[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sen-1928) › c4.4 # The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c4.4 The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c4.4 - **Language:** English ### [c4.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sen-1928.c4.4) Social reformers have attributed the misfortunes of the Marathas to their caste dissensions. Yet the Maratha empire came into being under the shadow of the caste system, it expanded and flourished while that system was in full operation. Shivaji, a Maratha, recruited his highest officers from the Brahman caste; the two greatest generals employed by the Brahman Peshwa in Northern India were both Marathas; Yamaji Shivdev, a Brahman, once intrigued against the Brahman Peshwa; the pretender Sadoba found an ardent supporter in the Chitpavan governor of Ratnagiri, while Jaswant Rao Holkar, a Maratha (more accurately a Dhangar), fought against Daulat Rao Sindhia, another Maratha. Govind Pant Bundele, a Karhada Brahman, complained that there was none in the Brahman Peshwa’s court to recommend his devoted services as he was only a Brahman servant of His Highness. The caste system has been responsible for many evils in India but for the real cause of the downfall of the Marathas we must look elsewhere. - [Previous: c4.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sen-1928.c4.3) - [Next: c4.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sen-1928.c4.5) - [Up: c4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sen-1928.c4) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sen-1928.c4.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sen-1928.c4.4) · Pramāṇa