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{{short description|Indian royal title}}
{{Short description|Indian royal title}}
{{about|the imperial title of Chhatrapati|the Telugu film|Chhatrapati (2005 film)}}
{{About|the title of the Maratha head of state|the Telugu film|Chatrapathi (2005 film)}}
'''Chhatrapati''' is a royal title from the [[Indian subcontinent]] that was mainly used by the [[Maratha Empire|Marathas]]. It is often taken to be the equivalent of [[emperor]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2021|reason=Your explanation here}} The word ‘Chhatrapati’ is a [[Sanskrit]] language compound word ([[tatpurusha]] in [[Sanskrit]]) of ''[[Chatra (umbrella)|chhatra]]'' (''parasol'' or ''umbrella'') and ''pati'' (''master/lord/ruler'')<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Fairey|first1=Jack|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IlFuDwAAQBAJ&q=Chhatrapati+%22parasol%22+Maratha&pg=PA160|title=Empire in Asia: A New Global History: From Chinggisid to Qing|last2=Farrell|first2=Brian P.|date=2018-06-28|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-1-4725-9123-4|language=en}}</ref> which is considered as a symbolic representation of the protector of people. The [[parasol]] was considered a symbol of absolute, or even universal, sovereignty and consecrated kingship, and has been used by monarchies outside of the Indian subcontinent, as well.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}} The title indicates a person who is a sovereign ruler over other [[Prince|princes]], and not a [[vassal]]. In contrast, the [[India]]n titles of ''[[Maharaja]]'' or ''[[Raja]]'', ''[[Yuvraj]]'', ''Rajkumar'' or ''[[Kumar]]'', and ''[[Senapati]]'', reflect a range of [[Europe]]an equivalent meanings, from [[King]], [[Crown Prince]], and [[Prince]], to [[Duke]], [[Count]], or [[Lord]]. [[Shivaji]] adopted 'Chhatrapati' since other titles were bestowed by other lieges and [[paramount ruler]]s, like the [[Adil Shahi dynasty|Adilshahis]] or [[Mughal Empire|Mughals]].{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}
{{Cleanup rewrite|date=May 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2024}}
'''Chhatrapati''' is a [[royal title]] from [[Sanskrit]] used to denote a king. The word "Chhatrapati" is a [[Sanskrit]] language compound word of ''[[Chatra (umbrella)|chhatra]]'' (''[[parasol]]'' or ''[[umbrella]]'') and ''[[Pati (title)|pati]]'' (''master/[[lord]]/ruler'').<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Fairey|first1=Jack|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IlFuDwAAQBAJ&q=Chhatrapati+%22parasol%22+Maratha&pg=PA160|title=Empire in Asia: A New Global History: From Chinggisid to Qing|last2=Farrell|first2=Brian P.|date=2018-06-28|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-1-4725-9123-4|language=en}}</ref>


==House of Bhosle==
== Usage examples ==
[[File:Shivaji's equestrian statue at Pune.jpg|thumb|250px|Shivaji's equestrian statue at [[Pune]].]]
The following list provides details the Chhatrapati of the [[Bhosle|House of Bhosle]]. The title "Chhatrapati" was created by [[Shivaji]] upon his coronation which means a protector than merely using the term "Raja" or "Maharaja" meaning just a "king", and this was held by his immediate successors, namely [[Sambhaji]], [[Rajaram I|Rajaram]], and [[Chhatrapati Shahu|Shahu]].{{cn|date=February 2021}} The term is a symbolic representation of what he meant to the Maratha Empire as he protected them from outside forces of Mughals and British. After the death of [[Chhatrapati Shahu]], however, the increasing power of the [[Maratha Peshwa and Generals from Bhat Family|Peshwa]]s and later Maratha generals reduced his successors to a nominal position. The rulers of [[Satara State|Satara]] were generally considered the inheritors of the title, although the [[Kolhapur State|Rajas of Kohlapur]] did have a claim by descent, as their position began as a subsidiary title of [[Shivaji II]] due to location of his court. His mother, the Regent [[Tarabai]], established a rival regime in [[Kolhapur]], challenging the power of [[Chattrapati Shahu|Shahu]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Textbook of medieval Indian history.|last=Sailendra.|first=Sen|date=2013-01-01|publisher=Primus Books|isbn=9789380607344|oclc=822894456}}</ref>


