[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) › c7.3 # The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c7.3 The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c7.3 - **Language:** English ### [c7.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sen-1928.c7.3) Sambhaji has been blamed for undoing his father’s work, but for the revival of feudalism he was not responsible. He was a good soldier but he did not possess his father’s statesmanship, vision and idealism. With his troops he was immensely popular and although his personal example was hardly calculated to improve discipline, he did nothing to encourage hereditary appointments in the army. His financial difficulties were great and punctual payment was impossible. This led him to relax the military code of his father; and spoils of war which in Shivaji’s time had formed the property of the State were now left entirely to the army. This no doubt impaired discipline, but Sambhaji went no further. He did not try to solve his financial difficulties by creating fiefs in favour of his military officers, and the inspiration which he failed to give during his lifetime he supplied by his death. For though he lived a rake, he died a martyr and for a time at least his demoralised followers were fired with a religious enthusiasm that Sambhaji’s death had kindled. - [Previous: c7.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sen-1928.c7.2) - [Next: c7.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sen-1928.c7.4) - [Up: c7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sen-1928.c7) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sen-1928.c7.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sen-1928.c7.3) · Pramāṇa