Maratha Navy

Maratha Navy
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Name	Maratha Navy
Founded	circa 17th century
Dissolved	1818
Country	Maratha Empire
Allegiance	Chhatrapati Shivaji
Headquarters	Raigad Fort, Suvarnadurg
Notable commanders	Kanhoji Angre, Chhatrapati Shivaji, Sambhaji, Chhatrapati Rajaram, Yesaji Kank, Sakharam Bapu Bokil
Battles	Battle of Pratapgad, Battle of Vijaydurg (1756), Siege of Janjira, Angre-Nizam conflicts, Angre-Pindari clashes

Maratha Navy The Maratha Navy emerged in the 17th century as a maritime force of the Maratha Empire centered in the western Indian coastal regions. It developed under the patronage of leaders associated with Chhatrapati Shivaji and later commanders such as Kanhoji Angre, projecting power across the Konkan coast, Arabian Sea, and into the Bombay Presidency littoral. The navy combined indigenous shipbuilding traditions, coastal fortifications, and asymmetric tactics to challenge the Portuguese Empire, British East India Company, Dutch East India Company, and Siddis of Janjira.

Origins and Early Development

The origins trace to coastal polities around Sundarvan, Ratnagiri, Trombay, and Kalyan where maritime activities linked to Gujarati merchants, Malabar trade, and Persian Gulf commerce intersected. Early development drew on interactions with Portuguese India, Dutch Republic, and Omani Empire seafaring, influenced by ship designs from Kozhikode, Calicut, and Vasai. Under patrons like Chhatrapati Shivaji and administrators such as Yesaji Kank, the naval institution formalized training, logistics, and bases at Suvarnadurg, Vijaydurg, and Rajapur to contest control of trade routes contested by English East India Company and French East India Company.

Organization and Command Structure

Command integrated hereditary maritime families, local sardars, and imperial appointees under titles linked to the Ashta Pradhan system and regional chieftains of Kolhapur and Satara. Prominent commanders such as Kanhoji Angre exercised semi-autonomous authority while maintaining allegiance to the Bhonsle crown of Raigad Fort and later successors at Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa’s courts. Administrative linkages involved revenue collectors from Koli communities, officials stationed at Salsette, Bassein, and liaison with the Peshwa, Sambhaji, and royal arsenals at Raigad. Naval ranks corresponded to operational commands in flotillas based at Suvarnadurg, Vijaydurg, and Padmadurg.

Ships, Shipbuilding, and Naval Technology

Shipbuilding relied on the timber resources of Sahyadri, traditional craftsmanship from Malabar and Konkan yards, and technological exchange with Portuguese sailors, Dutch shipwrights, and Omani mariners. Construction produced grab, ghurab, galbat, pal, and gallivat types adapted for coastal warfare and rapid boarding actions; larger vessels incorporated features influenced by frigate designs encountered from the Royal Navy and Compagnies. Artillery outfitting used cast and iron guns sourced via trade with Bombay, Surat, and Masulipatnam arsenals; ammunition and powder were stored in depots at Vijaydurg and Suvarnadurg. Navigation employed coastal pilotage traditions linked to Koli sailors, astrolabes and charts introduced through contact with Arab navigators and European charting from Thomas Pitt-era maps in Bombay Castle.

Major Engagements and Campaigns

The navy engaged in protracted conflict with the Portuguese Empire over ports such as Vasai and Daman, and fought notable encounters against the British East India Company and Dutch East India Company for control of shipping lanes near Konkana and Colaba. Campaigns under Kanhoji Angre included raids on Company convoys, blockades of Surat-bound shipping, and sieges of forts such as Janjira held by the Siddi dynasty. The force participated in alliances and clashes with Maratha polity actors during the Angre-Moghuls engagements and later during the fractious period involving the Peshwas, Scindia, and Holkar which intersected with the Second Anglo-Maratha War and skirmishes around Bombay Presidency harbors.

Administration, Logistics, and Coastal Fortifications

Administrative systems integrated revenue from maritime customs, fishing communities, and grants from the Maratha Empire treasury administered via agents in Raigad and Satara. Logistics depended on supply chains through Surat, Bombay, and Vijaydurg for provisions, ropes, and ordnance; shipyards at Revdanda, Karanja, and Panas served as repair hubs. Coastal fortifications such as Suvarnadurg, Vijaydurg, Padmadurg, Khanderi and Siddhagad functioned as naval bastions, supporting coastal batteries, magazines, and watchposts coordinated with local Koli and Bhandari communities. Diplomatic instruments included maritime treaties with Oman and episodic truces with Portuguese India mediated through envoys from Pune and Raigad Fort courts.

Decline and Legacy

The decline accelerated in the late 18th and early 19th centuries due to sustained pressure from the British East India Company, internal Maratha political fragmentation involving Peshwa Baji Rao II, and technological shifts favoring steam and European naval organization post-Anglo-Maratha Wars. Final suppression followed sieges and annexations culminating in 1818 and incorporation of coastal assets into the Bombay Presidency. Legacy persists in the maritime culture of Konkan, the preservation of forts like Vijaydurg and Suvarnadurg, historiography by scholars in Bombay, Poona, and archives in National Archives of India, and cultural memory among Koli and Bhandari communities. The naval traditions influenced later Indian maritime policy debates in Calcutta and Madras and continue to be commemorated in museums and local heritage projects in Ratnagiri and Raigad District.

Category:Navies of India Category:Maratha Empire