This article is about the imperial title of Chhatrapati. For the Tollywood film, see
Chatrapati (film).
Chhatrapati (Marathi: छत्रपती) is an honorific or an imperial title for an Indian ruler. It is the Indian counterpart of shah, padishah or pasha (which is a shortening of pati kshatra) and also written as kshetra-pati, the lord, ruler of a domain and therefor can be compared with the European count. The European duke (Her+tog=leader of an army) is comparable with the Indian senapati.
It most notably refers to Chhatrapati Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire. Shivaji's royal successors also held the title of Chhatrapati, as did the Maratha Maharajas of Kolhapur and Satara.
For the Maratha empire, the importance of the title Chhatrapati declined over the years, as first the Peshwas (Prime Ministers) and then the karbharis (chatelains of the Peshwas) came to exceed them in effective power.[1]
[edit] Etymology
The term has various other possible derivations:
- From Sanskrit (kshatra, also kshetra [empire/land]+pati [lord/husband]) meaning an emperor
- From Hindi (chatra, also chhatri [umbrella]+pati [lord]) meaning a person worthy of a ceremonial umbrella.
- From Marathi (chatra [roof or umbrella] + Marathi pati [husband]) meaning a king or ruler — Chhatrapati indicates a person who gives shade to his followers and protects their success.
- Another possible derivation of Chhatrapati is "Kshatriya"+"Pati" i.e Leader or Lord of the Kshatriyas or Warriors.
[edit] The Royal House of Chhatrapati Shivaji
- Chhatrapati Shivaji (1630-1680)
- Chhatrapati Sambhaji (1680-1689)
- Chhatrapati Rajaram (1689-1700)
- Tarabai as a regent of Chhatrapati Shivaji II (1700-1708)
- Chhatrapati Shahu (1708-1748)[1]
[edit] The Chhatrapatis of Satara
- Chhatrapati Shahu (1708-1748)
- Chhatrapati Ramraja (1749-1777)
- Chhatrapti Shahu II (1777-1808)
- Chhatrapati Pratapsingh (1808-1839)
- Chhatrpati Shahaji (1839-1848)[1]
- Chhatrapati Shivaji - www.chhatrapatishivaji.com (Memorables of the Great Maratha King, State of Maharashtra, India)
[edit] The Chhatrapatis of Kolhapur
- Tarabai as a regent of Chhatrapati Shivaji II (1700-1708)
- Chhatrapati Shivaji II (1700-1712)
- Chhatrapati Sambhaji II (1712-1760)
- Chhatrapati Shivaji III (1760-1812)
- Chhatrapati Shambhu (1812-1821)
- Chhatrapati Shahaji (1821-1838)
- Chhatrapati Shivaji IV (1838-1866)
- Chhatrapati Rajaram II (1866-1870)
- Chhatrapati Shivaji V (1870-1883)
- Chhatrapati Shahu IV (1883- May 6, 1922)
- Chhatrapati Rajaram III (May 21, 1922- November 26, 1940)
- Chhatrapati Shivaji VI (1942-September 28, 1946)[1]
[edit] See also
- ^ a b c Maheshwari, K.K. & K.W. Wiggins (1989). Maratha Mints and Coinage, Nashik: Indian Institute of Research in Numismatic Studies, pp.205-6
[edit] References
- ^ V.S. Kadam, 1993. Maratha Confederacy: A Study in its Origin and Development. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, New Delhi.
- D.B. Kasar, Rigveda to Rajgarh - Making of Shivaji the Great. Manudevi Prakashan, Mumbai.
