Shivaji Bhonsle (1630–1680) was the founder of the Maratha kingdom in western India. He is remembered for building an independent sovereign state called Swarajya — meaning self-rule — free from Mughal and sultanate domination. Swarajya was not only political independence but also cultural and economic self-governance, rooted in Marathi identity and Hindu traditions. Shivaji was crowned Chhatrapati at Raigad fort in 1674. NCERT Class 8 Chapter 3 studies him as a key figure of 17th-century Indian history.

Guerrilla warfare is a military tactic that uses small, mobile groups relying on speed, surprise, and knowledge of local terrain to defeat larger, slower armies. Shivaji mastered this strategy against the Mughals and the Bijapur sultanate. He used the hilly Western Ghats and a network of forts to strike swiftly at supply lines, raid enemy camps, and retreat before large armies could respond. This approach allowed his relatively small forces to defeat powerful empires and establish Swarajya.

The Ashtapradhan Mandala was Shivaji's council of eight ministers who assisted in the administration of Swarajya. It included the Peshwa (Prime Minister), Amatya (Finance), Sachiv (Secretary, land revenue), Mantri (Record-keeper), Senapati (Commander-in-chief), Sumant (Foreign Affairs), Nyayadhish (Chief Justice), and Panditrao (Religious and Charitable affairs). Each minister had clear, specialised responsibilities, making Shivaji's government unusually efficient for its time. NCERT Class 8 Chapter 3 uses it as a model of early modern Indian administration.

Chauth was a tax of 25 percent levied by the Marathas on provinces that were not directly under their rule, in exchange for protection and non-interference in local governance. Sardeshmukhi was an additional 10 percent tax claimed by the Marathas as the hereditary revenue right of the chief (sardeshmukh) of the region. Together, chauth and sardeshmukhi gave the Marathas a large income without needing to directly administer those territories. They were central to Maratha financial and military strategy.

The Peshwas were originally the prime ministers of the Maratha state, holding office under the Chhatrapati. Over time — especially under Balaji Vishwanath and his son Bajirao I in the early 18th century — the Peshwas became the real centre of power, while the Chhatrapati's role became more symbolic. Under Bajirao I the Maratha empire expanded dramatically across central and north India. NCERT Class 8 Chapter 3 traces this shift from royal to ministerial leadership as a key phase of Maratha history.

Shivaji's coronation as Chhatrapati at Raigad fort in 1674 was a landmark event because it formally established Swarajya as a sovereign Hindu kingdom independent of Mughal authority. The coronation, performed with Vedic rites, signalled the revival of traditional kingship and gave legitimacy to the new Maratha state across India. It also set a precedent — the title Chhatrapati was used by Shivaji's successors. NCERT Class 8 Chapter 3 marks it as the formal birth of the Maratha empire.