Administrative System of the Marathas c27.s9.1

c27.s9.1

For their military organisation the Marathas were more directly indebted to the Muham-madans than for their Revenue system. The Revenue principles were mostly Hindu in origin, but the Maratha military regulations were directly inspired by the practice in the Muham-madan armies. After the foundation of the Bahmani kingdom, the Marathas enlisted in large numbers in the Pathan army and during the Nizam and Adil Shahi regime they rose to very great prominence. High ranks and rich jagirs were willingly conferred on competent Maratha generals by their Muslim masters, and it is no wonder that they completely assimilated the military tactics of the Muslim rulers of South India. Having once formed a component part of the Ahmadnagar and Bijapur forces, Shivaji's early followers were naturally familiar with the Muhammadan military organisation. In fact Shivaji often enlisted deserters from his enemy's army. But it should be remembered that the genius of Shivaji warned him against a slavish imitation. While therefore the organisation of Shivaji's forces had been largely influenced by the uncommon genius of their great leader, the Peshwa army in its organisation differed but little from that of their Mughal foes. While Shivaji's generals held their office at the King's good will and got no jagir for maintaining their forces, the Peshwas had, to the detriment of the solidarity of their empire, introduced the military jagir system and granted Saranjams to their generals in imitation of the Mughals. Like the Mughals again they exaggerated the value of cavalry and suffered their infantry to deteriorate. Foreign critics like Tone observes that the Marathas had no infantry worth the name. And by giving preference to foreigners, the Peshwas and their officers deprived their army of that national spirit which formed the strongest characteristic of Shivaji's followers. But while differing in the fundamental principle underlying his military organisation, Shivaji had yet to retain many Muhammadan practices in his army administration. He recognised the distinction between Shiledars and Bargirs as the Peshwas did after him. In his method of enlistment and payment he followed his Muhammadan predecessors. He honoured his men and officers for distinguished services in the battle field almost in the same manner as the Muslim Sultans and Emperors. Even his tactics, which made the Maratha horseman famous in the military annals of India, were not unknown to the Muslim generals. Malik Ambar had employed the same tactics against the Mughal invaders of Ahmadnagar, and the Bijapur officers on more than one occasion had found the same tactics equally useful against their heavily armed and armoured enemies.