Maharani Tarabai: The Regent Who Saved the Maratha Empire From Aurangzeb

Priya Khaitan
3 days ago
2 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

Overview

Maharani Tarabai (1675–1761) took command of the Maratha Empire as regent in 1700, when it faced likely destruction by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, and personally led its armies through seven years of resistance that historians credit with saving the empire outright.

Timeline

1675 — Born, daughter of Hambirao Mohite, commander-in-chief of Shivaji's Maratha army
Married Rajaram Bhosale, third Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire
1689 — Mughal forces capture and execute Sambhaji; Rajaram becomes Chhatrapati and flees to Jinji fort
1700 — Rajaram dies; Tarabai declares her infant son Shivaji II successor and becomes regent
1700–1707 — Personally directs Maratha military campaigns against Aurangzeb, pushing forces into Malwa and Gujarat
1706 — Briefly captured by Mughal forces; escapes within four days after Marathas ambush the camp holding her
1707 — Aurangzeb dies, easing pressure on the Marathas
1761 — Dies, having lived to see the empire she saved become a dominant subcontinental power

Early Life

Trained from childhood in sword fighting, archery, horsemanship, and diplomacy by her father — a leading Maratha general — Tarabai grew up during continuous warfare between the Marathas and Mughals, an upbringing that directly prepared her for the role she'd later take as regent.

Achievements

Took direct command of the Maratha war effort as regent from 1700, when the empire faced potential collapse
Personally led cavalry campaigns, pushing Maratha forces deep into Mughal territory in Malwa and Gujarat by 1706
Escaped Mughal captivity within days after being captured during a military campaign in 1706
Referred to by the Portuguese as "Rainha dos Marathas" ("Queen of the Marathas") in recognition of her authority

Challenges

She inherited command during what many historians consider the empire's darkest hour — its founder's dynasty scattered, its capital lost, and Aurangzeb's full imperial army bearing down on the Deccan. She was briefly taken captive by Mughal forces in 1706, escaping only after Maratha troops ambushed the camp holding her.

Legacy

Contemporary Mughal officer Bhimsen described her as a stronger ruler than her own husband, noting that no Maratha leader acted without her order. Historian Jadunath Sarkar wrote that during 1700–1707, "the supreme guiding force in Maharashtra was not any minister but the dowager queen Tara Bai Mohite. Her administrative genius and strength of character saved the nation in that awful crisis."

"Her administrative genius and strength of character saved the nation in that awful crisis." — historian Jadunath Sarkar, on Tarabai's regency

Sources

Wikipedia: Tarabai; Madras Courier; The Famous People.

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