{| style="width:100%;" class="wikitable"
''Sangita Raga-Kalpa-druma'' (1842) by Krishnananda Vyasa contains [[dhrupad]] lyrics in which [[Tansen]] addresses Man Singh Tomar ({{r.c.}} 1486-1516), the ruler of [[Tomaras of Gwalior|Gwalior]], as a Chhatrapati: "छत्रपति मान राजा, तुम चिरंजीव रहौ जौलो ध्रुव मेरू तारो".<ref>{{cite book | last=द्विवेदी | first=राधेश्याम | title=हिन्दी भाषा और साहित्य में ग्वालियर क्षेत्र का योगदान | publisher=Kailāśa Pustaka Sadana | date=1972 |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/%25E0%25A4%25B9%25E0%25A4%25BF%25E0%25A4%25A8%25E0%25A5%258D%25E0%25A4%25A6%25E0%25A5%2580_%25E0%25A4%25AD%25E0%25A4%25BE%25E0%25A4%25B7%25E0%25A4%25BE_%25E0%25A4%2594%25E0%25A4%25B0.html?id=pIkRAAAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y | language=hi | access-date=8 March 2026 | page=86}}</ref>
!  style="width:8%;"| Portrait
!  style="width:12%;"| Chhatrapati
!  style="width:9%;"| Birth
!  style="width:20%;"| Reign
!  style="width:13%;"| Death
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|[[File:Shivaji British Museum.jpg|80px]]
| style="text-align:center;"|''[[Shivaji]]''
| style="text-align:center;"|c.19 February 1630<ref>{{cite book | editor=Indu Ramchandani | title=Student's Britannica: India (Set of 7 Vols.) 39 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DPP7O3nb3g0C&pg=PA8 | year=2000 | publisher=Popular Prakashan | isbn=978-0-85229-760-5 | page=8 }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|1674 - 1680
| style="text-align:center;"|3 April 1680
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|[[File:Maharaja Sambhajiraje, late 17th century.png|80px]]
| style="text-align:center;"|''[[Sambhaji]]''
| style="text-align:center;"|14 May 1657
| style="text-align:center;"|20 July 1680 - 11 March 1689
| style="text-align:center;"|11 March 1689
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|[[File:Chhatrapati Rajaram.jpg|80px]]
| style="text-align:center;"|''[[Rajaram I]]''
| style="text-align:center;"|24 February 1670
| style="text-align:center;"|1689 – 1700
| style="text-align:center;"|3 March 1700
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"|''[[Shivaji II]]''
| style="text-align:center;"|9 June 1696
| style="text-align:center;"|1700 – 1708
| style="text-align:center;"|14 March 1726
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|[[File:Copy of Shahu (3).jpg|80px]]
| style="text-align:center;"|''[[Shahu I]]''
| style="text-align:center;"|18 May 1682
| style="text-align:center;"|1708 – 1748
| style="text-align:center;"|15 December 1749
|-
|}


===Chhatrapatis of Satara===
The 1644 CE [[Rajsitapur]] inscription, issued by Amarasimha I of [[Kingdom of Jhalavad|Jhalavad]], uses the epithet ''Chhatrapati'' for the [[Mughal dynasty|Mughal]] emperor [[Shahjahan]].<ref>{{cite book | last=Diskalkar | first=Dattatraya Balkrishna | title=Inscriptions of Kathiawad | publisher=Karnarak publishing house | date=1941 | url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.54106/page/n151/mode/1up | access-date=9 March 2026 | page=345 |quote=The epithet छत्रपति used with Shahajehan in this inscription deserves to be noted.}}</ref>
The following is the list of the Chhatrapatis of [[Satara State|Satara]].<ref name="a">Maheshwari, K.K. & K.W. Wiggins (1989). ''Maratha Mints and Coinage'', Nashik: Indian Institute of Research in Numismatic Studies, pp.205–6</ref> After 1848 they became pensioners of the [[East India Company]].
#[[Chhatrapati Shahu|Shahu]] (1708–1748)
#[[Rajaram II of Satara]] (1749–1777) - Grandson of [[Rajaram I]] and his wife, [[Tarabai]].  
#[[Shahu II of Satara]] (1777–1808)
#[[Raja Pratap Singh, Raja of Satara|Pratapsingh]] (1808–1839)
#[[Raja Shahaji of Satara|Shahaji of Satara]] (1839–1848)
#[[Pratapsinh]] Raje (1865-1874)
#Rajaram III (1874-1904)
#Pratapsinh Raje-II (1914-1925)
#Shahu III of Satara (1925-1960)
#Pratapsinhraje (1960-1971)


