gates.
  • Balaji Baji Rao (Nana Saheb) saw the Third Battle of Panipat (14 January 1761). Ahmad Shah Abdali beat the Marathas under Sadashivrao Bhau.

After that, power lay with the confederacy houses under the Peshwa at Pune.

HouseSeat
ScindiaGwalior
HolkarIndore
GaekwadBaroda
BhonsleNagpur

Three Anglo-Maratha wars followed. The Treaty of Salbai (1782) ended the first. Baji Rao II signed the Treaty of Bassein (1802), a subsidiary alliance, and the second war began. The third war (1817-18) ended Maratha power.

04

The ten Sikh Gurus

#GuruRemember for
1NanakFounder. Born 1469 at Talwandi (Nankana Sahib). One God, langar, honest work.
2AngadStandardised the Gurmukhi script
3Amar DasManji system; strengthened langar
4Ram DasFounded Amritsar (Ramdaspur)
5Arjan DevCompiled the Adi Granth (1604). Built Harmandir Sahib. Executed by Jahangir (1606).
6HargobindAkal Takht; Miri-Piri, the armed saint
7Har Rainone to remember
8Har KrishanYoungest guru
9Tegh BahadurExecuted by Aurangzeb (1675) in Delhi
10Gobind SinghFounded the Khalsa (1699) at Anandpur Sahib on Baisakhi. Declared the Granth the eternal Guru.

Watch: Arjan Dev compiled the Adi Granth. Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa. Arjan died under Jahangir, Tegh Bahadur under Aurangzeb.

05

After the tenth Guru

Banda Bahadur carried on the Khalsa fight and was executed in 1716. Sikh misls (confederacies) followed. Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Sukerchakia misl took Lahore in 1799. He ruled Punjab until 1839 and was called Sher-e-Punjab. The Khalsa's five K's are kesh, kangha, kara, kachchha and kirpan.

06

Question types you will see

Each type: how to recognise it, the method step by step, and one question to try.

Type 1very common4 practice Q

Shivaji: conquests, treaty, coronation, Ashtapradhan

How to spot it:

Words like Afzal Khan, Purandar, Raigad, Chhatrapati, Ashtapradhan or Sumant.

Method

  1. Chain: Pratapgarh 1659, Purandar 1665, Agra 1666, Raigad 1674.

  2. Purandar was with Jai Singh (23 forts).

  3. Ashtapradhan: Peshwa, Senapati, Amatya, Sumant (foreign), Nyayadhish.

Why it works:

The four dates make one story, and each has one place.

Try this

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

Show solution

  1. Shivneri was his birthplace.

  2. Pratapgarh was the Afzal Khan fight and Purandar the treaty.

  3. The coronation was at Raigad.

Answer

(b) Raigad

Type 2very common3 practice Q

Peshwas, confederacy houses and Anglo-Maratha wars

How to spot it:

Words like Balaji Vishwanath, Baji Rao, Scindia, Holkar, Salbai or Bassein.

Method

  1. Peshwa order: Balaji Vishwanath, Baji Rao I, Balaji Baji Rao.

  2. Houses: Scindia-Gwalior, Holkar-Indore, Gaekwad-Baroda, Bhonsle-Nagpur.

  3. Wars: Salbai 1782 ends the first; Bassein 1802 starts the second; 1818 ends the third.

Why it works:

Names, seats and treaties each come as a fixed set.

Try this

Which Maratha confederacy house was based at Gwalior?

Show solution

  1. Holkar was at Indore.

  2. Gaekwad was at Baroda.

  3. Gwalior belonged to the Scindias.

Answer

The Scindias

Type 3very common3 practice Q

Sikh Gurus in order and their landmarks

How to spot it:

"Which Guru..." with words like Gurmukhi, Amritsar, Adi Granth, Miri-Piri or Khalsa.

Method

  1. Recall the list by number.

  2. Nanak-Talwandi, Angad-Gurmukhi, Ram Das-Amritsar, Arjan-Adi Granth, Hargobind-Miri-Piri.

  3. Tegh Bahadur executed 1675; Gobind Singh Khalsa 1699.

Why it works:

Each Guru has one landmark, and the number in the list gives the order.

Try this

Who compiled the Adi Granth, the original Sikh scripture?

