Question 15 of 17intermediate💡 UnderstandLong Answer5 marks

The chapter describes how forts were 'the core of the state' for Marathas. Why were they so important? How did they help the Marathas survive against larger enemies?

Correct Answer

Forts were considered the core of the Maratha state for several strategic reasons.

Ramachandrapant Amatya, Shivaji's finance minister, explained in his work Ādnyāpatra that 'in their absence, the land gets devastated in the face of an invasion' and that the Maratha kingdom 'was created by the late great master [Shivaji] from forts alone.'

Forts helped the Marathas survive against larger enemies in multiple ways. They provided secure bases for guerrilla warfare, allowing Maratha forces to launch surprise attacks and retreat to safety, as demonstrated when Shivaji's forces hidden in the mountains routed Afzal Khan's army.

They strategically controlled important routes and sheltered the army. They also enabled the Marathas to withstand prolonged sieges and resist larger armies.

Even when Aurangzeb invaded and conquered great empires like Bijapur and Golconda, 'it was due to forts that the [Maratha] state survived despite decades of onslaught.'

Shivaji controlled and built a considerable number of forts, and this network remained the foundation of Maratha power, allowing them to survive and eventually expand even when facing the mighty Mughal Empire.

Exercise: Questions and activities | Q: 6 | (Page Page 22)
For More Understanding

Explanation

The chapter quotes Ramachandrapant Amatya's Ādnyāpatra extensively on the importance of forts. It explains that forts were essential for controlling important routes, sheltering armies, and enabling guerrilla warfare. The chapter emphasises that forts allowed the Maratha state to survive decades of Mughal onslaught even when other great empires like Bijapur and Golconda had fallen.

Solution Steps

  1. Forts were considered the core of the Maratha state for strategic reasons

  2. Ramachandrapant Amatya's Ādnyāpatra explained that forts were essential for protecting the land from invasion

  3. Forts provided secure bases for guerrilla warfare, enabling surprise attacks and safe retreat

  4. Forts strategically controlled important routes and sheltered the army

  5. Forts enabled the Marathas to withstand prolonged sieges and resist larger armies

  6. Forts helped the Maratha state survive Mughal onslaught when other empires like Bijapur and Golconda fell

  7. Shivaji's network of forts remained the foundation of Maratha power against the Mughal Empire

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