===Rajas of Kolhapur===
The [[Maratha Empire|Maratha]] ruler [[Shivaji]] adopted the title Chhatrapati at the time of his coronation in 1674.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Shashikant Govind Dhopate |title=An Early Half-hon of Shivaji |editor1=Parmeshwari Lal Gupta |editor2=Ajay Mitra Shastri |journal=Numismatic Digest |volume=14 |publisher=Indian Institute of Research in Numismatic Studies |year=1990 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Numismatic_Digest/3lFmAAAAMAAJ |pages=55-56 }}</ref> His descendants - the members of the [[House of Bhonsle]] - also used the title, as the rulers of the Maratha Confederacy and the princely states of [[Satara state|Satara]] and [[Kolhapur State|Kolhapur]].
[[File:Genealogy of Kolhapur Maharajas.jpg|thumb|Genealogy of Kolhapur Chhatrapatis]]
The following is the list of the claimants from [[Kolhapur State|Kolhapur]]:<ref name="a"/>
#[[Tarabai]] as a regent of Shivaji II (1700–1708)
#[[Shivaji II]] (1700–1712) - son of [[Rajaram I]] and his senior wife, Tarabai.
#[[Sambhaji II]] (1712–1760) - son of [[Rajaram I]] and his junior wife, Rajasbai.
#[[Shivaji III]] (1760–1812)
#[[Sambhaji III]] (1812–1821)
#[[Shivaji IV]] (1821-1822)
#[[Shahaji of Kolhapur|Shahaji I]] (1822–1838)
#[[Shivaji V]] (1838–1866)
#[[Rajaram II of Satara|Rajaram II]] (1866–1870)
#[[Shivaji VI]] (1871–1883)
#[[Shahu of Kolhapur|Shahu I]], also known as Rajarshi Shahu (1874–1922) (adopted from the ruling Ghatge family of [[Kagal]])
#[[Rajaram III]] (1922–1940)
#[[Shivaji VII]] (1941–1946)
#[[Shahaji II]] (1947-1949)


==See also==
==See also==
* [[List of Maratha rulers]]
* [[House of Bhonsle]]
* [[Maratha Empire]]
* [[Maratha]]
* [[Maratha]]
* [[Maratha titles]]
* [[Maratha titles]]
Line 85: Line 25:


==References==
==References==
* {{note|1}} V.S. Kadam, 1993. ''Maratha Confederacy: A Study in its Origin and Development''. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, New Delhi.
* {{note|1}} 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.
* D. B. Kasar, ''Rigveda to Rajgarh: Making of Shivaji the Great''. Manudevi Prakashan, Mumbai.


{{MarathaEmpire}}
{{MarathaEmpire}}
 
[[Category:Maratha kings]]
[[Category:Titles in India]]
[[Category:Titles of national or ethnic leadership]]
[[Category:Maratha Empire]]
[[Category:Hindu dynasties]]
[[Category:Hindu dynasties]]
[[Category:Men's social titles]]
[[Category:Men's social titles]]
[[Category:Royal titles]]
[[Category:Royal titles]]
[[Category:Titles in India]]
[[Category:Titles of national or ethnic leadership]]

Latest revision as of 17:01, 25 March 2026


This article is about the title of the Maratha head of state. For the Telugu film, see Chatrapathi (2005 film).

Chhatrapati is a royal title from Sanskrit used to denote a king. The word "Chhatrapati" is a Sanskrit language compound word of chhatra (parasol or umbrella) and pati (master/lord/ruler).[1]

Usage examples[edit | edit source]

Sangita Raga-Kalpa-druma (1842) by Krishnananda Vyasa contains dhrupad lyrics in which Tansen addresses Man Singh Tomar (Template:R.c. 1486-1516), the ruler of Gwalior, as a Chhatrapati: "छत्रपति मान राजा, तुम चिरंजीव रहौ जौलो ध्रुव मेरू तारो".[2]

The 1644 CE Rajsitapur inscription, issued by Amarasimha I of Jhalavad, uses the epithet Chhatrapati for the Mughal emperor Shahjahan.[3]

The Maratha ruler Shivaji adopted the title Chhatrapati at the time of his coronation in 1674.[4] His descendants - the members of the House of Bhonsle - also used the title, as the rulers of the Maratha Confederacy and the princely states of Satara and Kolhapur.

See also[edit | edit source]

Notes[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Fairey, Jack; Farrell, Brian P. (28 June 2018). Empire in Asia: A New Global History: From Chinggisid to Qing. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4725-9123-4.
  2. ↑ द्विवेदी, राधेश्याम (1972). हिन्दी भाषा और साहित्य में ग्वालियर क्षेत्र का योगदान (in हिन्दी). Kailāśa Pustaka Sadana. p. 86. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
  3. ↑ Diskalkar, Dattatraya Balkrishna (1941). Inscriptions of Kathiawad. Karnarak publishing house. p. 345. Retrieved 9 March 2026. The epithet छत्रपति used with Shahajehan in this inscription deserves to be noted.
  4. ↑ Shashikant Govind Dhopate (1990). Parmeshwari Lal Gupta; Ajay Mitra Shastri (eds.). "An Early Half-hon of Shivaji". Numismatic Digest. 14. Indian Institute of Research in Numismatic Studies: 55–56.

References[edit | edit source]

  • ^ 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.
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