Show solution

  1. It was compiled in 1604.

  2. The compiler was the fifth Guru, executed in 1606.

Answer

Guru Arjan Dev

Type 4common2 practice Q

After the tenth Guru: Banda Bahadur to Ranjit Singh

How to spot it:

Words like Banda Bahadur, misl, Sukerchakia, Lahore 1799 or five K's.

Method

  1. Banda Bahadur led the Khalsa after 1708. He was executed in 1716.

  2. Misls were Khalsa confederacies.

  3. Ranjit Singh of the Sukerchakia misl took Lahore in 1799.

Why it works:

The chain Banda, misls, Ranjit Singh follows the tenth Guru in order.

Try this

Maharaja Ranjit Singh belonged to which Sikh misl?

Show solution

  1. He captured Lahore in 1799.

  2. His misl was the Sukerchakia.

Answer

The Sukerchakia misl

Type 5common

Third Battle of Panipat (1761)

How to spot it:

"Third Panipat", "1761", "Sadashivrao Bhau", "Ahmad Shah Abdali".

Method

  1. Date: 14 January 1761.

  2. Winner: Ahmad Shah Abdali. Loser: the Marathas under Sadashivrao Bhau.

  3. The Peshwa at that time was Balaji Baji Rao.

Why it works:

A few names and one date solve every question on this battle.

Try this

In the Third Battle of Panipat (1761), the Marathas were defeated by:

Show solution

  1. Nadir Shah invaded in 1739, so he is wrong.

  2. The winner was Ahmad Shah Abdali.

Answer

Ahmad Shah Abdali

Type 6occasional

Revenue terms and posts of the Marathas

How to spot it:

"Chauth", "Sardeshmukhi", "Sumant", "Amatya", "Nyayadhish".

Method

  1. Chauth is 25%. Sardeshmukhi is an extra 10%.

  2. Peshwa: prime minister. Amatya: finance. Sumant: foreign affairs.

  3. Senapati: army. Nyayadhish: justice.

Why it works:

Each term has one number or one portfolio.

Try this

In the Ashtapradhan, which minister looked after foreign affairs?

Show solution

  1. Peshwa was Prime Minister.

  2. Sumant (Dabir) handled foreign affairs.

Answer

Sumant

07

Shortcuts that save time

⚡ Guru order: Nana Aur Amar Ram Arjun, Har-Har-Har Tegh Gobind

Nanak, Angad, Amar Das, Ram Das, Arjan, then the three Hars (Hargobind, Har Rai, Har Krishan), then Tegh Bahadur, then Gobind Singh.

Example

Who was the ninth Sikh Guru?

Show solution

  1. The three Hars are 6, 7 and 8.

  2. Tegh Bahadur comes next.

Answer

Guru Tegh Bahadur

⚡ Chauth vs Sardeshmukhi

Chauth = Chaar ana in the rupee (1/4). Sardeshmukhi = 10%, the tenth claimed by the hereditary head.

08

Mistakes to avoid

Where most students lose marks on this subtopic.

Mistake 01

Giving the Adi Granth to Guru Gobind Singh.

Guru Arjan Dev compiled it. Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa.

Mistake 02

Saying Jahangir executed Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Jahangir executed Arjan Dev (1606). Aurangzeb executed Tegh Bahadur (1675).

Mistake 03

Naming Nadir Shah as the winner at Third Panipat.

The winner was Ahmad Shah Abdali. Nadir Shah invaded in 1739.

Mistake 04

Mixing chauth and sardeshmukhi.

Chauth is 25%. Sardeshmukhi is an extra 10%.

09

Quick revision

Read this the night before the exam.

  • Shivaji: Pratapgarh 1659, Purandar 1665, Agra escape 1666, crowned at Raigad 1674.

  • Ashtapradhan: Peshwa first of eight. Sumant handles foreign affairs.

  • Peshwas: Balaji Vishwanath, Baji Rao I, Balaji Baji Rao (Panipat 1761). Salbai 1782, Bassein 1802.

  • Houses: Scindia (Gwalior), Holkar (Indore), Gaekwad (Baroda), Bhonsle (Nagpur).

  • Gurus: Nanak (Talwandi), Arjan (Adi Granth, executed 1606), Tegh Bahadur (1675), Gobind (Khalsa 1699).

  • After Gobind: Banda Bahadur (1716), misls, Ranjit Singh (Lahore 1799).

10

Practice: 14 questions

Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Every answer has a step-by-step explanation.

Topic test · 10 questions

Suggested time 4 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.

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