Maratha titles explained

The following list includes a brief about the titles of nobility or orders of chivalry used by the Marathas of India and by the Marathis/Konkanis in general.

Titles used by the Maratha Royals

The titles used by royalty, aristocracy and nobility of the Maratha Empire

Chhatrapati is an Indian royal title most equivalent to a King or an Emperor. It means the 'Lord of the Parasol'[1] and is a title conferred upon the founder of Maratha Empire, Chhatrapati Shivaji. The title is also used by Shivaji's descendants.

The English equivalent of Maharaj is great king. It is a title first conferred upon Chhatrapati Shivaji's father Shahaji Raje Bhosale.

The English equivalent of Maharani is great queen. It is a title first used by Tarabai, as regent of marathas empire .

The English equivalent of Raje is Your Majesty. It is a title first conferred upon Chhatrapati Shivaji's grandfather Maloji Raje Bhosale

It means 'The Head of the Kshatriya varna' and was a title first given to Chhatrapati Shivaji at the time of his coronation[2]

It is a word of Persian origin and means 'Foremost' or 'the first minister'[3] or 'Premier' (or Prime Minister). It was a title given to the prime ministers of the Maratha Empire

An honor given by Chhattrapati or Peshwa to extraordinary warriors who were brave in the battlefield. Famous people who got the title were Prataprao gujar, Mallasarja Desai etc.[5] [6]

See also: Khando Ballal. (Chitnis)

It means the Commander of the armies of the state (Maratha Army). It is a designation created by Rajaram I.

It means the Head of the Amirs and was a title conferred upon Shrimant Maharaja Mahadaji Shinde (Scindia) by the Mughals, since he helped the Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II, ascend the throne of Delhi.[13]

It is a title used by the most senior Mahratta nobles,[14] for example Shrimant 'Sardar' Ranoji Rao Scindia Bahadur, Subedar of Malwa

Mānkari (Maankari) is a hereditary title used by Maratha nobles who held land grants, and cash allowances.[15] They were entitled to certain ceremonial honours and held an official position at the Darbar (court).[16] [17] [18]

'Sawai' in Marathi means 'a notch above the rest'. For example, it was a title conferred upon His Highness Shrimant Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa aka Madhu Rao II Narayan

It is a title used by the Nawabs of Banda (a vassal of Maratha polity), such as the Nawab of Banda, Ali Bahadur, the grandson of Shreemant Bajirao I[19]

It was a title given to feudal lords, and others who were granted a village or group of villages in Maharashtra, and North Karnataka. The title Desai should not be associated with a particular religion or caste, though a Desai would use the title of Rao or Rai or Raje as a suffix to his name denoting he is a king of those villages, The "Desai" title was given by Maratha emperors, Mughal emperors and by the Deccan sultanates.[20] In Maharashtra, the title Desai is conferred to feudal lords and village council members. Most of them were either Gaud Saraswat Brahmins, Deshastha Brahmins,[21] Karhade Brahmins, Lingayat Vani and Maratha (caste).[22] [23] [24] Desais were the rulers of Kudal (Sindhudurg) in Maharashtra.[25] [26] [27] Desai, or a loftier compound, was a rare title for rulers of a few princely states, notably - Raja Sar Desai in the Maratha Savantvadi State from 1627 until the adoption of "Raja Bahadur" in 1763.

Titles given by the Portuguese

A title A title equivalent to Viscount created by the Portuguese Empire in India and was conferred upon the Deshprabhu family of Pernem .[28] and Roman Catholic Brahmin freedom fighter Inacio Carvalho who supported the Rane family[29]

A title equivalent to Baron created by the Portuguese Empire in India and was conferred upon the Dempo family and Kenkre family of Goa .[30]

It is a title created by the Portuguese and is a part of the Portuguese nobility. For example, it was bestowed upon the Goan Pinto family who led the Conspiracy of the Pintos which was the first organized revolt against Portuguese rule and then fought in the Maratha Empire army[31] and Brganca family for the grandfather of anti colonial activist Luís de Menezes Bragança.

Titles given by the British

It is a title created by the British Empire in India and was conferred upon Indian nobles. For example, it was bestowed upon His Highness Khanderao Gaekwad of Baroda and Asaf Jah VI His Highness Mir Mahbub Ali Khan[32]

It is a title created by the British and is a part of The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. For example, it was bestowed upon His Highness Colonel Sir Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj G.C.I.E, G.C.S.I, G.C.V.O Maharaja of Kolhapur[33]

It is a title created by the British and is a part of The Royal Victorian Order. For example, it was bestowed upon His Highness Colonel Sir Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj G.C.I.E, G.C.S.I, G.C.V.O Maharaja of Kolhapur[33]

It was first instituted by Queen Victoria on 10 April 1900 and is literally translated to mean 'Emperor of India'.[34] For example, it was conferred upon His Highness Sayajirao Gaekwad III, the Maratha Maharaja of Baroda

It is the most honourable Order of the Bath and is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. For example, it was conferred upon General His Highness Maharajadhiraj Maharaja Shrimant Sir Jayajirao Scindia Bahadur, Maharaja Scindia of Gwalior, GCB, GCSI, CIE, KIH

Other titles

It is an honorary title used by men as a suffix to their first name, example Malhar Rao Holkar, the prince of Indore

Shett/Sheth is a name given to the Daivajnas of Konkani origin residing on the west coast of India. For example, the Saldanha-Shet family is one of the well known Konkani Catholic families from Mangalore.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Alain Daniélou. A Brief History of India. registration. 11 February 2003. Inner Traditions / Bear & Co. 978-1-59477-794-3. 257–.
  2. Web site: The Fascinating Life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj!. www.culturalindia.net.
  3. Book: Temple, Sir Richard Carnac. Sivaji and the rise of the mahrattas. 1953-01-01. Susil Gupta. en.
  4. Book: Hobson-Jobson: The Definitive Glossary of British India. Yule. Henry. Burnell. A. C.. Teltscher. Kate. 2013-06-13. OUP Oxford. 9780199601134. en.
  5. Book: Pradhan, Gautam . Lord of Royal Umbrella - Shivaji Trilogy Book II . 2019-12-13 . One Point Six Technology Pvt Ltd . 978-93-88942-77-5 . en.
  6. Book: Naikar, Basavaraj . The Queen of Kittur: A Historical Novel . 2016-10-17 . Partridge Publishing . 978-1-4828-8619-1 . en.
  7. Book: Sardesai. HS. Shivaji, the Great Maratha, Volume 3. 2002. Cosmo Publications. 649. 9788177552874.
  8. Web site: The COININDIA Coin Galleries: Baroda.
  9. Book: Singh, Ravindra Pratap. Geography and Politics in Central India: A Case Study of Erstwhile Indore State. 1987-01-01. Concept Publishing Company. 9788170220251. en.
  10. Book: Sir Roper Lethbridge. The Golden Book of India: A Genealogical and Biographical Dictionary of the Ruling Princes, Chiefs, Nobles, and Other Personages, Titled Or Decorated of the Indian Empire. 2005. Aakar Books. 978-81-87879-54-1. 22.
  11. Book: Social Science. 2006-01-01. FK Publications. 9788179730423. en.
  12. Book: Kapoor, Subodh. The Indian Encyclopaedia: Biographical, Historical, Religious, Administrative, Ethnological, Commercial and Scientific. 2002-01-01. Cosmo Publications. 9788177552577. en.
  13. Book: Farooqui Salma Ahmed. A Comprehensive History of Medieval India: From Twelfth to the Mid-Eighteenth Century. 2011. Pearson Education India. 978-81-317-3202-1. 334.
  14. Book: The Guru in South Asia: New Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Copeman. Jacob. Ikegame. Aya. 2012-01-01. Routledge. 9780415510196. en.
  15. Book: Central India. The Central India State Gazetteer Series. 1908. Thacker, Spink.
  16. Book: T. N. Madan. Way of Life: King, Householder, Renouncer : Essays in Honour of Louis Dumont. 1988. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. 978-81-208-0527-9. 129.
  17. Book: Rosalind O'Hanlon. Caste, Conflict and Ideology: Mahatma Jotirao Phule and Low Caste Protest in Nineteenth-Century Western India. 2002. Cambridge University Press. 978-0-521-52308-0. 45.
  18. Book: Balkrishna Govind Gokhale. Poona in the eighteenth century: an urban history. 1988. Oxford University Press. 9780195621372.
  19. Book: Sarkar, Jadunath. Fall of the Mughal Empire. 1992-01-01. Sangam. 9780861317493. en.
  20. Book: Raj Kumar . 2003 . Essays on Modern India . Discovery Publishing House . 73. 9788171416905 .
  21. Book: Syed Siraj ul Hassan. The Castes and Tribes of H.E.H. the Nizam's Dominions, Volume 1. Asian Educational Services. 1989. 111. 9788120604889.
  22. Book: The Chitpavans: Social Ascendancy of a Creative Minority in Maharashtra, 1818-1918. 28. Sandhya Gokhale. Shubhi Publications. 2008. 9788182901322. Hereditary rights of Karhades were those of Desai, district officer, or Deshmukh, and Sardesai, senior district officer..
  23. Book: V. D. Divekar. South India in 1857 War of Independence. Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust. 1993. 148.
  24. Book: Naikar, Basavaraj . The Queen of Kittur: A Historical Novel . 2016-10-17 . Partridge Publishing . 978-1-4828-8619-1 . en.
  25. Web site: SAWANTS OF WADI Coastal Politics in 18th and 19th Centuries . 1984 . S. K. Mhamai.
  26. Web site: Anthropological Society of Bombay . 1909 . Anthropological Society of Bombay.
  27. Web site: Numismatic Digest . 1997 . Numismatic Digest.
  28. News: Deshprabhu . Visconde . Palace of Pernem . Times of India . 21 September 2014 . Times of India.
  29. Web site: Carvalho helps Rane .
  30. Web site: In Public Interest .
  31. Web site: The Pinto rebellion remembered .
  32. Web site: Picturing the 'Beloved'. 18 August 2016.
  33. Book: Rajarshi Shahu Chhatrapati papers. 1997.
  34. http://www.britishmilitarymedals.co.uk/kaiser-i-hind-medal/ British Military Medals. Kaiser-i-Hind medal
  35. Book: Maratha Generals and Personalities: A gist of great personalities of Marathas . 2014-08-01 . Pratik gupta . en.
    • Saheb: It is an honorary title used by men as a suffix to their first name, example AnnaSaheb Magar, a politician in Maharashtra
    • Bai: It is an honorary title used by women as a suffix to their first name, example Rani Laxmibai, the Queen of Jhansi
    • Devi: It is an honorary title used by women as a suffix to their first name.
  37. Book: Sawhney, Clifford. Strange But True Facts. 2004-12-01. Pustak Mahal. 9788122308396. en.

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